Jada Claude Stars but Eagles Fall Late to Spartans

BOX SCORE

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Eagles put together one of their finest halves of the season on Saturday in a seesaw affair with USC Upstate before finally falling to the Spartans 66-52.
 
Morehead State shot 39% from the field and dominated the glass, a marked improvement from their last contest, as they out-rebounded the Spartans 37-27, including 25 defensive rebounds.
 
Jada Claude starred for the Eagles, posting her first career double-double as she poured in a game and career high 21 points and pulled down 18 rebounds. Graduate students Terri Smith and Tyler Moore joined Claude in double-figure scoring, recording 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
It was all Morehead State in the first quarter, as it leaped out to a 10-0 lead on the back of six early points from Claude in the team's best start of the season. After the hot start, however, a scoring drought helped the Spartans claw back into the game, and a buzzer beater gave the visitors an 11-10 lead after the first frame.
 
The Eagles rebounded early in the second though, using four straight points from Alana Denson to take back the lead. After falling behind 17-16, a 5-0 run sparked by a Terri Smith three pointer vaulted Morehead State ahead 21-16, before USC Upstate closed the half on a 5-0 run of their own to even the score into the locker room.
 
A pair of three pointers from Tyler Moore spurred a 9-1 run for the Eagles to start the second half, but the Spartans responded with force as they unleashed a 16-2 run of their own to take back control of the game. Another 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter from USC Upstate finally put the game out of reach for the Eagles.
 
Morehead State is back in action tomorrow afternoon as they take on Valparaiso. The game is scheduled to tip at 1:00 p.m. ET.