BALTIMORE (Interstat) — In a gritty, turnover-plagued contest defined by offensive rebounds and free throws, North Carolina A&T held off a persistent Morgan State squad for a 79-73 victory Tuesday night before a crowd of 2,496 at Hill Field House.

The Aggies, who led for nearly the entire game, improved to 3-1 on the young season, while the Bears fell to 1-4.

North Carolina A&T built its winning margin not with fluid offense but with sheer volume of opportunities. Despite committing 14 turnovers and registering only two assists as a team, the Aggies dominated the glass and capitalized at the foul line. They out-rebounded Morgan State offensively 7-4 and attempted 10 more free throws, making 21 of 27 compared to the Bears’ 12 of 17.

The game was a study in contrasting efficiencies. North Carolina A&T scored its 79 points on 70 possessions, translating to an offensive rating of 113.1. Morgan State, while committing only five turnovers, was less effective with its chances, posting an offensive rating of 102.7 with 73 points on 71 possessions.

Lewis Walker, a 6-foot-6 forward from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was the engine for the Aggies, playing all but a handful of seconds and finishing with a game-high 24 points. His performance was emblematic of his team’s night: he shot just 6 of 14 from the field but was a perfect 11 of 11 from the free throw line, adding three assists.

He was complemented by the interior presence of Will Felton, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward from Raleigh, North Carolina. Felton provided a massive spark off the bench, scoring 15 points on efficient 7-of-9 shooting and grabbing a team-high four rebounds in just 17 minutes of action.

For Morgan State, the offense ran through guard Elijah Davis of Severn, Maryland. The 6-foot-1 playmaker led the Bears with 21 points and seven assists, relentlessly attacking the basket. His backcourt mate, Rob Lawson from Capitol Heights, Maryland, added 12 points and five assists.

The Aggies seized control early, using a 7-0 run to build a 45-38 halftime lead. They shot a blistering 52 percent from the floor in the opening period, while Morgan State struggled to find a consistent rhythm.

Morgan State refused to fade in the second half, repeatedly cutting the deficit to a single possession. A driving layup and subsequent free throw from Davis brought the Bears to within 65-64 with just over six minutes remaining, sending a charge through the home crowd.

Each time the Bears threatened, however, the Aggies found an answer, often at the free throw line. After Morgan State pulled within 71-69 on a Eugene Alvin jumper with 2:54 left, North Carolina A&T closed the game on an 8-4 run, with six of those points coming from the charity stripe. Brooklyn Vick, a guard from Deerfield Beach, Florida, iced the game by sinking four consecutive free throws in the final 34 seconds to finish with 11 points.

Despite the loss, Morgan State bested North Carolina A&T in several categories, including points in the paint (38-30), points off turnovers (11-9), and fast-break points (17-11). The Aggies’ superior shooting from the field—52 percent to Morgan State’s 45 percent—and their decisive advantage at the foul line ultimately proved to be the difference.

North Carolina A&T now looks ahead to a road test at Davidson on Nov. 28. Morgan State will attempt to snap its three-game losing streak when it travels to face Old Dominion on Friday.