Morgan State University Athletics

Boxscore

Bear Shots

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Ameer Ali scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half and Troy Smith and Joe Davis added 11 and 10, respectively after the half to lead Morgan State to a 74-67 win over Hampton University in the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament at the Joel Coliseum.

The Bears (26-9), the Number 1 seed, advances to the championship game on Saturday against the winner of the Delaware State-South Carolina State game at 2 pm. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

Morgan State overcame a poor shooting first half in which it shot only 26 percent (7 of 27) and trailed, 32-27. Moreover, the Bears got only three points from their two top scorers, Reggie Holmes, the MEAC Player of the Year, who came into the game averaging 22 points per game, and Kevin Thompson, the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, who averages a double-double of 12.6 points and 12.0 rebounds.

“I was not that concerned,” said a composed Morgan State Coach Todd Bozeman, the MEAC Coach of the Year. “Reggie and Kevin had not scored a field goal and we were only down by five. We have had adversity before and come back.

Ali and Davis picked up the slack to get the Bears back in the game. Ali was 4 for 4 from the field and grabbed 6 rebounds, Davis was 6 of 8 from the free throw line while Troy Smith was 3 for 4 from the field.

“We are playing for something much bigger,” said Ali. “We knew we had to pick it up in the second half. I was able to get some early baskets and Joe and Troy did a great job of picking up the slack for Reggie and Kevin.”

The second half featured runs by both teams. The Pirates (14-18), the Number 5 seed, was able to counter the Bears with scoring from Michael Freeman, who tallied 11 of his 18 points in the second half and Vincent Simpson and Kwame Morgan, who combined for 13 points in the second half.

After Chatles Funches made one of two free throws to make the score, 69-65 at the 1:34 mark, the Bears put the game away, going on a 5-0 run as Troy Smith added a basket and two free throws.

Holmes managed to come alive late in the game when it mattered. The senior guard hit a big three point basket that gave his team the lead for good and he converted on all six of his free throw attempts after intermission.

The Pirates, who had played a highly charged, emotional game against Norfolk State on Thursday, seemed to fatigue down the stretch as two of their key players, leading scorer Vincent Simpson and Brandon Tunnell, fouled out.

Hampton was led by Freeman's 18, 13 by Morgan off the bench and 11 by Simpson in a losing cause.

The Bears, who will be playing in the tournament final for the fourth straight year, were led by Ali with 14, Troy Smith and Davis with 12 and Holmes and DeWayne Jackson, the MEAC Rookie of the Year with 11 each.

“This was a total team effort,” said Bozeman, the MEAC Coach of the Year for the second straight year. “I am really proud of this group. We have won 26 games and we are in the finals again so we will just wait to see who wins and get ready for tomorrow.”