Game 17
Morgan State "Lady Bears" 6-10, 2-1 MEAC) at Bethune-Cookman "Lady Wildcats" (10-5, 2-1 MEAC)
Date: Monday, Jan. 13, 2020
Site: Daytona Beach, Fla. (Moore Gymnasium)
Tip-off: 5:30 p.m.
Series Record: Bethune-Cookman leads, 31-27
Gameday: Here
TV: N/A
Audio: N/A
Watch: N/A
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Website: www.MorganStateBears.com | www.bcuathletics.com
Game Notes: Morgan State | B-CU | MEAC
 
BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 12, 2020)-Morgan State wraps up its two-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) road swing through the Sunshine State on Monday, Jan. 13 when it visits defending MEAC Tournament champion Bethune-Cookman at 5:30 p.m. at Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Fla.
  
BEAR CLAWS: Morgan State (6-10, 2-1 MEAC) picked up its second two-game winning streak of the season, following a 59-47 win at Florida A&M (FAMU) on Saturday. Lana Skripkina came off the bench to score a season- and team-high 15 points in the win over the Lady Rattlers. Skripkina shot 6-for-8 form the floor, including 3-for-5 from three-point range. Chelsea Mitchell finished with 11 points and a team-high 13 rebounds to record her third straight double-double and seventh of the season. Mitchell also added a game-high five steals to give her 138 for her career and tie Debbie Grey (138 from 1985-90) for 13^th all-time at Morgan State. Dahnye Redd fell shy of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds to help the guests hold a slim 43-41 rebounding advantage and earn their fourth straight victory over FAMU. Morgan State has been paced this season by Mitchell, who is averaging a team-best 14.6 points and a team-leading 9.4 rebounds per game. Redd is scoring 13.2 points and grabbing 7.2 rebounds per outing, while Ashia McCalla is adding 12.1 points per game. Morgan State is scoring 63.6 points per game as a team and allowing 60.6 points per game to its opponents.
 
MSU VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN SERIES NOTES: The Lady Wildcats have won six straight over Morgan State and leads the all-time series, 31-27. Bethune-Cookman defeated the Lady Bears, 73-69 in overtime in Baltimore (1/26/19) in last season's lone meeting.
 
CAT TALES: Bethune-Cookman (10-5, 2-1 MEAC), the defending MEAC Tournament champions, enters the contest on a two-game winning streak after defeating visiting Coppin State, 82-51 on Saturday. Amaya Scott led three Lady Wildcats in double figures scoring with a game-high 17 points. Camary Harris added 12 points and Ashanti Hunt had 10 points to go with seven rebounds and a game-high six assists. Ashlie Howell pulled down a team-leading 11 rebounds and had eight points. B-CU has been led by Daniella Hatcher, who is averaging 11.5 points, while Scott is totaling 11 points and a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game.
NEXT UP: Morgan State will return home for two games beginning with a MEAC contest against beltway rival Howard on Saturday, Jan. 18. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. The Lady Bears close out the home stand against defending MEAC regular season champion North Carolina A&T on Monday, Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m. Both games will be played at Hill Field House.
 
SKRIPKINA HAS BREAKOUT: Lana Skripkina scored a season- and team-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three-point range in the win at Florida A&M (1/11). She also tied a season-high three rebounds. A native of Russia, Skripkina's previous high was eight points at Nebraska (11/14).
 
MITCHELL PICKS UP ANOTHER MEAC HONOR: Chelsea Mitchell was named MEAC Co-Player of the Week on Tuesday, Jan. 7 to earn her fourth MEAC weekly honor this season. She previously was named MEAC Defensive (11/26), Co-Defensive (11/12) and MEAC Co-Player of the Week (12/17) honors. The Columbia, Md. native averaged a double-double for the week, recording 23 points and 15.5 rebounds per game in two contests, while shooting a combined 19-for-36 (.528) from the floor. Mitchell began the week scoring a game-high 25 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, while adding three steals and a block at Delaware State (1/4). She then recorded a 21-point, 16-rebound performance against South Carolina State (1/6).
 
I'M COMING HOME: Senior guard Sydney Searcy will return to her home state of Florida this weekend when the Lady Bears visit Florida A&M (1/11) and Bethune-Cookman (1/13). A native of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Searcy spent her first two seasons at the University of Florida, before transferring to Morgan State and sitting out the 2018-19 campaign. She has started in 10 games this season, making one start and is averaging 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game to go with 14 steals and eight assists.
 
MAKE IT A DOUBLE: Chelsea Mitchell picked up her team– and MEAC-leading seventh double-double of the season in a victory at Florida A&M (1/11). Mitchell finished with a game-high 11 points and had a game-best 13 rebounds.
 
MITCHELL RANKS THIRD NATIONALLY IN STEALS: Chelsea Mitchell ranks third in the nation in total steals (59) and is seventh in steals per game with 3.69. The senior guard leads the Lady Bears in steals this season and picked up five more thefts in the win at Florida A&M (1/11) to give her 138 for her career, which is tied for 13th on the Morgan State charts.
 
MARYLAND'S FINEST: Of all the leading rebounders of the eight Division I women's basketball programs in the State of Maryland, Morgan State's Chelsea Mitchell ranks first with 9.4 rebounds per game. A native of Columbia, Md., Mitchell has led the Lady Bears in rebounding 12 times, including a season-best 16 rebounds against South Carolina State (1/6).
 
Rk. Name, School                                    Rebounds
1. Chelsea Mitchell, Morgan State                    9.4
2. Stephanie Karcz, Loyola-Maryland                  9.3
3. Chance Graham, Coppin State                        8.5
4. Kaila Charles, Maryland                                   8.0
5. Janee'a Summers, UMBC                                7.7
6. Nukiya Mayo, Towson                                      7.1
7. Sophie Gatzounas, Navy                                  5.0
8. Amanda Carney, Maryland Eastern Shore       4.7
 
THE MAIN EVENT: The Lady Bears were the main event in their MEAC opener doubleheader at Delaware State (1/4). The contest followed the men's game and marked the first time in nearly three decades that the women's team followed the men's game in a MEAC doubleheader.
 
MORGAN STATE TO HONOR ELIJAH CUMMINGS: Throughout the 2019-20 season, Morgan State student-athletes will celebrate the life of longtime Baltimore Congressman Elijah Cummings, who passed away on October 17, 2019, at the age of 68. In honor of Congressman Cummings and all of his many positive contributions to the University and his district, all Morgan State athletic teams will wear a special commemorative "EC" patch on their jerseys throughout the season. The Bears' football team helmets were also adorned with an EC decal. The patch is a black circle with the initials "EC" in the center in orange letters and outlined in white. Congressman Cummings has a long history with Morgan State University and over the years has been one of its most staunch supporters. In addition to hosting many of his youth workshops and annual career fairs at Morgan, he also served on the University's Board of Regents for 19 years after having been appointed in July 1999 (he missed one year due to other commitments at the time.
 
MORGAN STATE 'GRIT': The Morgan State athletic department has adopted the slogan GRIT for the 2019-20 athletic campaign. GRIT, which stands for Growth, Resiliency, Integrity and Teamwork, was introduced by Morgan State Director of Athletics Dr. Edward Scott at the start of the Fall semester. GRIT will define all 15 of Morgan State's athletic teams on and off the field of play this season.
 
IT'S HARD OUT THERE ON THE ROAD: The Lady Bears picked up their second road win of the season, following a 59-47 victory at Florida A&M (1/11). Morgan State improved to 2-10 on the road this season, including 0-2 in neutral contests. The win at FAMU ended a seven-game losing streak away from Hill Field House.
 
MORGAN PICKED SEVENTH IN MEAC: Morgan State was picked to finish seventh 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 sixth, and went 10-21 overall and finished 8-8 in the MEAC to finish sixth.
 
UNBEATEN STREAKS ON THE LINE: The Lady Bears entered the 2019-20 campaign looking to remain unbeaten against three teams on the schedule: Notre Dame-Maryland, Washington Adventist and Hofstra. The Lady Bears were successful in extending their winning streaks against both Notre Dame-Maryland (4-0) and Washington Adventist (5-0), but suffered its first loss to Hofstra (2-1).
 
TOURNAMENT EXPOSURE: Six of Morgan State's 2019-20 opponents advanced to postseason play last season in Marquette-2nd round, Michigan-2nd round and Bethune-Cookman-1st round (NCAA Women's Tournament); North Carolina A&T State-1st round (Women's National Invitational Tournament); Akron-1st round and Marshall-2nd round (Women's Basketball Invitational).
 
SAYING GOODBYE: Morgan State will say goodbye to five seniors at the conclusion of the season. Four-year member Jihayah Chavis, three-year member Chelsea Mitchell along with Dawn Gipson, Sydney Searcy and Dezyree Morales, who all came to Morgan State a year ago as juniors, will be honored on 'Senior Night' prior to their final home game at Hill Field House against Norfolk State (3/5/20).
 
2020 MEAC TOURNAMENT: The 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) men's and women's basketball tournament is scheduled for March 9-14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va. Ticket books can be purchased at all 12 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.