Game 23 (MEAC Contest)
Morgan State (16-6, 9-0 MEAC) at Norfolk State (19-5, 7-2 MEAC)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023
Site: Norfolk, Va. (Echols Hall)
Time: 2 p.m.
Series Record: Norfolk State leads, 25-19
Audio: WNSB 91.1 FM
TV: N/A
Live Stream: HBCU League Pass+
Live Stats: Here
Websites: MorganStateBears.com | nsuspartans.com
 
 
BALTIMORE, Md. (Feb. 12, 2023)--The Lady Bears look to increase on their nine-game winning streak when they travel to Virginia's Tidewater area to face Norfolk State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) contest on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Echols Hall in Norfolk, Va.
 
HOW TO WATCH GAMES: All men's and women's basketball home games will be video streamed for free through the MorganStateBears.com website. The latest broadcast and video stream information will always be listed on men's and women's basketball schedule pages at MorganStateBears.com.
 
MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RADIO: All home games and select away games for MSU men's and women's basketball will once again be available through Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN.com). Lamont Germany will handle play-by-play responsibilities and will also host pre-game and post-game shows. Including exclusive interviews with members of the teams and women's coach Ed Davis and men's coach Kevin Broadus. Fans can download the HSRN app for free and listen to the MSU broadcasts from anywhere. Simply search for HSRN when using the iHeartRadio app.

BEAR CLAWS: Morgan State (16-6, 9-0 MEAC), winners of a season-long nine straight, are coming off a 69-48 victory at South Carolina State (2/13). Ja'Niah Henson scored a game-high 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting and Jael Butler also shot 6-for-11 to score 14 points. The victory was the Lady Bears second over S.C. State in a span of a week. Charlene Shepherd finished with 14 points and Taylor Addison pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go with eight points and four steals and five assists, both game highs.
 
SPARTAN LEGION: Norfolk State (19-5, 7-2 MEAC) recorded a 70-42 victory over Delaware State (2/13) on Monday. Camille Downs, led the Spartans with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, as the Spartans earned their second straight victory. Niya Fields and Crystal White each added nine points. Fields finished with a team-high nine assists.
 
MSU VS. NSU SERIES NOTES: Morgan State trails the all-time series, 19-25 after winning the season's first game, 57-46 in Baltimore (1/23).
 
NEXT UP: Morgan State will return home on Monday, Feb. 20 to host Beltway rival Howard in a MEAC game at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House. The game will be Greek Night. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and be there by 5 p.m., as seating is limited.
 
PROTECTING THE 'HOUSE': With its win over South Carolina State (2/6), Morgan State improved to 10-0 at home this season, extended its home winning streak to 16 straight and has now won 36 of its last 39 home games dating back to the 2018-19 campaign. The 10 wins ties the program record for most home wins in a season with both the 2017-18 and 2019-20 teams. The Lady Bears went 9-1 at Hill Field House during the 2021-22 season. During an abbreviated 2020-21 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, MSU went 6-1 at Hill Field House. The season before that the Lady Bears concluded the 2019-20 campaign with a 10-1 home record, which was the program's best home court mark since the 2017-18 team finished 10-3.
 
NINE STRAIGHT AND COUNTING: Morgan State extended its winning streak to a season-best nine straight after its win over South Carolina State (2/13). The nine consecutive wins are the second most in program history, passing both the 2007-08 and 1983-84 teams, which won seven straight. The Lady Bears are now two wins shy of matching the school record for victories in a row at 11, which was set by the 1980-81 team.
 
JOHNSON HAS CAREER DAY: Freshman guard Gabrielle Johnson came off the bench to lead Morgan State with a career- and game-high 21 points, including 3-for-6 shooting from three-point range and added five rebounds and two steals in the win at North Carolina Central (2/11).
 
SEE YOU REAL SOON: The Lady Bears will play a home-and-home schedule against South Carolina State within a week apart. The two teams, which were originally scheduled to play Jan. 9 in Baltimore, met on Monday, Feb. 6 in Baltimore and will face each other a week later in Orangeburg, S.C. on Feb. 13. It marks the second consecutive season that Morgan State had to face the same opponent twice in a span of a week. Last season the Lady Bears and North Carolina Central met back-to-back weekends after Covid related issues forced the cancelation of their January 2022 season opener in Durham, N.C.
 
SHEPHERD EARNS 4TH STRAIGHT MEAC WEEKLY AWARD: Charlene Shepherd was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week (Jan. 31). It was the fourth consecutive MEAC weekly honor and fifth overall for Shepherd, who also collected her third defensive player of the week accolade this season (Dec. 13, Jan. 24). A native of Killeen, Texas, Shepherd tallied 13 rebounds (11 defensive), while adding six steals and a block for the week. She began the week grabbing 10 boards, all defensive and added four steals and two blocks, both game highs in the win at Delaware State. Shepherd concluded the week with three rebounds, two steals and a block in the win over Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
ADDISON HAS A CAREER-HIGH NIGHT: Graduate forward Taylor Addison scored a career- and game-high 21 points in the win over Maryland Eastern Shore (1/30). Addison shot a career-best 8-of-12 field goals, including a career-high 5-for-7 from three-point range, while totaling two assists and two steals. A native of Columbia, Md., she also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to record her second double-double of the season. Addison surpassed her previous field goal high when she went 7-of-7 with two three-pointers last season against Delaware State (2/16/22). Her career-high 21-point performance and five three-pointers passes her previous career high 18 points on 6-for-6 shooting, including 3-for-3 from three-point range against Coppin State (1/15/22).  
 
CHASING HISTORY: Morgan State (16-6) is three wins shy of tying the program record for wins in a season on the Division I level at 19, set by the 2007-08 team, which went 19-12.
 
SHEPHERD CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS: Graduate player Charlene Shepherd enters tonight's contest with 955 combined points for her collegiate career and needs 31 more to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Shepherd began her career at North Texas where she scored 428 points and has since recorded 541 points thus far in her two seasons at Morgan State.
 
TRACKING COACH DAVIS TO 100 – WIN NO. 98: Morgan State head coach Edward Davis picked up his 98th career coaching victory at Morgan State, following the Lady Bears' 69-48 victory at South Carolina State (2/13). Davis, who is not two wins shy of earning his 100^th coaching victory at Morgan State, took over the helm of the Morgan State women's program for the 2016-17 season, currently ranks third all-time on the career coaching victories chart.
 
HENSON REACHES 800 POINTS: Senior guard Ja'Niah Henson scored a game-high 24 points in the win at Delaware State (1/28), giving her exactly 800 points for her career. Henson enters tonight's contest with 857 points.
 
IT TAKES A THIEF: Morgan State has forced 474 opponent turnovers, while recording 257 steals. The Lady Bears forced a season-high 30 turnovers at Coppin State (1/14), while also recording a season-high 21 steals against Coppin. Charlene Shepherd leads the Lady Bears with 51 steals, while Ja'Niah Henson has 46. Taylor Addison has 35 steals and Emily Jones has 30.
 
HENSON NAMED MEAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ja'Niah Henson was named the MEAC Co-Player of the Week (1/24). This is the third honor for Henson this season, who also earned co-player of the week (11/15) and was named player of the week (11/22). Henson averaged 23 points and three steals for the week, while shooting 51% (18-of-35) to help the Lady Bears to a 2-0 week. The Baltimore native opened up with 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting from the floor and had three steals at Howard (1/21), then totaled 20 points and three steals in a win over Norfolk (1/23) to hand the Spartans their first MEAC loss.
 
SHEPHERD EARNS MEAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER HONOR: Charlene Shepherd was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week (1/24) after totaling 24 rebounds in two games with 18 coming on the defensive end. The Killeen, Texas native averaged 12 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest to help Morgan extend its winning streak to four straight and remain unbeaten in MEAC play. Shepherd began the week recording seven rebounds (five on defense) and three steals at Howard. She then turned in a 17-rebound, 2-steal effort against Norfolk State.
 
DAVIS RETURNS TO THE HORNETS NEST: Morgan State head coach Ed Davis Jr., made his seventh trip back to Memorial Hall as an opposing head coach on Saturday, Jan. 28 when the Lady Bears traveled to Dover, Del. to take on Delaware State. The Lady Bears victory over the Hornets, improved their record to 13-4 all-time against DSU since Davis joined the Morgan State staff as an assistant coach in 2012-13, and have now won eight of the last 10 meetings in Dover. Davis, who once patrolled the sideline for 12 seasons as the head coach of Delaware State, is the winningest coach in Hornets' program history with 178 victories. While at Delaware State, Davis guided the Hornets to the MEAC Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2007.
 
SHEPHERD JOINS 500 REBOUND CLUB: Charlene Shepherd pulled down a game-high nine rebounds in the win over North Carolina Central (1/7) to give her a then combined 503 rebounds for her career. Shepherd, who now has 563 career rebounds, began her collegiate career at North Texas, where she recorded 293 boards in 67 games for the Mean Green. She currently has totaled 270 boards in 43 games played at Morgan State.
 
SUNSHINING: Senior forward Sunshine McCrae has taken her game to another level this season. The 6-foot-1 native of Enola, Pa., is currently averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. McCrae has reached double figures in scoring seven times this season, including a stretch of five out of six games and has recorded a double-double. McCrae was on fire for the month of December, averaging 13 points and 5.7 rebounds, while starting all four games. She scored a season-high 15 points at Texas State (12/11) and added 14 points at Kansas State (12/21). Her lone double-double of the season came against Washington Adventist (11/16), when she grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds, scored 10 points and totaled four steals.

FOURTH QUARTER LOCKDOWN: Morgan State has held eight opponents under 10 points in the fourth quarter, including an opponent low three points by Washington Adventist (11/16). In the win at NC Central (2/11), Morgan State held the Eagles to 4-for-14 shooting in the fourth quarter and outscored them 20-8 in the period. The Lady Bears have outscored their opponents, 369-267 in the fourth quarter, thus far. Only Virginia (21 points) and Kansas State (24 points) have scored 20-plus points against Morgan in the fourth quarter. 
 
ANOTHER VICTIM: North Carolina Central (2/11) became the eighth team this season to fall victim to Morgan State's defense and score less than 10 points in the fourth quarter. Morgan State would outscore NCCU, 20-8 in the fourth period.
 
THAT'S A FIRST: Last season the Lady Bears captured their first-ever MEAC regular season crown in program history, as they finished in a three-way tie with Howard and Norfolk State for a share of the 2021-22 MEAC crown. All three teams split the season series against one another going 1-1 and finished with identical 11-3 MEAC records. The Lady Bears were honored during the football team's season finale against Howard (11/19) and will be recognized again on Monday, Jan. 23 when both the women's and men's basketball teams face Norfolk State.
 
SHEPHERD NAMED MEAC CO-PLAYER AGAIN: Graduate forward Charlene Shepherd was named Co-MEAC Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. It was her third honor overall, as she also earned defensive honors (12/13). A native of Killeen, Texas, Shepherd knocked down 11 field goals to finish with a game- and career-high 27 points, while adding eight rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block.
 
ADDISON EARNS MEAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER HONORS: Taylor Addison was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week (1/17). It was her first league honor this season and second of her career. The graduate forward from Columbia, Md., recorded a game-high 11 rebounds (six defensive) and tied for game high honors with five steals against Coppin State. It was the third time this season that she tallied double digit rebounds in a game. Addison also had a team-best two blocked shots to go with six points.
 
SHEPHERD POSTS A CAREER-HIGH 27 POINTS: For the second game in a row, Charlene Shepherd set a career high in points. The Killeen, Texas native scored a career- and game-high 27 points on 11 made baskets in the win at Coppin State (1/14). Her scoring performance surpassed her previous high of 26 points in the MEAC season opening win against North Carolina Central (1/7).
 
THE RIVALRY CONTINUES: Morgan State took Round 1 against rival Coppin State, 61-46 on Saturday, Jan. 14 in the 89^th meeting of the annual 'East vs. West' season series. Also known as the 'Battle of Baltimore' or simply 'Coppin-Morgan', this season marks the third consecutive season that Morgan State and Coppin State will close out the regular season playing against each other in the season finale, scheduled for Thursday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House.
 
SHEPHERD NAMED MEAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Graduate forward Charlene Shepherd was named MEAC Co-Player of the Week (1/10). Shepherd scored a game-high 26 points on 7-of-10 shooting and knocked down 12-of-13 free throws in the MEAC season-opening win over NCCU. She fell one rebound shy of a double-double, while also collecting a pair of steals.
 
MSU SECURES NON-CONFERENCE WINNING RECORD AGAIN: Despite closing out the 2022 portion of the schedule on a season-long four-game losing skid, the Lady Bears secured their third consecutive winning record against non-conference opponents, following its win at rival Towson (11/30). Last season Morgan State finished 6-4 in non-conference play and went 3-1 during the 2020-21 campaign, which was shortened due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
SHEPHERD EARNS MEAC DEFENSIVE HONOR: Morgan State graduate forward Charlene Shepherd was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week (12/13). The 6-foot-2 Killeen, Texas native grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds – 10 on the defensive end – and picked up two steals against Texas State (12/11). Shepherd also scored a game-high 17 points to record her second straight double-double and third of the season.
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COACH: Even though Morgan's game at Texas A&M (12-4) was canceled, Morgan State head coach Ed Davis celebrated a birthday. It was to be the third time since Davis took over the helm at Morgan State during the 2016-17 season that he would have coached on his birthday. Davis, who is 1-1 when coaching on his birthday, defeated Florida International at home, 62-51 on Dec. 4, 2017 and lost at Hofstra 51-39 on Dec. 4, 2019.
 
MORGAN IN THE PUERTO RICO CLASICO: Over the Thanksgiving holiday break, the Lady Bears made their fifth appearance in the Puerto Rico Clasico event and the fourth trip to Puerto Rico. Morgan State would drop both of its contests against Stephen F. Austin (60-36) and Boston College (75-34). The Lady Bears, who fell to 0-9 all-time in the tournament, first competed in the event during the 2016-17 season and attended four straight years from 2016-20. The 2017 tournament was moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. due to the damage of Hurricane Maria.
 
LADY BEARS SET RECORD WITH 6-0 START: Morgan State's 6-0 mark to start the season set the program record for best season start. It surpassed the school's previous mark set by the 1983-84 team, which began the season 4-0.
 
HENSON EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT MEAC WEEKLY HONOR: Ja'Niah Henson was named MEAC Player of the Week (11/22). The senior guard shot 10-for-15 from the floor and hit three 3-pointers to score a game-high 25 points in the win over Saint Peter's (11/18). A native of Baltimore, she also added four assists and a steal to help Morgan to a 5-0 start.
 
MCCRAE NAMED MEAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sunshine McCrae was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week. It was her first weekly honor. McCrae averaged 10 rebounds and three steals in two games. A native of Enola, Pa., McCrae gathered 20 total rebounds with 10 of them coming on the defensive end. She opened the week with a game-high 13 rebounds (eight defensive), four steals and a block against Washington Adventist (11/16), before grabbing seven boards and two steals against Saint Peter's (11/18).
 
HENSON NAMED MEAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior guard Ja'Niah Henson was named MEAC Co-Player of the Week (11/15) along with Norfolk State's Kierra Wheeler. Henson averaged 16 points per game to help Morgan to a 3-0 start. The Baltimore, Md. native, shot a combined 18-of-36 (.500) from the floor and was 9-for-18 (.500) from three-point range. Henson opened the season with 16 points, while knocking down 3-for-4 three-pointers, four steals and two assists against Shepherd, then scored a game-high 22 points with four made three-pointers, four assists, four rebounds and three steals in a comeback win against Loyola Maryland. The 5-foot-3 guard ended the week with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal against local foe Notre Dame (Md.).
 
BUTLER HAS BIG DAY: Freshman center Jael Butler had a career day in just the third game of her career as a Lady Bear. The 6-foot-2 native of Gilroy, Calif., scored a season-best 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting and added five rebounds, a steal and an assist in the win over Notre Dame of Maryland (11/14). 
 
BUMBRAY FROM THREE: Senior guard Maiya Bumbray came off the bench in the win over Notre Dame of Maryland and scored a career-high 12 points on a career-high four three-pointers made in 13 minutes of action against the Gators. 
  
MORGAN IN SEASON OPENERS: The Lady Bears improved to 13-33 all-time in season openers dating back to 1977, following their 78-39 victory over Shepherd in the season opener on Monday, Nov. 7. Morgan State at one point had lost 23 straight season openers prior to winning three straight from 2006-08.
  
MORGAN-LOYOLA MARYLAND RENEW SERIES: The Morgan State and Loyola women's basketball programs renewed their series last year on Dec. 8, 2021 after a 35-year hiatus. The Lady Bears would win on the road, 64-55. It was the first meeting between the two schools separated by 2.7 miles, since the 1985-86 season. The Lady Bears also claimed this season's contest, defeating the Greyhounds at home, 59-50 (11/10). Morgan State now leads the all-time series, 14-2.
 
2022-23 CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED: Morgan State graduate player Taylor Addison (Columbia, Md.) and senior Ja'Niah Henson (Baltimore, Md.) have been named this year's team captains for the 2022-23 campaign.
 
WELCOME HOME: A familiar face joined the Morgan State sideline this season with the addition of Tykyrah Williams as an assistant coach. Williams, who is no stranger to Morgan State, was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for the Lady Bears from 2014-18. Williams finished her career scoring 1,068 points and pulled down 589 rebounds to become the seventh player at Morgan State to record more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. She ranks 13^th all-time in scoring, 10^th in rebounding and 12^th in steals on the Morgan State career charts.
   
MORGAN PICKED TO FINISH FOURTH IN MEAC: Morgan State was picked to finish fourth in the 2022-23 MEAC Preseason Poll. Last season the Lady Bears were picked to finish second for the second consecutive year and ended up finishing tied for first for the MEAC regular season crown with Howard and Norfolk State. It marked the program's first-ever MEAC regular season title.
 
2023 MEAC TOURNAMENT: The 2023 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) men's and women's basketball tournament is scheduled for March 8-11, 2023 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va. 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.


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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.