Game Dates: Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Opponent: UC Riverside
Site: Riverside, Calif.
Game Time: 7 p.m. (PT)
Record:  MSU 2-11 (0-2 MEAC)
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman (145-127 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com/www.ucirvinesports.com
 
Game Notes  |  Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |  Live Audio  |  Twitter Updates 
 
BALTIMORE, Md. – Morgan State (2-11, 0-2 MEAC) plays its second of a four-game road trip when they face the California Riverside Highlanders (6-5, 0-0 BIG WEST) in non-conference play on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. (PT). The contest will be played at the SRC Arena in Riverside, California. A live video stream will be provided at BigWest.TV.org.
 
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
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Dec. 28, 2014) --  Luke Fischer led six players into double figure scoring as hot-shooting Marquette cruised past Morgan State, 81-53. Fisher scored 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots as the Golden Eagles raced to a 37-17 lead at halftime. Cedric Blossom scored 21 points and was the only scorer to reach double figures for Morgan State (2-11). Jamar Redmond added 8 points, while Blake Bozeman and Cliff Cornish scored 6 apiece.

SCOUTING UC RIVERSIDE
• The Highlanders come into Tuesday's contest on a 6-5 start to the season and has lost two of its last three contests. Most recently, the Highlanders lost a 61-33 decision at #23 San Diego State. Jaylen Bland paced the Highlanders with nine points, while Taylor Johns grabbed 11 rebounds and scored seven points in the loss. Overall, the Highlanders were five of 24 from the floor in the first after making four of their first six shots of the game. They scored just three points over the final 16:07 of the period.
• UCR welcomed back seven letterwinners and four of starters, from a squad that posted a 10-21 overall record, and finished in eighth place with a 5-11 BIG WEST conference mark.
• Dennis Cutts  (SUNY Albany '90) is in his second season as the Highlanders head coach and holds an 16-26 record.
• The Highlanders are led by Taylor Johns and Jaylen Bland. Johns is averaging a team-high 15.6 ppg with 9.0 rpg and 24 blocks. Bland averages 13.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg. Steven Thornton is adding 8.0 ppg and Steven Jones leads the team in assists (3.3 apg).  UCR is currently shooting 44 percent from the floor and 36 percent from 3-pt. territory.

THE SERIES 
MSU will square off against California Riverside 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 0-7 on the road.
 
COMFORTABLE AT HILL FIELD HOUSE
Todd Bozeman has led the Bears to a 66-26 (.717) overall home record at Hill Field House. The Bears are in search of its first home win when they welcome the Anteaters to Hill Field House.
 
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 (Montrose Christian HS) 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 six times this season.
• He has scored 10+ points in 11 games, including a career-high 22 points vs. UC Irvine.
• His 21 point effort at Marquette marked the third time in the last four games he has recorded 20 or more points.
• He's currently the Bears leading scorer averaging 14.2 ppg and second leading rebounder with 6.4 rpg.
 
NEXT UP: The Bears will return to action on Friday, Jan. 2 when they travel to face non-conference opponent Cal-State Northridge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The Matadome in Northridge, California.