Morgan State University Athletics

NORFOLK, Va. (Nov. 11, 2024)--Morgan State senior Laila Fair pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds and added 16 points, both game highs to record a double-double, but it wasn't enough, as the Lady Bears fell on the road to Old Dominion, 60-48 on Monday evening at Chartway Arena.
 
Morgan State dropped to 2-2 on the young season, while Old Dominion improved to 2-1. It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
Fair, a preseason All-MEAC third team selection, shot 5-14 from the floor and was 6-of-9 from the charity stripe. Her 20 rebounds (15 on the defensive end) shattered her previous career high of 14 boards she recorded twice last season in back-to-back games at Maryland Eastern Shore (1/6) and Delaware State (1/9). Fair would total a game-high three blocked shots and fell one point shy of matching the career-high 17 points she scored a season ago against Howard (1/27).
 
Despite the loss, Morgan State ended its two-game road trip to Virginia with a positive response, following Saturday's 93-39 thumping at Richmond.
 
The Lady Bears finished the game shooting 31.6% (18-of-57) from the floor, including 3-for-16 (18.8%) from three-point range. Morgan did connect on 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the free throw line. The Lady Bears would out rebound the Monarchs, 42-39.
 
Turnovers were still an issue, as Morgan State committed 25 on Monday, one more than what they had at Richmond (24).
 
Morgan State got a layup from Ja'la Bannerman (11 points) to tie the score at 8-8 with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter. The Monarchs would then hold Morgan State scoreless the rest of the quarter and held a 13-8 lead after a quarter of play.
 
The Monarchs scored the first eight points of the second quarter and increased their lead to 21-8 on a pullup jumper by Kelsey Thompson with 5:36 to play in the half to complete a 13-0 run.
 
24 seconds later Morgan State finally ended ODU's run and well as put to rest a 9-minute scoring drought, when Fair hit a jumper with 5:12 remaining in the second quarter. Fair's basket triggered a 14-3 run by the Lady Bears and she capped it off by a second chance basket to pull Morgan within 24-22 with eight seconds left.
 
However, ODU's Simaru Fields raced up the floor and banked in a three-pointer as time expired to give the hosts a 27-22 cushion heading into the locker room.
 
A three-pointer by Michaela Bogans (six points, game-high four steals) cut the Monarchs lead down to three-points (32-29) at the 4:38 mark of the third quarter. But the hosts would score the next 10 points, capped off by a layup by Mikayla Brown to put Old Dominion ahead 42-29. ODU led 46-33 at the end of three quarters and Morgan never recovered.
 
The Monarchs were led by Kelse Thompson's 12 points and seven rebounds. Brenda Fontana added 11 points and a game-high four steals, while Fields finished with 10 points.
 
ODU attempted 13 more free throws than Morgan State, converting 16-of-26 from the line.
 
The Lady Bears return to the court on Thursday, Nov. 14 when they host rival Towson at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House.
 
 
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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.