Bryce Harris leads new-look Howard Bison to opening night victory over Hampton

 

The Bison earned a12-point win in the historic rivalry dubbed "the battle of the real HU"

By Ray Rogers

Washington, DC -- Before Monday night’s contest, there were many questions surrounding the Howard Men’s basketball program. The defending MEAC conference champions lost three starters to the transfer portal following last season, where the Bison finished with an impressive 22 victories while ending the university’s 31-year NCAA Tournament drought. Many wondered if Kenneth Blakeney could duplicate last season’s success.

The early answer is a resounding yes. 

Bryce Harris led Howard with 23 points on an efficient 8/12 from the field, and Marcus Dockery netted 21 points, including five 3-pointers, as Howard defeated Hampton 92 - 80. 

New look, same approach

Hampton gained an early 4-point advantage with 13:59 remaining in the first half, presenting an early test for Howard head coach Kenneth Blakeney. Blakeney is known for his unique in-game strategies and substitution patterns, which have been pivotal to Howard’s recent success that entails an ability to substitute entire lineups often equated to hockey-style line changes. Down early, coupled with a new group of players, there was an eagerness to see if this same approach would continue. 

With his team trailing, Blakeney indeed substituted his entire starting five, which he identified as an ongoing aspect of the team’s developmental process. When asked if this trend would continue, Blakeney stated, “I’m not sure yet, honestly. I love playing that way because it means we’re defending.”  

A solid defensive effort was integral for the Howard victory as the Bison forced Hampton into 17 turnovers for the game while overcoming a game-high 21 turnovers. The turnover battle was a strong indication of the game's intensity as part of this long-standing rivalry. 

Hampton was a formidable foe and held a slight edge late in the first half at 35-33 with 2:37 remaining before entering the locker room trailing by four points at the break. After halftime, Howard surged to a 12-point advantage that included back-to-back Marcus Dockery 3-pointers, which resulted in a Hampton timeout with 13:09 remaining in the second half. Hampton made a run led by Tedrick Wilcox Jr., who led all scorers with 24 points on 8/10 from the field, including 6/6 from 3-point range, and reduced the Howard lead to one point with 8:12 to go on the game. In the end, Howard was relentless in attacking the paint, which resulted in 29 points from the free throw line on 36 attempts. Comparatively, Hampton finished the game 15/21 from the charity stripe.            

Poised to repeat as MEAC champs

With soaring expectations, the focus of this year’s Howard team is the crucial pieces that remain on this roster, which includes the reigning MEAC rookie of the year Shy Odom. Odom finished Monday night’s contest with 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. 

“Shyheim is a stat sheet stuffer. When you look at his line, he touched every single line.”, exclaimed Blakeney, who appears confident in the experience gained during last season’s conference title run. Howard was also without grad student Jelani Williams due to injury, who will provide a significant boost in securing a second consecutive conference title.

Both teams resume action on Thursday, Nov. 9, as Howard heads on the road to play Georgia Tech while Hampton returns home for a matchup with Mid-Atlantic Christian University (MACU).