Game Dates: Thursday, December 18, 2014
Opponent: Rider Broncs
Site: Alumni Gym, Lawrenceville, N.J.
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Record:  MSU 2-8 (0-2 MEAC)
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman (145-124 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com/www.gobroncs.com
 
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BALTIMORE, Md. –Morgan State (2-8, 0-2 MEAC) returns to the hardwood with a road trip to face the Rider Broncs (5-6, 1-1 MAAC) in non-conference play on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. The contest will be played at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J. and will mark the first meeting between the teams.
 
IT'S OK TO BE A FOLLOWER
MSU men's basketball fans can follow their favorite team, or any of the other MSU athletics programs on Twitter through the handle @MorganStBears.
 
LAST TIME OUT
BALTIMORE, Md. (Dec. 16, 2014) -- Donte Pretlow scored a floater off the glass for the winning basket as Morgan State came on late in a see-saw game to defeat UC Irvine 63-62 Tuesday night. Cedric Blossom scored a career-high 22 for the Bears (2-8) and Pretlow finished with 10. Blake Bozeman and Kyle Thomas each scored nine points, combining for all three of Morgan State's 3-pointers. The game saw 17 lead changes -- eight in the final 3:24.

SCOUTING RIDER
• The Broncs come into Thurday's contest on a 5-6 start to the season. Most recently, the Broncs are coming off a 63-61 road win Saturday night at Harford. Teddy Okereafor made a jump shot with 10 seconds left to give Rider the victory. Matt Lopez led the Broncs with 14 points and Anthony D'Orazio added 13.
• Rider welcomed back nine letterwinners and three starters, from a squad that posted a 14-17 overall record, and finished in first place with 9-11 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Kevin Baggett  (Saint Joseph's '89) is in his third season as the Broncs head coach and currently holds an 38-38 record.
• Matt Lopez and Teddy Okereafor lead the Broncs averaging 10.9 ppg and 10.7 ppg, respectively.  Okereafor also leads RU in assts (3.3 apg). Khalil Thomas leads the Broncs on the boards by averaging 4.9 rpg to go along with 6.9 ppg and is shooting 50 percent (32-64) from the floor.
 
THE SERIES
The Morgan State Bears will square off against Rider for the first meeting in history between the two schools.
 
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.
 
BLAKE BOZEMAN 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 UNKIND
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. The Bears are currently in search of its first road win of the season 0-6 on the road.

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

WINTER'S BLOSSOM
Junior forward Cedric Blossom has had a solid start to the 2014-15 campaign after starting in 30 of 31 games and averaging 6.9 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 2013-14:
• He has led the team in scoring four times this season.
• He has scored 10+ points in eight games, including a career-high 22 points vs. UC Irvine.
• He's currently the Bears second leading scorer averaging 12.2 ppg and leads the Bears in rebounding with 6.4 rpg.
 
Z EFFICIENCY
Zech Smith leads Morgan State in blocks with 14 on the season. The 7-foot transfer from CSU Bakersfield had a season-high three blocked shots during his MSU home-debut against cross-town rival Towson on Nov. 17. Smith ranks No. 6 in the MEAC in blocks by averaging 1.4 blocks per game.
 
NEXT UP: The Bears will return to the road with a non-conference matchup against Manhattan on Saturday, December 20. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Draddy Gymnasium.