January 18, 2011 – ATLANTA – Roderick Williams recorded career highs in points and rebounds and powered Morehouse, 78-72, over the Paine College Lions, for the first win of the year.

Improving to 2-6 (2-4 SIAC), Morehouse also avenged a 72-55 loss to the Lions, on January 3.

In the first half, the teams traded the lead 12 times, before coming to a 45-45 tie at the break. In the second period, Morehouse trailed only once, by one point, in the highest scoring game of the season.

One big difference in the game was the 48-22 points-in-the-paint advantage enjoyed by the taller, more active Maroon Tigers. Another was the absence of Paine's leading scorer Geno Green, who tallied 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks against Morehouse two weeks ago.

Most of Morehouse's scoring came from three veterans of last year's team – Williams, Joshiah Anabraba and Jelani Figures. The big three combined for 52 points and 22 rebounds.  

Williams, a senior and team captain from Riverdale, GA, poured in 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, on the way to his best game as a Maroon Tiger. His previous monster game was a 20-point, 10-rebound effort against Lane, in February. He also contributed on the defensive end, with five blocked shots.  

Hitting 11-of-13 shooting from the field, Williams paced the Maroon Tigers to the best shooting percentage of the season – at 49.2 percent. His 14 rebounds were more than twice that of any other player and lifted Morehouse to a 44-33 rebounding advantage.  

Figures hit 6-of-7 shots from the field, for 15 points, to go with three rebounds and two assists. It was the third double-digit game for last year's scoring leader.

Anabraba played only 19 minutes, but made every second count, with 12 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Newcomers Jonathan Tassin (8 points, 4 rebounds), Marek Legorce-Ross (7 points, 6 rebounds) and Christopher Clarke (5 points, 5 rebounds) rounded out the Maroon Tiger scoring.  

Paine got balanced production from four players who scored in double figures. Led by Thomas Broughton's 18 points, the Lions fell to 5-9 (5-8 SIAC).

Today's game was the first of three home games this week for the Tigers, who face SIAC leader Stillman, on Thursday, and conference champion, Tuskegee, on Saturday. Both games will start at 7:30 p.m.