Thalia Shepard scored the last three points, including a jumper with one second remaining on the clock, to lift Towson to a 63-61 win over nearby Morgan State in the Charm City Hoops Classic.
The energy inside SECU Arena on Tuesday felt different—like both Morgan State and Towson understood this wasn’t just another non-conference matchup. The pace was electric from the opening tip. Morgan State came out firing, hitting 62.5% of their shots in the first stretch and jumping ahead behind confident guard play and early rhythm. Towson answered with a flurry of threes to keep things tight, and by the time the first break arrived, Morgan State held a 22–17 edge.
Michaela Bogans poured in a game high 15 points, handed out four assists and swiped a career high six steals to lead the Bears. Guard Tiyanna James added 10 points and Jael Butler anchored the interior with seven rebounds. Bannerman chipped in eight points and played a key role for the Bears later in the game.
But basketball is a game of adjustments, and Towson made theirs quickly. The Tigers locked in defensively during the second frame, holding Morgan State to just nine points while finding their own groove on the other end. By halftime, Towson had flipped the script and taken a 34–31 lead, fueled by timely shooting and a steady presence on the boards.
The second half felt like a tug of war. Every possession mattered, every rebound felt like a small victory. Morgan State opened the third quarter with back to back buckets to reclaim the lead, only for Towson to respond with a three point play and a series of tough baskets. India Johnston’s three late in the quarter nudged Towson ahead, but Morgan State’s Maya Woodson knocked down two free throws to knot things at 48-48 heading into the final period.
Neither team could create real separation in the fourth. A pair of free throws from Shepard tied the game at 57 all. The game remained tied over the next two minutes as both teams struggled with getting the ball in the basket. Towson broke the scoring silence on another huge three from Johnston with 1:37 left to give the Tigers its largest lead of the period 60–57.
Morgan State refused to fold—Maya Woodson’s layup cut the lead to one and Ja’la Bannerman steal and layup swung the lead back to the Lady Bears with 44 seconds remaining.
Then came the moment that decided everything. Shepard, who had been steady all afternoon, hit the back end of two free throws to tie the game at 61-61 with 25 seconds remaining on the clock. Morgan State guard Tiyanna James hoisted up a three that bounced off the rim and into the hands of Shepard. The junior guard passed the ball forward and raced down the court to the baseline as the clock ticked under 5 seconds. Johnston had a look but saw Shepard flash the baseline.
“Yeah, I mean it’s just like you know we work on these situations all the time in practice,” explained Shepard. “You know, down certain points or you’re tied and limited time and it’s just reps, reps and reps and just a really unselfish play by my teammate Indie and, you know, I made the shot. You know, we practice this all the time so, it’s just nice to see it go in and get this win.”
Senior center Jael Butler launched an errant shot for the Bears as the buzzer sounded but it changed nothing. Towson escaped with a 63–61 victory.