Game Dates: Saturday, February 28, 2015
Opponent: Coppin State Eagles
Site: Hill Field House,  Baltimore, Md.
Game Time: 4 p.m.
Record:  MSU 6-21 (5-9 MEAC)
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman (150-137 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com/www.coppinstatesports.com
 
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BALTIMORE, Md. – The Morgan State men's basketball team squares off with cross-town rival Coppin State (6-21, 5-9). Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at Hill Field House on Saturday, February 28. MSU enters the contest looking to bounce back from a 60-57 overtime loss at N.C. A&T. The Eagles will enter the ballgame fresh off of a week-long layoff and looking to rebound from its 99-81 loss against Norfolk State. The game will mark 'Senior Day' for the Bears.
 
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. 23, 2015 -- James Whitaker hit a pair of free throws with 1:13 remaining in overtime and a costly turnover by the Bears in the closing moments  helped give N.C. A&T a hard-earned 60-57 victory over MSU on Monday at Corbett Sports Center. Abdullah finished with 14 points (5-10 FG) and four assists for the Aggies. Blake Bozeman led all scorers with a career-high 25 points for the Bears. Andrew Hampton scored 16 points (4-10 3FG) and Blossom had a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with 7 points.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
• Coppin State welcomed back eight veterans, including three starters, from a squad that posted an 12-20 overall record, and finished 7th in the MEAC with a 7-9 record.
• Michael Grant (Malone) enters his first season as Coppin State's head men's basketball coach and he has guided the Eagles to a 6-21 record, and is 258-219 for his career.
• Sterling Smith leads the the Eagles averaging 13.9 ppg and is shooting 48 percent from the field. Taariq Cephas (11.8 ppg) and Arnold Fripp (11.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg) are also averaging double-figures. Cephas is adding 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game.• Bruce Beckford is the only A&T player averaging double-figures. He leads the team averaging 15 ppg and also leads the Aggies on the boards averaging 7.2 rpg. Khary Doby is averaging 6.9 ppg with 3.9 apg, while Arturs Bremers is averaging 6.3 ppg. The Aggies are averaging 58.1 ppg and are shooting 39 percent from the floor.

FOR THE RECORD
MSU will square off against Coppin State for the 83rd meeting in history between the two schools.
• Coppin State cruised to an 80-67 victory over MSU on Feb. 2. The victory ended CSU's six game-skid to the Bears.
• The Bears won all three meetings against the Eagles last season, including a 79-64 victory in the semifinal round of the MEAC Tournament. First team All-MEAC selection Justin Black scored 23 of his game-high 30 points in the first 20 minutes.
• The Bears have won the last six of the last 7 meetings vs. the Eagles, including 12 of the last 15.

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.

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 14.1 ppg and second leading rebounder with 6.8 rpg.

D-UP
Morgan State has held six of its last nine 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        68.0                                  71.8      
FG Pct.                       116-261 (44.4%)              127-270 (47.0%)
3PT FG Pct.               23-83 (27.7%)                   27-68 (30.7%)

ONE-TWO PUNCH
Either senior Blake Bozeman or junior Cedric Blossom has been Morgan State's top scorer in 22 of 28 games this season, combining for 25+ points in 16 games, 30+ points nine times, and one 40-point performance. Both have finished in double figures 44 times while combining for 11 of the team's 11 20-point games. Blossom has reached the 20-point plateau in six games, while Bozeman has five games with 20 or more.

NEXT UP: MSU will travel to take on Maryland Eastern Shore in the MEAC regular season finale on Thursday, March 5th. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center in Princess Anne, Md.
 
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.