Morgan State Men’s Basketball 2019-20 Season Preview

The Broadus Era begins Nov. 6 at Hill Field House vs. Central Penn College.

Men's Basketball 9/11/2019 9:46:00 PM MSU Athletic Communications

Morgan State Men’s Basketball 2019-20 Season Preview

The Broadus Era begins Nov. 6 at Hill Field House vs. Central Penn College.

2019-20 Schedule |

Prospectus

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@MorganStBears

BALTIMORE, Md. (October 7, 2019) -- It's a fresh start.

For Morgan State, which has its first new men's basketball coach in 13 years. For Kevin Broadus, who received his second chance to become a Division I head coach when the Bears hired in May. And for a roster featuring a healthy mix of holdovers, transfers and freshmen.

"Last year, that's in the wind," Broadus says. "That's gone."

That leaves the unknown of this year. Broadus, who was plucked off Maryland's staff after helping the youthful Terrapins earn a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament last season, has plenty of knowns in his backcourt.

There is less certainty up front.

But if there's one thing Broadus is sure of, it's that he's found a home where basketball matters as he sets about building the Bears back into a power in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

"I think these folks know what they want --- and they want to be good," says Broadus, who was 37-24 with an NCAA tournament appearance during a two-year stint at Binghamton a decade ago. "That's an appealing thing to me."

THE BACKCOURT
Broadus takes over a backcourt capable of providing plenty of answers this season. It is both experienced and talented, with some underclassmen capable of breakout years as the Bears look to take a considerable step back toward MEAC contention.

The most proven player on the roster is senior Stanley Davis Jr., who led Morgan State in both scoring (12.5 per game) and rebounding (7.1). The latter number ranked seventh in the MEAC last season.

"I think he has a very good chance to be an all-league player," Broadus says. "He has a chance. He just has to keep growing from last year. Every day, he brings it. He's a go-hard type of guy."

An excellent sophomore class with have a chance to blossom further in a new system. Sherwyn Devonish earned a place on the MEAC all-rookie team by averaging 10.7 points, and he'll look to become a steadier jump shooter. Isaiah Burke is a rock-solid option who will be counted upon to be one of the Bears' top defensive players.

Then there's Malik Miller, a gifted rebounder (especially on the offensive glass) who might have as high a ceiling as anyone on the roster.
Broadus is excited about the addition of Saint Joseph's transfer Troy Holston Jr., who has the potential to give a jolt to the Bears' outside shooting while also adding some athleticism to the rotation.

Junior Kyson Rawls, who arrived at Morgan State known as an ace on the perimeter, will have a chance to handle the ball more after the graduation of veteran point guard Martez Cameron. LaPri McCray-Pace, another junior, projects as one of the Bears' top defensive players.

THE FRONTCOURT
Bank on senior David Syfax (7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds) to again be one of the Bears' most rugged post players. But there are a lot of new faces Broadus hopes can provide a lift in the paint in his first season.

Chief among them is Florida Gulf Coast transfer Troy Baxter Jr., who averaged 7.5 points for the Eagles last season and began his career at UNLV.

"He is probably one of the most athletic players I've seen in my career," Broadus says. "He reminds me of a guy I played when I was in college who was on a Division II champion --- Michael Britt from UDC. He's a freak athlete and has great timing on defense. He's going to be our energy guy."

Another Division I transfer who could help is Stephon Fisher, who began his career playing on a Southland Conference championship team at Stephen F. Austin two years ago.

Lagio Grantsaan arrives as a 6-8 post presence with guard skills who can play either of the interior spots. The junior should get some help from Peter Sorber, a 6-7 freshman who understands how to score around the basket and is likely to contend for all-rookie honors. The Bears also added Victor Okafor (6-8, 230), an imposing interior force who will not get pushed around.

Morgan State also brings back a pair of seniors who, if healthy, will try to expand on their reserve roles from last season: Victor Curry and Taron Oliver Jr.

THE SCHEDULE
The Bears will play three nonconference games against teams that made the NCAA tournament last season, including Temple (Nov. 9 in the road opener), Liberty (Nov. 22 in the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase) and Ohio State (Nov. 29).

There's a Nov. 16 trip to George Washington to get the Bears a nonconference game in Washington, and the annual showdown with crosstown foe Towson is Dec. 4 at Hill Field House.

The 15 games in November and December set up a MEAC slate that begins Jan. 4 at Delaware State. The Bears' MEAC home opener is two days later against South Carolina State.
The annual home-and-home against Baltimore rival Coppin State will unfold Jan. 25 (on the road) and Feb. 29 (at Hill Field House) before the regular season comes to an end March 5 with a Senior Day date against Norfolk State.

Through it all --- starting with a Nov. 6 opener against Central Penn College --- Broadus knows what will be crucial for his first Morgan State team.

"I think we're going to have to manufacture points with our defense," Broadus says. "We're going to play up on you, play hard on the defensive end to manufacture points and try to wear you down."

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.

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