2011-12 MORGAN STATE BASKETBALL
Game 29
Tuesday, March 6, 2012 – 11 a.m. (EST)
No. 9 Morgan State (9-19, 6-10 MEAC) vs. No. 8 Hampton Pirates (10-20, 6-10 MEAC)
Winston-Salem, N.C. – Lawrence Joel Memorial Veterans
Live Stats/Video Feed – http://www.meachoops.com/tournament/live/

BEAR FACTS
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman
Alma Mater/Year: Rhode Island/1986
Record at MSU/Year: 110-82/6th
Career Record: 145-144   
Basketball SID:  Leonard L. Haynes IV

GAME TIME
•   No. 9 seed Morgan State (9-19, 6-10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) travels to Winston-Salem and Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum to compete in the 2012 MEAC Tournament. The Bears will open tournament play on Tuesday, March 6 in the 11 a.m. ET First Round matchup against No. 8 seed Hampton. The contest will be a rematch of the 2011 Tournament Championship game in which the Pirates defeated MSU 60-55. For more Tournament information go to www.meachoops.com.

THE PATH TO THE FINALS
•   Should Morgan State win Tuesday’s First Round contest, it would advance to a Quarterfinals matchup against No. 1 seed Savannah State set for Wednesday, March 7 at 6 p.m.

•   With a win, the Bears would advance to the Semifinals set for Friday, March 9 at 6 p.m.

•   With a victory in the Semifinals the Bears would advance to its fifth straight Championship Final.

•   The Final is set for Saturday, March 10 at 1 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

BEAR BITS
•   No. 9 Morgan will enter the MEAC Tournament next week as one of the hottest teams in the league having won four of its last five games, including its last two.

•   At 9-19, the Bears finished with its fewest wins since recording a 4-26 record during the 2005-06 season under head coach Alfred “Butch” Beard.

• Morgan State had four players score in double-figures and Justin Black converted 4 of 4 free throws in the final 24 seconds to help the Bears beat Florida A&M 74-68 on Thursday night. Aric Brooks led the Bears with 15 points, while Justin Black had 12, and DeWayne Jackson and Shaquille Duncan added 10 apiece.

• At Florida A&M, Morgan State shot 68 percent (17-25) from the field in the first half and finished the game by making 23-of-43 (53 percent), and was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.

• MSU’s 91 points against the Eagles were the most points the Bears have scored this season, and also the most points scored by the Bears since defeating Florida A&M 94-68 on Feb. 7, 2010.

• Freshman guard Blake Bozeman had a season-high 14 points  and hit 4 of 6 3-pointers during the Bears win at Delaware State.

• The Bears have used seven (8) different starting lineups in their first 28 games.

• Redshirt sophomore Ian Chiles (7-foot-2) is the first 7-footer since MSU legend Marvin Webster to grace the campus of Morgan State University … Chiles, a Cliffside Park, N.J. product, is currently averaging 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks so far this season.

• The Bears completed the 2010-11 season with a 17-14 mark and posted a 10-6 conference record.

• Morgan State was selected to win the MEAC Regular Season Title, edging out last year’s MEAC Tournament Champion Hampton. The Bears received eight (8) first place votes and a totaled 616 points to take hold of the conference’s top spot going into the season.

BEARS BID FAREWELL TO FOUR SENIORS 
• The Morgan State men’s basketball program recognized four seniors who have helped accumulate several lofty achievements during their tenures. PG Larry Bastfield, G/F Aric Brooks, F Ameer Ali and F/C Kevin Thompson will be playing in their final MEAC Tournament.

A BEARS WIN WOULD…
•  Give the Bears a 12-3  (.800 pct.) record in Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament games

•  Give Todd Bozeman his 111th victory as MSU’s head coach.

• Give the Bears its first neutral court victory of the season and its sixth victory outside of the confines of Hill Field House.

• Give the Bears its 13th win against Hampton.

• Give senior Kevin Thompson his ninth Tournament victory in 10 appearances

THE SERIES VS. THE PIRATES
• Tuesday morning’s game will be the 33rd meeting between Morgan State and Hampton in men’s basketball. The Pirates hold a 21-11 all-time record against the Bears.

•  The Bears have won four of the last six meetings against the Pirates, with one of the losses coming against Hampton during the 2011 MEAC championship game.

•  MSU’s Last Outing vs. Hampton – Christopher Tolson hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final minute to help seal a 68-63 win in an ESPNU televised matchup at the HU Convocation Center on Jan. 30. Tolson scored 19 points to lead the Pirates, who took control of the game late in the second half and withstood last second baskets by MSU’s Larry Bastfield. The Bears led for most of the game and held a 31-28 halftime advantage despite sporadic play by both teams.

NOTE ON THE PIRATES
•  Hampton’s last game in the MEAC Tournament was against the Bears in the Finals. The Pirates got some timely baskets from Darrion Pellum to help Hampton beat the Bears 60-55 in the MEAC Tournament Championship game at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Darrion Pellum was named to the Most Valuable Player of the tournament

•  Hampton has lost five of its last six games, including a loss on Saturday against Coppin State.

•  Senior All-MEAC guard Darrion Pellum continues to be one of the top scorers in the league. The senior led the MEAC in the season by averaging 18.1 points and is shooting 36.1 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from 3-point territory. The Hampton, Va. native is also averaging 4.2 rebounds per game and 1.7 assists.

•  Hampton completed the regular season ranked No. 7 in the MEAC averaging 38.2 rebounds per game, and ranked No. 3 in the league in offensive rebounds (36.9/g).

WELCOME TO MY BLOCK PARTY
Morgan State finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the MEAC in blocked shots by averaging 4.5 blocks per game.

BROOKS RISING
Senior swingman Aric Brooks has been the Bears’ leading scorer over the course of the last several games. The Baltimore product has averaged 13.1 ppg on 52 percent shooting during a seven-game stretch and has scored in double-figures in 6 of the last 7 games, including a career-high 19-point performance at Coppin State on Feb. 22. Brooks is currently averaging 7.9 ppg.

CLOSE CALLS
Morgan State has definitely had its share of close losses this season. Of MSU’s 19 losses, nine have come by four points or less and five have been decided by one point. The average margin of defeat in those games is 2 points. The only win they recorded in a game decided by four points or less was when they defeated Delaware State 73-72 in Dover on Feb. 27. Heading into the MEAC Tournament on Tuesday the Bears are forgetting the frustration and focusing on the confidence that came from those games.

Honorable Mention: Golf-PGA Tour Northern Trust Open (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel, Saturday & Sunday 3pm live on CBS. All golf from Pacific Palisades, CA), Champions Tour ACE Group Classic (Friday & Saturday 6:30pm Sunday 7pm from Naples, FL on Golf Channel), Honda LPGA Thailand (Thursday & Friday 12:30pm Saturday & Sunday 3pm from Chonburi, Thailand on Golf Channel); Women’s College Basketball: Duke @ Maryland (Sunday 3pm from Comcast Center live on ESPN2); Soccer: MISL Milwaukee Wave @ Baltimore Blast (Saturday 7:35pm 1st Mariner Arena); Boxing: ShoBox-Thomas Dulorme vs. Jose Reynoso (Friday 11pm from Santa Ynez, CA live on Showtime), Paul Williams vs. Nobuhiro Ishida (Saturday 10pm from Corpus Christi, TX live on Showtime), Friday Night Fights-John Molina vs. Marvin Quintero (Friday 9pm from Arlington, TX live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: Perry Hall @ Hereford (Wednesday 6:30pm); Roller Derby: Charm City Roller Girls (Saturday 5:30pm Du Burns Arena)

10. They Might Be Giants (Friday 7pm Rams Head Live); Hunter Hayes (Wednesday 7pm Recher Theatre), Biohazard (Thursday 7pm Recher Theatre), Less Than Jake (Saturday 7pm Recher Theatre); Gary Puckett and The Union Gap (Thursday & Friday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), America (Saturday 8pm Sunday 7pm Rams Head on Stage), Ben Lee (Monday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Sleigh Bells (Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club), Mos Def (Monday 7pm 9:30 Club); New Edition (Thursday 7pm Show Place Arena); Peter Frampton (Sunday 8pm Warner Theatre); Amos Lee “As The Crow Flies” available on iTunes/in stores (Tuesday)

I had never heard Hunter Hayes until last week. I don’t like all country music, but I will be forced to admit I enjoy this country music…

Here’s Less Than Jake doing David Cassidy because they can…

I get steamed up for Gary Puckett. Now I miss WQSR…

Other than the fact that he’s talented, Mos Def and I are exactly the same…

9. Royal Comedy Tour feat. Sommore, Tony Rock, Bruce Bruce, Mark Curry, Earthquake (Friday 8pm 1st Mariner Arena); Kevin Hart (Tuesday-Thursday 7pm & 10:30pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); Norm MacDonald (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); Steve Harvey (Friday & Saturday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Alonzo Bodden (Tuesday 7pm & 9pm Baltimore Comedy Factory), Tommy Davidson (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Glenn Clark’s Valentine’s Day plans (Tuesday Parts Unknown)

First here’s Norm MacDonald…

Now here’s Jay Mohr doing Norm MacDonald…

And this is the Chocolate Wonderfall my girlfriend and I will enjoy when I take her to Golden Corral Tuesday night like they said I should do in those commercials…

She’s so lucky to have me.

2011-12 MORGAN STATE BASKETBALL
Game 22
Saturday, February 11, 2012 – 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Morgan State (5-16, 3-7 MEAC) vs. MD-Eastern Shore Hawks (5-17, 2-7 MEAC)
Baltimore, Md. – Hill Field House

BEAR FACTS
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman
Alma Mater/Year: Rhode Island/1986
Record at MSU/Year: 106-79/6th
Career Record: 141-141  
Basketball SID:  Leonard L. Haynes IV

GAME TIME
• Morgan State will face the MD-Eastern Shore on Saturday, Feb. 11 in a conference matchup set to tip at 4 p.m. MSU will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak when the Hawks come to Hill Field House. UMES will attempt to rebound from a 72-60 home loss against Norfolk State on Monday. Hillary Haley led the Hawks with 24 points and Ronald Spencer had 11 rebounds.

BEAR BITS
• MSU has won nine straight games against the Hawks since 2006.

• DeWayne Jackson scored a team-high 10 points in just 10 minutes of action, but the Bears lost their shooting touch in the second half. Morgan State made only three field goals out of 20 attempts in the last 20 minutes and Howard pulled away late in a 54-46 victory over the Bears Monday night at Hill Field House.

• Morgan State will enter Saturday night’s contest having lost four straight, including five of its last six games.

• MSU will look to improve upon a 3-5 home record.

• Kevin Thompson has scored in double-digits in 14 of 21 games, and has posted six double-doubles (pts & rebs) so far this season.

• Senior point guard Larry Bastfield is the only Bear to have started in every game (31) last season…currently he has started in 52 straight games.

• Junior swingman DeWayne Jackson currently leads the team by averaging 13.2 ppg and 3.3 rpg, including a career-high 33 points against Norfolk State on Jan. 14th.

• Redshirt sophomore Ian Chiles (7-foot-2) is the first 7-footer since MSU legend Marvin Webster to grace the campus of Morgan State University … Chiles, a Cliffside Park, N.J. product, is currently averaging 8.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks so far this season.

• The Bears completed the 2010-11 season with a 17-14 mark and posted a 10-6 conference record.

• Morgan State was selected to win the MEAC Regular Season Title, edging out last year’s MEAC Tournament Champion Hampton. The Bears received eight (8) first place votes and a totaled 616 points to take hold of the conference’s top spot going into the season.

HOME COURT
During the Bozeman era the Bears have gone 46-13 (.779) home record inside the confines of Hill Field House, including a loss against Coppin State on Feb. 4.

A BEARS WIN WOULD…
•  Give the Bears a 4-7 record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

•  Give Todd Bozeman his 107th victory as MSU’s head coach.

•   Give the Bears its fourth home victory of the season.

•   Give the Bears its 10th straight victory against MD-Eastern Shore

CARD CARRYING MEMBER OF THE 1,000 PT CLUB
•  DeWayne Jackson eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his career as a result of pouring in a career-high 33 points against Norfolk State on Jan. 14. With 1,099 points, Jackson is currently ranked No. 19 leading scorer in MSU history.

THE SERIES VS. THE HAWKS
•  Saturday night’s game will be the 80th meeting between Morgan State and UMES in men’s basketball. The Bears hold a 49-30 advantage in the series.

•  Last time vs. UMES (Feb. 22, 2011): DeWayne Jackson scored 16 points and Kevin Thompson scored 13 to help lead the Bears to a 71-54 win against MD-Eastern Shore in an ESPNU televised game at Hill Field House. The Bears were 21 of 57 (44.7 percent) from the field, including a 4-for-6 performance from Thompson, who posted his 10th double-double of the season by scoring 13 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Rodney Stokes added 14 points and posted nine rebounds, while Tola Lawal chipped in 13 points.

•  The last time UMES defeated the Bears was on Jan. 28, 2006. The Morgan State men’s basketball team came into the game looking to avoid 18 consecutive losses on the season which would result in a school record, but this failed to happen as the Bears fell 76-67 in a close game at home. Joseph McLean led the Bears with a career-high 23.

NOTE ON THE HAWKS
•  UMES has lost five of its last six games, including nine of its last 11 … the Hawks’ last win was at home against Howard where they ran away with a 78-65 victory.

•  Junior guard Percy Woods (Hyattsville, Md.) is UMES’ leader in the scoring department. Woods is currently averaging 10.4 points per game ranks No. 11 in the MEAC in assists (3.1/g).

•  UMES is among the league leaders in rebounding. The Hawks rank No. 5 in the league in rebounding margin (-0.6) and No. 6 in rebounding defense (35.5/g).

LOOKING AHEAD
MSU will face the Delaware State Hornets at Hill Field House on Monday, February 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Immediately following Morgan State University’s 54-46 loss to Howard University Monday night at Hill Field House, head coach Todd Bozeman announced leading scorer DeWayne Jackson had quit the team.

Jackson played ten minutes in the Bears’ loss to the Bison, scoring ten points. Jackson entered Monday Night’s game averaging 30.7 minutes per game this season for the Bears and scoring an average of 13.4 points per game. As a freshman in 2009-2010, Jackson was a double digit scorer for the Bears team that won the MEAC Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament.

Jackson’s decision to quit the team followed a bizarre second half against the Bison. Unhappy with the effort he received from his starters, Bozeman pulled all five just two minutes after intermission. He inserted five reserves, including seldom used forward Thair Heath.

Bozeman slowly re-inserted his starters into the game but left Jackson on the bench. The junior forward out of Bowie High School made his frustration apparent, glaring back at MSU’s head coach and eventually shouting at him about his continued benching. Bozeman never made any noticeable responses to Jackson’s glares or yelling.

As the second half wore on, Jackson became unwilling to participate in team huddles. During timeouts he would stand outside the team’s conversations despite the pleading of the team’s assistant coaches.

Jackson made a quick exit from the team’s locker room following the game without talking to reporters. Bozeman announced Jackson’s decision in a short meeting with reporters, noting the junior’s unwillingness to be coached in the second half. He also explained the team would “move on” with Jackson.

Morgan State fell to 5-16 (3-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) with the loss. They return to action Saturday when they welcome Maryland-Eastern Shore to Hill Field House.

A Morgan State who spoke to WNST.net reporter Glenn Clark after the game left open the possibility that Jackson could change his mind and return to the team.

(WNST.net’s Glenn Clark filed this report.)

Honorable Mention: Women’s College Basketball-Miami @ Maryland (Sunday 2:30pm from Comcast Center live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: Dulaney @ Perry Hall (Wednesday 6:30pm), Towson @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm); Baltimore Ravens Regional Scouting Combine (Saturday 1 Winning Drive Owings Mills)

10. Anthrax/Testament (Tuesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Black Stone Cherry/Cavo (Thursday 6:30pm Rams Head Live), Umphrey’s McGee (Sunday 7pm Rams Head Live); Wayne Static (Wednesday 6pm Recher Theatre); Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Presents the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers in it’s entirety (Friday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), The Darkness (Wednesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Jack’s Mannequin (Friday & Saturday 6:30pm 9:30 Club); Eric Benet (Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); The Fray “Scars and Stories” and Van Halen “A Different Kind of Truth” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I probably enjoy Cavo a little bit more than I’m willing to admit publicly…

I both enjoy Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe…

AND I enjoy the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers. So I’ve got that going for me…

I really don’t care…at all…what you think. The new song by The Fray is freaking awesome.

9. Mike Epps (Friday 7:30pm & 10pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Nick Cannon (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory), Alonzo Bodden (Monday 8pm Baltimore Comedy Factory); “Safe House” opens in theaters (Friday); “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday); Wanda Sykes (Friday 8pm Strathmore); Motor Trend International Auto Show (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Convention Center); Sex at the Zoo (Thursday 6pm Maryland Zoo in Baltimore); Wishful Drinking feat. Carrie Fisher (Tuesday-Sunday France Merrick Performing Arts Center-Hippodrome)

This is a bizarre combination of events for sure. Me personally, I’d watch Denzel Washington act his way out of a cardboard box, so I’m excited for Safe House.  Of course, there’s no way humanly possible it’s as good as Training Day (language NSFW)…

I don’t know if Eli Manning would be willing to donate his new car to the event at the Convention Center this weekend, but I’d certainly appreciate the opportunity to drool over the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Centennial Edition…

2011-12 MORGAN STATE BASKETBALL

2011-12 MORGAN STATE BASKETBALL
Game 20
Saturday, February 4, 2012 – 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Morgan State (5-14, 3-5 MEAC) vs. Coppin State Eagles (11-11, 3-4 MEAC)
Baltimore, Md. – Hill Field House

BEAR FACTS
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman
Alma Mater/Year: Rhode Island/1986
Record at MSU/Year: 106-77/6th
Career Record: 141-139  
Basketball SID:  Leonard L. Haynes IV

GAME TIME
• Morgan State will face the Coppin State Eagles on Saturday, Feb. 4 in a cross-town matchup set to tip at 4 p.m. MSU will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak when the Eagles come to Hill Field House.

BEAR BITS
• Six of the last 12 games in the Morgan State vs. Coppin State series have been decided by 10 points or less.

• DeWayne Jackson scored a game-high 24 points (7-12 FG) and Aric Brooks matched his career-high by scoring 18 points, but Hampton’s Christopher Tolson hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final minute to help seal a 68-63 win Monday night in an ESPNU televised matchup.

• Morgan State will enter Saturday night’s contest having lost two straight, including three of its last four games.

• MSU has played teams tough with losses to then-No. 14/15 Xavier, Southern California, Cal Poly, Ohio and Savannah State — all on the road by nine points or fewer.

• Kevin Thompson has scored in double-digits in 13 of 19 games, and has posted five double-doubles (pts & rebs) so far this season .. he currently has 1,400 career points and needs to record two more points to move in front of Troy Brown (1,401 pts) as the No. 9 leading scorer in school history.

• Senior point guard Larry Bastfield is the only Bear to have started in every game (31) last season…currently he has started in 50 straight games.

• Junior swingman DeWayne Jackson currently leads the team by averaging 13.2 ppg and 3.5 rpg, including a career-high 33 points against Norfolk State on Jan. 14th.

• Redshirt sophomore Ian Chiles (7-foot-2) is the first 7-footer since MSU legend Marvin Webster to grace the campus of Morgan State University … Chiles, a Cliffside Park, N.J. product, is currently averaging 9.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks so far this season.

• The Bears completed the 2010-11 season with a 17-14 mark and posted a 10-6 conference record.

• Morgan State was selected to win the MEAC Regular Season Title, edging out last year’s MEAC Tournament Champion Hampton. The Bears received eight (8) first place votes and a totaled 616 points to take hold of the conference’s top spot going into the season.

HOME COURT
During the Bozeman era the Bears have gone 46-11 (.807) home record inside the confines of Hill Field House, including a loss against N.C. A&T on Jan. 21.

A BEARS WIN WOULD…
•  Give the Bears a 4-4 record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

•  Give Todd Bozeman his 107th victory as MSU’s head coach.

•   Give the Bears its fourth home victory of the season.

CARD CARRYING MEMBER OF THE 1,000 PT CLUB
•  Junior forward DeWayne Jackson eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his career as a result of pouring in a career-high 33 points against Norfolk State on Jan. 14. With 1,048 points, Jackson is the 21st member of the 1,000-point club at MSU.

THE SERIES VS. THE EAGLES
•   Saturday’s game will be the 72nd meeting between Morgan State and Coppin State. The Eagles lead the series 50-21 since 1975, including an 11-game winning streak against the Bears from 1989 to 1994.

•   The Bears have won six of the last seven meetings against the Eagles, with the one loss against Coppin State during last year’s season finale.

•  The last time MSU defeated Coppin State at the Hill Field House was Jan. 11, 2011. DeWayne Jackson scored 21 points and Kevin Thompson added 19 points to help knock off Hampton 78-72.Jackson, ranked among the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s leading scorers (16.7 points per game) was 5-of-17 from the field and converted 11-of-12 free throws.

•  Last time vs. CSU — Jordan Lee scored a game-high 19 points in 23 minutes to help lead Coppin State to a 73-60 win against in the regular-season finale in the Physical Education Complex. With the win the Eagles not only snapped a 6-game losing streak to the Bears, but they went into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament as the No. 3 seed

NOTE ON THE EAGLES
•  Coppin State has won two  of its last three games, and three of its last four … the one loss was a 93-92 overtime home loss against North Carolina A&T on Jan. 23rd in Baltimore.

•  Senior guard Tony Gallo continues to be one of the top scorers in the league. Gallo (5-11) ranks No. 3 in the MEAC in scoring by averaging 16.6 points and is shooting 38.7 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point territory. The Lynn, Mass. native is also averaging 2.8 rebounds per game and 3.7 assists (Ranked No. 6).

•  Coppin State is among the league leaders in 3-point field goal percentage (.369), No. 3 in free throw percentage (.691), and is currently ranked No. 2  in scoring offense (72.8 ppg).

•  Coppin State has the top two 3-point shooters in the league. Senior Michael Harper (6-4) leads the MEAC in 3-point percentage (.441) and senior power forward Logan Wiens (6-8) ranks No. 2 (.431).

LOOKING AHEAD
MSU will face Beltway rival Howard at Hill Field House on Monday, February 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

About Sears BracketBusters
The Sears BracketBusters concept, named because of the success of participating teams from these conferences in NCAA Championship play through the years, provides programs with an opportunity to play top non-conference opponents roughly three weeks before Selection Sunday. Each conference selects its participating teams before the season, and the matchups for the event are determined by ESPN in conjunction with the conferences. Sears