Game 20
Opponent: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (8-11, 3-2 MEAC)
Date: Saturday, January 26, 2019
Site: Hill Field House, Baltimore, Md.
Game Time: 4 p.m. 
Series Record: MSU leads 34-26
Live Stats/Video: morganstatebears.com | Radio: WEAA, 88.9 FM
Coaches: MSU - Todd Bozeman (154-209, 13th yr) • Bethune-Cookman - Ryan Ridder (26–24, 2nd yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com | www.bcuathletics.com

SETTING THE STAGE
After a two game road skid, the Morgan State men's basketball team (7-12, 2-4) returns to Hill Field House for two straight home games, beginning this Saturday (Jan. 26) against Bethune-Cookman (8-11, 3-2). Game time is slated for 4 p.m. ET. The contest will be streamed live on morganstatebears.com. The Bears dropped a 92-64 decision to North Carolina Central on Monday in Durham. Bethune-Cookman routed UMES 89-68 Monday in Daytona Beach. 

THE SERIES
• Saturday's contest will mark the 61st matchup between the schools ... The Bears lead the series 34-26.
• No. 7 Morgan State erased a 13-point deficit to knock off No. 2 Bethune-Cookman, 78-77, and advanced to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament semifinals inside the Norfolk Scope Arena. MSU had four Bears reach double figures, led by Tiwian Kendley with a game-high 31 points.
• The Wildcats last win against Morgan State was on Feb. 19, 2016 ... Isaiah Bailey recorded the final four of his career-best 28 points at the free-throw line and sealed a 96-95 overtime victory for Bethune-Cookman against Morgan State at Hill Field House. Tiwian Kendley scored 29 of his career-high 41 points (13-19 FG) after halftime for Morgan State (10-16, 6-7). Kendley also grabbed six rebounds and had five assists and two blocked shots before fouling out in overtime.

BEAR BITS
• Senior point guard Martez Cameron is four assists shy of 400 career assists.
• MSU's bench outscored Howard (Jan. 15) by a 40-10 margin.
• Junior forward David Syfax scored a season-high 16 points to help lead the Bears to an overtime win at Howard (Jan. 15)
• Morgan State converted a school record 27-of-27 free throws during its contest versus Lincoln-Pa. (Jan.3).
• Junior guard Stanley Davis recorded career-highs of 28 points and 19 rebounds vs. South Carolina State (Jan. 12).
• The Bears scored 26 points off of 18 turnovers against Binghamton.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
• Bethune-Cookman, who  were picked to finish first in the 2018-19 Preseason MEAC Poll, begins its second season under head coach Ryan Ridder ... Ridder  joined BCU after a four-year stint at Daytona State College where he led the Falcons to 95 victories and four Mid-Florida Confernece championships ... he's also the son of legendary Embry-Riddle men's head coach Steve Ridder.
• BCU finished the 2017-18 season with a 18-14 overall mark and were the MEAC regular season co-champions by posting an 11-4 conference mark ... The Wildcats fell to Morgan State, 78-77, in the MEAC Tournament quarterfinals at The Scope Arena.
• BCU (8-11, 3-2) are shooting 43.9 percent from the field (No. 4 in MEAC) and 31.9 percent from 3-point territory.
•  The Wildcats have four players averaging double-figures led by All-MEAC guard Isaiah Bailey. The 6-6 senior and is averaging 14.7 points on 44 percent shooting. Malik Maitland and Cletrell Pope are each averaging 11.8 ppg, while Mark Gordon is scoring 11.3 ppg.
• Soufiyane Diakite was named the 2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year. He's currently averaging 11.8 points with 5.8 rebounds  per contest.
• BCU is holding its opponents to shooting 29.5 percent from beyond the arc (No. 1 in MEAC) and 40.8 percent from the field (No. 1).
• Cletrell Pope has been a monster on the glass for the Wildcats. The 6-9 Southeastern Illinois transfer leads the league on the glass by averaging 11.6 rebounds per game... ranks No. 6 in the nation. He also ranks No. 2in the league in blocked shots (1.4 avg).

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE WILDCATS
Mark Gordon scored 27 points and Bethune-Cookman took off in the second half to beat Maryland-Eastern Shore 89-68 on Monday. Gordon was 9-of-12 shooting with four 3-pointers and scored 19 in the first half. Cletrell Pope scored 13 of his 15 points and Malik Maitland all 11 of his in a 50-point second half.

LAST TIME OUT FOR BEARS
Morgan State suffered a 92-64 loss against North Carolina Central on Monday at McDougald-McLendon Arena. Senior guard Martez Cameron and freshman Sherwyn Devonish-Prince Jr. each scored 12 points for Morgan State. Randy Miller Jr. made seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points to lead the Eagles.

AT THE HELM
Todd Bozeman enters his 13th year at the helm as Morgan State men's head coach. The Bears have participated in six of the last 12 MEAC Tournament championships, captured back-to-back-MEAC Titles, and made appearances in the NIT and two NCAA Tournaments. 

WHO'S OUT
Morgan State's standouts Phillip Carr and guard Tiwian Kendley completed their careers as two of the school's all-time top players. Kendley, a 6-5 guard from Harlem, N.Y., has made his mark as one of the top players in school history. In his senior campaign, Kendley averaged 26.1 points per game and grabbed 4.0 rebounds per game while also averaging 2.1 steals per game. He is currently a member of the NBA G League's Washington Go-Gos. Carr is one of only seven players to wear the MSU uniform and score over 1,000 points with over 700 rebounds, totals that he accumulated in just three seasons as a Bear. Carr is currently playing for the New York Knicks team's G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.

WHO'S BACK
Back from last season's squad that finished with a 13-19 record are starters Martez Cameron and Antonio Gillespie, while Stanley Davis Jr. and David Syfax return to the Bears along with a number of contributors off the bench with: Tyler Streeter, LaPri McCray-Pace and Kyson Rawls.

WHO'S IN 
The Bears have added seven newcomers to the 2018-19 roster: G Ranell Bell; G Malik Miller;  G Sherwyn Devonish-Prince Jr.; G Isaiah Burke; F Jordan Little;  F Victor Curry; and F Taron Oliver Jr.

RETURNING PRODUCTION NUMBERS 
Morgan State returns 49.6 percent of its scoring, 28.4 percent of its rebounding and 55.1 percent of its minutes played totals from last year's team. The team leaders in field goal percentage (Tyler Streeter - .543 ), three-point percentage (Antonio Gillespie, .369), free throw percentage (Antonio Gillespie, .800), rebounding (David Syfax - 4.4 rpg), assists (Martez Cameron, 4.3), steals (Martez Cameron, 1.5),  blocked shots (David Syfax, 0.7). and minutes played (Martez Cameron, 32.6).  Six (6) players who started in at least five (5) games a year ago also return - Cameron (26), Davis (16), Gillespie (14 ), McCray-Pace (10), Rawls (6) and  Syfax (5).

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 four players from the DMV (D.C., Maryland & Metropolitan-D.C.) area. Freshman point guard Sherwyn Devonish-Prince Jr. is from Bladensburg, Md. and graduated from Wise HS. Freshman guard Isaiah Burke is from Annapolis and was a prep standout at Bowie HS, while junior forward Taron Oliver, Jr. played for Montrose Christian and is from District Heights, Md. Freshman guard Malik Miller hails from Washington, D.C. and played at Friendship Tech Prep.

BOZEMAN'S RETURNING STAFF
Morgan State head basketball coach Todd Bozeman coaching staff returns for their fourth season. The Bears coaching staff consists of assistant coaches Brian Ellerbe, Larry Stewart, and Hans Desir.
• Ellerbe spent four years at Virginia, starting in 1990. He worked under Jeff Jones, now coach at Old Dominion. He was also the first African-American Head Coach at Loyola University, Maryland and The University of Michigan.
• Stewart was the Associate Head Coach for the Bowie State men's basketball team where he spent six seasons. He played with the NBA's Bullets, Vancouver Grizzlies and Seattle Super Sonics until 1997. His brother, Stephen, is an assistant coach at Coppin State.
• Desir, a Miami native, joins the Bears staff with over 10 years of coaching experience. he was previously lead assistant coach for J.T. Burton at Motlow College.

CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
The year will open the 2018-19 season with three road matchups, first at Villanova Nov. 6, then at Saint Francis on Nov. 9, followed by DePaul on Nov. 12. The Bears' home-opener will be Nov. 15 versus Lincoln (Pa.), followed by a Nov. 20 date when they host the Naval Academy. The Bears will face Mount St. Mary's at Hill Field House on Nov. 25, and travel to George Mason on Nov. 28.  The Bears will face Virginia on Dec. 3 and will host Binghamton on Dec. 5. MSU will take on Towson on Dec. 8, followed by a matchup with Wilmington (Del.) on Dec. 17. MSU will wrap the month of December at Old Dominion (Dec. 22) and will travel to the west coast for a game at CA-Northridge Dec. 29.

PREDICTED TO FINISH SIXTH IN THE MEAC
The Morgan State men's basketball team has been tabbed to finish sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Men's Basketball Poll the league announced today.  
• The Bears return two starters from last year's team, bringing back senior guards Martez Cameron and Antonio Gillespie. MSU also returns a few talented upperclassmen in senior guard Tyler Streeter and junior guard Stanley Davis and junior forward David Syfax.
• MSU was selected to finish sixth in 2018-19, earning 138 points in the poll of the league's head coaches and sports information directors who could not vote for their own team or team members. Bethune-Cookman edged out North Carolina Central for first place honors.
• Seven (7) Bears are back from a team that tied for seventh in the MEAC. Morgan State finished the year 7-9 in the conference and 13-19 overall. MSU's season ended with a 79-70 loss to North Carolina Central in the MEAC Tournament semifinals.
• The 2018 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips off March 5-10 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.  For more information about the MEAC and its sponsored sports, log on to www.MEACSports.com.

MORGAN'S DRIVING FORCE 
• Stanley Davis continues to be the main engine for MSU as he controls the Bears offense and defense. 
• So far this season, Davis is averaging 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds (ranks No. 10 in MEAC) and 1.9 assists per game.
• Davis has three-or-more assists in six of 19 games played. 
• He recorded career-highs of 28 points (10-21 FG) and 19 rebounds in 34 minutes of action vs. South Carolina State (Jan. 12) ... he also chipped in three assists.
• Davis posted his second double-double of the season (21 points, 10 rebounds) and had three steals in an overtime win at Howard (Jan 15). 
• Davis is currently shooting 47.7 percent (ranks No. 11 in MEAC) from the field and 78.8 percent (No. 9) from the charity stripe.
• He is averaging 17.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals in conference-only play.

DISHING OUT DIMES
MSU senior point guard Martez Cameron led the Bears in assists during the 2017-18 by averaging just over four per game (4.4) in 31 games.
•  Cameron dished out a season-high 6 assists to go along with 13 points and 5 rebounds versus Binghamton (Dec. 5) ... he also had six assists vs. Lincoln-Pa. (Jan. 3) and Savannah State (Jan. 7).
•  Thru 19 games, he's averaging 7.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 3.4 apg (ranks No. 7 in MEAC).
•  The Chicago product passed Donte Pretlow (2012-16; 335) to become No. 3 on the school's all-time assists leaderboard currently with 396 assists in 110 career games ... and counting ... currently 47 assists away from becoming the school's all-time leader.
•  The only Bears ahead of Cameron on the all-time assists list are: No. 2 Billy Newton (421) and No. 1 Jason McCoy (442).

ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu. 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Morgan State University a National Treasure in 2016, in the latest significant effort towards preserving the rich cultural legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The National Trust and Morgan State University have partnered to develop a preservation plan that stewards the many historic buildings on campus, while planning wisely for the university's future. To learn more about the Morgan State University National Treasure, visit www.savingplaces.org.