The Lincoln University women's basketball team rallied from a double digit deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to defeat Division I Morgan State University 51-46 in their season opening exhibition contest at Hill Field House in Baltimore, Maryland Tuesday evening.
 
Shakira Edwards (Newark, N.J./Bloomfield Tech) scored nine of her team high 11 points in the fourth quarter while Kenzie Spencer (Richmond, Va./Henrico) had seven of her ten points that same period as the Lions outscored the Bears 26-11 in the final ten minutes to earn the win.
 
Edwards narrowly missed a double-double, pulling down a team-high nine rebounds.  Shahra Madison (Chesapeake, Va./Norfolk Collegiate School (Chesapeake College)) grabbed eight boards, including six off the offensive glass.
 
Naomi Bolasingh led the Bears with 14 points while Ashia McCalla grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
Trailing 35-25 to start the period, the Lions scored the first six points to cut the Bears lead to four 35-31.  Bolasingh sank three of four free throws on MSU's next two possessions to push the Bears' lead back to seven at 38-31 with 7:14 remaining.  Lincoln the exploded for 14 straight points to erase the deficit and take a 45-38 lead with 3:46 remaining.
 
A traditional three-point play from Edwards started the run with DeAshia Young (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Public Safety Academy (Labette CC)) adding two free throws on LU's next possession.  Spencer then tied the game with a layup at the midway point of the period.  Edwards scored the next five points and Spencer's two free throws made the score 45-38. 
 
Adre'onia Coleman's basket broke the run at the 3:34 mark before Bryanna Brown (New York, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin (Nyack)) sank two free throws to push the lead back to seven at 47-40.  Morgan State made one final push, scoring six straight points to close within one 47-46 with just under a minute remaining but would not score again.  The Lions made four of six free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the win.
 
Neither team shot exceptionally well over the course of the game with the Lions making 15 of 59 shots (25.4%) and the Bears 13 of 54 (24.1%).  Lincoln connected on 18 of 33 free throws shots (54.5%) while Morgan State made just 16 of 25 (64%).  The Bears had a slight advantage on the glass outrebounding the Lions 49-46.
 
Lincoln's first official games of the 2018-19 season will take place on Friday and Saturday, November 9-10 as they compete in the CIAA-PSAC Challenge event hosted by Kutztown University.  The Lions play Kutztown on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and will square off against Bloomsburg University on Saturday.