The Howard University men’s basketball team opened the 2022-23 season at the University of Kentucky. The team and fans alike were very hopeful for the success of the Bison, after the men’s team held a 16-13 record the previous season. The team also showed off their talents during the first exhibition match of the season, scoring 114 points against Bowie State.
The Bison fell short to the Kentucky Wildcats, 63 to 95. However, the Howard team showed great skill and potential.
Kobe Dickson, a six-foot-nine forward out of Holcomb, Kansas scored a team-high 19 points. Howard Head Coach Kenneth Blakeney spoke highly of Dickson’s performance. “I thought the bright spot was the play of Kobe. He was like a grown man out there tonight. I am extremely happy for him because he has worked his butt off,” Dickson told Bison Sports. Sophomore guard Elijah Hawkins from Washington, D.C. contributed an additional 14 points. Despite the early deficit, the Bison stayed competitive from the opening tip to the second half. Howard had a free-throw percentage of 77 percent (10 of 13), however, Kentucky’s dominance prevented the Bison from taking home the win.
The Bison returned to Washington, D.C. where they took on the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) following the loss at home in Burr Gymnasium. The Bison held off the UDC Thunderbirds 87-74. Jordan Wood and Steve Settles III each scored 19 points, setting the tone for the night. Wood, a six-foot-nine junior forward from San Antonio, TX had missed seven of his first eight attempts. The pace of the game changed once he found his rhythm beyond the three-point line. Wood’s shooting sparked a 20-9 run that allowed the Bison to take an 11-point lead, their largest of the game. The Bison would finish the game with a 43-27 advantage on the boards and 15 more made free throws than UDC.
Junior forward Steve Settle from PG County, Maryland is looking forward to what the rest of the season holds. “Last year was a good year for the program, but we feel that we left something on the table and have some unfinished business,” Settle remarked. “We have a better team than last year in my opinion. We have the talent, depth, experience, and versatility to take the program to another level.”
Copy edited by Nhandi Long-Shipman
