SETTING THE STAGE
• The air in Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall promises to crackle with anticipation Monday night as Morgan State squares off against the formidable Norfolk State Spartans. The Spartans, currently dominating the MEAC with a 9-1 record, arrive with revenge on their minds, eager to erase the memory of their previous defeat at the hands of the Bears. Meanwhile, Morgan is looking to rebound from a stinging home loss against Howard. Tip-off is et for 8 p.m. and fans unable to attend in person can catch all the action live on ESPN+.

• Morgan suffered an 87-81 home setback against Howard on Saturday night. The dynamic duo of Will Thomas and  Kameron Hobbs combined for 58 points for the Bears, however it was not enough in the end.

• Six Spartans scored in double-figures in a 79-63 win at Coppin State on Saturday. Brian Moore Jr. led all scorers with 14 points, adding three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks to his totals.

• 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 NORFOLK STATE
• Head coach Robert Jones is in his 12th season leading the Norfolk State men's basketball program in 2024-25 and his 18th year overall with the Spartans. Over the course of his decorated career, Jones has racked up over 200 wins, secured two MEAC Tournament titles, and received three MEAC Coach of the Year awards.

• Coach Jones led Norfolk State to its first nonconference postseason championship in the program's Division I history in 2024, defeating Purdue Fort-Wayne 75-67 in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) title game. Christian Ings earned MVP honors for the event, helping the Spartans erase an 18-point deficit in the championship showdown.

• The Spartans were picked to finish second in the MEAC Preseason Poll, finished the regular season with a 22-11 overall record (11-3 MEAC) and lost to Howard in  the conference tournament championship. Norfolk State graduate guard Christian Ings and sophomore forward Chris Fields Jr. landed on the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team, while senior guards Jaylani Darden and Sin'Cere McMahon earned preseason All-MEAC Third Team honors.

• Brian Moore Jr. (Harlem, N.Y.), Christian Ings (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Jalen Myers (Huntsville, Ala.) currently lead the Spartans in scoring. Moore is averaging 18.7 points (No. 2 in MEAC), 3.9 rebounds and is shooting a league-best 56% from the field (No. 2) and 82% from the free throw line (No. 4). Ings, a graduate guard, is averaging 11.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and is shooting 50 percent from the field and 52 percent from three. Myers, a 6-foot-8 forward, is chipping in 10.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and is shooting 53 percent from the field.

•  Six Spartans scored in double-figures in a 79-63 win at Coppin State on Saturday (Feb. 22). Brian Moore Jr. led all scorers with 14 points, adding three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks to his totals. Jalen Myers (12), Terrance Jones (12), Kuluel Mading (11), Christian Ings (10), and Chris Fields Jr. (10) also scored in double-figures.

NSU by the Numbers
• 77.8: NSU currently ranks No. 6 in the MEAC in scoring.

• 18.7: The Spartans have been led by Brian Moore Jr. who ranks No. 2 in the MEAC in scoring.

• 3.3:  Christian Ings leads NSU in assists (ranks No. 5 in the MEAC).

• 68.3: On average NSU is giving up just under 70 points per contest to opponents (ranks No. 1).

• .520: Ings' 3-point field goal percentage.

• 16.8: Howard ranks No. 1 in the MEAC in assists.

THE SERIES VS. THE SPARTANS
• NSU leads the series 48-19, winning nine of the last 12 meetings between the schools. 

•  Norfolk State won the last meeting between the teams on February 26, 2024 -- Jamarii Thomas had a game-high 20 points to help Norfolk State hold on for an 85-82 victory over Morgan State in front of a packed crowd at Hill Field House. Christian Ings added a season-high 17 points while going 4 of 7 from the floor, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and 7 for 7 from the line. Rob Lawson finished with a career-high 20 points in 27 minutes off the bench to lead five Bears in double-figures.

• Morgan's last win against NSU was on January 13, 2025 -- Redshirt senior guard Kameron Hobbs scored 18 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead the Morgan State men's basketball team to a 78-74 victory against Norfolk State on Monday night at Hill Field House. 

Daniel Akitoby and Amahrie Simpkins scored 15 points each. Akitoby also finished with six boards, four steals and three assists. Terrence Jones paced the Spartans with 20 points, five rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes.

LAST TIME OUT 
BALTIMORE, Md. (Feb. 22, 2025) - 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.

• 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 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.

OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR
Offensively, the Bears are setting the pace in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with an average of 81.4 points per game, ranked No. 1 in the conference in scoring.

• Morgan exploded for a season-high 124 points versus Cheney University of Pennsylvania (Dec. 4), had 123 points vs. Central Penn (Dec. 1) and 102 vs. NCCU (Jan.7).

• The Bears currently rank No. 2 in the MEAC shooting 48.5 percent from the field and No. 4 shooting 33.9 percent from beyond the arc.

• Kameron Hobbs (15.6 ppg; No. 8 in MEAC) 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.

SO 'KAMTASTIC'! 
• Kameron Hobbs has been on a scoring tear during the second half of tjhe season. The Stockbridge, Georgia product had scored at least 20 points in 8-consecutive games before his outing against Maryland Eastern Shore (Feb. 1) in which he scored 10 points.  

• His 20-point run was the longest streak of at least that long since Tiwian Kendley accomplished the feat during the 2017-18 season...Kendley had 9-consecutive games with 20 or more points. 

• He had 21 points against Campbell, uncorked 23 points at #3 Iowa State, posted a career-high 25 points against Minnesota, had a game-high 22 points against South Carolina State, exploded for 40 points in a 2OT victory against N.C. Central, had a game-high 24 points at Howard, followed by 23 points versus Norfolk State and 20 against Coppin State.

• Additionally, he has scored in double-figures 20 times, including his last 15 games. 

CATCH US IF YOU CAN
• One of the best transition teams in the nation is Morgan State. 

• The Bears rank No. 7 in the NCAA based on their efficiency in scoring off fast breaks.

• Averaging an impressive 16.2 points per game from fastbreaks, they capitalize on opponents' mistakes and turn defensive plays into offensive opportunities. 

STAY ON TARGET
• Morgan is shooting .485 (791-1630) from the floor and shot 50 percent-or-better 10 times (8-2 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.

THOMAS SECURES 1000TH CAREER POINT
• Redshirt senior forward Will Thomas needed just 8 points to reach 1,000 career points when the Bears faced Norfolk State on Jan. 13 at Hill Field House…he finished with 12 points and hit the milestone. 

• The Baltimore product has scored 386 points so far this season, bringing his career total to 1,119 points.

• Thomas currently ranks No. 22 on the school's all-time scoring list and is 47 points away from passing Phillip Carr for No. 21 (1,165 pts; 2015-18).

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 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.