MSU guard Reggie Holmes ranks No. 4 in the nation in scoring by averaging 24.6 ppg.
MSU Gamenotes
Game 9
Morgan State (5-3) vs Minnesota (5-3)
Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Williams Arena – Minneapolis, Minn.
The Opening Tip
Morgan State, the 2009 MEAC champion, will play its six straight road game when they face non-conference opponent Minnesota. Tip-off is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The game will mark the first match-up between the teams and will be televised by ESPNU.
The Last Time Out
Saturday marked a new era in Coppin State basketball with the grand opening of The Physical Education Complex (PEC), but it was the Bears who ended up making history on the night by beating the Eagles 80-67 in front of a crowd of 3,189. Reggie Holmes poured in 16 of his game-high 24 points during a second half surge to help Morgan State snap a two-game losing skid and record its fourth consecutive win against the Eagles.
Golden Gophers' Last Game
Minnesota had no trouble snapping its three-game skid this afternoon, running past Brown University for an impressive 91-55 win at Williams Arena. Blake Hoffarber led Minnesota in scoring and rebounding, recording his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 boards for the Maroon and Gold.
Series History
Tuesday night's game will be the first meeting between Morgan State and Minnesota in men's basketball.
Holming In
♦ Morgan State senior guard Reggie Holmes will enter Tuesday night's contest averaging 24.6 points per game, including three 30 point outings thru eight games. He currently leads the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring and ranks in the NCAA Top 10 (ranked No. 4 thru Dec. 7).
Thompson's Hospitality
♦ Morgan State forward Kevin Thompson was named to the Freshmen Mid-Major All-America team by Collegeinsider.com at the end of the last season. Thompson became the first Bear ever to be selected to the team. Thompson posted his sixth double-double of the season (12th career) during the Bears win at Coppin State, finishing with 15 points and a game-high 14 boards.Numbers Game
♦ Morgan State enters the game having won 6 of its last 9 non-conference meetings, including wins against Maryland, Arkansas, Towson, Albany, UMBC and East Tennessee State.
♦ Reggie Holmes has scored 20 or more points in seven out of 8 games, and has scored 30 or better three times so far this season.
♦ MSU guard Danny Smith saw his first action in three games when the Bears played at Loyola on Tuesday night ... the junior transfer logged 20 minutes and finished with two assists and a steal.
♦ MSU's is averaging 78.6 points per game and has posted 90 or more points twice so far this season
♦ Sophomore point guard Sean Thomas dished out a career-best 10 assists in an overtime loss at Appalachian State on November 28.
♦ Senior guard Reggie Holmes' 9 point output against #22 Louisville was his lowest scoring output since scoring 7 points at Hampton back on February 23, 2009...He made up for it in the Bears very next game by scoring a career-high 34 points to help MSU notch its first win against an SEC opponent.
♦ Freshman forward DeWayne Jackson finished with a game-high 21 points and was 4-for-8 from beyond the arc at #22 Louisville.
♦ Morgan State's win against Albany this season was the Bears first season-opener win since dropping Lincoln (91-50) in 1988.
♦ Prior to Morgan State's 82-54 loss to Oklahoma in MSU's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season, the Bears had won six consecutive games and 13 of its last 15.
