BALTIMORE, Md. (Feb. 10, 2020)-Morgan State had four players score in double figures, as the Lady Bears rebounded from Saturday's loss to defeat visiting North Carolina Central, 86-79 on Monday.
 
The win marked career coaching victory No. 390 for Morgan State head coach Ed Davis Jr.
 
The Lady Bears improved to 12-12 overall and 8-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with the win, while upping its record to 7-1 this season at Hill Field House.
 
Dahnye Redd collected her fifth double-double of the season, posting 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Chelsea Mitchell, who battled through foul trouble, finished with 20 points, six rebounds and a game game-high five steals. Ashia McCalla scored 16 points and Jihayah Chavis tallied 13 points and a game-high six assists.
 
With the shots not falling early for the Lady Bears, who shot 4-of-14 (28 percent) in the first quarter, the hosts stayed close by getting to the free throw line and converting. Morgan State hit its first 13 free throw attempts to start the game and was 18-of-19 (95 percent) through three quarters of play. In the first quarter alone, the Lady Bears were perfect from the charity stripe, as 12 of their 20 points came from the free throw line.
 
Morgan State struggled to close out the game at the line, as it shot 50 percent (8-of-16) in the fourth quarter to finish 26-for-35 (74.3 percent) for the game. NCCU finished 14-of-29 from the line for 48 percent.
 
The Lady Bears, who fell behind by as much as six points all game, trailed 24-18 in the first quarter, before eventually taking a one-point lead (36-35) after a layup by Chavis with 1:30 to play in the second. The visiting Eagles scored the next six points to take a 41-36 lead and Morgan State closed out the half trailing 41-38 after Ja'Niah Henson knocked down two free throws.
 
In Saturday's loss to Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State, which has owned the third quarter, was outscored by the Hawks 14-7.
 
The Lady Bears, who entered this evening's game outscoring their opponents in the third quarter this season by a combined 58 points, returned to form, as they outscored NCCU, 26-14.
 
A three-pointer from Jasmine Pollock opened up the third quarter scoring and matched NCCU's largest lead of six points (44-38) with 9:33 remaining. Morgan State responded with a 20-3 run over the next five minutes to take a 58-47 lead.
 
McCalla jump started the offense with a jumper, then Mitchell hit a jumper and added a free throw to complete a three-point play to bring Morgan State within, 44-43. The Lady Bears then went outside, as McCalla knocked down a three-pointer as Morgan State reclaimed the lead for the first time since 36-35 in the second.
 
The Eagles' Kieche White responded with a three-pointer to give the guests a brief 47-46 lead. But the Lady Bears countered with back-to-back treys by Chavis and Sydney Searcy to help Morgan State score the next 12 points and increase its advantage to 58-47. The Lady Bears led 64-55 heading into the fourth.
 
NCCU used an 11-2 run to pull within 69-67 after a layup by Paulina Afriyie with 4:42 left in the game. Morgan State increased its lead to eight points (77-69) when Mitchell scored on a fast break layup with 1:46 to play.
 
The Eagles had one final run in them, using a 10-5 spurt to pull within 82-79 when Madalyn Anderson hit a three-pointer with 12 seconds left. McCalla knocked down two free throws and Redd scored on a layup to put the game away for Morgan State.
 
White led the Eagles with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting, while Afriyie shot 8-of-9 and finished with 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
Next up for the Lady Bears will be a trip to Norfolk, Va. to take on the Spartans of Norfolk State in a MEAC contest at Echols Hall. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
 
The Spartans (14-8, 8-1 MEAC), who are on a two-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine games, needed overtime to defeat Delaware State, 65-67 in their last contest on Feb. 8 in Norfolk.