Oakwood University men's basketball coach Simon Jacob is taking a more realistic approach as the Ambassadors prepare to host the second Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Round Up starting today at Ashby Auditorium.

When you combine his team's struggles along with having to play without leading scorer Edmen Steward (Detroit, MI) the rest of the way due to a torn meniscus suffered nine days ago in a narrow loss to Wiley College, Jacob is well aware of what his team is up against.

"This is more about us taking steps and getting better for the (GCAC) tournament," he said.

That is more than a month away. Until then, Jacob said his team has to come together and scratch and claw for everything they can get out of this season.

Steward was  averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game before sustaining the season-ending injury.

Senior forward Brian Williams (Colquitt, GA) will replace Steward in the starting lineup, according to Jacob, and other players will be expected to step up.

"We've got to do it by committee," Jacob said.

More of the load could fall on freshman forward Judelin Prophete (Miami, FL), who is averaging 13.6 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds per game.

"He's been solid, but we'll have to give him more help now," Simon said.

The Ambassadors (2-12, 0-4) will host Dillard (10-3, 2-1) today at 7 p.m., Philander Smith (13-2, 2-1) Monday at 7 p.m. and Tougaloo (15-1, 4-0) Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Oakwood fell at Dillard last weekend 96-59 in New Orleans.

"Dillard looks like the team to beat," Simon said. "They have the talent to make a run come tournament time on a national level."

Dillard is led by a trio of guards in Kenyon Duling, Raheem Carter and Dwight Felton. Duling is averaging a team-high 18.7 points per game, while Carter and Felton are averaging 14 and 12.2 points, respectively.

Philander Smith, led by former  Arkansas standout Todd Day, is led by guard Aaron Johnson and forward Raymond Reece. Johnson is averaging 11.7 points per game, while Reece is averaging 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Tougaloo, whose lone loss was a 70-67 setback at Division II Mississippi College, has five players averaging in double figures. Leading the way is guard Cameron Copeland, who is averaging 14.5 points per game. The other four players are averaging just over 10 points per game.
 
Below is the full Round Up schedule:
 
Sunday
    Tougaloo v. Philander Smith (W), 12 p.m.
    Tougaloo v. Philander Smith (M), 2 p.m.
    Dillard at Oakwood (W), 5 p.m.
    Dillard at Oakwood (M), 7 p.m.

Monday
    Tougaloo v. Dillard (W), 12 p.m.
    Tougaloo v. Dillard (M), 2 p.m.
    Philander Smith at Oakwood (W), 5 p.m.
    Philander Smith at Oakwood (M), 7 p.m.

Tuesday
    Dillard v. Philander Smith (W), 12 p.m.
    Dillard v. Philander Smith (M), 2 p.m.
    Tougaloo at Oakwood (W), 5 p.m.
    Tougaloo at Oakwood (M), 7 p.m.