Delaware State 69, Morgan State 61
DOVER, Del. -- Four Hornets scored in double figures on Saturday as Delaware State withheld a Morgan State comeback in the fourth quarter to open MEAC play with a 69-61 win in Memorial Hall Gym.
Sharajah Collins and Lyric Turner each had a team-high 12 points for Delaware State (5-9, 1-0 MEAC), while Lanayjha Ashe added 11 points and Tierra Floys had a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
The Hornets led 43-25 after 20 minutes, but Morgan State methodically chipped its way back into the game -- methodically because Delaware State still had a 16-point lead, 56-40, after three quarters. The Bears went on an 18-7 run well into the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 63-58 with 56 seconds remaining.
But Floyd and Zoe Holmes were clutch in the final minute, helping the Hornets hold on to win.
Morgan State outscored Delaware State 21-13 in the fourth quarter.
Chelsea Mitchell led Morgan State (4-10, 0-1 MEAC) with 25 points and 15 rebounds, while Ashia McCalla added 20 points.
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Howard 79, Maryland Eastern Shore 58
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- Howard won its MEAC opener on Saturday with a 79-58 victory at Maryland Eastern Shore.
With the win, Howard moved to 9-5 (1-0 MEAC) overall, while the Hawks dropped to 3-11 (0-1 MEAC).
The Bison took control after the first period, dominating the glass, 49-37, while holding Eastern Shore to only 34-percent shooting (21-for-61) from the floor.
Second-year forward Krislyn Marsh provided the inside presence, producing a double-double with 17 points and 13 boards in the win.
After halftime, senior guards Sarah Edmond and Ayonna Williams kept the pressure on despite multiple runs from Eastern Shore. The backcourt duo combined for 20 points in the third and fourth quarters.
For the game, Williams notched a double-double (13 points and 10 boards), along with seven dimes and four thefts, while Edmond netted 12 points, four assists and a pair of steals in the victory.
Brooklyn Bailey led the Hawks with 16 points, while Amanda Carney registered 15 points in the loss.
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Norfolk State 61, Bethune-Cookman 51
NORFOLK, Va. -- Norfolk State defeated Bethune-Cookman in the 2019-20 MEAC opener for both teams at Echols Hall on Saturday afternoon. The game was also a rematch of the 2019 MEAC Basketball Tournament championship game.
NSU broke the game open in the second quarter, building a sizeable 34-19 lead heading into the break. The Spartans started the second period on a 7-0 run, holding the Wildcats scoreless until the 4:36 mark of the quarter. The Wildcats scored just seven points in the period, with the Spartans holding them to just a 20% field goal percentage in the second.
The Spartans went cold to start the second half, shooting just 17.6 percent from the floor in the third period. Meanwhile the Wildcats shot 45.5 percent from the floor, cutting the Spartans' lead to 40-31 heading into the final period.
Chanette Hicks led the Spartans with 24 points, also finishing with four assists, four rebounds and seven steals. La'Deja James finished with 16 points for the Spartans, along with five rebounds, and Mikaela Jones had six points, three blocks and five rebounds.
The Wildcats were led by Amaya Scott with 14 points and Ashlie Howell with 13 points. Scott also finished with a game-high 10 rebounds, while Howell finished with nine rebounds.
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North Carolina Central 66, Florida A&M 57
DURHAM, N.C. -- Senior forward Paulina Afriyie started the new year with a double-double and junior guard Zaria Atkins supplied a career-high eight assists in leading host North Carolina Central to a 66-57 MEAC victory over Florida A&M Saturday afternoon in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
Afriyie, the reigning MEAC Co-Player of the Week, notched her third double-double of the season and 20th of her career with game-high totals of 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Atkins was the only Eagle to play all 10 minutes in the fourth quarter and she helped keep the Maroon and Gray ahead ,scoring all six of her points in the final period. Her eight assists aided in NCCU shooting over 40-percent from the field for the first time in its last seven games.
Rivera chipped seven points and matched Afriyie with 10 rebounds in her return from injury. Junior Kieche White contributed eight points and three steals; sophomore Ashlyn Lockard netted seven points; and Pollock and Atkins each tallied six points.
Sophomore Jasmine Ballew paced the Rattlers with 20 points.
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South Carolina State 71, Coppin State 60 (OT)
BALTIMORE, Md. -- South Carolina State got back into the win column on Saturday, opening MEAC play with a 71-60 overtime win over Coppin State in the PEC Arena.
The Bulldogs (2-11, 1-0 MEAC) ended their 11-game winning streak after outscoring the Eagles 14-3 in the extra period. South Carolina State looked to win in regulation, up 57-55 with 10 seconds left after Jacquece Alston sank a pair of free throws -- but Aliyah Lawson answered with a jumper five seconds later to tie the game.
Alston, a transfer from Savannah State, led the Bulldogs with 21 points -- going 6-for-10 from the floor and hitting all seven of her free throws. She also had six rebounds, six steals and four assists.
Heniaya Moten added 19 points, hitting four 3-pointers, while De'Mean Bond added 11 points.
Chance Graham had a double-double for Coppin State (0-13, 0-1 MEAC) with 14 points -- tying Jalynda Salley for the team high and 10 rebounds. Lawson and Alexandria Hamilton each had 13 points.
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