Feb. 8, 2011

Box Score

By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Shutting down Sarah Bolden in the second half enabled Morgan State to take a 55-45 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory in the Ocean Center.

Bolden had 12 first-half points for Bethune-Cookman in an evenly-played first half before the Bears (14-8 overall, 8-2 MEAC) limited the senior to three and the Lady Wildcats to 20 in the second half.

“They were double and triple teaming Sarah,” said B-CU coach Vanessa Blair. “It made it difficult for Sarah to pass out [of the defense].”

B-CU (11-11,4-6) managed a 31-31 tie on a Jasmine Daniels lay-up with 15:51 remaining, but Morgan State opened up a 42-34 lead on Moneshia Davis lay-up with 9:15 left.

B-CU got it down to four with 3:16 remaining when Jasmine Daniels nailed a jumper, but that was as close as it got.

 “We couldn't finish our shots,” said Blair, whose team shot just 27.6 percent from the field in the second half.

B-CU started the game with an 8-0 run, but saw that lead gradually fade away as Morgan State took a 12-11 lead at the 11:44 mark. After Daniels' jumper gave B-CU a 21-17 lead with 6:21 remaining, the Bears closed the half with a 12-4 run that gave the visitors a 29-25 halftime lead.

“We started off with focus at the beginning,” Blair said. “But we lost that focus and our toughness as the game went on.”

Brittany Noel led Morgan State with 17, followed Moneshia Davis and Brittany Dodson with 10 each.

Jasmine Elum was the only other B-CU player in double figures with 11. Cleniece Roberts had six points and nine rebounds.

B-CU hosts Delaware State in the Ocean Center Saturday at 2 p.m.