MBB Game Notes: Coppin State

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Game 25

Opponent: Coppin State Eagles

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2022

Site: Physical Education Complex Arena, Baltimore, Md.

Game Time: 7:30 p.m. EST

MSU Coaches: MSU – Kevin Broadus (77-61, 3rd yr) • CSU – Juan Dixon (40-106, 5th yr) 

Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com | www.coppinstatesports.com

 

SETTING THE STAGE

Morgan State (11-13, 6-6) will hit the hardwood for its final regular season slate of games when they take on crosstown rival Coppin State on Thursday night at Physical Education Complex Arena.   The Bears will enter the game coming off an 82-48 home win/ versus Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday. Coppin State (7-21, 6-7) beat Delaware State 80-67 on Monday in Baltimore. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on coppinstatesports.com. 

THE SERIES

• Thursday’s contest will mark the 100th meeting between the schools … The Eagles lead the series 63-36.

• The last time the two teams met on the hardwood was on January 11, 2022 when Nendah Tarke hit from behind half court at the buzzer to lift Coppin State past Morgan, 79-76, at Hill Field House. Isaiah Burke tied the game with a free throw with 1.5 seconds left to tie the game at 76-76, but Tarke took the in-bounds pass in traffic near the free throw line and launched the game-winner before he got to the Morgan State Bear logo at center court. 

• Morgan State’s last win against the Eagles was on March 12, 2021 — Morgan turned in the upset of the 2021 Air Force Reserve MEAC Basketball Tournament Friday at the Scope Arena, taking out Northern Division top seed and rival Coppin State 82-61. De’Torrion Ware had a monster game, going for 29 points and 15 rebounds. He hit nine field goals and five 3-pointers, on top of going 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Malik Miller joined him in double figures with 13 points

SCOUTING THE EAGLES (7-21, 6-7)

• Coppin State head coach Juan Dixon (Maryland, ’02) enters his fifth season as the Eagles head coach … he was named the seventh head coach in Coppin State University men’s basketball history on April 26, 2017. This past season, Dixon guided CSU to four Division I non-conference victories (Loyola Chicago, Cornell, James Madison, East Carolina), its most since the 1993-94 season.

• CSU finished the 2020-21 season with a 9-13 overall mark and was crowned the MEAC North Division regular season champions by posting an 8-4 record.

• The Eagles were picked to finish fourth of six Northern Division teams in the Preseason Poll which was voted on by the conference’s 11 head coaches and sports information directors. Nendah Tarke was named to the 2021-22 Men’s Basketball Preseason All-MEAC First Team, while Kyle Cardaci earned Second Team accolades.

• The Eagles have three players averaging in double figures, led by redshirt sophomore 6-3 guard Jesse Zarzuela who is one of the top players in the league averaging 14.6 points and is shooting 36.5 percent from the field. Tyree Corbett, a 6-7 redshirt junior forward from Philadelphia, Pa., is averaging 13.6 points (No. 5), 9.2 rebounds (No. 1) and is shooting 47 percent from the field (No. 12). Nendah Tarke (Gaithersburg, Md.) a 6-4 senior guard, is chipping in 13.0 ppg (No. 8) and 6.6 rpg (No. 4). Redshirt sophomore guard Kyle Cardaci is adding 7.8 ppg and is shooting 30 percent from the three (No. 6).

• Nendah Tarke also leads the league averaging 3.0 steals per game (ranks No. 2 in the nation).

• CSU ranks No. 3 in defensive rebounds (26.7) and No. 5 in steals (7.75).

A WIN WOULD…

• Be MSU’s fourth consecutive win.

•  Be MSU’s first win vs. Coppin State since 3/12/21.

•  Improve MSU’s road record to 3-8 this season.

•  Be MSU’s fifth MEAC win in its last six games played.

LOOKING AHEAD 

Tickets for the 2022 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament (March 9-12 at Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va.) are now on sale through member institution box offices and online via Ticketmaster. To purchase tickets or for more information on the 2022 MEAC Basketball Tournament, go to www.MEACHoops.com. Tickets on Ticketmaster can be accessed here.

THREE PLAYERS AVERAGING DOUBLE-FIGURES 
The Bears will enter Thursday’s game against Coppin State with three players averaging double-digits.
• Senior guard Malik Miller is the team’s leading scorer averaging 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and is shooting 54.5 percent from the field.
• Junior De’Torrion Ware is the team’s second leading scorer averaging 11.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and is shooting 35.1 percent from the field … he recorded a season-high 27-point outing vs. St. Mary’s College of Maryland (Nov. 9).
• Senior forward Lagio Grantsaan is averaging 10.8 points, to go along with 5.8 rebounds and is shooting 50 percent from the field … he has averaged 17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in his last three games.

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT

• The Bears are currently averaging 76.2 points (No. 2 in MEAC) thru 24 games.

• Morgan exploded for 118 points in its 2021-22 season opener versus St. Mary’s College of Maryland and followed it up with a 126-71 win against Penn State Allegheny. The Bears beat Goucher 100-41.

• The Bears are shooting 44 percent from the field (ranked No. 4) and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc (No. 6).

TURNOVER MARGIN

Through games played on Tuesday, March 1, Morgan ranked No. 14 in the nation in turnover margin (4.2 ratio, with 372 turnovers and 472 opponent turnovers).

BEAR D 

Morgan is allowing opponents to 72.8 points per game (rank No. 6 in MEAC) and 43.8 percent shooting from the field (No. 8).

• MSU’s opponents have shot at a 35.4 percent clip on average from beyond the arc … this ranks No. 6 in the conference.

• The 19.6 turnovers per game Morgan’s defense forces ranks No. 2 in the country … MSU’s 8.5 steals per game ranks No. 30 in the nation.

STREAKING

Morgan has made at least one 3-pointer played in its last 175 games … That 3-point streak began after the Bears went 0-for-11 against North Carolina Central on Feb. 20, 2016 (Hill Field House). 

• Morgan has made at least three 3-pointers in 123 of 134 games since the start of the 2017-18 season.

• The Bears made a school single-game record 15 three-pointers (on 32 attempts) at South Carolina State on Jan. 10, 2022…Morgan won that road game, 88-81 in overtime.

HOME COOKING 

Morgan completed the 2021-22 season with an 8-3 mark inside Hill Field House.

• The last time the Bears lost at home was against North Carolina Central (74-64) … their previous loss was on Jan. 23, 2022 against Howard (91-82) on Jan. 23, 2022.

HOW TO WATCH GAMES: All men’s and women’s basketball home games will be video streamed for free through the MorganStateBears.com website. The latest broadcast and video stream information will always be listed on men’s and women’s basketball schedule pages at MorganStateBears.com.

 

MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RADIO: All home games and select away games for MSU men’s and women’s basketball will once again be available through Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN.com). Lamont Germany will handle play-by-play responsibilities and will also host pre-game and post-game shows. Including exclusive interviews with members of the teams and women’s coach Ed Davis and men’s coach Kevin Broadus. Fans can download the HSRN app for free and listen to the MSU broadcasts from anywhere. Simply search for HSRN when using the iHeartRadio app.

FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 

There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:

• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 

• Follow us on social media:

 Facebook: /MorganStateBears

 Twitter: @MorganStBears

 Instagram: /MorganStateBears

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.