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Game 4
Opponent: Akron
Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Site:  James A. Rhodes Arena, Akron, Ohio
Game Time: 7 p.m. EST
Live Stats: here
Live Stream: ESPN+ - here
Radio: WHLO 640AM - here
MSU Coaches: MSU -Kevin Broadus (43-41 (4th season) • Akron - John Groce - 94-60 (5th Season)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com | www.vcuathletics.com

SETTING THE STAGE
The Morgan State University men's basketball team will travel to take on the Akron Zips Tuesday night in Akron. The game will be available on ESPN Plus and broadcast live on WHLO 640 AM.
• Morgan comes into this matchup with a 1-2 record on the season with losses coming against Xavier on the road by the score of 96-73, and on the road against VCU by this score of 69-54 ... Akron is 1-1 record, with an 81-80 overtime win against South Dakota State and a 73-54 loss against Mississippi State.
• The Bears have five players average double figures as Malik Miller leads the squad in points (13.3), rebounds (9.7), assists (5.3) and steals (3.67) per game. Will Thomas and Isaiah Burke add 12.7 points per game, while David McCullough and Kamron Hobbs tally 11.7 and 10.3 points, respectively.

SCOUTING AKRON
• Akron is led by fifth-year Head Coach John Groce, who guided the Zips to a 24-10 record and a postseason NCAA berth in 2021-22, as well as a 14-6 MAC mark, finishing fourth in regular-season MAC play.
• In last season NCAA Tournament, the Zips defeated fifth-seeded Buffalo (70-68) and top-seeded Toledo (70-62) before posting a 20-point win over second-seeded Kent State (75-55) in the MAC title game. Akron entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 13 seed and played against the No. 4 seed UCLA Bruins in the First Round of the East Region at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on March 17, 2022. The Zips fell 57-53.
• Nov. 12, 2022 -- Mississippi State pulled away from the Zips for a 73-54 win at the inaugural Barstool Sports Invitational at Wells Fargo Arena on Friday night. Xavier Castaneda led the Zips' offense with 20 points and six assists while emerging as Akron's only double figure scorer. Junior Enrique Freeman and sophomore Garvin Clarke added nine and eight points, respectively.
• The Zips return nine players from last season's championship squad and adds six newcomers headlined by transfers graduate Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich.) and junior Sammy Hunter (Nassau, Bahamas). Also joining the Blue and Gold for 2022-23 are freshmen Tavari Johnson (Chicago, Ill.), Amani Lyles (Columbus, Ohio), Prince Mosengo (Congo, Africa) and Ryan Prather, Jr. (Clarksburg, Md.).
• Akron was selected third in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll ... The Zips, who finished 24-10 and 14-6 in league play a year ago, received 127 points in the coaches' poll.
• Akron junior Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) and senior Xavier Castaneda (Chicago, Ill.) earned preseason all-league honors as the Mid-American Conference unveiled its 2022-23 men's basketball preseason coaches' poll. Freeman garnered first-team preseason All-MAC accolades, while Castaneda was selected second-team All-MAC. Freeman and Castaneda led Akron to the 2022 MAC Tournament Championship and fifth appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Mississippi State controlled the battle of the boards, 43-25 and  limited Akron to shooting just 29.6 percent from the floor (8 of 27) and 20.0 percent from deep (3 of 15).
• The Zips are currently shooting 39 percent (46-118) from the field and have connected on 17 of 58 3-pointers (.293).

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE BEARS
November 13, 2022 --  VCU senior forward Brandon Johns Jr. scored a game-high 15 points and converted several critical second-half baskets as VCU pulled away late from Morgan State Saturday night at the Siegel Center.
• Senior guard Isaiah Burke led the Bears with 12 points. Junior Khalil Turner finished with 11 points with eight rebounds and senior Malik Miller recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds…he also added five assists and three steals to his night.
• VCU turned over Morgan State 21 times and scored 26 points off those miscues.
• It was a close and physical first half at the Siegel Center, which saw 20-point favorite VCU lead Morgan State 28-27 when the teams broke for halftime. 
• The Bears led briefly early in the second half before a couple of long VCU runs put the Rams permanently out front. 

JERSEY MIKE'S JAMAICA CLASSIC
Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic returns to Montego Bay, Jamaica this November 18-20, featuring an all-star line-up of college basketball teams.  Eight teams from eight conferences will go head-to-head in this early season Round Robin tournament at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
• The 2022 roster includes the return of Georgetown and Loyola Marymount University, and new additions Wake Forest, LaSalle, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Morgan State, Utah Valley, and Queens University.
• Returning teams, Georgetown and Loyola Marymount, will be joined by several new entrants, including Wake Forest's Demon Deacons who finished fifth in the ACC 2021-22 regular season.

INVESCO QQQ LEGACY CLASSIC
The Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, a college basketball showcase featuring Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) created by actor and producer Michael B. Jordan, WME Sports (the sports division of WME, an Endeavor company), Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, and Scout Sports and Entertainment, a division of Horizon Media, announced the second installment of the showcase will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
• This year's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) men's college basketball showcase will feature Morgan State University versus Delaware State University and Norfolk State University versus Hampton University competing in a doubleheader airing on TNT.

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
• Morgan is currently averaging 85.7 points thru its first three games this season ... the Bears scored a season-high 130 points in its home-opener against Penn State Greater Allegheny (Nov. 10) at Hill Field House.
• The Bears averaged 75.0 points (No. 2 in MEAC) thru 28 games in the 2021-22 season.
• Morgan exploded for 118 points in its 2021-22 season opener versus St. Mary's College of Maryland and followed it up with a 126-71 win against Penn State Allegheny. The Bears beat Goucher 100-41.
• The Bears shot 43.7 percent from the field (ranked No. 4) and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc (No. 6).

BEAR DEFENSE
Defensively, Morgan State limits its opponents to scoring 71.3 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the floor and 28.1 percent from 3-point range, allowing 5.3 long distance strikes per night. The Bears caused 82 turnovers (19.0 to/g) with 49 steals (16.3 stl/g) and 13 blocked shots (4.3 blk/g). Morgan State is slightly outrebounded by the opponent with a -2.3 margin as the opponent grabbed 113 total boards (37.7 rebs/g) compared to the 106 total rebounds (35.3 rebs/g) secured.

HOME COOKING 
Morgan completed the 2021-22 season with an 8-3 mark inside Hill Field House.
• The last time the Bears lost at home was against North Carolina Central (74-64) ... their previous loss was on Jan. 23, 2022 against Howard (91-82) on Jan. 23, 2022.

NON-CONFERENCE 
•  The Bears are off to a 1-2 start n non-conference play so far this season.
• Morgan State went 5-8 in non-conference play in the 2021-22 season.
• Last season, MSU went 4-0 at home, 0-7 in road games and 1-1 in neutral site games.

AT THE HELM
• Kevin Broadus is entering his fourth season at the helm of the program after being named as the men's head basketball coach in 2019.
• The Broadus-led Bears team compiled several significant victories over non-conference competition in this most recent season, elevating the caliber of wins for a program that aims to compete at a championship level within the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Broadus demonstrated exemplary leadership while successfully overcoming a number of challenges at the onset of his tenure at Morgan, including having to navigate rebuilding a program under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In Broadus' debut season, Morgan State went 15-16, its largest victory total since 2013-14. Then in the midst of a pandemic, the Bears produced a 14-8 mark --- their best winning percentage since going 27-10 and making the NCAA tournament in 2009-10. This past season, Morgan finished with a record of 13-15 overall, and placed fourth in the MEAC standings with a 7-6 record while advancing to the MEAC Tournament semifinals game. 
• Prior to Morgan, Broadus worked at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he has been one of the nation's best recruiters as the top assistant on Mark Turgeon's coaching staff. Broadus was influential in the successful NCAA tournament run for the Terps. 
• Consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally for recruiting, Broadus was instrumental in signing a number of local Baltimore talents such as DeJuan Summers, Brandon Herbert, LaFonta Johnson, and Henry Sims.

WHO'S OUT
• Trevor Moore (Houston, Texas), Sherwyn Devonish (Bladensburg, Md.), Lagio Grantsaan (Utrecht, The Netherlands), Seventh Woods (Columbia, S.C.), Chad Venning (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Keith McGee (Rochester, N.Y.), Elijah Bowens (Bowie, Md.), Myles Douglas (Edgewood, Md.) and De'Torrion Ware (Hopkinsville Ky.) wrapped up their Morgan careers last spring.

WHO'S BACK
The Bears return four starters from last year's team, bringing back guards Malik Miller, and Isaiah Burke. MSU also returns guards Will Thomas along with forwards Ty Horner and Collin Nnamene.

WHO'S IN 
The Bears have added several newcomers to the 2021-22 roster: G Daiquan Copeland, G Kevon Wiggins,G Chase Williams, G Kamron Hobbs, G Robert Lawson, F Djonkam Lewis, F David McCullough, and F Khalil Turner. 

RETURNING PRODUCTION NUMBERS 
Morgan State returns 29.2 percent of its scoring, 28.7 percent of its rebounding and 29.0 percent of its minutes played totals from last year's team. The team leaders in field goal percentage (Malik Miller - .552), three-point percentage (Isaiah Burke, .410), free throw percentage (Miller, .605), rebounding (Miller - 8.8 rpg), assists (Burke, 2.0), steals (Malik, 2.0),  blocked shots (Miller, 0.7). and minutes played (Burke, 22.8). Two (2) players who started in at least five (5) games a year ago also return - Miller (16) and Horner (9).

HOME GROWN 
Morgan State has seven players from the DMV (D.C., Maryland & Metropolitan-D.C.) area. Senior guard Isaiah Burke is from Annapolis and was a prep standout at Bowie HS, while senior guard Malik Miller hails from Washington, D.C. and played at Friendship Tech Prep. Junior guard Will Thomas is from Baltimore and played at Mervo HS. Bowie State transfer David McCullough is a product of Bowie, Md. and played at Riverdale Baptist HS. Freshman guard Chase Williams is from Waldorf, Md. and was a prep standout at Grace Brethren HS.

BROADUS' STAFF
Morgan State head basketball coach Kevin Broadus' coaching staff consists of assistant coaches Chretien Lukusa, Keith Goodie and Larry Stewart.
• Lukusa enters his first year as associate head coach with Morgan State Basketball, after serving the previous three years as an assistant coach with the program.Prior to Morgan State, Lukusa spent five years on staff at Binghamton University, three years as an assistant. In his time at Morgan State, Lukusa has contributed many facets of the program, including recruiting, player development, and scheduling.
. A 2011 Binghamton graduate who also earned his master's degree at the University, Lukusa returned to the program in 2014. After serving two seasons as the coordinator of player development, Lukusa earned a promotion to assistant coach in Summer 2016. 
• Goodie enters his  enters his first season as a member of Broadus' coaching staff for the upcoming 2022-23 season. Goodie comes to Morgan State after serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Delaware State University from 2020-21 under head coach Eric Skeeters. Prior to the Hornets, he was a member of Todd Bozeman's staff at Morgan State from 2007-to-2015. 
• Stewart's most recent stop was as an assistant coach at fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member Maryland Eastern Shore (2019-21). A standout player at Coppin State from 1988-1991, Stewart led the Eagles to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1990 and first ever National Invitational Tournament in 1991. Stewart signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards) in 1991.

THE SCHEDULE
Morgan State will have a coast-to-coast presence --- and even make an international venture --- during nonconference play.
• The Bears open Nov. 7 against Xavier, a Big East school coming off an NIT title. Three nights later, Morgan State begins its 12-game home slate against Penn State Allegheny.
• The Bears will also visit Virginia Commonwealth before playing two games in the Jamaica Classic on Nov. 18 and 20 before heading west to meet Loyola Marymount on Nov. 23. The highlight of the December slate is a Dec. 22 trip to Arizona, which is coming off a Pac-12 championship. 
|• MEAC play begins Jan. 7 against North Carolina Central. Another January highlight is defending league champion Norfolk State's trek to Hill Field House on Jan. 23.
• The final nonconference game is actually against a MEAC opponent. The Bears will meet Delaware State on Feb. 4 in the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic in Newark, N.J. Morgan State closes the regular season with three out of its last four at home, including a Senior Night showdown March 2 against crosstown rival Coppin State, before its annual trip to the MEAC tournament March 8-11 in Norfolk, Va.

PREDICTED TO FINISH SECOND IN THE MEAC
The Morgan State men's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's preseason poll.
• The 2022-23 Bears earned 81 total points in the voting. Norfolk State claimed 15 first place votes and 127 points total as the defending MEAC champions. North Carolina Central (102 pts) was selected second, followed by Howard in third place  (93 pts). Coppin State (67 pts), Maryland Eastern Shore (46 pts), Delaware State (30 pts) and South Carolina State (30 pts) rounded out the league's predicted order of finish.
• Senior guard Malik Miller was named to the preseason All-MEAC second team.
• The 2023 MEAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 8-11 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

HOW TO WATCH GAMES: All men's and women's basketball home games will be video streamed for free through the MorganStateBears.com website. The latest broadcast and video stream information will always be listed on men's and women's basketball schedule pages at MorganStateBears.com.
 
MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RADIO: All home games and select away games for MSU men's and women's basketball will once again be available through Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN.com). Lamont Germany will handle play-by-play responsibilities and will also host pre-game and post-game shows. Including exclusive interviews with members of the teams and women's coach Ed Davis and men's coach Kevin Broadus. Fans can download the HSRN app for free and listen to the MSU broadcasts from anywhere. Simply search for HSRN when using the iHeartRadio app.
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 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.