Box Score
BALTIMORE, MD. - Reggie Holmes scored 28 points on 9-for-16 shooting to lift Morgan State (6-4) to an 83-74 victory over Manhattan (5-5) on Saturday in Baltimore. Five Jaspers scored in double-figures, including a 24 point and seven rebound effort from senior guard Darryl Crawford. Antoine Pearson recorded 12 points and became the 32nd player in program history to join the illustrious 1,000-point club.
Manhattan rolled out to a 12-7 advantage courtesy of efficient shooting by Crawford and Laurence Jolicoeur. Crawford got into his scoring mode early knocking down his first three field goals. Jolicoeur set the stage for the Jaspers best free-throw shooting effort of the year with four consecutive buckets from the line.
The Jaspers hit 13 straight free-throws and finished the contest 24-for-26 (92.3%) from the charity stripe. Manhattan entered the game shooting just 60.9% from the line.
Defensively, the Jaspers opened with a good effort on Holmes, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference' top scorer, who was held to just one point over the first 10:30. The 6'4" senior guard entered the contest averaging 24.8 points per game.
Morgan State used a 15-2 run to erase Manhattan's initial lead (5) to take a 22-14 advantage on Holmes fast break layup at 6:22. Holmes scored 12 of Morgan State's final 19 points of the first half to help the Bears into intermission with a 33-28 advantage.
Crawford and Jolicoeur led the Jaspers at the break with 10 points apiece. Jolicoeur finished with a season-best 15 points going along with five rebounds. He shot 5-for-8 from the field.
Morgan State opened the second half with six unanswered points to take a 39-28 advantage (17:14), which forced the Jaspers to battle up hill the rest of the way. Crawford responded scoring Manhattan's first six points of the half to begin a scoring duel with Holmes.
The Jaspers gradually chipped away at their deficit and cut it 49-48 with 10:25 to go on Pearson's second 3-pointer of the game. Pearson was held scoreless in the first half, but contributed 12 points in the second stanza.
About a minute later Manhattan came up empty on a possession which it could have taken the lead, and Morgan State rallied for a 9-0 run which was book ended by jump shots from junior guard Joe Davis. Davis sank a jumper at 8:17 to rebuild the Bears' double-digit lead (59-49).
The Jaspers continued to fight making it a six point game with 4:23 remaining, but Morgan State just received more offense from senior guard Troy Smith who hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the game out of reach. Smith had 15 points and Davis posted 8 points in reserve roles
Morgan State got a double-double out of Kevin Thompson (13 points, 12 rebounds). Thompson led the Bears' 77.8% (28-36) free-throw effort shooting 7-for-8 from the line.
Rico Pickett and Brandon Adams led the Manhattan bench with 10 points apiece.
Manhattan returns to action next Saturday in Brooklyn versus Long Island at 7 p.m.
