NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (Dec. 7, 2024)--Jael Butler tallied 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to record her second double-double of the season, to help the Lady Bears to a 53-48 victory at Central Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon at Detrick Gymnasium. The win was the Lady Bears' first road victory of the season in eight tries.
 
Laila Fair came off the bench to score 10 points and Nia Green added nine points and six rebounds in a reserve role, as Morgan State ended a season-long four-game losing skid.
 
Morgan State improved to 5-7 on the season and upped its all-time record to 3-1 over the Blue Devils. CCSU dropped its third straight and fell to 1-10.
 
CCSU took a 7-4 lead on a three-pointer by Belle Lanpher with 5:33 left in the first quarter, when the Lady Bears responded with an 11-2 spurt to close out the quarter. Gabrielle Johnson capped off the run with a three-pointer to give the guests a 15-9 lead after a quarter of play.
 
Morgan State would again hold the Blue Devils to nine points in the second quarter, while scoring 18 to take a 33-18 lead at the intermission.
 
The Blue Devils erased a 15-point halftime deficit in just over a quarter and a half, when Lanpher scored on a layup with 4:36 remaining in the game to even the score at 45 all. Alonna Sellers broke the 45-45 score when she connected on the second of two free throws to give CCSU a 46-45 lead with 2:48 left in the fourth quarter.   
 
Fair scored on a layup and added the free throw to complete the three-point play and put the Lady Bears up 48-46 with 2:32 remaining. The Blue Devil's Selina Monestime knocked down two free throws to tie the score at 48 with 2:11 left, but that would be the hosts final points of the game.
 
After Bulter hit the backend of two free throws to put Morgan ahead by a point (49-48), Fair hit a jumper with 21 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 51-48. Green added two free throws to close out the scoring and give the Lady Bears the win.
 
CCSU was led by Lanpher, who finished with a game-high 13 points, while Amaya Williams added 12 points. Monestime recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Lady Bears will take some time off to focus on final exams, before taking a trip to Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Clasico (Dec. 18-19). Morgan State will open up against Presbyterian on Wednesday, Dec. at 10:30 a.m. and will close out against Cleveland State on Dec. 19 at 2 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.