BALTIMORE, Md. – North Carolina A&T women's basketball saw its 28-game regular-season Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) come to an end Monday night with a 42-38 loss to Morgan State at Hill Field House.

"Hats off to Morgan State," said N.C. A&T coach Tarrell Robinson.  "They had a big win Saturday against Howard and they brought that energy in this game."

The Aggies (12-5, 4-1 MEAC) lost for the first time in six games this season. The Aggies also lost their first road game in MEAC regular-season play in 19 games dating back to Feb. 20, 2017.

The Aggies took a 34-33 lead with 3:20 remaining in the game. Two minutes later Morgan State's Chelsea Mitchell gave the Bears the lead back at 35-34. With 34 seconds remaining, Lana Skripkina knocked down a huge 3-pointer for Morgan (8-11, 4-2 MEAC) to put the Bears ahead 38-34. 

The two-time defending MEAC regular-season champions did not go down without a fight, however. Senior forward Le'on Hill scored on a layup to cut the Bears lead to two. After a Morgan free throw, senior center Alexus Lessears scored in the lane to bring the Aggies to within one, 39-38 with 16 seconds to play. 

N.C. A&T then sent Ja'Niah Henson to the line two seconds later. Henson made the first free throw but missed the second. But a key offensive rebound and put back by Skripkina was the decisive blow in ending the Aggies lengthy winning streak within the conference. 

Hill tied her career-high with a game-high 16 rebounds and added a career-high five blocks. Hill now has 514 career rebounds and 96 career blocks. She is seventh all-time in school history in blocks.
 
"Le'on has length and I knew that she would have the size advantage," Robinson said.  "She was crashing the boards.  Le'on is our defensive of person.  She takes pride in that."

Lessears finished with nine points and nine rebounds and Jones-Pack led the team with a game-high 11 points and added four rebounds. Sophomore guard Jasmen Walton added eight rebounds and five points, while senior guard Cinia McCray added five rebounds and three steals.

A McCray steal and layup at the end of the first quarter gave the Aggies a 10-9 lead going into the second quarter. 

Morgan was able to take a 16-14 lead in the second quarter before a 6-0 run capped by a Lessears layup gave the Aggies a 20-16 lead with 35 seconds remaining in the half. An Ashia McCalla layup and two Morgan free throws tied the game at 20 at the half. 

N.C. A&T led 30-25 seven minutes into the second half. But Morgan hit two free throws with 52 seconds left to cut the deficit to three points heading into the final quarter.  

The Bears were led by Chelsea Mitchell with 10 points, nine rebounds and seven steals. The Aggies return home for a four-game homestand starting with Bethune-Cookman Saturday at 2 p.m. and Delaware State Monday at 5:30 p.m. in Corbett Sports Center.