Morgan State University’s men’s basketball team has struggled to meet previous expectations and is seeking their first win on the road.
Currently, the Bears are seventh in the MEAC, with a record of 2-7. The Bears’ two wins at home were against the Cheyney University Wolves and Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
Kevin Broadus, Bears head basketball coach, said he believes the team struggles with the amount of away games.
“All those games on the road take a toll on you mentally and physically,” Broadus said. “We got to get back to our principles of playing together, playing hard and playing smart. We show it in spurts but we have to do it for 40 minutes.”
Furthermore, Broadus said the chemistry of the 12 new players on the Bears is another reason for the struggle.
“This is a new team and we got to look to play together on the road,” Broadus said. “When you’re on the road, your chemistry has to be tight.
The Bears have averaged 69.7 points per game while the defense has allowed opponents to average 80.4 points per game.
The Bears lost to the Chicago State University Cougars 84-83 in Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. The Bears shot 53.8% from the field, 35.3% from three and 53.8% from the free-throw.
Broadus said it is pivotal for the team to win in close games such as the one against the Cougars.
“We play pretty decently in the second half, but we had slow starts in our last four minutes in the first half, which is hurting us,” Broadus said. “We have to correct that.”
So far this season, the Bears are undefeated at home.
The Bears dominated the Wolves 100-52 at the Hill Field House on Nov. 9.
Senior Forward Wynston Tabs, senior forward Myles Thompson, junior guard Kamron Hobbs and junior forward Amahrie Simpkins led the Bears, and all four scored in the double digits.
The Bears controlled the game and had 57 rebounds compared to the Wolves 29. Simpkins had eight of those 57 rebounds and finished close to a double-double, ending with 15 points and four assists.
Tabbs had 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 21 minutes
“My game was aggressive and I still need to get my teammates involved,” Tabbs said. “Just finding that medium really helped me moving forward.”
Broadus said the team has to stick together and play hard to turn things around.
“A lot of people are calling some of the guys quitters, but like I told them it’s not just them, we are all quitters,” Broadus said. “It’s not just one individual, we are a team. You can’t point the finger at teammates. You have to look in the mirror and correct their mistakes and then we will be better.”
The Bears are scheduled to play the Longwood Lancers at the Hill Field House today at 2 p.m.
