Box Score Baltimore, MD--Justin Black scored a team-high 17 points to lead  five players in double figures as Morgan State pulled away to an 87-58  win over Howard University in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener at the Hill Fieldhouse.
                 
After the Bison (2-9, 0-1 in the MEAC) cut the deficit to eight, Black reeled off eight straight points during a two-minute stretch to open the game's biggest lead at 47-31 early in the second half.
                 
Howard had managed to stay during the first half, due to the scoring of Prince Okoroh, who tallied 21 of his game-high 25 points.
                 
But the junior forward missed seven of his eight shots and it spelled trouble for the young Bison as they went long stretches with any scoring.  The Bears (2-7, 1-0 MEAC) were able to take advantage of the drought by forcing 15 second half turnovers and shooting a sizzling 66 percent (19 of 29) from the field.
                 
"There were a combination of factors," explained Howard head coach Kevin Nickelberry. "Fatigue, injuries and a lack of depth played a huge role into what happened to us in the second half.  I would like to give some detailed X's and O's explanation as to what happened, but their experience caught up to us."
                 
Howard was able to get leading scorer, freshman guard  James Daniel going in the second half when he tallied 13 of his 17 after intermission, but it was not enough to offset the balanced attack of the Bears.
                 
n addition to Black's 17, the Bears got 13 each from Anthony Hubbard and Blake Bozeman, 12 from Thair Heat off the bench and 10 from Cedric Blossom.
                 
Howard freshman center Marcel Boyd, who was coming off his first double double in the loss to American, got into early foul trouble and finished with nine points and six rebounds in 21 minutes in his first start.
                 
The Bison will travel to Orlando, FL to take on the Knights of the University of Central Florida on Wednesday at 7 pm.
                 
"We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves right now," added Nickelberry.  "We have another four away games within 10 days.  We have to fight through the adversity of injuries, lack of depth and fatigue. I told the young guys that if we keep working hard, these games will serve as a learning tool which will help us put two halves together consistently.  We as coaches have to keep working and be patient."