RICHMOND, Va. -- Morgan State guard James Demory sat alone on the bench, using a towel to wipe away his tears. His college basketball career had come to an end, in a game where the Bears appeared on the verge of playing for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title -- and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Morgan, the tournament's third seed, appeared to have a legitimate shot of reaching tonight's MEAC title game against top-seeded South Carolina State. But poor shots -- and rushed shots -- down the stretched doomed the Bears in last night's 62-56 loss to No. 9 seed Florida A&M.;

Morgan led by nine points with 7: 57 left. And by six, 56-50, after a dunk by Brandon Reece with 3: 43 left. But those were the final points that Morgan would score as its offense completely fell apart, while the Rattlers were scoring the game's final 12 points.

So, Morgan's shot at playing for an NCAA Division I tournament bid for the first time in school history was gone. Also gone was the chance to clinch a winning season for the first time since the 1988-89 season, when the Bears finished 15-14.

Instead, Morgan was left wondering what might have happened had its offense made an appearance. The team shot 34.3 percent for the game.

Just one player, Curtis King, scored in double figures (14 points). And Jimmy Fields, one day after scoring a career-high 29 points, hit just two of 14 shots -- and one of eight from three-point range. He finished with five points.

"Our defense was solid -- we played incredible defense," said Morgan coach Chris Fuller, whose team limited Florida A&M; to 34.9 percent shooting. "We just couldn't convert. The ball fell for them, it didn't fall for us.

"At halftime I said if we hit our shots, we win the game," Fuller added. "We have some [offensive] firepower. It just never came."

Had Morgan simply taken its time on its offensive possessions, the team might have extended its season another day. But throughout the game -- and particularly in the second half -- the Bears either forced poor shots or launched tries early in the shot clock.

Fields, a streaky shooter all season, tried to go for the jugular with Morgan maintaining its lead. But he misfired on all four of his three-point attempts in the second half, all of those coming in the game's final eight minutes. Fuller sat Fields down for a short stretch late in the game, and was questioned about the move afterward.

"He was a little cold," Fuller said. "You try to put yourself in a position to be successful. [You're] second-guessing me, and I'm second-guessing myself. We have to go with what's best at the time."

So frustrated was Fuller with his team's rushed shots that, during two late timeouts when his team still had the lead, he could be heard screaming from the bench.

"We talked about that during every timeout," Fuller said. "We've been a team that's been a little impatient. Maybe it's impossible to change this late in the year."

It didn't help that Morgan senior Rasheed Sparks scored just seven points, hitting two of eight shots. Or that King fouled out with 3: 02 left and team leading 56-54.

Morgan (14-14) still had its chances. But Florida A&M; guard Morris Scott, who stands just 6 feet, grabbed an offensive rebound with 1: 45 left and scored on a reverse layup to tie it at 56.

And on the next possession Rattlers forward Kevin George (19 points) tipped in a missed shot by Monroe Pippins to give Florida A&M; the lead for good, 58-56, with 54 seconds left. After that Morgan missed three shots and committed a turnover, never giving itself a chance to get back in the game.

It was the second time in three days that the Rattlers upset a Baltimore team. The victim on Wednesday was No. 2 seed Coppin, which had shared the MEAC regular-season title.

"It hurts," said Sparks, playing his last college game. "They played well. They wanted it more."

FLORIDA A&M; -- Scott 6-12 0-5 12, George 4-16 11-16 19, Pippins 4-13 0-0 10, Grant 1-6 1-2 4, Green 2-6 0-1 4, Cuyler 1-2 2-2 4, Tubbs 0-2 0-0 0, Rhodes 4-6 1-2 9, Jenkins 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 22-63 15-30 62.

MORGAN STATE -- Fields 2-14 0-0 5, Sparks 2-8 1-2 7, King 6-14 2-3 14, Herron 2-5 0-0 5, Lewis 4-7 1-4 9, Demory 1-1 0-0 3, Reece 3-4 0-2 6, Van Hook 3-10 0-1 7, Bullock 0-2 0-0 0, Qualls 0-1 0-0 0, Dorcinvil 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-67 4-12 56.

Halftime--Morgan State, 27-24. 3-point goals--FAM 3-14 (Scott 0-1, Pippins 2-5, Grant 1-6, Green 0-2); MS 6-23 (Fields 1-8, Sparks 2-6, Herron 1-1, Demory 1-1, Van Hook 1-7). Fouled out--Sparks, King, Lewis. Rebounds--FAM 54 (George 12); MS 46 (Lewis 10). Assists--FAM 9 (Pippins, Green 3); MS 13 (Fields, Lewis 4). Total fouls--FAM 14, MS 24. A--5,176.

Pub Date: 3/06/99