BALTIMORE, Md. (Nov. 2, 2026)--The Morgan State women's basketball team opened its 2026-27 campaign in impressive fashion Monday morning, defeating Washington Adventist University, 103-47, at Hill Field House during the university's fourth annual Education Day celebration, themed "Building Bridges – Pathways to Education."
Morgan State (1-0) improved to 16-34 all-time in season openers dating back to the 1977 season. The game was an exhibition for the Shock (0-1), who play in the NAIA and didn't count towards their record.
Under the leadership of second-year head coach
Nadine Domond, the Lady Bears set the tone for the new season with a commanding performance. Monday's matchup marked the 11th meeting between the two programs, adding another chapter to their history, as Morgan State improved to 11-0 all-time against the Shock.
"I think they had a lot of fun with it today, we want to play a lot of defense," said Domond. "We're going to try to be the best version of ourselves every day and I'm just really proud of the girls and the effort that they put in today."
Morgan State came out with energy in the opening quarter, winning the opening tip with No. 32
Merit Innocent getting the start for the Lady Bears. The team looked to establish its presence early, setting the pace on both ends of the floor.
The Lady Bears' offensive production proved difficult for Washington Adventist to contain as Morgan State surpassed the 100-point mark, showcasing its scoring depth and offensive efficiency.
The last time Morgan State reached the 100-point mark was during the 2019-20 season when they defeated Notre Dame of Maryland 113-34 (11/8/19). Two years prior, the Lady Bears earned a 123-53 victory over Cheyney (11/13/17).
Leading the way for Morgan State was
Dru Carlton, who finished with a team-high 14 points.
Jahzara Leamon followed with 12 points, while
Shani Clark contributed 11 points.
Merit Innocent and
Alexiz Graise each added 10 points, giving the Lady Bears five players in double figures scoring. Leamon pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
Defensively, the Lady Bears forced Washington Adventist into 40 turnovers. Carlton and
Mihjae Hayes each had four steals, as Morgan State recorded 21 steals for the game.
The Shock were led by Shyann Brooks, who finished with a game-high 19 points. Nia Powell had a game-high 10 rebounds to go with a game-high two blocks and six points.
With the victory, the Lady Bears opened their season with a statement performance, giving Coach Domond and her team momentum as they look ahead to the challenges of the 2026-27 campaign.
"We just have to take care of ourselves and be the best version of ourselves," said Domond.
The Lady Bears are back on the court for their first road trip of the season on Wednesday, Nov 4, when they face against University of Colorado at 8 p.m. The game will be the first of three on the road trip against teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season. Morgan State will also visit No. 22 Oklahoma State on Friday, Nov. 6, and will close out with No. 21 Oklahoma on Sunday, Nov. 8.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit
www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
Instagram: /MorganStateBears
ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified
high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate and certificate programs. 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.
