WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 24, 2024)--Joelle Johnson scored a career-high 20 points, but it wasn't enough, as the Lady Bears dropped a 70-47 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) decision to Beltway rival Howard on Saturday afternoon at Burr Gymnasium.
 
With the win, Howard (10-14, 7-3 MEAC) swept the season series and improved to 58-25 all-time against the Lady Bears (7-17, 2-7 MEAC).
 
Johnson, who shot 9-of-14 from the floor, scored 15 of her points in the second half and added four boards and two steals. Jael Butler finished with a game-high eight rebounds to go with seven points, while Tamaria Rumph came off the bench and tallied eight points.
 
Howard was led by Tyana Walker, who came off the bench to lead three Howard players in double figures scoring. Walker, who shot 6-of-15, including 5-for-12 from three-point range, scored 19 of her 21 points in the first half. Walker also totaled a game-high four steals. Iyanna Warren recorded 17 points and a game-high seven assists, while Kaiya Creek finished with 14 points, five rebounds and two steals.
 
Morgan State held an early 6-2 advantage when Walker scored 11 straight points and a total of 14 as part of a 16-2 run by the Bison to take an 18-10 lead with 3:38 left in the opening quarter. Howard would hold a 22-12 lead after one.
 
While the first half belonged to Howard's Walker, the second half was Johnson's time for Morgan State, as she began to get going. Trailing 35-25 at the break, Johnson scored seven straight points to start the third period.
 
A layup by Sedayjha Payne capped off a 9-2 Morgan run and cut the deficit to 46-41 with 1:04 remaining in the third. But Morgan would get no closer than five points. Howard began the fourth quarter on a 20-4 run en route to outscoring Morgan State 22-6 in the period.
 
The Bison forced Morgan into 24 turnovers and turned them into 34 points.
 
Morgan State will return home on Monday, Feb. 26 to face defending MEAC champion Norfolk State at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House for Military Appreciation Night.
 

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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.