MSU Gamenotes
Game 18
Morgan State (10-7, 3-0 MEAC) at South Carolina State (7-6, 1-1 MEAC)
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center – Orangeburg, S.C.
The Opening Tip
Morgan State, the 2009 MEAC champion, will face its fourth conference test of the New Year when they match-up against South Carolina State (7-6, 1-1 MEAC) on Saturday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center and will be televised by ESPN2. The game will mark the 64th match-up between the teams.
The Last Time Out
MSU senior guard Reggie Holmes will enter Saturday's contest averaging 23.2 points per game, including three 30 point outings thru 17 games. He currently leads the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring and ranks in the NCAA Top 10 (ranked No. 6).
South Carolina State's Last Game
DOVER, Del. -- Chad Wilson scored 19 points and Delaware State rallied past South Carolina State 67-58 on Monday night. Frisco Sandidge and Brandon Baylor each scored 11 points, and Jay Threatt had 10 for the Hornets (6-7, 1-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), who won their second straight after a six-game losing streak. Jason Flagler had 14 points and Darnell Porter added 10 for the Bulldogs (7-6, 1-0).
Series History
Saturday night's game will be the 64th meeting between Morgan State and South Carolina State in men's basketball. The Bulldogs hold a 38-25 advantage in the series. MSU has dropped the Bulldogs the last four times, and have won 5 of the last 6 meetings against the Bears since 2006. SCSU's last win against the Bears was during a 70-56 win at in Orangeburg in Feb. 18, 2007.
Holming In
♦ Morgan State senior guard Reggie Holmes will enter Saturday's contest averaging 23.2 pointsper game, including three 30 point outings thru 17 games. He currently leads the Mid-Eastern AthleticConference in scoring and ranks in the NCAA Top 10 (ranked No. 6).
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 has led Morgan State in rebounding 15times in 2009-10 and 31 times in his career. Thompson is among the nation's leaders in rebounds ... he ranks No. 3 (12.3 rpg) and has posted 25 rebounds in a game which is an NCAA single-game high for this season.
Numbers Game
♦ Morgan State has won five of its last eight games and 6 of its last 10.
♦ The Bears are 7-7 thus far this season against non-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents.
♦ The Bears shot 52.9% (37-70 FG) from the field and outscored Howard in the paint 54-to-18.
♦ Thru the last two games, Morgan State has outscored its opponents in the paint 84-to-46 and held an 82-61 advantage on the glass.
♦ Sophomore Ameer Ali was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season when the Bears played at Baylor ... Ali posted 12 points and five rebounds in the first half in the Bears' win at Howard.
♦ Junior point guard Danny Smith currently ranks among the MEAC leaders in assists ranked 3rd (4 apg) and finished with 10 assists against Towson on Dec.22.
♦ Morgan State's Reggie Holmes has been named the MEAC Player of the Week three so far this season and Kevin Thompson has also been named four times as Defensive Player of the Week and once as the MEAC Player of the Week.
