General 12/13/2024 8:21:00 AM

OAKWOOD STARTS AN IMPORTANT STRETCH AT HBCUAC CROSSOVER TODAY AT DILLARD

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Oakwood University will play three games in four days beginning today in the HBCUAC Crossover when the Ambassadors visit Dillard University in a key HBCU Athletic Conference doubleheader.

The women's game is slated to begin at 1 p.m., followed by the men's game at 3.

Women's Preview

Oakwood (2-6, 0-3) is in desperate need of a conference win after falling at Rust College earlier this week.

The Ambassadors enter today's game in last place in the HBCUAC East Division, while the Bleu Devils (5-3, 2-0) are tied for first place with Tougaloo College in the West Division.

Oakwood has been led by freshman sensation Saniya Keys and junior guard Trenisha Adams.

Keys leads the league in scoring (19.9) and is third in rebounding (11.6). Earlier this week, she was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week.

Adams is averaging 9.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. She leads Oakwood in 3-pointers (20), assists (18) and steals (14). While Adams has 20 3-pointers, the rest of the team has 11.

Dillard, who enters the game riding a two-game losing streak, is led by senior forward Cassidy Lowe, one of the best players in the league.

Lowe is averaging 15 points, 8.5 rebounds and leads the Bleu Devils with 13 blocks. Dillard's two league wins came at Philander Smith and Wiley University.

Men's Preview

The Ambassadors will try to snap their seven-game losing streak today at Dillard.

Oakwood hasn't won since beating Washington Adventist 61-56 back on Nov. 2.

Coach Simon Jacob's team enters the game 1-9 overall and 0-3 in league play, while Dillard is 5-4 and 1-1.

Oakwood is currently in last place in the East Division, while Dillard is tied for second place with Southern University at New Orleans in the West Division. Both teams are 1-1 in league play.

The Ambassadors have been led by newcomers Jordan Bell and Jamarkus Alexander.

Bell, a 6-foot-6 junior forward from Mobile, is averaging a team-high 15 points and 5.7 rebounds. He also leads the team with 13 blocks.

Alexander, who just recently joined the team, is averaging 13 points per game through two games. He is shooting 55.6 percent (10-of-18) from the field, including 50 percent (5-of-10) from 3-point range.

Oakwood, who has lost three games by six points or less, has struggled mightily shooting the ball all season.

The Ambassadors are shooting 41 percent (229-of-558) from the field, including 28.3 percent (58-of-205) from 3-point range, and 51.1 percent (68-of-133) from the free throw line.

They have also been without senior guard Nicholas Kennard, one of their top players from a year ago, for the last month. Jacob said Kennard has been out due to personal reasons, but he is hopeful he will return when the second semester starts next month.

Currently, Kennard is fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 8.4 points per game.

Dillard, who opened the season 3-0, is 2-4 in its last six games.

The Bleu Devils will counter with junior guard Bentravin Phillips, senior guard Tory Cargo and junior forward Khalif Allim.

Phillips is averaging 15.4 points per game, while Cargo and Allim are averaging 14.6 and 13.1 points, respectively.

After today's doubleheader, Oakwood visits SUNO on Saturday in a doubleheader and will take on Tougaloo College in a doubleheader at Dillard on Monday.

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Players Mentioned

#21 Trenisha Adams: SG; 5' 5"; Junior

#35 Saniya Keys: C/F; 6' 0"; Freshman

#2 Jordan Bell: PF; 6' 6"; Senior

#4 Jamarkus Alexander: SG; 6' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#21 Trenisha Adams
: 5' 5"; Junior
: SG

#35 Saniya Keys
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: C/F

#2 Jordan Bell
: 6' 6"; Senior
: PF

#4 Jamarkus Alexander
: 6' 4"; Junior
: SG