SETTING THE STAGE
• The Morgan State University Bears men's basketball team is gearing up for an important matchup against the North Carolina Central Eagles on Tuesday, January 7th, at Hill Field House. This game presents a crucial opportunity for the both teams to try and break into the conference win column as they look to turn their season around. Tip-off set for 4 p.m. and fans unable to attend in person can catch all the action live on ESPN+.

• Senior guard Kameron Hobbs paced the Bears with a game--high 22 points in an 86-72 loss to South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon inside Hill Field House. 

• NCCU looks to bounce back from a 63-61 loss against Coppin State (Jan. 4) and dropped to 6-11 for the season and 2-7 on the road.

• 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 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL

• North Carolina Central head coach Levelle Moton (North Carolina Central, '96) enters his 16th season as the Eagles head coach ... he was the 2014-15 NABC District Coach of the Year.

• North Carolina Central was picked No. 3 in the conference's predicted order of finish.  NCCU junior guard Po'Boigh King was selected to the Preseason All-MEAC First Team and graduate guard Omar Croskey was named to the Third Team. 

• North Carolina Central (7-11, 0-1) enters Monday's contest coming off an 63-61 loss against Coppin State on Saturday (Jan. 4) at PEC Arena. Junior guard Po'Boigh King led all scorers with 18 points and was the only Eagle in double figures. The difference was three-point shooting as NCCU went 1-of-15 from beyond the arc and Coppin State was 9-of-18.

• The Eagless enter Monday's contest averaging 79.4 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from behind the arc. NCCU is averaging 16.3 assists and 10.4 steals per game (No. 7 in NCAA).

• The Eagles have two players averaging in double figures, led by 6-4 junior guard Po'Boigh King who is averaging 16.1 points and is shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 31 percent from 3-point territory.  Senior guard Keishon Porter  is averaging 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and is shooting 39 percent from the three.

• Junior 6-foot-9 forward Perry Smith Jr.  (8.9 ppg; 4.2 rpg), redshirt senior guard Floyd Rideau Jr. (7.3 ppg; ..397 3FG%), and junior guard Dionte Johnson (6.9 ppg; .394 FG%) are also key players for the Eagles.

NCCU by the Numbers
• 79.4: NCCU is currently ranks No. 2 in the MEAC in scoring.

• 16.1: The Eagles have been led by Po'Boigh King who is averaging 16.1 points (ranks No. 6 in the MEAC).

• 4.4: Dionte Johnson leads NCCU in assists (ranks No. 1 in the MEAC).

• 72.6: On average NCCU is giving up just under 75 points per contest to opponents (ranks No. 3).

• 10.4: NCCU ranks No. 1 in the MEAC in steals.

• .461: NCCU ranks No. 4 in the MEAC in field goal percentage.

THE SERIES VS. THE EAGLES
• NCCU leads the series 56-43

• Morgan won the last meeting between the teams on March 3, 2024 -- Will Thomas scored 24 of his career-high 30 points in the second half, Amahrie Simpkins had 20 points and eight rebounds, as the Bears recorded an 88-79 win over North Carolina Central at Hill Field House. Amahrie Simpkins finished with a season-high 20 points (7-8 FG) with eight rebounds, three steals and a block. Kameron Hobbs scored 16 points and connected on 6-of-13 shots, including eight rebounds and two assists.

• NCCU's last win against Morgan was on February 11, 2023 --  Justin Wright had 25 points and 11 rebounds and NCCU scored 40 points in the paint in an 83-63 win over Morgan at McDougald-McLendon Arena. NCCU graduate student Brendan Medley-Bacon, a 7-foot Baltimore product, dropped 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including eight boards and a game-high six blocked shots. Lewis Djonkam paced the Bears scoring 11 of his team-high 19 points in the second half and finished with six rebounds, two steals and an assist in 36 minutes. Kameron Hobbs finished with 14 points, four boards and a blocked shot. Freshman guard Rob Lawson pitched in 9 points off the bench.

LAST TIME OUT 
BALTIMORE, Md. - Drayton Jones scored a team-high 20 points to propel South Carolina State to a 86-72 victory over Morgan State in the conference opener for both teams on Saturday at Hill Field House.

• Jones connected on 8-of-15 from the field, including 4-for-7 from the free throw line and added six rebounds in 20 minutes.

• Davion Everett scored 18 points (6-8 FG) with a game-high eight boards with three assists in 31 minutes off the bench. Omar Croskey added 17 points (6-9 FG), six rebounds and three steals.

• Kameron Hobbs scored a game-high 22 points on 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. 

• SCSU shot 55 percent (33-60) from the field, including 45 percent (5-11) from 3-point territory. The Bears shot 53 percent (26-49) from the floor and was 5-for-12 from behind the arc.

• Both teams struggled from the free throw line - Morgan shot 15-for-26 (58%) from the free throw line, compared to SCSU's 58 percent (15-26).

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 is off to a 6-3 home record so far this season.

• The Bears have won 5 of their last 7 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).

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

OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR
Offensively, the Bears are setting the pace in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with an average of 80.5 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 50.0 percent from the field and No. 3 shooting 35.0 percent from beyond the arc.

• Wynston Tabbs (15.1 ppg; No. 8) 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.

STAY ON TARGET
• Morgan is shooting .500 (528-1055) from the floor and shot 50 percent-or-better seen times (5-2 record), including a season-high .667 (36-54) on Dec. 15 versus Campbell. 

• Last season, the Bears shot .451 (840-1862) and shot 50 percent-or-better 6 times (5-1 record), including a season-high .635 (54-85) on Dec. 9, 2024 vs. Virginia Lynchburg.

JANUARY OPPONENTS
• Morgan State will play four of five games this month inside Hill Field House. the most during a single month this season. 

• Earlier this season, the Bears went 3-5 against teams in November, and 3-4 in December.
 

THOMAS EYES MILESTONE MOMENT
• Redshirt senior forward Will Thomas has his sights set on a grand as he rapidly approaches his 1,000th career point. The Baltimore product has scored 206 points so far this season to move his career total to 939, needing just 61 points to reach the benchmark.

• Thomas currently ranks No. 33 on the school's all-time scoring list and is 40 points away from passing Sherwyn Devonish for No. 32 (978 pts).

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. 
• Follow us on social media:
 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.