WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (March 12, 2023)-The Lady Bears' season came to an end on Thursday evening in the first round of the 2023 Postseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). Morgan State would fall to host Wake Forest, 75-49 at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
 
Jewel Spear scored a game-high 20 points, and Demeara Hinds recorded a double-double with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and a game-high 12 rebounds to lead the Demon Deacons. Alyssa Andrews came off the bench to shoot 4-for-5 for 10 points and had a game-high of six assists for the Deacs, who improved to 5-0 all-time against Morgan State.
 
Morgan State ends the season 17-12, while Wake Forest improved to 17-16. The Demon Deacons advance to the second round where they will host Florida on Monday.
 
Making their second postseason appearance on the Division I level, and first since 2011, when Morgan also appeared in the WNIT against Virginia, the Lady Bears gave the Demon Deacons fits in the first half.
 
Morgan State shot a quarter-best 58.3 percent (7-of-12) in the opening quarter and held a 17-16 lead over the Demon Deacons. The Lady Bears would trail 32-27 at the intermission.
 
After outscoring Morgan State 17-11 in the third, the hosts secured the victory by outscoring the Lady Bears 26-11 in the final period. The Deacs, who had their best shooting percentage of the day in the fourth, finished 9-of-14 for a quarter-best 64%. They would close out the contest connecting on seven of their final eight shots.
 
Wake Forest held a 38-14 advantage in points in the paint and outscored the Lady Bears 25-4 in bench scoring.
 
The Lady Bears were led by Sedayjha Payne, who finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and had a game-high four steals. Charlene Shepherd had 11 points and four assists. Ja'Niah Henson finished with 10 points.
 
 
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.