BALTIMORE, Md. (Feb. 1, 2016)-The Morgan State women's basketball team closed out its mini two-game homestand with a perfect mark following a win on Monday evening over crosstown rival Coppin State, 72-51 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game at Hill Field House. The win was the Lady Bears' sixth over Coppin State in the last eight meetings and fourth in the past five contests against their rivals. Coppin State still holds a 37-32 all-time series lead.

The 21-point win was also the largest margin of victory for the Lady Bears over Coppin State since a 23-point (76-53) victory over the Eagles in a MEAC Tournament contest in Richmond, Va. (3/4/99).

Tykyrah Williams scored a team-high 18 points, while Lexus Spears and Braennan Farrar each added 15 points for Morgan State, which never trailed in the game. Farrar, who had a game-high five steals, also tied Zuri White (game-high nine rebounds) for team-high honors in assists with five. Danielle Robinson came off the bench to contribute 11 points, as the Lady Bears improved to 6-3 at home this season.

"They're finally realizing and playing within themselves," said Morgan State head coach Donald Beasley. "We go through the same thing every year and we cut it down to about six or seven players after we get a feel for who can do what and they know their roles a little bit better. Everyone can't get playing time anymore, so we figured out a combination and happen to be playing pretty well right now."

Morgan State (8-12, 6-2 MEAC) scored the game's first seven points, but Coppin State used an 11-6 run to pull within 13-11. The Lady Bears countered with a 9-1 spurt capped off by back-to-back three-pointers by Robinson from the right wing to give the hosts a 22-12 cushion with 3:18 left in the first quarter. The Lady Bears would hold a 25-18 advantage after one.

The hosts scored the first four points of the second quarter to take an 11-point lead at 29-18. A 10-0 run by Morgan State midway through the second quarter extended the Lady Bears' lead to 19 points (41-22), their largest of the first half. Morgan State would take a 46-28 lead at the intermission.

Spears scored seven straight points to begin the third quarter, as Morgan State upped its lead to 25 points (53-28) its largest lead of the game with 7:45 to play in the quarter.

Coppin State (7-12, 4-3 MEAC) closed the gap to 14 points (56-42) by using a 14-3 run over the next five minutes, but would get no closer.

Morgan State would go on an 11-0 run by scoring the final five points of the third quarter and the first six to start the fourth quarter and take a 66-44 lead with seven minutes remaining.

"They're a great group of sophomores, they move the basketball and they're all capable of scoring," said Beasley of his four sophomores, who combined to score 54 of Morgan State's 72 points. "They have to believe that and they just can't go to one person. We finally have it clicking were Zuri [White] can shoot it, Tykyrah can shoot it, we got Lexus pretty good inside and Braennan [Farrar] can score and Benedicta [Makakala] does a good job of facilitating. So we've got three people who can shoot it and we got a big girl inside and we move the basketball and it looks pretty good."

Morgan State will return to the road for MEAC action when they take on Savannah State and South Carolina State. The Lady Bears will first travel to Savannah, Ga. for a meeting against defending MEAC Tournament champion Savannah State Lady Tigers. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. Morgan State will then visit the South Carolina State lady Bulldogs on Monday, Feb. 8 for a 5:30 p.m. tilt in Orangeburg, S.C.

Notes: Morgan State forced 20 Coppin State turnovers and turned them into 19 points...The Lady Bears also outscored Coppin State, 11-1 in second chance points and 15-0 in bench scoring...Coppin State outscored Morgan, 26-24 in points in the paint and 6-0 in fast break points.