BALTIMORE, Md. (Nov. 20, 2024)--The Morgan State Lady Bears returned to Hill Field House on Wednesday morning to face Washington Adventist during the second annual Education Day. The event drew the largest Baltimore inner-city school attendance yet, with approximately 1,000 third, fourth and fifth graders. The Lady Bears delivered a commanding performance, securing an 85-45 non-conference victory - offering what some might call a lesson in basketball.
 
The Lady Bears (4-3) wasted no time setting the tone, with reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, Laila Fair hitting an opening jumper to give Morgan State an early lead that they maintained throughout the game. The team capitalized on turnovers and second-chance opportunities, applying relentless defensive pressure.
 
Washington Adventist (4-4) committed its first turnover just seconds into the game and struggled to find offensive rhythm the whole game, finishing with 31 turnovers. The Lady Bears converted these turnovers into 33 points. Morgan totaled 24 steals with both Tamaria Rumph (12 points) and Emily Jones each recording a game-high six thefts.
 
Jael Butler played a pivotal role in today's game, continuing her presence this season with another standout performance. She led the game in points with 17 points and recorded five impressive rebounds, energizing both her team and the enthusiastic crowd of students. In the second half, Butler had the crowd cheering and yelling on several rebounds on defense followed by a transition layup and a putback off an offensive rebound. Her efforts highlighted Morgan State's dominance on both ends.
 
"I tried to stay calm and focused," Butler said. "There were so many kids in the crowd, and it was really loud. But I wanted to keep my mindset steady and let the game come to me. Seeing the kids so excited and cheering made me proud because they're the future, future Morganites, future basketball players."
 
Freshman Kimora Lopez made a strong impact off the bench, making the most of her minutes in her collegiate career so far. She stood out by scoring a career-high 11 points and grabbing five rebounds. Her contributions included a layup and a three-pointer, both assisted by Jones, along with key defensive plays, such as a timely steal.
 
"Kimora hasn't played as much in recent games, but when she got her chance today, she took full advantage," Butler added. "I was so happy for her. She's been waiting for this opportunity, and she delivered for us all."
 
Morgan State's balanced effort on both sides of the court today ensured control from start to finish. By the end of the first quarter, the Lady Bears had built a 20-7 lead. Though Washington Adventist managed brief offensive runs, the Shock's struggles with turnovers and inconsistent shooting allowed Morgan State to continue to dominate in the showdown. The Lady Bears led 38-24 at the intermission.
 
The Shock were paced by Tye Queen and Deryanis Colon Velez, who both scored a team-high 10 points. Amani Ball came off the bench to record a team-high nine rebounds and scored nine points.
 
The Lady Bears held 52-30 rebounding advantage over Washington Adventist. Maya Woodson led the way with a game- and season-high 13 rebounds.
 
Morgan State will head out West to take on Stanford (4-1) on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. PST.


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.