Morgan State?s 31-year championship drought is nearly over.
Following an overtime victory against Hampton on Monday night, the Bears are on the verge of clinching their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season title in more than three decades. It would be just the second MEAC crown in school history. Morgan State?s only other league title came in 1977 as a Division II school, when the Bears won the regular season and tournament championship and made their last postseason appearance.
The only remaining hurdles: a trip to Dover, Del., for a 4 p.m. game Saturday at Delaware State; and Senior Day at Hill Field House on March 6 against cross-town rival Coppin State. Those challenges were on Morgan State?s mind just minutes after the Bears? 66-62 overtime win against Hampton.
“This win was great for our confidence,” said senior forward Boubacar Coly, who had 18 points and 15 rebounds against Hampton. “But right now we have to get ready to play Delaware State,”
The Bears (18-9, 12-2) are in control of their own fate, but must win their final two games to guarantee themselves of a regular season title and, at worst, a berth in the National Invitation Tournament if they fail to win the conference tournament and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The MEAC Tournament is March 10-15 in Raleigh, N.C. at the RBC Center. But if Morgan State stumbles against Delaware State (12-14, 9-5) or Coppin State (11-19, 6-8), it would fall into a tie with Norfolk State (14-12, 10-3) for the conference lead. If the Bears and Spartans finish the regular season tied atop the league standings, then Norfolk State wins the tiebreaker for the conference tournament?s top seed by virtue of a 71-69 win over Morgan State on Jan. 14 in Norfolk, Va.
“We have our fate in our hands and that?s how we like it,” senior guard Jerrell Green said. “If we win these next two games, it will play itself out.”
But Morgan State can?t afford to look past the Hornets. Delaware State is the three-time defending MEAC regular season champions, and nearly upset the Bears at Hill Field House before losing 64-59 on Feb. 4. Morgan State also dominated Coppin State, 78-50, on Dec. 1 at the Coppin Center, but the Eagles have won seven straight games by an average of 11.7 points.
Delaware State is led by senior forward and MEAC preseason Player of the Year Roy Bright, who is the conference?s second leading scorer at 19.1 points per game. But if the Bears can shut down Bright, who is one of just two players on the Hornets to average double-figures in points, they should be able to hold Delaware State to well below its season average of 59.5 points per game.
As for Morgan State a pair of MEAC Player of the Year candidates leads it: Coly (9.7 ppg, 11.1 rpg) and senior guard Jamar Smith (17.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg).
“I am just happy for these guys,” Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman said. “They have been working hard and they take a lot of stuff from me.”
