Men's Basketball Releases Revised Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Schedule

Complete GCAC Men's Basketball Schedule

New Orleans– The Dillard men's basketball team recently released its updated 2020-21 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference schedule.

Due to concerns with the previously released conference slate, because of the on-going national threat of the COVID-19 virus, the GCAC has adopted an abbreviated bubble format roundup for the schedule this season.

The bubbles will be held at two centralized locations for all teams in the conference to play on over four and then three-day period of time from Monday, Jan. 11 – Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Billy Hawkins Center in Talladega, Alabama and then from Monday, Feb. 1 – Wednesday, Feb. 3 at the Xavier Convocation Center in New Orleans.

Dillard's first game will be on Monday, Jan. 11, against Philander Smith at 5 p.m. on the first day of the round-up. The program then takes on Tougaloo on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 5 p.m. DU wraps up its play in the initial round-up with a 12 p.m. contest against Rust College on Thursday, Jan. 14.

The second round-up, which is much closer to home, sees Dillard taking on city rival Xavier University of Louisiana on Monday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m. The program again plays the final contest of the day on the second day with a matchup against Edward Waters, on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 5 p.m. The third day and final day is against Talladega on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 2:30 p.m.

The contingency dates in case of a need for makeup is from Monday, Feb. 15 – Saturday, Feb. 20.

The opening round of the GCAC Championship are schedule to take place on Feb. 24 on the home court of the higher seed.

The GCAC Championship Tournament Final Four will be held at the Adams Jenkins Complex in Jacksonville, Fla. From Feb. 27-28.

Dillard was picked to finish third in the GCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. DU was one of three teams to pick up a first-place vote in the poll. The program was also able to receive votes in the NAIA's recently released Coaches' Poll.

DU brings back four letter winners and adds 10 new members to the squad this season. Malik Amos (SR/Missouri City, Texas) returns for his final campaign. Amos had a highly decorated junior year as he was a Second Team NAIA All-American, Co-GCAC Player of the Year, First Team All-GCAC and Second Team All-Louisiana. Amos averaged 19.2 points to lead the team and conference plus rank 16th nationally. The Missouri City, Texas native also placed second nationally in free throw percentage (89.8), sixth in three-pointers made (99), 11th in total scoring (613 points) and three-pointers per game (3.09). Amos also earned a spot on the 2020 NAIA All-American Team by the Basketball Times and on the NAIA Basketball Team for the Black College Sports Network

The program also returns senior Elijah Moore (SR/Milwaukee, Wis.), who averaged 14.4 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from three-point range. Other returns for Dillard include junior Nick Carmouche (JR/Lafayette, La.), sophomore Jeremiah August (JR/Lafayette, La.) and senior Xavian McKay (SR/New Orleans, La.).

The newcomers to the roster this season for Dillard include junior Rajhan Billingsley (JR/Phoenix, Arizona) (Mesa Community College), senior Akeem Oglesby (SR/Statesboro, Georgia) (Northwestern Oklahoma State), senior Raymone Lampkin (SR/New Orleans, Louisiana) (Southern University of New Orleans), junior Anthony McIntosh (JR/Grand Rapids, Michigan) (Grand Rapids Community College), junior Javon Brazile (JR/New Orleans, La.) (Baton Rouge Community College), sophomore Tyrus Crawford (SO/New Orleans, Louisiana) (Southern University of New Orleans), junior Armon Economou (JR/Sacramento, California) (Solano Community College), senior Da'Rell Domineck (SR/Cincinnati, Ohio) (University of Pikeville) plus freshmen Mekei Pope (FR/DeSoto, Texas) and Shemar Bates (FR/New Orleans, LA).

Coach Newell is entering his sixth 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 98-58 and 45-19 in conference play. He has 18 winning seasons, including nine seasons with 20 or more wins. In his 25 seasons as a head coach, Newell has amassed an overall record of 417-323.

2021 Dillard Men's Basketball GCAC Schedule
January 11 – vs. Philander Smith (Talladega, Ala.) 5 p.m.
January 12 – vs. Tougaloo (Talladega, Ala.) 5 p.m.
January 14 – vs. Rust College (Talladega, Ala.) 12 p.m.
February 1 – at XULA (New Orleans, La.) 5 p.m.
February 2 – vs. Edward Waters (New Orleans, La.) 5 p.m.
February 3 – vs. Talladega (New Orleans, La.) 2:30 p.m.
February 24 - 28 – GCAC Men's Basketball Tournament
February 24 - Open Rounds (campus sites) TBA
February 27 – Semifinals (Jacksonville, Fla.) 2 p.m. or 7 p.m.
February 28 – Championship Game (Jacksonville, Fla.) 4:30 p.m.

Contingency dates – February 15-20. These dates are held for makeup dates.

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