SETTING THE STAGE
The Morgan State University men's basketball team return to Hill Field House for a Sunday (December 15) non-conference matchup against the Campbell Camels. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast by the Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN.com).  

• In their last meeting, Campbell defeated the Bears at John Pope Convocation Center (Dec. 18, 2023)... Souley Boum led all scorers with 23 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and connecting on four three-pointers. Isaiah Burke scored 16 points (5-12 FG).

• The Bears are looking to bounce back from a 119-58 loss at Xavier and post their third straight home win of the season. Amahrie Simpkins led the Bears with 13 points and Kameron Hobbs added 11 points .

• Campbell looks to build off an 86-58 road win at The Citadel (Dec.12) and improved to 5-5 for the season.

• Graduate student Wynston Tabbs and redshirt senior forward Will Thomas were named to the preseason All-MEAC first team. In addition, redshirt senior Kameron Hobbs has been named to the preseason All-MEAC Third Team. Tabbs started in 19 of 24 games and earned All-MEAC Second Team honors. He averaged 14.8 points and finished the regular season ranked No. 6 in the MEAC in scoring, including a career-high 38 points versus UMBC on Dec. 26. Thomas started in 24 of 30 games and finished the 2023-24 season as an All-MEAC Second Team selection. He averaged 14.0 points a game with a nearly absurd shooting efficiency as he's converted 47 percent from the field (ranked No. 2). Hobbs had an impressive season, starting in 27 of the 31 games he played and showcasing his skills on the court for an average of 31.0 minutes per game. His scoring ability was evident as he averaged 10.1 points per game, while his 35 percent from beyond the arc (47-133). 

• MSU returns veteran guards Rob Lawson (8.9 ppg), and Amahrie Simpkins (8.7 ppg)  from the starting lineup and added several newcomers including guard Pierce Shirk from Georgia Southern, guard forward Jayden Socka from Prince George's C.C., forward Marland Harris from West Los Angeles College, and forward Logan Schayes from Beacon College via the transfer portal. 
 

SCOUTING CAMPBELL
• Kevin McGeehan is in his 12th season as men's basketball head coach at Campbell University in 2024-25, Kevin McGeehan. McGeehan has led the Camels to four Big South trophies. Campbell won the 2019 Big South regular season title and finished as Big South tournament runner-up in 2017, 2021 and 2023.

• Campbell was tabbed to finish 13th in the CAA Preseason Poll. Towson was predicted to finish in first place. Campbell's Jasin Sinani was tabbed preseason all-CAA honorable mention.

• Campbell has a 5-5 overall record and has won two of its last three games, including a 86-58 win on Thursday (Dec. 12) at The Citadel. Nolan Dorsey led the Camels with 19 points and five assists.

• The Camels enter Sunday's contest averaging 71.3 points per game on 43 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent from behind the arc.  Campbell is averaging 13.0 assists and 8.4 steals per game (No. 1 in CAA).

• Senior guard Jasin Sinani (Oak Creek, Wis. / Oak Creek HS) leads the squad as the only Camel player averaging double-figures and has a team-high 12.8 points per game and is shooting 36 percent from the field and 88 percent from the free throw line. Sinani has scored 20 or more points in three games, including a season-high 24 points on 6-for-11 shooting against Navy on Nov. 17th.

• Graduate student forward Terren Frank  (9.8 ppg; 3.7 rpg),  6-foot-5 guard Nolan Dorsey (8.5 ppg; 5.3 rpg) and junior guard Cam Gregory (8.0 ppg; 2.0 rpg) are also key players for the Camels.

• Campbell's assistant coach Emmanuel Matey began his playing career at Morgan State before transferring to Gannon University (Erie, Pa.) for his junior and senior seasons. He served as team captain as a senior and led his team to second place in the PSAC West Conference.

CU by the Numbers
• 71.3: CU is currently ranks No. 11 in the CAA in scoring.

• 12.8: The Camels have been led by Jasin Sinani who is averaging 12.8 points (ranks No. 24 in the CAA).

• 5.3: Nolan Campbell leads Campbell on the boards (ranks No. 19 in the CAA).

• 63.7: On average CU is giving up just under 65 points per contest to opponents (No. 1 in CAA).

• .815: Campbell ranks No. 1 in the CAA in free throw percentage.

• .439: The Camels rank No. 9 in the CAA in field goal percentage.

• .311: Campbell ranks No. 12 in the CAA in 3-point field goal percentage.

THE SERIES VS. THE CAMELS
• Morgan leads the series 2-1

•  Redshirt junior Anthony Dell'Orso scored 21 points to lead Campbell past Morgan State, 83-76 in a non-conference matchup Monday night at Pope Convocation Center on Dec. 18, 2023. Dell'Orso, who was the Big South Freshman of the Year last season, went 7-for-22 from the field and was 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Junior Amahrie Simpkins scored 11 of his game- and season-high 23 points in the first half to pace the Bears. He shot 10-of-15 from the field and grabbed four rebounds. Will Thomas scored 15 of his 22 points (9-14 FG) in the first half and had two assists. Morgan went scoreless during a  3-minute stretch and found themselves down 76-66 with 2:34 remaining.

• Morgan's last win against Campbell was an 82-66 win at Hill Field House on Nov. 19, 2016. Junior guard Tiwian Kendley recorded a career high double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds to help lead the Bears. Campbell scored six of the first eight points of the game before the Bears responded with a 19-4 spurt. It was led by junior forward Phillip Carr, who had a perfect night on the court, making all seven of his field goal attempts. Carr scored 21 points on the afternoon.


LAST TIME OUT 
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Zach Freemantle scored 16 of his game—high 27 points in the first half to help Xavier race to a 119-58 win against Morgan State on Tuesday night at Cintas Center.

• Freemantle shot an efficient on 8-of-11 from the field, including 2-for-3 from 3-point territory and had 10 rebounds in 22 minutes.

•  Xavier also had double-figure scoring from Marcus Foster (18 pts, 4-6 3FG), Ryan Conwell (15 pts, 2-2 3FG), Dayvion McKnight (11 pts, 4 rebs), and Dan Maddox Jr. (11 pts, 4 assists). 

• Amahrie Simpkins led the Bears in scoring with 13 points (5-14 FG) with four boards. Kameron Hobbs added 11 points. 

• Wynston Tabbs and Marland Harris chipped in 8 points apiece.

• Xavier connected on 60 percent (41-68) from the field and 67 percent (12-18) from behind the arc while the Bears shot 36 percent (22-61) from the field and connected on just 2-of-10 3-pointers.

•  Morgan shot 12-for-22 (55%) from the free throw line, compared to Xaviers' 74 percent (25-34).

• The Musketeers held a commanding 52-3 halftime lead.

•  Xavier surged ahead with a staggering 49-point lead, standing at 96-47 with less than eight minutes left in the second half. 

THE SCHEDULE
• Morgan State opens the season at home Nov. 4 against Division II Frostburg State, with Division I newcomer Mercyhurst visiting Hill Field House two days later. The Bears will play seven of their first 11 games at home, including a Nov. 24 date with local rival Towson.

• December brings trips to three power conference opponents: Xavier (Dec. 10), Iowa State (Dec. 22) and Minnesota (Dec. 29). The Bears open MEAC play Jan. 4 at home against South Carolina State and will play their last home game March 3 against Delaware State.

HOME COOKING 
• Morgan completed the 2023-24 regular season 8-5 at home.

• The Bears have won 4 of their last 5 home games since a March 4th win against North Carolina Central.

• Morgan completed the 2022-23 season with an 10-2 mark inside Hill Field House.

• The last time the Bears lost at home was against Mercyhurst (78-73) on Nov. 6 ... their previous loss was on March 2, 2024 against South Carolina State (72-61).
 

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
• Offensively, the Bears are setting the pace in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with an average of 82.3 points per game, ranked No. 1 in the conference in scoring.

• Morgan exploded for a season-high 124 points versus Cheney University 0f Pennsylvania (Dec. 4) and had 123 points vs. Central Penn (Dec. 1).

• The Bears currently rank No. 1 in the MEAC shooting 49.8 percent from the field and No. 5 shooting 33.7 percent from beyond the arc.

• Wynston Tabbs (16.1 ppg; No. 5) is leading the team.

• Morgan finished the 2023-24 regular season ranked No. 4 in scoring in the MEAC by averaging 72.7 points thru 31 games.

• The Bears averaged 74.9 points (No. 4 in MEAC) thru 31 games during the 2022-23 season.

BEARING D
• Defensively, Morgan opponents are averaging 80.2 points per game on 45.3 percent shooting from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range, allowing 7.6 long distance strikes per night.

• Morgan ranks No. 2 in the conference in rebounding margin and has outrebounded the opponent by a 3.2 margin as they have secured 496 total boards (38.2 rebs/g) compared to 454 total rebounds (34.9 rebs/g) by opponents.

• Morgan's defense currently ranks No. 78 in the country in turnovers forced (189 turnovers; 14.5 avg.).

• Last season, Morgan limited its opponents to scoring 77.5 points per game on 44.5 percent shooting from the floor and 34.3 percent from 3-point range, allowing 6.8 long distance strikes per night.

FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
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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.