MIAMI, Fla. (Dec. 2, 2018)-TaMiracle Taylor came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting to lead Florida International (FIU) to a 59-50 non-conference victory over visiting Morgan State on Sunday afternoon at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

FIU (2-6) improved to 2-1 all-time against the Lady Bears, who fell to 1-9 on the season. 

Paula Orenes added 11 points and Chelsea Guimaraes pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, as the host Panthers picked up their second win of the season and avenged last season's loss at Morgan State.

For the second consecutive game the Lady Bears allowed their opponent to have a huge quarter, which all but sealed their fate. Last week at Western Kentucky, Morgan State was outscored 27-8 by the Lady Toppers in the second quarter. Today it would be the third quarter, as FIU, trailing by six points (28-21) at the half, used a 25-8 quarter against the Lady Bears to take a 46-36 lead after three periods of play. It would be the only quarter that FIU would outscore Morgan State.

Morgan State pulled within six points at 48-42 after a layup by Jihayah Chavis with 7:57 to play in the game. However, that would be as close as Morgan State would get. A three-pointer by Taylor nearly two minutes later completed a mini 5-0 run and pushed the Panthers' lead to 11 points (53-42).

A minute and 20 seconds later Taylor drained another three-pointer and Chavis matched her to make it an eight point game (56-48) with 4:06 to play. But Morgan State would not score again until a layup by Dezyree Morales (six points on 3-for-4 shooting) nearly three minutes later at the 1:14 mark for the game's final score.

Adre'onia Coleman led the Lady Bears with 11 points and added four assists and three steals, both game highs. Chavis finished with 10 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Naomi Bolasingh finished with nine points, had two steals and a block.  

FIU shot 16-of-27 (59.3 percent) from the free throw line, while Morgan State was 9-of-16 (56.3 percent). The Panthers outrebounded Morgan State, 37-31 and held a 22-18 advantage in points in the paint.

The Lady Bears will return to action in 13 days, as they focus on exams. Morgan State will be back on the floor on Dec. 15 when it travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the Michigan Wolverines. Tip-off is at 11 a.m. at Crisler Center. The contest will be the first meeting between the two programs.