ATLANTA, GA | Morehouse used a game-changing 17–0 run in the middle of the second half and then made the winning plays in the final minute to defeat Edward Waters, 58–53, at Frank L. Forbes Arena. Morehouse turned defense into offense all afternoon, finishing with 14 steals and 20 points off turnovers.
First half
Morehouse set the tone early with Caleb Thompson attacking the rim for the opening basket, followed by a free throw to make it 3–0. Edward Waters answered quickly with paint touches and steady pressure, nudging in front 6–5 and then trading scores through the next few minutes.
The game swung in the middle of the half when Edward Waters began to find rhythm in transition and off penetration. An EWU 3-pointer at 10:43 pushed the margin to 15–9, and another EWU 3-pointer at 9:21 extended the lead to 18–12. Morehouse kept itself within reach with a Thompson 3-pointer at 9:42 and a Logan McCormick dunk at 8:40, but Edward Waters stayed in control.
Late in the half, Edward Waters buried a 3-pointer at 1:20 to stretch the lead to 25–18. Morehouse responded immediately: Jared White drilled a 3-pointer with 1:01 left, then finished a driving layup with seven seconds remaining to send the teams to halftime with Edward Waters up 25–23.
Second half
Edward Waters opened the half with a fast start, scoring the first seven points over the first two minutes to build a 32–23 lead. Morehouse settled in behind stops and attacks to the basket, but Edward Waters kept stacking momentum, taking its largest lead at 42–32 on a jumper with 12:25 remaining.
Then the game flipped.
With just over 10 minutes left, Morehouse sparked a 17–0 run that completely changed the feel of the afternoon. It started at the line — JerMontae Hill and Josiah Lawson combined for four straight free throws — and quickly turned into a blur of finishing and pace. Then Hill threw down a monstrous dunk, White hit a pull-up jumper, and Brandon Peters took over the surge with a layup, a 3-pointer, and another finish in transition. When Peters scored again at the 6:09 mark, Morehouse had gone from down 10 to up 49–42.
Morehouse pushed it to 51–43 a minute later, but Edward Waters kept coming, trimming the gap to 51–46 with just over four minutes left.
Down the stretch
Morehouse's shot-making and composure carried the final stretch, but it was anything but comfortable. With 3:50 left, Sincere Moore hit a jumper to make it 53–46, a big answer after Edward Waters had closed the gap. Edward Waters struck back with two layups (3:09 and 2:17) to cut it to 53–50, turning every possession into a pressure situation. With 1:29 left, Hill stepped to the line and calmly knocked down two free throws to extend the lead to 55–50. Edward Waters scored again — including a layup with 0:37 remaining — to pull within 55–53. Morehouse closed it out at the stripe: Lawson hit a free throw with 0:29 left, then Moore sealed it with two free throws in the final second.
Team comparison
- Field Goals: Morehouse 21-49 | Edward Waters 21-49
- 3-Pointers: Morehouse 4-15 | Edward Waters 4-10
- Free Throws: Morehouse 12-20 | Edward Waters 7-12
- Rebounds: Morehouse 32 | Edward Waters 33
- Assists: Morehouse 6 | Edward Waters 5
- Steals: Morehouse 14 | Edward Waters 8
- Turnovers: Morehouse 16 | Edward Waters 25
- Points off turnovers: Morehouse 20 | Edward Waters 9
- Fast-break points: Morehouse 17 | Edward Waters 11
Statistical leaders
With the win, Morehouse moves to 6–7 overall and 6–3 in conference play. Next, Morehouse heads to Columbia, S.C., to face Allen on Thursday, followed by a matchup with Benedict on Saturday. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger basketball on Instagram @morehousebasketball.
