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Women's Basketball Khamani Anderson, MSU Athletics Communications

Morgan State Holds Off Shepherd In Season Opener, 70-60

Box Score Baltimore, Md. (Nov. 4, 2024) --The Morgan State University Lady Bears kicked off their 2024-2025 basketball season with a hard-fought 70-60 victory over Shepherd University at Hill Field House, marking the first matchup between the two teams since 2022.
 
The win was a positive start to the season for both the players and coaches, who were pleased to secure the home opener victory. Despite holding a comfortable 14-point lead for much of the game, the Lady Bears found themselves facing a strong comeback attempt from Shepherd in the second half.
 
Head coach Ed Davis recognized the areas his team needs to improve, particularly in their defense against Shepherd's perimeter shooting.
 
"I told them it's the first game, so mistakes are expected," Davis said. "We knew they could shoot, but they really shot the ball well today. A lot of that was on us—being late on closeouts and allowing open looks. We've got to clean that up moving forward."
 
Leading the charge for the Lady Bears was junior transfer Ja'la Barnnerman, who made an immediate impact in her debut, finishing with a team-high 21 points. "I feel good about it," Barnnerman said after the game. "I had a couple lapses, but I pulled it together in the second half and just focused on playing my game."
 
While Barnnerman had an impressive performance, Davis noted there's still work to be done, especially on the defensive end.
 
"She's going to have to learn to play a little better defense for how we want it done," he said. "It's a process, and it's not going to come all at once, especially in the first game."
 
Senior forward Laila Fair also had an efficient night, shooting 60% from the field. However, Fair pointed out areas where she could improve. "I always want to be close to perfect," she said. "Personally, I think I was lagging a bit on defense. I probably could have been more aggressive in the paint with rebounding, especially on offense. But overall, I'm trying to lead this team and make sure we're all on the same page."
 
The Lady Bears' rhythm was disrupted in the third quarter, as they struggled with consistency and execution. However, they were able to regroup and find a flow in the final period. "It was all over the place until we settled in the third quarter," Davis explained. "Once we got a group on the floor that played together and found some chemistry, we were able to get back on track. That's going to be a key for this team—learning to play together and maintain consistency."
 
Defensively, the Lady Bears are looking to make significant strides after struggles on that end last season.
 
"We've definitely been focusing on guarding off ball screens, as well as defending ball screens," said Davis. "We also work on our off-ball defense to make sure we're helping each other out when needed. If we get beat, it's our last option—we've got to stay connected."
 
With the season now underway, the Lady Bears will continue to refine their game, particularly on the defensive end, as they look to build on this opening win and improve in the coming weeks.
 
The Lady Bears are back on the court this Thursday, Nov. 7, as they host local foe Johns Hopkins at Hill Field House at 5:30 p.m. 
 

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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.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Laila Fair

#14 Laila Fair

F
6' 2"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Laila Fair

#14 Laila Fair

6' 2"
Senior
F