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GAME 14: HAMPTON PIRATES  (5-7, 1-0 MEAC)
Wednesday, January 6, 2016 • 7:00 p.m. • Hill Field House • Baltimore, Md.
Live Video Stream: www.morganstatebears.com
Radio: WEAA, 88.9 FM (weaa.org)
Series Record: The Pirates lead the series 26-14
Head Coaches: MSU - Todd Bozeman (152-151, 10th yr) • HU – Edward "Buck" Joyner, Jr. (104-103, 6th)
Website: MSU - www.morganstatebears.com; www.hamptonpirates.com

BEARS OPEN MEAC SLATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AGAINST HAMPTON
The Morgan State Bears will open up MEAC play when they host Hampton on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Hampton will enter the contest looking to bounce back from an 89-59 loss to Princeton, while the Bears are coming off an 88-74 loss to CSUN. MSU will attempt to snap an 8-game losing streak. The matchup will be streamed live on MorganStateBears.com.
 
PREVIEWING THE PIRATES
• Hampton returns four starters and 11 letterwinners from its 2014-15 squad that went 17-18, went 8-8 and placed sixth in MEAC play, and captured the MEAC Tournament championship. HU lost to No. 1 seed Kentucky in the NCAA Big Dance.
• Edward "Buck" Joyner, Jr. (Johnson C. Smith, '95) enters his 6th season as head coach of the Pirates, who have advanced to a pair of MEAC Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances (2011 7 2015) under his leadership. He currently holds a 104-103 record.
• Hampton, coming off of last season's MEAC Tournament championship run, were picked 2nd in the 2015-16 MEAC Preseason Poll.
• The Pirates have three players averaging double-figures in scoring led by Quinton Chievous who is currently leading the way averaging 17.8 points per game to go along with 10.3 rebounds. Reginald Johnson, Jr. (15.8 ppg, 3.3 apg) and Brian Darden (14.4 ppg) are also averaging double-figures.
• Hampton is shooting 41 percent from the floor as a team and has connected on 72-of-250 (.288) 3-pointers.
• Hampton fell 89-59 to Princeton on Sunday at HU Convocation Center. Senior guard Brian Darden led three Pirates in double figures with 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting, while guard Quinton Chievous added 14 points and eight rebounds. Reginald Johnson, Jr. added 12 points.
 
THE SERIES
• MSU will square off against Hampton for the 41st meeting in history between the two schools.
• No. 6 seed Hampton Pirates got hot with their shooting in the second half and No. 11 seed MSU just couldn't keep up in their 91-71 loss in the opening round of the MEAC Tournament at the Scope Arena on March 10, 2015.
• MSU's last win against the Pirates was on Feb. 4, 2014 when the Bears held on for a 94-92 double-overtime win in an ESPNU nationally televised game at Hill Field House.
• Todd Bozeman has a 10-10 record against Hampton since taking the helm as MSU's head coach during the 2006-07 season.
• Hampton has won 4 of the last six meetings against the Bears.

BEARS IN MEAC OPENERS
During head coach Todd Bozeman's tenure,  the Bears have posted a 7-2 record in MEAC openers. 
Dec. 6, 2014 | L, Norfolk State 65-85
Dec. 7, 2013 | W, Howard 87-58
Jan. 12, 2013 | W, S.C. State 76-60
Jan. 7, 2012 | L, S.C. State 55-57
Dec. 4, 2010 | W, Coppin State 70-64
Dec. 5, 2009 | W, Coppin State 80-67
Dec. 6, 2008 | W, Coppin State 62-48
Dec. 1, 2007 | W, Coppin State 78-50
Dec. 6, 2006 | W, Coppin State 86-82

NEXT UP
The Bears will open up MEAC play when they host Hampton on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
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.
 
COMFORTABLE AT HILL FIELD HOUSE
Todd Bozeman has won at least 10 home games in three of his eight seasons in Baltimore. The 2007-08 (12-1) and 2009-10 (11-1) squads finished with just a single loss, while the 2010-11 squad went 10-2. Bozeman has led the Bears to a 72-31 (.700) overall home record at Hill Field House.

CARR HEATING UP IN LAST 3 GAMES
Sophomore Phillip Carr has put together his most consistent series over the Bears' last three games, scoring 18 vs. UC Riverside, 8 at CSU Bakersfield and a season-high 20 at CSUN. He is shooting 15-41 over the stretch. In addition, Carr is averaging 6.3 rpg over the three contests. Carr is now averaging 9.9 ppg – third on the squad.

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 13 games. 

BLOSSOM CLOSING IN ON 1,000 POINTS
Morgan State senior forward Cedric Blossom is steadily approaching a career milestone. He's currently less than 200 points (195 to be exact) away from scoring 1,000 career points. Blossom enters Wednesday's contest with 805 career points.
 
2015-16 | 117 pts, 14.6 avg.
2014-15 | 31 gms, 441 pts, 14.2 avg.
2013-14 | 29 gms, 203 pts, 7.0 avg.
2012-13 | 23 games, 44 pts, 1.9 avg.

TAKING CARE OF THE PILL
Entering Wednesday's play, MSU ranks No. 2 in the MEAC in assist/turnover ratio (0.9). The Bears have committed the second fewest turnovers with a rate of 12.1 per contest. The Bears have been at 10 or lower twice times, including just four at Rider on Dec. 23 (Tied in MEAC for fewest in a game).