NORFOLK, Va. (March 12, 2026)--As the popular sports adage goes, "To be the best, you have to beat the best." Morgan State had the daunting task of facing the three-time reigning champions in Norfolk State in their backyard.
 
The Lady Bears would fight, but their season came to an end on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament, as the sixth-seeded Lady Bears fell to third-seeded Norfolk State, 69-43 at Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
Norfolk State (17-13), the three-time reigning MEAC champions advanced to Friday's semifinal against No. 2 Maryland Eastern Shore at 2 p.m. The Lady Bears finish the 2025-26 campaign, 5-26.
 
"We fought and we won the third quarter and they came back and they fought with us. It was just who wanted it more and they just made some tough plays down the line, and we just couldn't compete and take care of some things that we needed to do," said Morgan State first-year head coach Nadine Domond.
 
"Playing down here it's a home game for them. They came ready and the crowd was in it. But I truly want to say thank you for Morgan State for showing up and being here in the stands for us.
 
Playing in her final collegiate game, Ja'la Bannerman came off the bench to score a team-high 14 points for Morgan State and Maya Woodson nearly recorded her second career double-double, finishing with a game-high 10 rebounds and eight points.
 
"Rebounding has always been something my coach [Domond] emphasizes with me because its one of the strengths I bring to the team," said Woodson. "She understands this is something I am very good at and how it can translate for the team. I really tried to focus on crashing the boards and doing the little things that help us compete."
 
"Obviously we wanted a different result, but I'm proud of the effort our team gave, and plays like the steal that led to my fast break layup are just about staying active and taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves."
 
Tiyanna James had the hot hand early, scoring eight of the team's 13 points to pull Morgan State within 19-13. But James would exit the game with an injury and never return.
 
Morgan State trailed 35-21 at the intermission and was down 48-28 in the third quarter, following a layup by the Spartans' Anjanae Richardson.
 
Yet the Lady Bears would continue to fight, closing out the final three minutes of the third quarter on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 13 points at 48-35 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
That would be as close as Morgan State got, as Norfolk State held the Lady Bears to just one field goal and a total of eight points in the final quarter. The Spartans used a 21-3 fourth quarter spurt to take a 69-38 lead, their largest lead of the game at 31 points.
 
Bannerman ended the run with a layup and then added the free throw to complete the three-point play with 1:38 left to play. Bannerman then knocked down two free throws at the 1:07 mark for the game's final score.
 
Richardson led all scorers with 18 points and added eight rebounds and a game-high four steals for Norfolk State. Da'Brya Clark finished with 13 points and Jasha Clinton totaled 12 points, a game-high seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. LeAire Nicks chipped in with 10 points and a team-best nine boards.
 
The Spartans held a 50-37 rebounding advantage over Morgan State and outpowered the Lady Bears down low, 42-10 in points in paint. Norfolk State shot 29-of-63 (46%) from the floor, including 4-of-14 (27%) from beyond the three-point arc. Morgan State shot 21% (11-of-53) for the game and was just 1-of-13 (8%) from three-point range.
 
The Lady Bears would go to the free throw line 33 times and connected on 20 for 60.6%. Norfolk State shot 50% at the line, going 7-for-14.
 
"The record doesn't show, but we grew as a family. I'm so thankful for these young ladies that are next to me right now. They allowed me to coach them. They allowed me to coach this team. I'm proud of them," said Domond. "I tell them all the time, all the stuff we went through this year is going to be transferable to life. They kept showing up, they kept showing up, they kept showing up they never quit."
 
 
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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.