DOVER, Del. (Feb. 3, 2025)--Naya Ojukwu came off the bench to record a double-double, finishing with a game-high 19 points, while pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds to help Morgan State defeat host Delaware State, 64-49 on Monday evening at Memorial Hall.
 
Ojukwu, who was celebrating her birthday, shot 7-of-11 (64%) from the floor and connected on 5-of-6 (83%) from the free throw line to record her second consecutive double-double and fourth of the season.
 
With the win, the Lady Bears put a halt to their season-long four-game losing streak and concluded the first half of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) schedule with a 3-4 record.
 
Morgan State (10-12, 3-4 MEAC) also put to rest a three-game losing skid to the Hornets and have now won nine of the past 12 meetings on Delaware State's home floor, while keeping Delaware State (3-17, 0-7 MEAC) winless in league play.
 
Nia Green nearly recorded a double-double, as she came off the bench to tally nine points and nine rebounds, while Ja'la Bannerman also came off the bench to score nine points. Gabrielle Johnson finished with eight points, a game-high four assists, a steal and a block in the win.
 
The Lady Bears scored 28 points in the paint and their bench combined for 42 points of the 64 points. Morgan shot 37% (20-of-54) from the floor, including 15.4% (2-for-13) from beyond the arc. Morgan, which has had some struggles at the free throw line, appeared to have corrected them. The Lady Bears connected on 22-of-28 from the charity stripe for 79%.
 
The Hornets finished the game shooting 18-of-56 from the floor for 32% and was 2-of-15 (13%) from three-point range. Delaware State would connect on 11-of-14 (79%) from the free throw line.
 
Morgan State trailed 28-27 at the intermission and held a 42-39 lead after three quarters of play, before erupting for 22 points in the fourth period. Michaela Bogans began the fourth hitting a three-pointer, then recorded a steal and scored on a layup to extend the guests' lead to 47-39 with 8:54 remaining in the game.
 
Bogan's mini 5-0 run, triggered an 11-2 spurt by the Lady Bears in less than a five-minute span to increase their lead to 53-42, following a layup by Green with 5:50 left in the contest. Emily Jones later drained two free throws with 42 seconds remaining to cap off a 6-0 Morgan State run and give the guests its largest lead of the game at 16 points (63-47).
 
Delaware State, which is on a 13-game losing skid was paced by Kiarra Mcelrath, who finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a game-high four steals. Mahogany Cottingham came off the bench to score 10 points and added two rebounds and two assists. Najah Lane totaled seven points and a game-high four assists and Brooke Barnes also added seven points.
 
Morgan State will take some time off before beginning the second half of the MEAC slate on Saturday, Feb. 15, when it travels to Orangeburg, S.C. to face South Carolina State. Gametime is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Smith-Hammond-Middletown Memorial Center. The Lady Bulldogs were dealt a 68-41 loss at Howard on Monday.
 

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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.