WASHINGTON (January 19, 2023) - There will be a lot on the line when the Howard University men's basketball team hosts Morgan State University (MSU) in an important Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tilt Saturday (Jan. 21). Tipoff time is scheduled for 4 p.m. at The Burr.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
Saturday's game will be livestreamed on HUBison.com (www.HUBison.com) and HSRN (www.HSRN.com).
 
Live stats will also be available.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
The Bison (10-10, 2-1 MEAC) are coming off an 89-65 win over Morehouse College in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day Classic.
 
Howard was led by its sophomore guard Elijah Hawkins (Washington), who recorded 13 points, six rebounds and six assists, some of which had the standing-room only crowd in Burr out of their seats.
 
But there were others who got into the act: sophomore guard Marcus Dockery (11 points & six rebounds), junior forward Jordan Wood (11 points) and Shy Odom (eight points) all joined the fray as 12 different players scored.
 
MATCHUP PREVIEW
 
SERIES RECORD
 
The Bison prevailed, 68-66, last year in the NBA All-Star Weekend Classic in Cleveland. Morgan State leads the series and holds an 8-7 advantage since 2005.
 
HOWARD
 
Howard has opened the offense during the two-game win streak, averaging almost 89 points. Much of the offensive outbreak can be attributed to the contribution of reserves: sophomore guard Bryce Harris (7.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg & 13 total blocked shots), senior forward Kobe Dickson (4.7 ppg, 25 total assists & three total blocked shots) and graduate guard Jelani Williams (9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 42 total assists & 26 total steals).
 
Currently, the Bison are second in the conference in free throw shooting (73-percent).
 
Individually, Hawkins has emerged as a strong candidate for MEAC Player of the Year consideration, ranking among the league leaders in several categories: scoring (13.2 ppg/7^th); assists/turnover ratio (3^rd); assists (3^rd), steals (3^rd) and free throw percentage (3^rd).
 
Redshirt junior Steve Settle, III (Glenarden, Md.) leads the MEAC in free throw shooting (85- percent) while sitting sixth in rebounding and 11^th in scoring (11.4 ppg).
 
Odom, the 6-foot-6 freshman from Chestnut Hill, Mass., is the odds-on-favorite to win the MEAC Rookie of the Year, winning the award five times this season.
 
MORGAN STATE
 
In Morgan State, the Bison will have their hands full in the streaking Bears (10-8, 3-0 in the MEAC), who come in riding a six-game win streak, including a 92-84 win over Hartford at home Wednesday (Jan. 18).
 
Morgan State leads the MEAC in several team and individual statistical categories, including points per game (80.6 ppg), blocks (5.0 bpg), steals (11.1 spg), assists (16.8 apg) and turnover-plus margin.
 
They are led by senior guards Isaiah Burke (20.0 ppg & 52 total assists) and Malik Miller (18.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 74 total assists, 38 steals & 13 blocks) and redshirt junior forward/center Khalil Turner (9.1 ppg, 5.0 rebounds & 28 total steals) and graduate forward Collin Nnamene (24 total blocks).
 
"I have the greatest respect for Coach (Kevin) Broadus and his program at Morgan," said Howard Head Coach Kenneth Blakeney. "I have always looked up to him and he has had success from being head coach at Binghamton to being an assistant at multiple schools here in the DMV. I know that they will be well prepared, so we will have to come to be alert, defend and have a sense of urgency."
 
Burke leads the MEAC in three-point field goal shooting (46-percent) while sitting second in scoring (20.0 ppg) and fifth in field goal percentage (47-percent). Tuesday (Jan. 17), Burke and Miller were named MEAC Player of the Week and Defensive Player, respectively.
 
LOCAL TIES
 
Morgan State Head Coach Kevin Broadus is from the DMV area where he served as an assistant at George Washington, American and Georgetown.
 
Burke played at Bowie High School and Miller was an outstanding player at Friendship Tech. Howard counters with Coach Blakeney (DeMatha), Settle and Hawkins of DeMatha, Dockery from Theodore Roosevelt and Williams from Sidwell Friends.
 
"The fact that we have so many outstanding local players in this game and around the country speaks volumes to the basketball tradition here in the DMV," Blakeney commented.
 
NEXT UP
 
Howard takes on another MEAC opponent in Coppin State Monday (Jan. 23) at 7:30 p.m. in Burr.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.