BALTIMORE, Md. (March 2, 2024)--Morgan's season-long losing skid is over. The Lady Bears ended their five-game losing skid with a 61-29 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory over South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon at Hill Field House.
 
With the win, Morgan State (8-19, 3-9 MEAC) swept the season series and picked up its 12^th straight victory over S.C. State, while the Lady Bulldogs fell to 2-25, 1-11 MEAC.
 
Laila Fair recorded a double-double with a game-high 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Fair also tallied a game-high four steals and had a game-best three blocks. Nakilah Johnson came off the bench to score a season-high 12 points and had assists, while Tamaria Rumph scored 11 points, grabbed three boards, and had a steal and an assist in a reserve role.
 
The Lady Bears would hold the guests to under 10 points each quarter. Morgan State, which led wire-to-wire, jumped out to a 12-0 lead, before the Lady Bulldogs scored the next six to cut the deficit in half at 12-6. Morgan would hold a 19-8 advantage after a quarter of play.
 
Neither team could muster much offense in the second quarter. Morgan would go 1-for-22 (4.5%) shooting and the Lady Bulldogs were 3-for-13 (23%). S.C. State would win the period by outscoring Morgan State, 6-4 and trailed 23-14 at the intermission.
 
The hosts bounced back from a dismal second quarter and all but put the game to rest with an 11-2 spurt to begin the third period and extend their lead to 34-16. Morgan State would shoot 43% (9-for-21) in the period, while holding S.C. State to 8.3% shooting on 1-for-12. The Lady Bears would outscore the visitors 21-7 in the quarter and led 44-21 after three quarters of play.
 
Morgan held a 55-38 rebounding advantage over the Lady Bulldogs. Kaia Ponder hauled in eight boards and Sedayjha Payne pulled down seven rebounds to go with four points, a game-high four steals and an assist.
 
S.C. State, which came into the game shorthanded with six players, was led by Jada Morgan, who came off the bench to score eight points and had five rebounds. Monajah Ford scored six points and Heavan Harper finished with a team-high nine rebounds, two blocks, two steals and four points.
 
NEXT UP: Morgan State will host North Carolina Central on Monday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Hill Field House for Faculty Appreciation/Greek Night. The Eagles (13-14, 7-5 MEAC) defeated Coppin State, 52-44 on Saturday in Baltimore to end a three-game losing streak. Morgan Callahan scored a game-high 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting and added five rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block.
 
 
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
 
  Read Full Article