NASHVILLE – New year. New conference.

The Oakwood University men's basketball team will visit Fisk University today in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Tipoff is set for 3:30 at Henderson A. Johnson Gymnasium.

It will be the Ambassadors' first game in the GCAC since joining the league last summer after moving up to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.

"Our guys are very excited," Oakwood coach Simon Jacob said. "They have practiced hard since returning from the break and now we'll get a chance to see how we stack up in this league."

Oakwood enters today's game 2-8 overall.

The Ambassadors fell 62-59 to Washington Adventist in their last outing, but prior to that upset No. 20 Cumberland University, Tenn., 74-73 on the road. It is Oakwood's only road win to go along with five losses.

Fisk enters the game 1-7. The Bulldogs haven't played in a month since getting blown out 80-43 at Life University.

The Ambassadors are led by senior forward Edmen Steward.

A 6-foot-5 native of Detroit, Mich., Steward is averaging 20.5 points per game to go along with 5.5  rebounds. He was the GCAC Player of the Week a month ago after averaging 26 points, 6.5 rebounds in more than 31 minutes per game.

In a win over Cumberland and a loss to Washington Adventist, Steward shot 47 percent from the field, including 56.3 percent from the field.

Fisk is led by sophomore forward Blake Goodman, who is averaging 11.2 points per game.