ATLANTA, GA | Lane shot a blistering 59.3% from the floor and scored 50 points in the paint to hand Morehouse an 94-87 setback Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7) in an SIAC Cross-Division matchup inside Frank L. Forbes Arena. Sincere Moore erupted for 37 points — the most scored by a Maroon Tiger in a game in 15 years — and it marked just the Maroon Tigers second 30+ point performance over the past five seasons. The Maroon Tigers saw four players score double-digit points, including JerMontae Hill's double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but Morehouse couldn't fully erase a late first-half surge and an early second-half push that helped the Dragons take control. The loss marked Morehouse's second straight and sets up an all-important Big Cat Hardwood Classic showdown with Clark Atlanta next Saturday in Atlanta.

First Half

Lane opened the scoring at the line with two free throws at the 19:18 mark. Morehouse answered quickly behind Moore, who got the Maroon Tigers on the board with a pull-up jumper before finishing a fast, physical early stretch with a layup-and-free-throw sequence to give Morehouse a 5-2 edge.

Moore stayed aggressive, drilling a three at 16:58 and adding another free throw just seconds later as the Maroon Tigers began to stack stops into points. A Brandon Peters tip-in at 16:24 capped a hot opening burst and pushed Morehouse in front 11-4 — the Tigers' largest lead of the afternoon.

Lane steadied itself with paint touches and transition pressure, along with back-to-back downhill layups to cut into the margin. Isaiah Jackson punctuated a Morehouse response with a dunk at 13:17, but the Dragons kept answering with baskets at the rim and timely finishing through contact. Midway through the half, the game turned into a back-and-forth tug-of-war, with Morehouse manufacturing chances through pressure defense and offensive rebounds while Lane leaned on efficient half-court execution.

The Dragons grabbed their first lead with a three at 9:26 to make it 21-19. Moore answered to tie it at 21, but Lane nudged back in front again and continued to chip away. Jared White's free throws at 8:05 briefly brought Morehouse even (23-23), though a Dragon three at 6:50 helped Lane reclaim momentum.

Morehouse made another push late, fueled by trips to the line — Hill and Josiah Lawson combined for four straight free throws — and Lawson's three at 3:04 swung the score to a 34-32 Maroon Tiger lead. But Lane delivered the biggest swing before the break: the Dragons closed the half on a 9-0 run to build a 41-34 advantage. Lawson stopped the bleeding with a layup at 0:17, sending Morehouse into halftime trailing 41-36.

Second Half 

Morehouse came out with urgency. Moore opened the half with a layup (19:35), Peters splashed a three (18:52), and the Maroon Tigers steadily carved into the deficit with repeated defensive pressure and timely baskets. A Moore three at 16:33 and a Hill layup at 15:55 tightened it further, and Peters' layup at 15:26 tied the game at 49-49, a pivotal moment in the contest.

Lane answered immediately with a three at 15:09, and from there the Dragons began to seize the game's tempo. Morehouse stayed within a possession twice (Hill jumper at 14:56; Peters layup at 14:00), but Lane's surge arrived at the stripe and in the paint with a 9-0 run featuring free throws, downhill layups, and a finish through contact that stretched the margin to 63-53 with 12:28 remaining.

The Maroon Tigers kept fighting. Moore hit another three at 11:11, and Lawson's free throws at 9:31 trimmed it to 63-58. Hill's dunk and two more free throws brought Morehouse within five again (67-62) at the 8:02 mark, but Lane responded with answers on every push with a steady sequence of paint scoring and free throws, along with a momentum three that pushed the Dragons back into a double-digit cushion.

Down the stretch, Lane's efficiency at the rim and composure at the line kept the Maroon Tigers from getting closer than five. The Dragons stretched the lead to as many as 16 late (90-74 at 1:21), and although Morehouse kept attacking and tacked on points at the line, the gap was too large to erase. Moore capped the scoring with a buzzer-beating three, but Lane walked out with the 94-87 win.

Team Comparison

• Field Goals: Lane 35-59 (59.3%) | Morehouse 27-69 (39.1%)
• 3-Pointers: Lane 5-16 | Morehouse 7-30
• Free Throws: Lane 19-24 | Morehouse 26-32
• Rebounds: Lane 39 | Morehouse 33
• Assists: Lane 17 | Morehouse 11
• Turnovers: Lane 17 | Morehouse 10
• Points in the Paint: Lane 50 | Morehouse 34
• Points off Turnovers: Morehouse 26 | Lane 16
• Fastbreak Points: Morehouse 24 | Lane 11

Statistical Leaders

• Sincere Moore: 37 points (13-20 FG), 5-8 3PT, 2 steals (most by a Maroon Tiger in 15 years; only the 2nd 30+ point game in the past five seasons)
• JerMontae Hill: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals
• Brandon Peters: 14 points (5-7 FG)
• Josiah Lawson: 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals

Up Next

Morehouse now turns its full attention to a marquee rivalry showdown with Clark Atlanta in the Big Cat Hardwood Classic — a matchup with massive SIAC championship implications. The Maroon Tigers and the Panthers are tied at the top of the SIAC East, with Morehouse currently holding the tie-break advantage due to their victory earlier this season over CAU. Tipoff is Saturday at 2 PM inside Forbes Arena as part of the Morehouse Founder's Week activities, and the game will be streamed on the SIAC Network. With Moore posting a historic 37-point outing — the most by a Maroon Tiger in 15 years and just the second 30+ point game by the program in the past five seasons — the Maroon Tigers will look to turn that momentum into a statement win with the SIAC title picture on the line.