Score: Morgan State 63 | North Carolina Central 83
Location: McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
Records: Morgan State 12-12, 4-4 | N.C. Central 11-11, 4-4
The short story:  Justin Wright had 25 points and 11 rebounds and North Carolina Central scored 40 points in the paint in an 83-63 win over Morgan State on Saturday night at McDougald-McLendon Arena.

OPENING TIP

• Wright recorded his first career double-double as he led the Eagles with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting while also pulling down 11 rebounds (8 defensive).
• NCCU graduate student Brendan Medley-Bacon, a 7-foot Baltimore product, dropped 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including eight boards and a game-high six blocked shots.
• Kris Monroe added 14 points and collected nine rebounds for the Eagles, while Eric Boon added a game-high six assists.
• Lewis Djonkam paced the Bears scoring 11 of his team-high 19 points in the second half and finished with six rebounds, two steals and an assist in 36 minutes.
• Senior guard Isaiah Burke also scored double-figures with 16 points (4-15 FG), five steals and three assists. Junior guard Kamron Hobbs finished with 14 points, four boards and a blocked shot. Freshman guard Rob Lawson pitched in 9 points off the bench.

THE DIFFERENCE

• After the halftime break, NCCU used a 11-2 run to take a 53-33 lead with 16:20 remaining in the second half. Morgan cut the lead to 53-38 after a layup by Djonkam with 14:41 remaining, but the Bears could get no closer.
• NCCU shot 52-percent from the field and 41-percent from behind the arc while the Bears shot 40-percent from the field and connected on 4-of-15 (.267) 3-pointers.
• Morgan shot .708 (17-24) from the free throw line, compared to the Eagles' .690 percent (20-29).
• NCCU dominated the paint outrebounding the Bears 45-24.
• Morgan scored 15 points off of forcing 20 NCCU turnovers.
• Djonkam opened the game with a layup, but NCCU responded with a 3-pointer by Kris Monroe, followed by a three by Wright as the Eagles would go on to take a 13-4 lead by the 15:34 mark.
• Hobbs buried a pair 3-pointers as part of a 14-6 spurt to help the Bears trim the lead to 19-18 with 8:24 remaining. However, Wright and Medley-Bacon combined for the next 20 of 23 points for the Eagles to extend NCCU's lead to 42-31 at the intermission.

NOTABLE

• For the second game in a row, Lewis Djonkam led the Bears in scoring ... he scored 19 points against Delaware State (Feb. 4).
• Tonight marked the 97th meeting between the teams, NCCU leads the series 56-41
• The Bears fall to 2-10 in road games.
• NCCU snapped a 3-game losing streak and improved its home record to 10-1 this season.

NEXT UP
The Bears will continue its road swing when they travel to face South Carolina State on Monday night in Orangeburg, S.C. (Feb. 13). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.


FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
 Facebook: /MorganStateBears
 Twitter: @MorganStBears
 Instagram: /MorganStateBears

ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.