The struggling men’s Rattler basketball team travels to Baltimore Md., on Saturday to take the court against the conference leading team, the Bears of Morgan State University.
After Monday’s 27-point loss to Norfolk State, the Rattlers have extended their losing streak to six games and fallen to ninth place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
A win against the Bears would certainly be the energy boost the team desperately needs. Senior Lamar Twitty is currently one of the leading scorers for the Rattlers.
“The last couple games I’ve been struggling trying to get my offense going,” said Twitty. “I have to focus on my jump shot and hit some three- pointers.”
In order for the Rattlers to succeed Saturday, they must find a way to stop the run. During Monday’s loss, the Rattlers allowed the Spartans to go on a 12-to-1 run in the opening minutes of the first half, and at halftime they trailed the Spartans by 25 points.
In the past the Rattlers have struggled to comeback from such large deficits, but the trend continues to result in losses.
“Playing on the road is very difficult,” said senior guard Joe Ballard. “We’ve gone up against some difficult teams, but if we play together we should come out victorious.”
The Rattlers must also find a way to shut down their opponent’s key players. The key player for the Bears is 6’4″ guard Reggie Holmes. Holmes, who is averaging more than 16 points per game, managed to play well during the last meeting between the Bears and Rattlers. However in that match-up his 16 points were matched by a 16-point effort from Rattler Brandon Bryant, which helped the Rattlers on their way to a 63-58 victory.
Points in the paint will also be a key factor in Saturday’s match-up. The Rattler’s big men, Yannick Crowder, Cecil Bent and Larry Jackson, must contribute by scoring points in the post and gathering rebounds.
“We play in a tough conference and we have to learn from every game, whether we win or lose,” said Crowder.
The Bears are currently riding a four game winning streak and have only loss twice at home this season.
A victory is vital for the Rattlers as they continue their search for light in midst of this winding tunnel to March Madness.