Score: Morgan State 81 | Howard 87
Location: Hill Field House, Baltimore, Md.
Records: Morgan State 11-15, 1-2 | Howard 12-15, 7-3
The short story: Cameron Shockley and Blake Harper combined for 45 points to lead the Howard Bison men's basketball team to an 87-81 victory against Beltway rival Morgan State on Saturday afternoon at Hill Field House.
OPENING TIP
- The Bison shot 46.4% from the field, led by Cameron Shockley-Okeke, who finished with 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting and contributed 3 rebounds. Shockley-Okeke's three-point shooting (5-of-11) was key in opening up the floor for Howard.
- Howard's freshman standout Blake Harper had a significant impact, adding 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting, along with 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
- Will Thomas led the Bears with a game-high 31 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field, including 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Kameron Hobbs provided a spark in the second half, scoring 9 of his 27 points after halftime.
- Daniel Akitoby recorded a game-high 13 rebounds and had three blocks.
THE DIFFERENCE
- Howard's shooting efficiency was the key to their victory. The Bison shot 46.4% from the field, including 37.5% from three-point range, with Shockley-Okeke hitting key triples early in the game. Morgan, on the other hand, struggled from the field, finishing the game shooting only 42.9%, including 0-of-8 from beyond the arc in the first half.
- Morgan shot 31-for-37 (83%) from the free throw line, compared to Howard's 61 percent (19-31).
- The Bears did manage to rebound well, with 16 offensive rebounds compared to Howard's 14, but their inability to score consistently from the field put them at a disadvantage. The Bears never led at any point in the game.
- HU's bench outscored the Bears by a 32-9 margin.
- Howard's largest lead of the game was at 20-4 at the 13:36 mark in the first half.
- Despite a better second-half effort from the Bears, who shot 48.5% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range (compared to 0.0% in the first half), the Bison never relinquished their lead. At halftime, Howard led 49-46.
- The turning point came midway through the second half, when Howard pushed their lead back to 16 points with a series of back-to-back baskets. Although Morgan State tried to respond, their efforts fell short due to Howard's continued sharp shooting and defensive pressure.
- Morgan State patiently closed the gap to within 3 points in the final minute, but it wasn't enough.
NOTABLE
- With the win, Howard has narrowed the gap against Morgan, bringing the series record to 67-53 in favor of the Bears.
- Morgan's home record drops to 10-4.
- Howard has won the last four meetings against Morgan.
- Kameron Hobbs registered his 11th 20-point game of the season, and his second straight.
- Will Thomas has scored 386 points so far this season, bringing his career total to 1,119 points, he currently ranks No. 22 on the school's all-time scoring list.
WHAT AWAITS
- Looking ahead, Morgan will need to regroup before their next contest against Norfolk State on February 24th at Joseph Echols Hall in Norfolk, Virginia.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
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• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
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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.
