Norfolk, Va—Few expected the Howard University to do much in the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference basketball tournament. Following a season racked with injury, upon injury that necessitated numerous lineup changes throughout the season, most expected the Bison, who entered the tournament as a Number 11 seed to give an effort against the higher seeded Coppin State but end the season on a disappointing note.
But quietly, Howard coach Kevin Nickelberry and his staff made some subtle changes and tweaked the system and while not resulting in impressive victories, there was improvement.
"Despite how the season has gone, we played well over the last nine games," recalls Nickelberry. "We have made a few changes, but this group of seniors and the team as a whole have been through a lot and have never given up. It is a testament to them and their resiliency."
During that stretch, Nickelberry is alluding to, is the stretch run when the Bison played tough in losses to the Number 1 and Number 2 seeds, NC Central and Norfolk State, respectively while picking up wins over Morgan State, the Number 3 seed and Maryland Eastern Shore, which is also in the semifinal round.
It began to pay dividends in the first round of the tournament against Coppin State, the Number 6 seed. It proved to be a grueling and draining game in which there were a total of 104 free throws taken by both teams. But somehow, the Bison got some contributions from its reserves to help the starters and it resulted in a 79-73 victory.
Then came another test when they faced Morgan State in the quarterfinal round on Thursday. The Bison established the tempo early and made it what Nickelberry likes to refer as his preference, "the uglier, the better" to games where style points don't matter.
It achieved the results he was looking for in a 68-65 win over the Bears. Each time in the tournament games, there have been players stepping up to provide help. Cameron Lewis, a little-used sophomore center, came up big early, scoring three baskets that took some of the pressure off scorers Charles "CJ" Williams and James "JT" Miller. Senior reserve guard Kofi Andoh, red-shirt sophomore forward Jalen Jones and senior forward/center Tyler Stone, all made contributions that may not be glaring in the box score, but were important nonetheless.
Senior guard Damon Collins and senior forward Solomon "Solo" Mangham jump started the Bison and helped them maintain a tenuous but solid 40-32 lead at the half.
Williams came alive in the second half and helped Howard extend its lead to 10. But the Bears woke up from their hibernation and rallied to take a brief lead. That is when the poise of the senior-laden team and the much-needed play of red-shirt senior center Marcel Boyd, became a factor. The 6-10 native of Accokeek, has struggled most of the season with foul trouble that it has proved to be a factor for the undermanned Bison.
Boyd had perhaps his best performance of the season when Howard needed it most. He recorded only his second double double of the season with a team-high 15 points and 10 rebounds, six coming off the offensive glass. With his performance on the boards, Boyd moved up to third on the all-time career rebounding list with 748.
It will be that kind of effort from the team if it is to advance to Saturday's championship final. In Norfolk State, the Bison have a formidable opponent. They defeated the Bison, 73-65 on February 25 in Norfolk and have won three in a row in the series. It is important to note, however, that Miller did not play in that game, nursing some sore ribs.
This is the deepest that the Bison have advanced in the tournament since 2001-02 when they played for the tournament championship.
"Despite everything that has happened to us this season, it has been our goal to win the championship," he said. "That has not changed."
Game Notes: /documents/2017/3/10//Game_Notes.pdf?id=538
