Lormann, Miss. - Third year Head Coach
Luther Riley and the Alcorn State Men's basketball team gear up for another and even more exciting year as they travel to Omaha, Nebraska to face the Creighton Blue Jays for their first non-conference match-up of the season. Tip-off is set for 7:02 p.m. at CenturyLink Center.
The Braves return to the hardwood after a 10-23 overall record and 8-10 in conference play. Last season the Braves finished the 2013 season with a loss to Prairie View in the first round of the SWAC Tournament. Because of last seasons' outcome, the Braves were picked to finish eighth in the SWAC Pre-Season rankings and had one player who earned pre-season honors.
Returning for the Braves this season is sophomore
LeAntwan Luckett who was second on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg) in last season. Luckett scored in double-figures 25 times in the Braves 33 contests last season. Alongside Luckett are 6-1 guards
Devante Hampton (5.4 ppg) and
Anthony Evans (5.4 ppg). Newcomer
Shaunessy Smith and freshman
Rahkeem Lehaman are expected to see plenty of minutes for the Braves throughout the season.
The frontcourt possesses some veteran talent as well with senior seven-footer
Josh Nicholas (3.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and forward
Stephan Raquil (1.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg). Nicholas led the Braves in blocked shots (1.1 bpg) with a total of 37 blocks. Freshman
Marquis Vance and junior college transfer
Octavius Brown will be key for the Braves this season. Vance was one of the top five players in the state of Mississippi during the 2012-13 season while Brown played his first two years of collegiate ball at East Mississippi CC. Brown can play inside and out and can really stroke it from behind the arc.
Creighton is coached by fourth-year head coach Greg McDermott and are entering their first year as a member of the Big East Conference after a 28-8 overall and 15-2 record in the Missouri Valley conference last season. McDermott coached his team to a Missouri Valley Championship and a berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Jays defeated Cincinnati in the first round but was defeated in the second round by Duke 50-66.
The Blue Jays are led by the nation's leading scorer in last season, Doug McDermott (23.2 ppg). McDermott became Creighton's all-time leading scorer during the 13-14 season and is expected to be a NBA lottery pick.
Senior guard Grant Gibbs returns for the Blue Jays after averaging 8.5 ppg and leading the team in assist with 5.8 apg. Austin Chatman (7.4 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Jahenns Manigat (5.0 ppg) are two other starters returning along with McDermott. Missouri Valley Sixth Man of the Year, Ethan Wragge returns after shooting nearly 45% from the 3-point range last season going 78-175.
The Braves and Crieghton will be aired on FOX Sports Midwest; AT&T U-Verse, (1691), Dish Network (9516), and DirecTV (695-1).
