The Dillard Men’s Basketball Team Plays A Pair of GCAC Contests This Week Starting With Thursday Home Game

New Orleans –  The Dillard University men's basketball team (6-14, 1-2 GCAC) continues Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) play with a pair of games this week starting with a home game against Rust College. The program takes on Rust College (10-10, 2-1 GCAC) on Thursday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m. at Dent Hall. The team then makes the trip to Nashville to play against Fisk University (3-19, 0-3 GCAC) on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 5 p.m. at Henderson A. Johnson Arena

All students/fans are encouraged to attend the home game on Feb. 3 against the Rust College as long as they can show a COVID-19 vaccination card or a negative test result from the last 72 hours that will be checked before entry is allowed at the gym at Dent Hall.

About the Dillard Bleu Devils
The Bleu Devils have lost six of the last seven games and are in a tough stretch that has seen the program lose 14 out of the last 17 after starting the campaign with three straight wins. In the last game, against Philander Smith, on Thursday, Jan. 27, the program battled the Panthers before falling 63-48. Elijah Moore was one of three players to reach double figures for Dillard with 16 points. Moore also had five rebounds and two steals. Rajhan Billingsley totaled 11 points, four rebounds and an assist. Kaleb Allison picked up 11 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. Jeremiah August had eight points and 10 rebounds. Nicholas Carmouche totaled five rebounds, three steals and two assists.

DU has played one of the tougher schedules in the country with eight of their losses coming against teams that were ranked when they were played or are currently ranked.

The program has been led this season by Moore. He is getting 14.2 points per game. Moore is also pulling down 5.4 rebounds, leads the team in assists (60) and steals (36). Allison is getting 13.8 points per game. He is second on the club at 7.7 rebounds per game. August is the leading rebounder at 10.7 board per game. He is also averaging 7.5 points per game and is tied for the team lead in blocks. Billingsley has come on strong over the last month and is averaging 11.3 points per game. Taiveyhon Mason is also averaging in double figures at 11.8 points per game. He is second on the team in assists (56) and third in steals (23). Tyrus Crawford is averaging a nearly a double-double at 8.3 points and 9.6 rebounds a contest. Carmouche is fourth on the team in assists with 47.

Moore was named the GCAC's Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Jan. 11. He averaged 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game on the week for Dillard from Jan. 2 - Jan. 10.

Allison was named the GCAC's Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Jan. 19. He averaged 18 points and four rebounds per game for the games from Jan. 11 – Jan. 18. It was the fifth time that a Dillard men's player has been honored this season as Jay Malone was named the GCAC Player of the Week three times during the first semester.

As a team, Dillard is averaging 72.6 points a game, shooting 40.9 percent from the field, 30.5 percent from three-point range and 62.6 percent from the free throw line. The team also has an average of 45.0 rebounds, 14.8 assists and 7.2 steals per game

Dillard went 8-3 last season in what was very much a start-and-stop season that featured nine postponements or cancelations and a season that didn't officially start until January of 2021. The program returns seven letter winners and adds seven new members to the squad this season. Among the returners is Moore (13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game), Billingsley (13.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game) and August (7.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game). The team also returns Mekai Pope, Crawford, Carmouche, Shemar Bates and Elijah Pittman. The program also added seven newcomers in Kenneth Bates, Mason, Malone, Cinque Harris,  Ikem Okeke-Oraeki, Kaleb Allison and Melvin Baker.

Coach Newell is in his seventh season at the helm of the program and has led Dillard to three NAIA National Championship appearances (2016-18) in his time at the school. The Bleu Devils have won five titles since his arrival in 2015, which includes two conference regular season titles (2017-18) and three consecutive tournament titles (2016-18). Under Newell, Dillard is 103-68 and 46-21 in conference play. He has 19 winning seasons, including nine seasons with 20 or more wins. In his 26 seasons as a head coach, Newell has amassed an overall record of 431-340.

About the Rust College Bearcats
The program's head coach is Edward Newton. The school is based on Holly Springs, Miss. The team is being led this season by Malik Anderson. Anderson is averaging 13.2 points per game. Ronald Smothers is getting 12.5 points a game. Christopher Agbo is the leading rebounder at 5.5 boards a contest. The team has won two of its last three games including a victory over Philander Smith over the weekend.

University of Fisk University Bulldogs
The program's head coach is Kenny Anderson. He is in his fourth year with the program. Anderson is a former 14-year NBA player. The team, which did not play last season due to COVID-19, is off to 3-19 start the season. The school is based in Nashville, Tenn. The team has lost 11 of the last 12 games including a 79-77 overtime loss to Dillard on Jan. 24 and a 65-55 loss to Tougaloo on Jan. 31. Marcus Moultrie leads the team at 13.9 points per game. He also leads the club with his 34 steals. Devyn Payne is also in double figures at 10.4 points a contest. Giovanni Jackson is putting up 9.4 points per game. Jamon Reed is getting 10.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Ethan Jones is the leading rebounder at 10.9 rebounds per game. The team squares off on the road with Philander Smith on Thursday, Feb. 3, before welcoming in Dillard.

After the two games over the next week, Dillard returns to Dent Hall to host Tougaloo College on Feb. 12 at Dent Hall in the 2022 Bleu Devil Classic at 7:30 p.m.

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