Morgan St. 64, Delaware St. 59

2/4/2008 9:23 PM

BALTIMORE (AP) -Jamar Smith scored 20 points and Marquise Kately added 17, including the go-ahead basket with 1:26 left to end Delaware State's second-half comeback and give Morgan State a 64-59 victory Monday.

Kately's turnaround jumper gave Morgan State (13-8, 8-1) a 58-56 lead, and Smith's layup made it a four-point game as the Bears held onto first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with their sixth straight win.

Roy Bright scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to pace the Hornets (8-12, 5-3). Frisco Sandidge finished with 15 points.

Delaware State used a 14-0 run to tie the score at 52 with 4:28 to go. Donald Johnson's second 3-pointer of the run cut the Bears' lead to 52-46. Bright followed with a 10-foot jumper and a pair of free throws, and Sandidge's layup evened the score. Boubacar Coly hit both free throws with 4:09 left, and he followed Marcus Neal's free throw with a layup to put the Bears ahead 56-53.

Bright tied the game at 56 with a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 3:32 left before Kately separated the teams for good. The Hornets were held to four points in the first 10:21.

Roy Bright finished a three-point play with 2:12 to play in the first to bring the Hornets within six, but Kately answered with a 3-pointer and a two-handed dunk to give Morgan State a 31-20 lead. Holmes' open 3-pointer put the Bears ahead 34-22 at the half.