Box Score ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 14, 2025)--Morgan State Senior Ja'la Bannerman recorded a game- and career-high 32 points on Sunday afternoon in the Lady Bears' 78-56 loss at Central Florida (UCF).
 
Bannerman, who played just under 35 minutes, was comfortable inside Addition Financial Arena.
 
The Baltimore native shot 10-of-19 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from three-point range. She would also knock down all six of her free throw attempts, while adding a rebound and steal to her stat line.
 
"Keep the main thing, the main thing," said Bannerman on her career-high performance. "I didn't worry about anything on the outside and just focused on what Coach Domond wanted and stuck with it."
 
Bannerman, who was limited to just two points at halftime, scored 11 points in the third quarter, before erupting to score all 19 of Morgan's fourth quarter points.
 
"I think my mindset was why I felt like I was going to have a good game," said Bannerman. "I stayed positive and just played my game."
 
The Knights (8-3) were led by Khyala Ngodu, who finished with a team-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and had a game highs in rebounds (8) and blocks (2). Leah Harmon also scored 17 points and Jasmynne Gibson came off the bench to shoot 6-of-7 for 14 points and recorded a game-high six steals.
 
UCF held a 52-18 cushion in points in the paint and a 12-4 advantage in second chance points.
 
The hosts would also force 23 Morgan State turnovers - 16 by way of steals - which they turned into 29 points.
 
Morgan State (1-11) will now travel to Baton Rouge, La., to face the fifth-ranked Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers on Tuesday, Dec. 16 for field trip day at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. It will be the first meeting between the two programs. Tip-off is at 12 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on the SEC Network +.
 
 
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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.