Todd Bozeman has turned the Morgan State men?s basketball program around since being named head coach two years ago. In his first year, Bozeman guided the Bears to a record of 13-18, a nine-game improvement from the previous season.
This season, Morgan State is having its best season in three decades, and has won its past six games, its longest streak since 1978. The Bears are 13-8 overall, but in first place inthe Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a mark of 8-1.
The Morgan State men?s basketball team hasn?t been very successful. What did you do when you came here to try to change that culture?
I try to explain to the guys and make sure they understood we weren?t a part of that. We are Morgan State, but just because it?s been a losing tradition doesn?t mean it can?t change. My thing was to make sure they understood you are not bound by that. I heard [Duke coach] Mike Krzyzewski one time tell his team, “Listen Duke?s won, but you didn?t do that, so you have to establish your own.” I took that and said to my team: “You didn?t lose all those games, so you get a chance to establish your own [tradition].”
What?s it like trying to keep everyone focused with your team in first place?
We are in the middle of the season and the worst thing you can do is take your eyes off of it. Afterward, I will look back and think about it. It?s hard because you don?t want to take your eyes off the prize. You want to stay focused. People give you compliments, but they have to go in and out. I talk to them all of the time about it and I tell them I have been on both sides of it. We just try to get a win, cherish the win, appreciate the win and keep the ultimate goal in mind. Our ultimate goal is to establish a program.
