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Game 18
Opponent: North Carolina Central Eagles (4-12, 2-1 MEAC)
Date: Monday, January 15, 2018
Site: Durham, N.C. (McDougald-McLendon Arena)
Game Time: 2 p.m. 
Series Record: Morgan State leads series, 10-4
Watch: nccueaglepride.com
Live Stats: nccueaglepride.com
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com | www.nccueaglepride.com
 
DURHAM, N.C. (Jan. 14, 2018)-Morgan State will look to rebound from Saturday's 67-60 loss at North Carolina A&T, when it takes on the Eagles of North Carolina Central on Monday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Monday afternoon's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) contest will be the 15th meeting between the two programs. The Lady Bears hold a 10-4 series advantage and have won the past three meetings, including a 44-42 victory last year in Baltimore (2/4/17).
 
The game will also mark homecoming for Durham native Tykyrah Williams, who will be playing in her hometown in front of family and friends for just the second and final time in her career. The last time the Lady Bears played in Durham was during Williams' freshman season (2014-15). Morgan State would suffer a 63-47 loss to NCCU on Feb. 21, 2015.
 
"Being in my hometown and playing in front of my family one last time is what I'm looking forward to," said Williams, who was held scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting, four rebounds and three assists before fouling out in first game against NCCU. "My freshman year didn't go as planned, so I'm looking forward to a great game against Central."
 
A product of Hillside High, Williams was recruited by North Carolina Central, but chose Morgan State to get away from home and go to school. However, she always looks forward to playing against NCCU the most when the Lady Bears take on the MEAC's North Carolina schools (North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central).
 
Williams is currently averaging 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, which both rank third on the team.  
 
BEAR CLAWS: Morgan State (10-7, 3-1 MEAC) is coming off a 67-60 loss at North Carolina A&T on Saturday. The loss ended Morgan State's four-game winning streak and prevented the Lady Bears from improving to 4-0 in MEAC play for the first-time ever. Adre'onia Coleman and Tykyrah Williams each scored 14 points and Lexus Spears added 13 points. Coleman finished with a game-high nine rebounds, while Williams had seven rebounds and joined the 500 rebounds club at Morgan State with 501 for her career. The Lady Bears have been paced by Spears, who is averaging 13.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, both team highs. Farrar is scoring 12.0 points and leads Morgan State is assists (65) and steals (47). Williams is contributing 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, while Coleman is adding 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per outing.
 
EAGLE SCRATCHES: North Carolina Central (4-12, 2-1 MEAC) picked up a 60-52 victory on Saturday against visiting Coppin State. Rodneysha Martin scored a game-high 19 points, as the Eagles overcame a seven-point halftime deficit and 31 turnovers. Paulina Afriyie finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. NCCU has been led by Martin, who is averaging 13.1 points per game and leads the Eagles in assists (36) and steals (24). Afriyie is pulling down a team-leading 7.4 rebounds to go with 8.6 points and a team-best 17 blocked shots. The Eagles are averaging 60.4 points per contest and are giving up 73.7.
 
MORGAN STATE VS. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL SERIES NOTES: Morgan State leads the all-time series, 10-4. The Lady Bears have won three straight over NCCU, including last season's 44-42 victory in Baltimore (2/4/17).
 
NEXT UP: Morgan State will visit crosstown and MEAC rival Coppin State on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. at the Physical Education Complex on the Coppin State campus.
 
NOT UP IN HERE: The Lady Bears remained unbeaten at Hill Field House this season, when it defeated Savannah State, 73-67 on Monday, Jan. 8 to improve to 8-0 at home with the win. Morgan State will return home on Jan. 22 to host Delaware State at 5:30 p.m.
 
I'M COMING HOME: Senior forward Tykyrah Williams will return home to Durham, N.C. when the Lady Bears visit North Carolina Central (1/15). The homecoming will mark the last time Williams will play in her hometown with the Lady Bears against the hometown Eagles. Monday's game will be just the second time the Hillside High product will play in Durham and the first since her freshman season when the Lady Bears were dealt a 63-47 loss on Feb. 21, 2015. Since that loss, Williams and the Lady Bears have won the last three meetings against NCCU, including a 44-42 victory last season in Baltimore, Md. on Feb. 4, 2016.
 
FARRAR ON THE RISE: Braennan "BeBe" Farrar continues to make her move up several of Morgan State's statistical charts. Farrar currently ranks fourth all-time at Morgan State in assists with 323. The St. Louis, Mo. native sits in fourth-place all-time in steals at Morgan State with 215. Farrar scored seven points at N.C. A&T (1/13) to move past former Lady Bear Kaira Warfield (1,409 points from 1993-97) for sixth-place with 1,414 points. Farrar is now seven points away from passing Monique Liddell (1,420 points from 1996-00) for fifth-place.
 
WILLIAMS CLOSING IN ON 1,000 PTS/500 REBS CLUB: Senior Tykyrah Williams is on the verge of becoming the seventh Lady Bear player to join the 1,000 points and 500 rebounds club at Morgan State. Williams grabbed seven rebounds at N.C. A&T to give her 501 for her career, while adding 14 points. Williams currently has scored 912 points during her career.
 
A NEW SEASON: What a difference a year makes. Last season the Lady Bears finished the 2016-17 campaign with a 9-21 mark. This year, Morgan State head coach Ed Davis Jr. has already guided the Lady Bears to 10 wins through their first 16 games. A year ago the Lady Bears didn't record their ninth and final win until the 29th game of the season, a 66-62 road victory at Maryland Eastern Shore on March 2, 2017.
 
TRACKING SPEARS TO NO. 500: Senior forward Lexus Spears needs 28 more rebounds to reach 500 for her career. Spears, who enters Monday's game against NCCU with 472 career rebounds, grabbed five rebounds at N.C. A&T (1/13). Spears has pulled down a team-leading 119 boards this season for an average of 7.0 rebounds per game.
 
HOLD UM UNDER 60 POINTS: During the Lady Bears recent four-game winning streak, Morgan State had held three of those opponents to under 60 points. The Lady Bears are a perfect 8-0 this season when holding their opponents under 60 points. Of those eight victories, twice (Lincoln-Pa. and Central Connecticut) the Lady Bears surrendered an opponent low 41 points.