Game Dates: Monday, December 8, 2014
Opponent: Hampton Pirates
Site: HU Convocation Center, Hampton, Va.
Game Time: 8 p.m.
Record:  MSU 1-7 (0-1 MEAC)
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman (144-123 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com/www.hamptonpirates.com
 
Game Notes  |  Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |  Live Audio  |  Twitter Updates 
 
BALTIMORE, Md. – The Morgan State men's basketball team (1-7, 0-1) will continue MEAC action Monday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m., with a road contest at Hampton (3-5, 1-0). Monday's contest will be played at HU Convocation Center in Hampton, Va. The matchup will be streamed live on hamptonpirates.com.
 
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
Jeff Short scored 17 of his game-high 24 points in the first half, and Rashid Gaston added 20 points with 12 rebounds to power Norfolk State to an 85-65 win against Morgan State on Saturday night in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Blake Bozeman hit a pair of free throws to help trim NSU's lead to 53-45 with 12:18 left to play. However, the Spartans blew the game open with a 21-7 run during a 5-minute stretch. The lead ballooned to 74-52 following a layup by LaTre'e Russell with 5:10 remaining --  it marked the largest lead of the night. Cedric Blossom led the Bears with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Blake Bozeman finished with 11 points and Jamar Redmond added 10.
 
SCOUTING HAMPTON
• The Hampton Pirates enter the matchup with Morgan State owning a 3-5 record thus far. Hampton owns victories over Alcorn State, Tennessee State and Coppin State.
• The Pirates welcomed back 11 letterwinners and four starters, from a squad that posted a 18-13 overall record, and finished 2nd place with an 13-3 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
• Edward Joyner Jr. (Johnson C. Smith '95) enters his sixth season as the Pirates head men's basketball coach. He currently holds a 85-83 record as a head coach.
• Quinton Chievous leads the Pirates by averaging 12.4 ppg and a team-best 7.0 rpg. Dwight Meikle is also averaging double-digits for the Pirates (12.1 ppg), and Deron Powers, a 2014 NABC All-District Team selection, leads the Pirates in assists by averaging 3.8 dishes per contest.
• Deron Powers had 17 points and seven assists, Quinton Chievous added 13 points with 16 rebounds and Hampton defeated Coppin State 71-52 on Saturday night in the Mid-Eastern Conference opener for both teams. Dwight Meikle finished with 15 points and nine boards, while Jervon Pressley scored nine with 10 boards. Ke'Ron Brown grabbed seven rebounds for Hampton (3-5), which had a 55-33 advantage. The Eagles had a seven-point lead midway through the first half, but let Hampton right back in it with a 17-3 surge.

WE MEET AGAIN 
The Morgan State Bears will square off against Hampton for the 38th meeting in history between the two schools. The Pirates lead the series 23-14. The Bears  have won four of the past eight meetings. Morgan State held on for a 94-92 double-overtime win in an ESPNU nationally televised game at Hill Field House on Feb. 4, 2014.
 
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 0-5 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
 
THE MARK OF Z
Zech Smith leads Morgan State in blocks with eleven (11) 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 T-No. 4 in the MEAC in blocks by averaging 1.38 blocks per game.
 
NEXT UP: The Bears will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 16 when they host non-conference opponent UC Irvine. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hill Field House.