FORT VALLEY, GA | Playing with a division title on the line, Morehouse delivered a poised road performance Tuesday night, pulling away late to defeat Fort Valley State 76–68 in an SIAC East showdown at the Health and Physical Education Complex. With the win, the Maroon Tigers clinched the No. 1 seed out of the SIAC East for next week's SIAC Basketball Tournament and secured at least a share of the SIAC East regular-season crown, after entering the night a half-game ahead of Clark Atlanta.
First Half
The game opened with immediate edge and emotion. Fort Valley State was hit with a technical to start the night, and Sincere Moore converted the free throw before Ebuka Peter Okechukwu finished a transition layup off a JerMontae Hill assist to give Morehouse an early 3–0 cushion.
Fort Valley answered quickly when a Wildcat scored twice inside to swing the momentum, then added free throws during a stretch that briefly nudged FVSU in front. Morehouse responded with perimeter pop. Moore drilled a three to regain the lead, and Brandon Peters followed with a three of his own to steady things as both teams traded punches.
Peters stayed aggressive, knocking down consecutive mid-range jumpers as the Maroon Tigers pushed ahead 13–9. Fort Valley State countered with a three and the Wildcats continued to chip away, eventually taking their largest lead of the half at 17–15 after a dunk.
Morehouse answered immediately. Robert Brazelton buried a three to swing it back, then Hill began to control the tempo — a layup tied it, a Hill three made it 24–21, and Moore followed with another triple as the Maroon Tigers surged in front 27–21. Peters added a three of his own to make it 30–22 before Fort Valley State rallied with a string of threes and pull-ups to erase the margin.
The Wildcats tied the game at 31–31 and even slipped ahead 33–31, but Morehouse closed the half with composure. Brazelton finished at the rim, Josiah Lawson hit a jumper, and after FVSU knotted it again at 35–35, Hill drilled a big three in the final minute to put Morehouse up 38–35. A late Wildcat free throw sent the teams to the break with the Maroon Tigers up 38–36.
Second Half
Morehouse came out of the locker room with purpose. Moore opened the half with a free throw and then threw down a dunk to stretch the lead to 41–36. Fort Valley State immediately answered with back-to-back threes, trimming the margin to a single possession as the Wildcats kept it tight.
The Maroon Tigers steadied again behind their pressure and pace. Okechukwu added a dunk, Lawson attacked the paint for buckets and free throws, and Morehouse built its lead to 55–46 midway through the period. Still, Fort Valley State refused to fade, leaning on second-chance opportunities and timely finishes inside to climb back within two at 59–57 with 6:50 left.
That's when Morehouse delivered the defining stretch. Lawson completed a three-point play, Hill buried a three, and the Maroon Tigers' defense created turnovers that turned into transition points. The knockout came late: Moore's dunk with 1:14 remaining pushed the advantage to 74–62 — the largest lead of the night — and Morehouse finished the job at the line and with one more emphatic Lawson dunk in the final minute to seal it.
Team Comparison
- Field Goals: Morehouse 28-of-57 (49.1%); FVSU 24-of-59 (40.7%)
- 3-Pointers: Morehouse 8-of-23; FVSU 9-of-25
- Free Throws: Morehouse 12-of-17; FVSU 11-of-16
- Rebounds: FVSU 38, Morehouse 23 (FVSU 14 offensive rebounds)
- Assists: Morehouse 22, FVSU 17
- Turnovers: Morehouse 9, FVSU 18
- Steals: Morehouse 14, FVSU 3
- Points off Turnovers: Morehouse 25, FVSU 10
- Fast Break Points: Morehouse 21, FVSU 12
- Points in the Paint: Morehouse 28, FVSU 22
- Bench Points: Morehouse 25, FVSU 34
- Game Flow: 8 ties, 10 lead changes
Statistical Leaders
Up Next
With the SIAC East No. 1 seed clinched and at least a share of the division title secured, Morehouse can win the SIAC East outright with a victory at home Thursday to close the regular season. The Maroon Tigers' finale is a make-up game vs. Spring Hill on Thursday, February 26 at 7 p.m. inside Forbes Arena (originally scheduled for January 24 and postponed due to weather). Admission will be free, and the game will stream on the SIAC Network. 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.
