BALTIMORE, Md. (Nov. 14, 2015)-The Morgan State women's basketball team opens up its 2015-16 season at home on Sunday, Nov. 15, when it welcomes Washington Adventist to Hill Field House for a non-conference game at 2 p.m. This will be the second meeting between the two programs, who first met last season. Morgan State won that contest, 66-44 in Baltimore (Nov. 20, 2014).
 
BEAR CLAWS: The Lady Bears (0-0) return 12 letterwinners, including four starters from last year's squad that went 11-19 overall and finished seventh in the MEAC with an 8-8 record. Sophomore Braennan Farrar leads the way with 13.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists from a year ago. Sophomore Lexus Spears (5.2 points, 5.1 rebounds), Senior Dinah Jones (5.7 rebounds, 3.7 points) and junior Danielle Robinson (4.5 points, 2.1 rebounds) are the other starters who are returning.
  
SHOCK TRAMA: Washington Adventist (2-1), a member of the Association of Independent Institutions, dropped a 54-51 decision to visiting Point Park University on Thursday night in Takoma Park, Md. The Lady Shock, who trailed by as much as 14 points in second half with 6:05 remaining in the game, managed to even the score at 49-49 with 1:39 left on the clock. However, they could not overcome the deficit or 24 turnovers. Senior J Brown-McDaniel finished with a double-double, recording 17 points and 20 rebounds, both game highs. Emily Piazza and Natalie Harrison each chipped in with nine points, while Monica Chica had a game-high three blocks.
 
MSU VS. WASHINGTON ADVENTIST SERIES NOTES: This will be the second meeting between the two teams. Morgan State leads the series 1-0, following last year's 66-44 victory in Baltimore (Nov. 20).
 
NEXT UP: Morgan State will take to the road for the first time this season, when they travel to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on James Madison on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at  the Convocation Center.
 
FOLLOW THE LADY BEARS ON TWITTER: Morgan State women's basketball fans can follow the Lady Bears on Twitter. Check out regular updates on the team which will feature live tweets from games and on road trips. To follow the Morgan State Athletics Twitter page visit Twitter.com/MorganStBears.
 
DOUBLE DUTY: Senior forward Dinah Jones has been going nonstop since stepping foot on the Morgan State campus in early August of 2012 for her freshman season. The 6-foot-1 native of Annapolis, Md. is also a four-year letterwinner on the Morgan State volleyball team. A year ago, Jones led the team in rebounding (5.7) and averaged 3.7 points. She also added 13 assists, eight steals and five blocks. This season on the volleyball court, she helped the Lady Bears to a 12-14 regular season mark, 9-3 in the MEAC Northern Division, which was good for second-place. Thus far Jones ranks third on the team in blocks with 35 and totaled 120 kills. Morgan will take on North Carolina A&T on Friday, Nov. 20, in a quarterfinal match in Princess Anne, Md.
 
MORGAN PICKED NINTH IN MEAC: Morgan State was picked to finish ninth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason poll, as voted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Last year, the Lady Bears were picked to finish last (13th), but put together an 11-19 overall mark and finished 8-8 in the MEAC to finish seventh.
  
FARRAR NAMED TO PRESEASON MEAC SECOND TEAM: Sophomore guard Braennan Farrar was named to the Preseason All-MEAC second team. A native of St. Louis, Mo., Farrar was second on the team in scoring (13.9), while leading the Lady Bears in assists with 2.6 per game. She also led the team in steals (67) and three-pointers made (45).
 
BEASLEY ALL-TIME SCHOOL RECORD: Morgan State head coach Donald Beasley, who is in his 11th year at the helm of the Lady Bears, became the program's all-time coaching leader last season. Beasley, who surpassed LaRue Fields (122-60 from 1979-85), as the winningest coach, enters the 2015-16 season with a 128-175 all-time record at Morgan State.
 
MORGAN IN SEASON OPENERS: The Lady Bears, who will open up the 2015-16 campaign at home against Washington Adventist, are 10-28 all-time in season openers dating back to 1977. Morgan State had lost 23 straight season openers, prior to winning three straight from 2006-08. Last season the Lady Bears opened up on the road for the first time in three years and suffered a 68-36 loss at Georgia.
 
2016 MEAC TOURNAMENT: The 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) men's and women's basketball tournament is scheduled for March 7-12 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va. Ticket books can be purchased at all 13 MEAC university ticket offices, the Norfolk Scope Arena, Ticketmaster outlets, the MEAC Administrative Office and online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available by calling the MEAC at 757-951-2055 or Ticketmaster at (800)-745-3000. The annual MEAC Basketball Tournament moved to Norfolk in 2013 after spending the previous four years in Winston-Salem, N.C. from 2009 through 2012.