TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's basketball team hosted Morgan State on Tuesday afternoon at SECU Arena in the final non-conference game of the regular season.
 
Towson (7-5) and Morgan State (1-15) started the game at a torrid pace as the Lady Bears took a 22-17 lead into the first break. The Tigers outscored the Lady Bears 17 to nine in the second quarter, giving the home team a 34-31 halftime lead. The teams traded the lead for much of the second half until the closing minutes. After sinking a free throw to tie the game with 25 seconds to go, Thalia Shepard drilled a baseline jumper to give the Tigers a two-point lead with 1.1 remaining on the clock. The Tigers forced a miss on the final possession to win 63-61.
 
Key Stats

• Towson out-rebounded Morgan State 42 to 33.
• The Tigers hit seven threes in the game on a 25.0% mark while holding the Lady Bears to two makes on ten shots.
• The Black & Gold hit 16 free throws compared to Morgan State's 11.

 
How it Happened

• The pace of the first quarter was much faster than the rest of the game, with 39 points scored, giving Morgan State a 22-17 lead into the first break. Five Tigers scored three points in the opening period.
• Zoli Khalil's three with 5:23 left in the first half tied the game at 25 as the Tigers opened the second quarter on an 8-3 run.
• Viki Matulevicius gave the Tigers a 31-29 lead on a layup with 3:11 to go in the half.
• Semaya Turner hit three free throws over the final minutes of the half to give the Black & Gold a 34-31 lead.
• Morgan State took a one-point lead on back-to-back makes out of the half before Kayla Morris' three-point play put TU up 37-35.
• After the Lady Bears tied the game, Turner went to the line after a make and hit the free throw to give the Tigers a 40-37 lead.
• India Johnston hit a three with 1:28 left in the quarter to put the Tigers up one.
• The Lady Bears hit both free throws with 38 seconds remaining in the third to tie the game at 48.
• After a Morgan State made shot to begin the fourth, Hannah Dereje and Johnston hit shots on back-to-back possessions to put the Tigers back up by two.
• Shepard went to the line down by two with 4:21 to go, hitting both free throws to tie the game at 57.
• Johnston hit another triple with 1:37 remaining to put the Tigers up by three.
• The Lady Bears cut the deficit to one on a layup, forced a turnover, then took a one-point lead with 44 seconds remaining.
• Shepard tied the game on the second of two free throws with 25 seconds to go.
• Out of a timeout with eight seconds remaining, Johnston drove to the lane and kicked it to Shepard on the baseline, who sunk the go-ahead shot with 1.1 left on the clock.
• Morgan State missed the final shot out of a timeout to give the Tigers a 63-61 win.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Thalia Shepard paced the team with 14 points and nine rebounds in the game.
• Viki Matulevicius matched her season-high of three assists.

 
Next Game
The Tigers begin conference play against Campbell at SECU Arena on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at 4 p.m.