Washington, DC---After five games in three different cities to open the season, the Howard University men's basketball program will be looking for its first win of the season when it entertains American University for the season opener on Saturday at Burr Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 pm.
"We are excited about the chance to play at home against a quality local team coming off its first victory," said Howard head coach Kevin Nickelberry.
Howard (0-5) has struggled without the services of their leader James "J-Byrd" Daniel, III, who suffered a high ankle sprain in the pre-season and has yet to play. Daniel, the pre-season MEAC Player of the Year, is scheduled back anywhere between two to weeks.
In the meantime, Howard has struggled to find a way to make up for Daniel's 27 points game in addition to his play making abilities.
But the Bison, who is composed of mostly seniors, are beginning to find their way. The Georgetown loss may be an indication that an adjustment has been made. Trailing the Hoyas, 16-0 to start the game, Howard could have called it in. But with red-shirt junior James "JT" Miller and seniors Damon Collins and Solomon "Solo" Mangham leading the way, Howard fought and scrapped its way back into the game and cut the deficit to eight before running out of gas and falling 85-73 to Georgetown.
"It's unfortunate for our veterans that we have had to recreate ourselves so many times with the slew of injuries that we have had the past couple of years," Nickelberry said. "I'm extremely proud of how they have dealt with adversity time and time again with an all-hands-on approach even if it meant playing a different position."
Miller, who missed 27 games last season after an injury, has been the real catalyst to the Bison's recent play. The 6-4 high-flying guard from Clinton, NC, has scored 55 points in the last two games, including a game-high 30 against the Hoyas. He leads the team with almost 17 points a game.
It was Miller who took his team on his shoulders early on in the Georgetown game when it appeared it might be over early. He spurred the comeback by tallying 12 of his team's 14 points that included a monster dunk that had the crowd buzzing.
"Miller has had to take on a bigger scoring load," he noted. "Collins has had to slide to the point guard position which he has never played. Mangham has become a guy we look to for consistent scoring and rebounding."
Along the way, Collins, who has been moved to the point guard position until Daniel returns, began to contribute in the scoring rebounds and assists column.
And when the Bison need a third wheel in the cog, it was Mangham who came through with all 12 of his points after intermission that helped his team get within striking distance.
