When ISU senior guard Melvin Morgan takes the floor against Portland State tonight for the final time as a Bengal, it will be a bittersweet moment.

    Since arriving in Pocatello two years ago, Morgan has been an integral part of the team as a floor leader.

    But it is the off the floor moments that have made the most impact on Morgan. Not only has he made lifelong friendships, but he will be the first member of his immediate family to graduate from college.

    “To be honest with you, the biggest thing to come out of these two years is being the first one in my immediate family to graduate from a university,” he said. “It is a big deal and a very big deal to my mom and dad. If you have asked me in middle school and in high school if I would ever graduate from a university, especially with a political science degree, I would have told you no.”

    “My main focus was basketball and I knew I would have to go to school to play,” Morgan said. “But since coming to ISU I have really gotten focused on school and it had become real important. I am excited and happy that I chose my major and it has taught me a lot.”

    Getting to Pocatello took a lot of hard work and a couple of moves for Morgan.

    Morgan grew up in the inner city of Memphis, Tenn., and later moved to Bartlett, which is a city of about 55,000 northeast of Memphis.

    Former ISU head coach Joe O’Brien had recruiting ties to Memphis and was interested in Morgan all through his years at Bolton High School. O’Brien had a track record of bringing players from the Memphis area to ISU, players like Amorrow Morgan, Broderick Gilchrest, Rolando Little and Sherrod Baldwin.

    O’Brien hoped Morgan would be the next player form Tennessee to join the Bengals.

    Eventually he would be, but it took a two-year stop in Fulton, Miss. before Morgan found his way to Gate City.

    “I decided to go to junior college because I decided I was not ready to be away from home,” Morgan said. “I had a couple of other Division I offers, but I did not like them. So I went to Itawamba Community College. The year before I got there the team was ranked No. 4 in the nation. I think that going there was the best move for me because I learned so much.”    O’Brien kept tabs on Morgan and after his sophomore season at Itawamba, he came on a visit to ISU and immediately knew it was the place he wanted to finish his college career.

    “When I took my visit to ISU I felt the loyalty from coach O’Brien and his staff. And when I came out and meet the team, it was the best group of guys I have ever met playing basketball,” Morgan said. “I felt the love from the community and the athletic administration, and that was why I decided to come here.”

    Since arriving at ISU Morgan has started 55 of the 59 games he has played, averaging 12 points per contest.

    So far this season Morgan has scored in double figures in 22 of the team’s 29 games.

    He is one of the last players from O’Brien’s Tennessee connection. Only Nick Mason remains, who will be a senior next season.

    “A guy named Wayne Booker is the pipeline to all the guys that have come out here from Memphis,” Morgan said. “It is crazy that one guy has been able to get all of us out here. Ask any Memphis guy how they got out here they will say Wayne Booker.”

    In his two seasons as a Bengal, the team has had its fair share of struggles. But when asked if there was a moment that stuck out to him during his career he responded quickly with the Weber State game last season where Kenny McGowen hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer.

    The lack of success on the floor is tough to deal with, but Morgan used it to his advantage and as a learning tool.

    “This season has taught so much about dealing with adversity,” he said. “I think that everything this season stands for is adversity. It started when (interim) coach Deane Martin was not hired back. Automatically right there, two weeks after the season, we were dealing with adversity and getting a new coach. “

    “Then getting a new coach and coaching staff and losing close games, it’s all adversity and it is something I have had to adjust to,” Morgan said. “I learned a lot about mental toughness. It is hard to lose so many close games, especially when it’s your senior year, and a player can break down mentally. But I have learned how to deal with that and I think it will help me in the future.”

    Morgan puts his ISU uniform for the last time tonight and is looking to end his college career with a victory over Portland State.

    “I am very blessed to have the opportunity to play one more game,” he said. “There are a lot of players that wish they could have one more game to play. I am going to go out and enjoy playing in front of the fans one last time and hopefully get a win.”

    The Bengals and Vikings tipoff tonight at 7 p.m. in Holt Arena.