Game Dates: Monday, February 21, 2015
Opponent: North Carolina Central Eagles (20-6, 12-0 MEAC)
Site: McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium, Durham, N.C.
Game Time: 4:00 p.m.
Record:  MSU 7-19 (5-7 MEAC)
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman (150-135 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com/www.hamptonpirates.com
 
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BALTIMORE, Md. – Morgan State (7-19, 5-7) will attempt to snap N.C. Central's (20-6, 12-0) 32-game home winning streak Saturday when it travels to Durham, N.C. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium. MSU enters the contest looking to bounce back from a 93-65 loss against Hampton -- its worst loss in five years. The Eagle, ranked No. 1 in the MEAC standings, will enter the ballgame fresh off of a 73-48 rout at Florida A&M and riding a 4-game winning streak. The will be broadcast live by the Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN.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
Feb. 16, 2015 -- Brian Darden scored a career-high 23 points and Hampton crushed Morgan State 93-65 on Monday. Darden hit a 3-pointer on the first possession of the game, made another two minutes later and a third to make it 13-10 just over five minutes in. Hampton then went on a 20-0 run to take control over the game, and the Pirates led 52-20 at the break. Morgan State made just three field goals after the five minute mark of the first. Simpson led Morgan State with 23 points and eight rebounds.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
• The defending MEAC champion Eagles welcomed back five letterwinners and a pair of starters, from a squad that posted a 28-6 overall record, and finished 1st place with an 15-1 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
• Levelle Moton (NCCU '96) enters his sixth season as the Eagles head men's basketball coach. He currently holds a 109-73 record as a head coach.
• The Eagles have four players averaging double-figures led by Jordan Parks' 14.4 ppg -- he also leads the team on the boards averaging 7.9 rpg. Anthony McDonald is averaging 13.4 ppg, while Dante Holmes and Karamo Jawara are each  averaging 10.7 ppg. Nimrod Hilliard leads the Eagles in assists averaging 6.1 apg.Powers leads the Pirates in assists by averaging 3.7 dishes per contest.

FOR THE RECORD
MSU will square off against NCCU for the 86th meeting in history between the two schools. The Bears lead the series 44-41.
• Jeremy Ingram scored a game-high 29 points as NCCU pulled away to a 71-62 win over the Bears at the MEAC Tournament championship at the Norfolk Scope on March, 16, 2014. In the process, the Eagles (28-5) capture their first ever tournament title since rejoining the MEAC in 2011.
• The last win against the Eagles was on Jan. 23, 2012 when the Bears held on for a 71-64 win at Hill Field House.
• The Eagles have won the last three meeting against the Bears. 

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 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 20 games, including a trip to Cancun, Mexico.
• The Bears captured its first road win of the season with a 73-69 win at Delaware State (Jan. 10), MSU is 1-14 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 (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 11 times this season.
• He has scored 10+ points in 22 games.
• He matched a career-high with 26 points vs. Savannah State marked the seventh time he has recorded 20 or more points.
• He's currently the Bears leading scorer averaging 14.7 ppg and second leading rebounder with 6.8 rpg.

ONE-TWO PUNCH
Either senior Blake Bozeman or junior Cedric Blossom has been Morgan State's top scorer in 20 of 26 games this season, combining for 25+ points in 15 games, 30+ points eight times, and one 40-point performance. Both have finished in double figures 42 times while combining for 10 of the team's 10 20-point games. Blossom has reached the 20-point plateau in six games, while Bozeman has four games with 20 or more.

D-UP
Morgan State has held five of its last seven opponents to less than 65 points. In their win against Norfolk State, they limited the Spartans to just 36 percent  shooting from the field and 4 of 19 from 3-point territory. Below is a look at Morgan State's improvement on defense the last five games.
 
Category                   Last 5 MEAC Games       First 5 MEAC Games
Points Per Game       68.6                                     71.8      
FG Pct.                      109-258 (42.2%)                 127-270 (47.0%)
3PT FG Pct.               23-82 (28.0%)                     27-68 (30.7%)
 
NEXT UP: MSU will head to Greensboro, N.C. on Monday, Feb. 23 to take on the North Carolina A&T Aggies. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at The Corbett Sports Center.
 
2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament Tickets are on SALE NOW!
The 2015 MEAC Tournament is March 9-14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia. Ticket books are on sale for $100 at the MSU Box Office located at the Morgan State University Student Center.

To purchase tickets, call the MEAC office at 757-951-2055 or contact your institution's ticketing office.  Tickets can also be purchased by visiting the MSU Box Office at the Student Center. Ticketmaster.com or calling them at 1-800-745-3000.  You may also contact the Scope Arena box office at 757-664-6464.