Baltimore, Md. (Feb. 1, 2014) --- A week of change for the Delaware State University men's basketball team could not bring the Hornets their first MEAC win of the season.
The undersized Hornets, playing their first game under interim head coach Keith Walker, were outscored 21-7 in the final 7:25 of the contest in a 77-64 loss to Morgan State at Hill Field House today.
Seven-foot-two-inch center Ian Chiles led three Morgan State players in double figures with a game high 24 points. Chiles was seven-for-13 from the field and 10-of-11 at the free throw line. Justin Black added 14 points and Cedric Blossom 13 for the Bears.
Casey Walker was high scorer for the Hornets with 14 points, 10 coming in the first half. Walker has reached double figures in scoring in nine straight games and 13 of the last 14.
Tyshawn Bell was the only other DSU player in double figures with 12 points.
“I was pleased with our overall effort, but Morgan State's size was too much for us to handle,” said Walker. “Out post players were in foul trouble for much of the second half, and we were forced to use a lot of different combinations. It's tough to match up defensively and rebound when you're at such a size disadvantage.”
Morgan State outrebounded the Hornets 41-29. The Bears had 20 offensive rebounds, resulting in 25 points.
Delaware State led 57-56 after a Kendall Gray free throw with 7:41 left to play.
Chiles scored the game's next six points, four at the free throw line, and a short jumper in the lane, to give the Bears a 62-57 lead with 5:46 left to play.
After the Hornets pulled to within 65-63 on a follow-up basket by A.J. Thomas with 3:24 remaining, Morgan State answered by scoring 12 of the last 13 points to close out the game.
Two three-point shots by Blake Bozeman and a three-point play by Black keyed the MSU run. Bozeman, who was scoreless until the 3:24 mark of the second half, gave the Bears a 74-64 lead with 1:34 left in the game.
Delaware State was in control for much of the first half. Walker capped off a 6-0 run with a three-pointer to give the Hornets a 12-6 lead with 12:45 left in the first half.
DSU opened up a 24-13 lead when Kendal Williams (six points) capped off a 9-0 run with his second of back-to-back three-pointers with 8:22 left in the half.
The Hornets were 13-of-23 from the field (56.5%) en route to a 38-31 lead at the break. Delaware State was six-for-seven from three-point territory in the first half (85.7%).
“The guys played with a lot of energy in the first half,” said Walker. “Morgan State's pressure defense helped them stay close in the opening half.”
DSU was zero-for-six from beyond the arc in the final 20 minutes.
Free throws were a factor in the game. Morgan State was 20-of-32 at the line (62.5%), while the Hornets were 10-of-18 (55.6%).
Delaware State was outscored 46-26 in the second half.
The Hornets dropped their sixth straight game to fall to 4-16 overall and 0-7 in the MEAC, their worst start 1976-77 season. Morgan State snapped a two-game slide to improve to 7-12 and 5-2.
The Hornets return to action on Monday at Coppin State. Game time is 7:30 p.m. in Baltimore, Md.
