Game 16
Morgan State (8-7, 1-0 MEAC) at Howard (2-13, 1-0 MEAC)
Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 – 4:00 p.m. (ET)
Burr Gymnasium – Washington, D.C.
The Opening Tip
Morgan State (8-6, 1-0), the 2009 MEAC champion, will face its first conference test of the new year when they match-up against Howard (2-13, 1-0) on Saturday night. The game will mark the 2nd conference game of the season for the Bears. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Burr Gymnasium. The game will mark the 97th match-up between the teams.
The Last Time Out
Reggie Holmes lost his shooting stroke, but not his confidence. Shrugging off a subpar performance in aloss at Robert Morris, the Morgan State star scored 23 points, however it was Baylor who posted a 79-63 victory over the Bears on Wednesday night. Holmes, who entered the game ranked No. 5 in the nation (23.8 ppg), finished with 23 points and shot 7-for-15 from the floor.
Howard's Last Game
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Curtis White scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second half and Dadrian Collins added 10 of his 15 after intermission to lead Howard to a 72-65 win over Navy in a non-conference men's basketball game at Burr Gymnasium. The Bison (2-13), who snapped a five game losing streak, rallied from a 36-30 halftime deficit on the scoring of White and Collins who combined for 12 of the team's points during a key 15-9 run that tied the score at 45-all.
Series History
Saturday night's game will be the 96th meeting between Morgan State and Howard in men's basketball. The Bears hold a 56-40 advantage in the series since 1950. MSU has won six straight against the Bison since 2006,including 8 of the last 9 meetings. The Bears won both games between the two teams last season by a total of 27 points.
Holming In
♦ Morgan State senior guard Reggie Holmes will enter Saturday's contest averaging 23.7 pointsper game, including three 30 point outings thru 14 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 became the first Bear ever to be selected to the team. Thompson posted his 10th double-double of the season (16th career) during the Bears win against Long Island, finishing with 13 points and 17 rebounds. Thompson is among the nation's leaders in rebounds ... he ranks No. 3 (12.7 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 three of its last six games, 4 of its last 8 and have dropped its last two contest..
♦ The Bears are 7-7 thus far this season against non-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents and will enter MEAC play on Saturday Jan. 9th at Burr Gymnasium in Washington D.C. against Howard.
♦ Sophomore forward Kevin Thompson is ranked among the nation's leading rebounders ... He currently ranks No. 3 by averaging 12.7 boards per contest.
♦ Sean Thomas recorded a career-high 14 points (5-7 FG) in 25 minutes of action at Robert Morris.
♦ Philadelphia product Ameer Ali collected 8 boards and scored five points in his starting debut during the Bears loss at Baylor.
♦ Reggie Holmes was selected to the Dr. Pepper All-Classic Team where he averaged 24 points per game during the two-day Classic.
♦ 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 three times as Defensive Player of the Week and once as the MEAC Player of the Week.
♦Thompson has led Morgan State in rebounding 13 times in 2009-10 and 29 times in his career.
