Howard Bison
Conference Affiliation: MEAC
Location: Washington DC
Founded: 1867
Enrollment: 12,065
School colors: Blue, Red, Grey
Head Coach: Kenneth Blakeney 4th season (21-45 .318)
2021-22 Record 16-13, 9-5 in MEAC
Starters Lost: 3
Returning Starters: 2
Probable Starters
#24 Jordan Wood 6-9 205 F Jr, 2.7pts, 1.6reb
#02 Steve Settle III 6-10 180 F RS-Jr 13.9pts, 5.1reb, 1.6ast, 35.3%3fg
#12 Kobe Dickson 6-9 250 F Grad (Cornell) 5.8pts, 4.6reb, 2.7ast, 30.8%3fg
#05 Jelani Williams 6-5 201 G Grad (Penn) 6.0pts, 3.7reb, 2ast, 29%3fg
#03 Elijah Hawkins 5-11 152 G So 13.0pts, 5.6ast, 3.8reb, 29.7%3fg
Key Reserves
#15 Reece Brown 6-9 191 F Jr (UNLV)
#34 Bryce Harris 6-4 220 G So 4.5pts, 2.8reb, 30.4%3fg
#13 Thomas Weaver 5-10 156 G Jr
#11 Ose Okojie 6-5 191 G Fr
#04 Miles Stewart 6-7 202 F RS-Fr
KenPom Numbers from 2021-22
Best Numbers
Turnovers forced: 13.1% #4 nationally
FTA/FGA 36.2% #42 nationally
3pt% 36.2% #48 nationally
Worst numbers
Defensive rebounding #353 nationally
Turnover % #313 nationally
2pt FG% 47.8% #251 nationally
Analysis: The Howard University Bison come to Rupp Arena to open the 2022-23 season with some high hopes for the upcoming campaign. Though head coach Kenny Blakeney lost 3 starters from the 2021-22 season, he returns 2 all-conference pre-season selections in Elijah Hawkins (chosen 1st team MEAC guard) and Steve Settle III (chosen 2nd team MEAC forward) and he also hit the transfer portal and is hoping for big seasons from two Ivy League transfers in Jelani Williams (6-5 guard) and Kobe Dickson (6-9 PF). The Bison have been picked to finish 3rd in the MEAC for the 2022-23 season.
From a personnel standpoint, everything starts with their primary ballhandler Elijah Hawkins. He is a 5-11 152lb PG who burst on the scene last season as a true freshman and averaged 13.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. He also led the team in steals with 2.3 per game. He is one of the big reasons Howard was ranked 4th nationally in turnovers forced, both by steals and also non-steal turnovers. They will pressure the ball every time down the floor and they expect Hawkins to have an even better sophomore campaign than he did in his first season with the Bison. The biggest problem for Hawkins is that he gives away almost as many turnovers as he forces. He averaged 5.6 assists but also had 4 turnovers per game for a 1.4 a/to ratio. (they’re hoping he fixes his turnover issues this season) Joining Hawkins in the backcourt is the aforementioned Jelani Williams who is a 6-5 201lb Grad transfer from Penn. Last season at Penn, he averaged 6.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 29% from 3fg. Williams is a big, strong defensive-minded guard who likely will contribute more on the defensive end than offensively.
In the front-court, the Bison have quite a bit of size. They return their leading scorer down low in Steve Settle III, a 6-10 180lb redshirt Junior forward who averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and led the team in blocked shots (<1 per game) while also shooting 35.3% from 3pt range. He will be a challenge for our big men defensively. Settle will also have the advantage of being able to move over and play the power forward spot this season with the addition of Kobe Dickson to the roster. Dickson is a 6-9 250lb Grad transfer from Cornell who has the strength to push people around down low. He averaged 5.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and shot 30.8% from 3 last season for Cornell. He led Cornell in rebounding and blocks last season, so he is a welcome addition for the Bison. The final member of the frontcourt is Jordan Wood, a 6-9 205lb Junior Forward who averaged 2.7 points and 1.6 rebounds last season in limited minutes.
It should be noted, the Bison were ranked #48 in the nation in 3pt percentage as a team last season, but much of that was based on the shooting of departed leading scorer Kyle Foster who shot 105-229 last season from 3pt range for 46%. Neither Hawkins nor Williams is nearly the 3pt shooter that Foster was- both of them shoot around 30% from3.Hawkins was 2nd on the team in 3pt makes last year with 33.
Howard will pressure and defend all night, hoping to disrupt the offensive flow of Kentucky and get easy transition points. They want to push the pace as much as possible, given that their team is better in the open floor than a half-court grind. On defense, teams often either turn the ball over or get up quick shots. Their average defensive possession length last season was only 16.5 seconds, which was 11th in the nation. Their offensive possessions weren’t much longer, only 16.9 seconds. They are likely less efficient offensively this season than last season without Foster, so they will likely shoot quickly and hope for second chance points or just more possessions and shots. Kentucky will have to protect the ball. If UK can keep from turning the ball over and make some shots, this should be an easy win. If the Cats turn it over, it could be a tough night. Without Oscar tonight, interior defense could be a challenge. Collins would be a great match-up for 2 of Howard’s forwards, but he’s still out. If Wheeler doesn’t play, this game will be a challenge for Cason Wallace and UK’s ball handlers. On the other end, I expect Howard to struggle scoring against UK’s defense which could become easy transition for the Cats. I expect UK to get this figured out pretty quickly tonight. KenPom predicts UK 87 Howard 58, VegasInsider has UK -26.5
Prediction: Kentucky 88 Howard 60
Conference Affiliation: MEAC
Location: Washington DC
Founded: 1867
Enrollment: 12,065
School colors: Blue, Red, Grey
Head Coach: Kenneth Blakeney 4th season (21-45 .318)
2021-22 Record 16-13, 9-5 in MEAC
Starters Lost: 3
Returning Starters: 2
Probable Starters
#24 Jordan Wood 6-9 205 F Jr, 2.7pts, 1.6reb
#02 Steve Settle III 6-10 180 F RS-Jr 13.9pts, 5.1reb, 1.6ast, 35.3%3fg
#12 Kobe Dickson 6-9 250 F Grad (Cornell) 5.8pts, 4.6reb, 2.7ast, 30.8%3fg
#05 Jelani Williams 6-5 201 G Grad (Penn) 6.0pts, 3.7reb, 2ast, 29%3fg
#03 Elijah Hawkins 5-11 152 G So 13.0pts, 5.6ast, 3.8reb, 29.7%3fg
Key Reserves
#15 Reece Brown 6-9 191 F Jr (UNLV)
#34 Bryce Harris 6-4 220 G So 4.5pts, 2.8reb, 30.4%3fg
#13 Thomas Weaver 5-10 156 G Jr
#11 Ose Okojie 6-5 191 G Fr
#04 Miles Stewart 6-7 202 F RS-Fr
KenPom Numbers from 2021-22
Best Numbers
Turnovers forced: 13.1% #4 nationally
FTA/FGA 36.2% #42 nationally
3pt% 36.2% #48 nationally
Worst numbers
Defensive rebounding #353 nationally
Turnover % #313 nationally
2pt FG% 47.8% #251 nationally
Analysis: The Howard University Bison come to Rupp Arena to open the 2022-23 season with some high hopes for the upcoming campaign. Though head coach Kenny Blakeney lost 3 starters from the 2021-22 season, he returns 2 all-conference pre-season selections in Elijah Hawkins (chosen 1st team MEAC guard) and Steve Settle III (chosen 2nd team MEAC forward) and he also hit the transfer portal and is hoping for big seasons from two Ivy League transfers in Jelani Williams (6-5 guard) and Kobe Dickson (6-9 PF). The Bison have been picked to finish 3rd in the MEAC for the 2022-23 season.
From a personnel standpoint, everything starts with their primary ballhandler Elijah Hawkins. He is a 5-11 152lb PG who burst on the scene last season as a true freshman and averaged 13.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. He also led the team in steals with 2.3 per game. He is one of the big reasons Howard was ranked 4th nationally in turnovers forced, both by steals and also non-steal turnovers. They will pressure the ball every time down the floor and they expect Hawkins to have an even better sophomore campaign than he did in his first season with the Bison. The biggest problem for Hawkins is that he gives away almost as many turnovers as he forces. He averaged 5.6 assists but also had 4 turnovers per game for a 1.4 a/to ratio. (they’re hoping he fixes his turnover issues this season) Joining Hawkins in the backcourt is the aforementioned Jelani Williams who is a 6-5 201lb Grad transfer from Penn. Last season at Penn, he averaged 6.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 29% from 3fg. Williams is a big, strong defensive-minded guard who likely will contribute more on the defensive end than offensively.
In the front-court, the Bison have quite a bit of size. They return their leading scorer down low in Steve Settle III, a 6-10 180lb redshirt Junior forward who averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and led the team in blocked shots (<1 per game) while also shooting 35.3% from 3pt range. He will be a challenge for our big men defensively. Settle will also have the advantage of being able to move over and play the power forward spot this season with the addition of Kobe Dickson to the roster. Dickson is a 6-9 250lb Grad transfer from Cornell who has the strength to push people around down low. He averaged 5.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and shot 30.8% from 3 last season for Cornell. He led Cornell in rebounding and blocks last season, so he is a welcome addition for the Bison. The final member of the frontcourt is Jordan Wood, a 6-9 205lb Junior Forward who averaged 2.7 points and 1.6 rebounds last season in limited minutes.
It should be noted, the Bison were ranked #48 in the nation in 3pt percentage as a team last season, but much of that was based on the shooting of departed leading scorer Kyle Foster who shot 105-229 last season from 3pt range for 46%. Neither Hawkins nor Williams is nearly the 3pt shooter that Foster was- both of them shoot around 30% from3.Hawkins was 2nd on the team in 3pt makes last year with 33.
Howard will pressure and defend all night, hoping to disrupt the offensive flow of Kentucky and get easy transition points. They want to push the pace as much as possible, given that their team is better in the open floor than a half-court grind. On defense, teams often either turn the ball over or get up quick shots. Their average defensive possession length last season was only 16.5 seconds, which was 11th in the nation. Their offensive possessions weren’t much longer, only 16.9 seconds. They are likely less efficient offensively this season than last season without Foster, so they will likely shoot quickly and hope for second chance points or just more possessions and shots. Kentucky will have to protect the ball. If UK can keep from turning the ball over and make some shots, this should be an easy win. If the Cats turn it over, it could be a tough night. Without Oscar tonight, interior defense could be a challenge. Collins would be a great match-up for 2 of Howard’s forwards, but he’s still out. If Wheeler doesn’t play, this game will be a challenge for Cason Wallace and UK’s ball handlers. On the other end, I expect Howard to struggle scoring against UK’s defense which could become easy transition for the Cats. I expect UK to get this figured out pretty quickly tonight. KenPom predicts UK 87 Howard 58, VegasInsider has UK -26.5
Prediction: Kentucky 88 Howard 60
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