Score: Morgan State 72 | Howard 78
Location: Burr Gymnasium, Washington, D.C.
Records: Morgan State 9-17, 5-5 | Howard 13-13, 6-4
The short story: Shy Odom had 16 points in Howard's 78-72 victory over Morgan State in an exciting Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdown Saturday night at The Burr.
OPENING TIP
• Odom, a sophomore from Roxbury, Mass., came off the bench to score 15 of his game-high 16 in the second half to lead five players in double-figures. Odom also corralled four rebounds, dealt out four assists and blocked two shots.
• Seth Towns, a graduate forward from Columbus, Ohio, added 15 points while going 4 of 10 from the floor, including 3 for 7 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line, and he also had five boards.
• Junior guard Bryce Harris had 12 points and was 4 for 4 from the free throw line.
• Kamron Hobbs led the Bears with 15 points, while Will Thomas added 13 points.
• Wynston Tabbs, who entered the night as the MEAC's No. 4 leading scorer (15.9 ppg), finished with 11 points and three steals.
THE DIFFERENCE
• Morgan connected on 45.6 percent (26-57) of their shots from the field and shot 4-of-11 from 3-point territory. Meanwhile, the Bison shot 43 percent from the field and connected on 8 of 20 3-pointers.
• Morgan shot .762 (16-21) from the free throw line, compared to Howard's 86 percent (24-28).
• HU dominated the boards where they held a commending 39-25 advantage, including a 15-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
• The Bears scored 26 points off of forcing 25 Howard turnovers.
• Morgan had held the hosts at bay through most of the first half and took a 37-35 lead into the halftime.
• The game was filled with a physical brand of play that featured 38 fouls, 49 free throws and 44 turnovers.
• An Odom basket in the paint again helped the Bison to a tenuous 72-69 lead with 1:07 remaining. Then his teammates made sure that they secured the victory.
Townes, Bryce Harris and Marcus Dockery all converted on their free throws as the Bison closed out the game.
NOTABLE
• Saturday's contest marked the 116th meeting between the schools ... The Bears lead the series 67-50.
• The Bears 3-2 in the month of February.
• Morgan's road record dropped to 3-11 this season.
• Shy Odom, MEAC Preseason Player of the Year, was in his third game back after missing 11 games due to a back injury.
LOOKING AHEAD (SATURDAY, FEB. 26)
Morgan will host the Norfolk State Spartans to complete their series on Monday, Feb. 26. Tip time is 7:30 p.m. at Hill Field House.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
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Facebook: /MorganStateBears
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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.
