BALTIMORE, Md. (Feb. 27, 2024)--Norfolk State's Diamond Johnson scored a career-high 32 points on 13-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-6 from three-point range, as the visiting Spartans handed Morgan State its worst home loss of the season, following a 79-49 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory on Monday evening on Military Appreciation Night.
 
Johnson, who also recorded game highs in steals with four and assists with five, received help from teammate Kierra Wheeler, who posted a double-double with 24 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, as the Spartans picked up their first win at Hill Field House since Feb. 23, 2019.
 
Norfolk State (21-5, 10-1 MEAC) extended its winning streak to nine straight, while Morgan State fell to 7-18, 2-8 MEAC and had dropped four straight and eight of its last 10.
 
Coming off a disappointing loss at rival Howard on Saturday, Morgan State came out aggressive at the start, scoring the first nine points in the game. With its head coach Larry Vickers sitting on the sideline just as calm as ever, Norfolk State didn't seem phased by Morgan's quick start, as the Spartans would score 21 straight points.
 
The Spartans, who held a 33-18 advantage at the intermission, opened up the third period on an 11-1 run to increase its advantage to 44-19. Morgan State used a 9-0 spurt to pull within 44-28 and trailed 51-35 after three quarters.
 
Norfolk State closed out the contest using a 23-5 run to take it largest lead of the game at 33 points (79-46) with 1:23 left in the game.
 
The Lady Bears were led by Amari Smith, who finished with 11 points, four rebounds, an assist, block and steal. Smith shot 4-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-5 from three-point range. Joelle Johnson and Jael Butler each scored nine points. Johnson grabbed a team-high five rebounds and tallied three steals.
 
Morgan State shot 15-of-52 (28.8%) for the game and 6-of-15 (40%) from three-point range. The Spartans shot 52.8% (28-of-53) from the floor and was 58.3% (7-of-12) from beyond the three-point arc.
 
The Spartans shot 16-of-17 from the free throw line with Wheeler connecting on 14-of-15 herself. The Lady Bears finished 13-of-20 from the charity stripe.
 
The Lady Bears are back on the court on Saturday, March 2, when they face South Carolina State at 2 p.m. at Hill Field House for Community/Band/Cheer Day.
 
What A Difference A Year Makes
Norfolk State entered Monday's contest with a 9-1 MEAC record and sitting on top of the league standings, while the Lady Bears sat in seventh-place with a league mark of 2-7.
 
Last season Morgan State cruised through the first nine league games with a 9-0 MEAC record, including yet another win at home over the Spartans. The Lady Bears entered their 10th conference game on the road at Norfolk with a two-game lead over the Spartans with five games to play.
 
Norfolk would avenge the earlier loss in Baltimore with a 37-point win and hand the Lady Bears their first loss of the season. Morgan would spiral, as the loss triggered a four-game losing streak. Norfolk would claim the 2022-23 MEAC regular season crown and Morgan State would finish second.
 
 
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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