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GAME 16: MD EASTERN SHORE HAWKS  (3-14, 0-2 MEAC)
Monday, January 11, 2016 • 7:30 p.m. • Hytche Athletic Center • Princess Anne, Md.
Live Video Stream: Go to www.umeshawks.com
Radio: WEAA, 88.9 FM (weaa.org)
Series Record: Morgan State leads the series 50-34
Head Coaches: MSU - Todd Bozeman (153-152, 10th yr) • UMES– Bobby Collins (21-29, 2nd yr)
Website: MSU - www.morganstatebears.com; www.umeshawks.com

BEARS SET TO BEGIN 3-GAME ROAD SWING MONDAY AT MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
The Morgan State Bears will play its first game of a three -game road trip, as it battles MD Eastern Shore on Monday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. The contest from the Hytche Athletic Center can be seen live here. UMES will enter the contest attempting to snap a 4-game losing streak and bounce back from an 81-75 loss at Columbia, while the Bears are coming off a 63-58 home win against Delaware State. 

PREVIEWING THE HAWKS
• UMES returns a pair of starters and seven letterwinners from its 2014-15 squad that went 18-15, went 11-5 and placed third in MEAC play.
• Bobby Collins (Eastern Kentucky, '91) finished his first season as head coach for the Hawks by posting the most wins by a UMES men's basketball team in 41 years. Though a first round exit in the College Insider Tournament (CIT), the Hawks still managed to earn a postseason berth for the first time since 1981. He currently holds a 21-29 record.
• The Hawks were picked fourth in the 2015-16 MEAC Preseason Poll.
• UMES is led by a pair of seniors in Devin Martin (6-4,205) and Dominique Elliott (6-9,260). Martin, a preseason All-MEAC Third Team selection,  is currently leading the way averaging 17.9 points per game and is shooting 43 percent from the field. Elliott, who was selected preseason All-MEAC First Team, is averaging 12.7 ppg (.526 FG) and leads the team averaging on the boards (6.6 rpg). Bakari Copeland (6-6) is adding 9.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg for the Hawks.
• UMES is shooting 42 percent from the floor as a team and has connected on 110-of-346 (.318) 3-pointers.
• Columbia held off UMES by shooting 5 of 6 from the free throw line in the final 22 seconds to post an 81-75 nonconference victory Wednesday. Dominique Elliott and Devin Martin each scored 21 points to lead the Hawks.

THE SERIES
• MSU will square off against UMES for the 85th meeting in history between the two schools.
• The Hawks swept the season series against Morgan State last year by posting a 78-53 victory at Hill Field House on Jan. 12, 2015, followed by an 89-76 win in Princess Anne on March 5, 2015.
• The last matchup at Hytche Athletic Center was on March 5, 2015. Cedric Blossom scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Bears, but Devin Martin led five players in double figures with 17 points and came away with with an 89-76 win.
• MSU's last win against the Hawks was on Feb. 17, 2014 when Ian Chiles had 22 points and added three blocks as the Bears stormed out to a 23-point lead midway through the first half behind its 7-foot-2 center and beat the Hawks 88-72. Justin Black led all scorers with 24 points and six rebounds for the Bears.

NEXT UP
The Bears will return to the road at Florida A&M on Saturday, Jan. 16, and at Bethune-Cookman on Monday, Jan. 18.

AT THE HELM
Todd Bozeman enters his 10th year at the helm as Morgan State men's head coach. The Bears have participated in six of the last nine MEAC Tournament championships, captured back-to-back-MEAC Titles, and made appearances in the NIT and two NCAA Tournaments.
 
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).
 
HOME GROWN 
Morgan State has five (5) players from the DMV (D.C., Maryland & Metropolitan-D.C.) area, including two from Baltimore. Senior Donte Pretlow (Dunbar High) and redshirt junior Cliff Cornish (North County) are both from Baltimore. Senior Cedric Blossom (Montrose Christian) is from Columbia and senior Andrew Hampton is from Germantown (Seneca Valley), while freshman Anthony Tate (Takoma Academy) is from Fort Washington.

BENCH PRODUCTION
Morgan State's depth has been evident through the Bears' first 15 games this season, with MSU averaging 23 off the bench. Coach Bozeman's bench poured in a season-high 36 points off the   during a loss to Manhattan. The reserves have averaged 24.7 points in the last three contests.

STARTING LINEUPS
Morgan State head coach Todd Bozeman has been mixing his lineups up during the early going of the season. The Bears have had a total of eight different starting lineups through the first 15 games. 

DONTE'S INFERNO
Senior Donte Pretlow exploded during Morgan State's overtime thriller against Hampton (Jan. 6). The 6-foot point guard led the Bears with a career-high 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting, including a couple of coast-to-coast transition layups. The Baltimore product (Dunbar HS) also finished with a game-high six assists to go along with six rebounds and a steal. "Tay" ranks among the league leaders in assists by dishing out 4.1 per game (No. 4 in MEAC), ranks No. 3 in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) and ranks Top 10 in the league in steals (No. 8 – 1.4 spg). Pretlow has dished out at least five assists in six games this season, including a season high eight assists versus UC Riverside (Dec. 28).

BLOSSOM CLOSING IN ON 1,000
Morgan State senior forward Cedric Blossom is steadily approaching a career milestone. He's currently less than 200 points (175 to be exact) away from scoring 1,000 career points. Blossom enters Saturday's contest with 825 career points.

THE CARR IMPACT
The Bears frontcourt got an infusion of talent in the frontcourt with the addition of Phillip Carr. The 6-foot-8 forward Williston State transfer Phillip Carr is not only a force on the glass, but he's also bloomed into a scoring threat for the Bears. Carr is averaging 9.8 points and 7.4 rebounds (No. 5 in MEAC) in 15 starts. He posted a season-best 17 rebounds and finished with 14 points in the Bears home-opener win against Goldey-Beacom (Nov. 23). He has pulled down eight or more rebounds in eight games so far this season.  Carr scored a season-high 20 points (6-17 FG) with five boards against CSUN (Jan. 2), and Saturday he posted 8 points with 10 boards in a win vs. Delaware State.

LOSING THEIR WAY ON THE ROAD
The Bears finished 1-17 in true road contests and 1-2 on neutral floors in 2014-15 and posted a 1-7 road conference ledger. This season's schedule will send MSU on the road for 17 games. The Bears are currently in search of its second road win of the season and stand at 1-8 on the road.