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Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014
Opponent: Northern Iowa (2-0)
Site: McLeod Center, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Game Time: 7:30 p.m. (CT)
Television: N/A
Radio: Penn State Sports Network
MSU Coach: Todd Bozeman (143-117 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com / www.UNIPanthers.com

GAMETIME

Morgan State will play its third game in seven days when it travels to take on the Northern Iowa Panthers at the McLeod Center on Thursday, November 20. The matchup is a part of the 2014 Cancun Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (CT). 

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

- Northern Iowa welcomed back 10 letterwinners and all five starters, from a squad that posted a 16-15 overall record, and finished in third place with a 10-8 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference.
- UNI returns 94 percent of its scoring from a season ago. UNI possesses the oldest roster in the MVC with an average age of 20.5.
- Ben Jacobson enters his ninth season as the Panthers head men's basketball coach and he has guided UNI to a 166-101 record.
- Paul Jesperson's putback with 39.7 seconds left in overtime gave the Panthers a 79-77 win over Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday night. Five players scored in double figure for the Panthers, paced by Marvin Singleton who finished with 15 points.

FIRST MEETING 

The Morgan State Bears will square off against Northern Iowa for the first meeting in history between the two schools.

LAST TIME OUT
November 18, 2014 -- Morgan's struggles continued on the offensive end as they were held to three field goals in the final 11 minutes in a 51-46 loss to Towson at Hill Field House. Donte Pretlow led the Bears with 13 points, followed by Cedric Blossom had 11 and Blake Bozeman chipped in 8. The Bears struggled from three-point range, only hitting two of 19 attempts in the game.
 
FIRST MEETING
The Morgan State Bears will square off against the Northern Iowa Panthers for the first ever meeting between the two schools in men's basketball.
 
BEARS SET FOR CANCUN CHALLENGE
The Morgan State men's basketball team will compete in the 2014 Cancun Challenge Tournament, November 25-26 at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya near Cancun, Mexico. The Bears will compete in the Mayan Division along with North Florida, Elon and Liberty. The Riviera Division will include Virginia Teach, Miami (Ohio), Northern Iowa and Northwestern. The tournament begins with eight games played in the United State between November 19-30 with the four teams in the Riviera Division hosting the four teams in the Mayan Division before all eight travel to Cancun to play two games for their respective division championships. All four games of the Riviera Division will be nationally televised live in HD from the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya on CBS Sports Network. The Mayan Division games will be webcast live on CBSsports.com, ULive.
 
MORGAN STATE TABBED THIRD IN PRESEASON POLL
Morgan State was picked to finish third in the 2014-15 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's basketball preseason poll behind defending regular season champion North Carolina Central.
 
BLACK EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Morgan State senior guard Blake Bozeman was selected to the Preseason All-MEAC Third Team by the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
 
BOZEMAN LOOKS FOR ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON
For three of the last eight seasons, all as head coach, Todd Bozeman has guided teams to at least 20 victories. Bozeman set the Morgan State record for consecutive 20-win campaigns in 2007-08 with a 22-11 record and extended it with a 23-12 campaign in 2008-09, followed by a Division I school record 27-11 record in 2009-10. The previous record was back-to-back 20-win seasons under coach Nathaniel Frazier when he guided the Bears to a 20-8 record in 1972-73, followed by 28-5 in 1973-74.
 
BOZEMAN IN THE MEAC FACTS
- Morgan State has made six MEAC Tournament Championship appearances in eight seasons under head coach Todd Bozeman.
- The Bears have won a pair of MEAC Tournaments titles (2009 & 2010).
- Bozeman has led the Bears to 17 of the school's 32 MEAC Tournament wins.
- He was the 2009 and 2010 Outstanding Coach of the MEAC Tournament.
- Morgan State has advanced to the MEAC Semifinals seven times in the last eight seasons under Bozeman.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
The Bears finished 5-9 in true road contests and 3-3 on neutral floors in 2013-14 and posted a 5-3 road conference ledger. This season's schedule will send MSU on the road for 14 games, including a trip to Cancun, Mexico.

FRESH FACES
Morgan State's roster includes eight (8) newcomers in graduate students Jordan Omogbehin (C) and Zech Smith (C), redshirt sophomore Cliff Cornish (F), and freshmen Jamar Redmond (G), Conrad Chambers (G), Clive 'C.J.' Vaughan Jr. (G), Jeremiah Curtis (F) and Anthony 'A.J.' Vernon (F).
 
BEWARE THE BEAR
Under the direction of Todd Bozeman, Morgan State has collected a couple of memorable wins against big-time opponents. The Bears have recorded historic wins against: Long Island (2009); Manhattan (2009); Arkansas (2009); DePaul (2008); and Maryland (2009).
 
FATHER & SON COMBO
Morgan State is one of nine Division I teams that feature a father-son combo. The following is the list of D1 father-son combos:
Todd & Blake Bozeman – Morgan State
Billy & Billy Donovan – Florida
Ron & R.J. Hunter – Georgia State
Dale & Ethan Layer – Liberty
Craig & Cullen Neal – New Mexico
Keith & Lance Richard – UL Monroe
Bill & Tyler Self - Kansas
 

NEXT UP 

The Bears will travel to face the University of Houston on Saturday, November 22. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. (CT) and will be broadcast by ESPN3.