BALTIMORE, Md. (Dec. 5, 2015)-Braennan Farrar scored 20 of her game- and career-high 33 points in the fourth quarter, as the Lady Bears came from behind to defeat Norfolk State, 67-58 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Hill Field House. Farrar's 33 points surpassed her previous career-high of 30 points she scored last season in the regular season finale at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (3/5/15).
 
Farrar, who shot 12-of-23 from the floor, connected on 8-of-11 free throws to go with five rebounds, a game-high five assists and a game-high three steals. Lexus Spears finished with a double-double with 14 points and a team-high 10 rebounds before fouling out.
 
The Lady Bears (2-6, 1-0 MEAC), who ended a six-game losing skid, held a 35-23 advantage at the intermission.
 
However, giving up big scoring quarters to their opponents has been an issue for the Lady Bears thus far this season and Saturday would be no different.
 
Norfolk State (0-6, 0-1 MEAC) would outscore the Lady Bears, 25-6 in the third quarter to take a 48-41 lead after three periods. The Spartans, who had swept last season's series with Morgan State and entered the contest having won five of the last six meetings, began the third quarter with a 19-2 spurt to take a 42-37 lead with 3:09 remaining. A layup by Farrar would briefly end the run, but the Spartans would close out the period on a 6-2 run to take the 48-41 lead.
 
Morgan State got back into the contest with a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter and even the score at 48 all, following a layup and free throw by Farrar with 7:22 left in the game. With the Lady Bears trailing by two points (52-50), Farrar would put together an 11-3 scoring run by herself to give the Lady Bears the lead for good at 61-55 with 1:03 to play.
 
The hosts, who shot 70 percent (14-of-20) from the free throw line, closed out the game connecting on 9-of-11 free throws, including the final eight attempts for the 67-58 victory.
 
Norfolk State was led by Siobhan Beslow, who recorded a double-double with a team-high 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Yazmen Hannah added 13 points and Koryn Lawrence finished with 12 points.
 
Morgan State shot 43.9 percent (25-of-57) from the floor, while Norfolk State was 20-of-57 for 35 percent. Both teams shot 3-of-10 (30 percent) from the three-point arc. The Lady Bears held
a 43-34 rebounding advantage.
 
The Lady Bears return to action on Monday, Dec. 7, when they take on the Lady Pirates of Hampton University in a MEAC showdown at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House.