Courtesy of Morgan State Athletic Communications


The medical crisis impacting the nation and the world has caused sports across the globe to come to a standstill for the time being. For example, the Olympics scheduled for the summer of 2020 in Japan has been postponed until 2021.
 
While we wait on the sports world to get back on track, this is a good time to revisit the illustrious past of Morgan Athletics. Over the next few weeks we will tap into the archives for historic game recaps and stories.
 
Here's what happened on Nov. 13, 2006:
 
Lady Bears Defeat NJIT, 63-55; Record First Season-Opening Win in 23 Years
Kevin C. Paige, MorganStateBears.com
 
NEWARK, N.J. (Nov. 13, 2006)-Twenty-three years ago: Ronald Reagan was President; Return of the Jedi, Flash Dance and Superman III, where the top movies; the Washington Redskins defeated the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl and Pac-Man was the top video game.
 
Entering tonight's season-opener against New Jersey Institute of Technology, it had been 23 years since the Lady Bears had won a season-opener, with that victory coming at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore to start the 1983-84 campaign.

Despite taking on a program which was in its first year of Division I competition, it was not going to be an easy task for the Lady Bears. Morgan State fell behind by as much as five points early on, but in the end, clutch shooting and tough defense prevailed for the Lady Bears, which defeated NJIT, 63-55, in a non-conference game at Fleisher Center.
 
Senior guard Whitney Johnson led the Lady Bears with 18 points and freshman guard Corin Adams recorded a double-double in her first collegiate start, finishing with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to help Morgan end its losing skid in season openers.
 

Morgan's victory also ended a five-game losing streak dating back to last season, and was its first win over a non-historically black college and university since defeating local foe Towson, 43-40, during the 2002-03 season for its only victory of the year.
 
Morgan State (1-0) held its largest lead of the game (41-31) following a put back by Phylicia Jones (three points, five rebounds). The Lady Bears had a 46-37 lead, before NJIT applied the defensive pressure and got back-to-back baskets off of steals to pull within 46-43.

 

A basket by Britney Griffin, pushed the Morgan lead to seven points (53-46), but the Highlanders answered back with a 9-4 spurt to pull within, 57-55 on a layup by Katie Piekielski (game-high 20 points) with 4:11 left in the contest. That would be as close as NJIT would get, as the Lady Bears scored the game's final six points, while holding NJIT scoreless on 0-8 shooting from the field for the remainder of the game.

The host Highlanders (0-1) took a 10-5 lead, before the Lady Bears countered with a 9-0 run to take a 14-10 advantage, their first lead since holding a 1-0 advantage on a technical foul shot by Johnson prior to start the game.
 
The Lady Bears closed out the opening half with an 8-0 run to break a 22-22 score and took a 30-24 halftime lead into the locker room. Johnson led all scorers at the half with nine points, while Adams and Griffin each added six. Piekielski led the Highlanders with eight points and six rebounds.
 
Morgan State shot 38.8 percent (26-of-67) from the field, including 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) from three-point range for the game, while the Highlanders shot 30 percent (21-of-70), including 1-of-16 (6.3 percent) from behind the arc. The Highlanders held the advantage at the charity stripe, connecting on 12-of-16 (75 percent) free throws from the line, while Morgan finished 8-of-14 (57.1 percent). The Lady Bears totaled 10 steals, with Adams recording a game-high four thefts.