The Morgan State University Bears’ season came to an end after an 83-81 loss to the Hampton University Pirates, Wednesday night.

The Bears, who advanced to the second round after beating the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Tuesday night, played the top seeded Pirates very tough. Morgan really played well offensively. In the first half they shot over 45 percent from the field, and things got even better in the second half, s they shot upwards of 54 percent.

The combination of Cedric Blossom and Donte Pretlow, both seniors, nearly beat the Pirates on their own. Blossom scored 19 points, grabbed six rebounds and stole the ball twice. Pretlow led all scorers with 23 points in 35 minutes, and he also had four assists and two rebounds.

The Bears rallied furiously at the end of the game, cutting an 83-72 lead to a two-point contest, but it wasn’t enough. Specifically, the performances of Hampton players Quinton Chievous and Reginald Johnson, Jr. were too much for Morgan State’s defense. Each scored eight field goals, and Johnson added 13 assists.

The Bears end the season with a 9-22 record, but they take some momentum into the offseason as they prepare for 2016-2017.