NEW ORLEANS, LA. – After a disappointing loss to Fisk University  last Sunday in its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener, the Oakwood University men's basketball team will try to get in the win column today against Wiley College in the GCAC Round Up at Dent Hall at Dillard University.

The Ambassadors enter the game 2-9 overall and 0-1 in league play. Meanwhile, Wiley is 5-6 and 0-1. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

"This is a big game for us," Oakwood coach  Simon Jacob said. "This is like a tournament setting. We're playing three games in three days and when you do that you want to get off to a good start and build some confidence."

Oakwood could certainly use some.

The Ambassadors battled back from a big deficit last week, but couldn't complete the comeback against Fisk before falling 66-61.

"We can't keep falling behind," Jacob said. "When you do that you have to extend so much energy to get back in the game and you don't have enough to finish it."

Robert Booker II (Laurel, MD) led Oakwood with 13 points and eight rebounds against Fisk. The problem was Edmen Steward (Detroit, MI) and Judelin Prophete (Miami, FL) , the Ambassadors' top two scorers, managed only 19 points on 8-of-27 shooting.

"We're not going to win many games if those guys shoot like that," Jacob said.

Steward is averaging 18.4 points per game, while Prophete chips in 12.3 along with 7.1 rebounds.

Wiley hasn't played since an 88-55 drubbing at Philander Smith College almost a month ago.

The Wildcats are led by guard/forward Antonio Jones, who is averaging a team-high 19 points per game. Jones played his high school ball at Jackson-Olin in Birmingham.

Following today's game, Oakwood will take on Dillard Saturday night at 7, before taking on Rust College Sunday at 2 p.m.

Below is the full Round Up schedule:
 

Friday January 13, 2023	Oakwood v. Wiley (W)	12 p.m.
	Oakwood v. Wiley (M)	2 p.m.
	Rust v. Dillard (W)	5 p.m.
	Rust v. Dillard (M)	7 p.m.

 

Saturday January 14, 2023	Rust v. Wiley (W)	12 p.m.
	Rust v. Wiley (M)	2 p.m.
	Dillard v. Oakwood (W)	5 p.m.
	Dillard v. Oakwood (M)	7 p.m.