Since the season began earlier this month, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men’s basketball team has been on the road nearly nonstop.
UAPB will soon finally get a break for Thanksgiving, but the Golden Lions will first face Miami (Ohio) at noon CST on Sunday at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio, on ESPN-Plus.
Since Nov. 3, UAPB (0-7) has played a game, on average, every 2.5 days. Each has been on the road spanning three time zones. The longest gap between games so far has been the four days between the fourth game of the season at Oklahoma and the fifth at Vanderbilt.
Following Sunday’s game, the Golden Lions won’t play again until Dec. 3, giving them a week and a half to rest, recover and enjoy Thanksgiving before playing another three road games.
The Golden Lions are coming off a 98-70 loss at Marshall on Thursday. Although it ended as a lopsided defeat, UAPB led 37-35 at halftime after its best first-half performance this season. UAPB will need to build on that performance and learn to play to that standard for both halves.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Getting the bench going could help. Each member of UAPB’s typical starting five is averaging at least 29.1 minutes per game, with two averaging 34.6 or more. Those five players are averaging 9.3 or more points per game, but no other Golden Lion is averaging more than 3.8 points. UAPB needs another scorer to emerge to give the starters more rest.
Jaquan Scott leads UAPB with 15.4 points per game, followed by Quion Williams with 15.1.
Miami (4-0) brings an 18-game home winning streak into this game. The RedHawks’ last home defeat came in last year’s home opener against Wright State.
This season, Miami is averaging 79.7 points per game against Division I opponents. Five RedHawks are averaging double digits, led by redshirt sophomore wing Brant Byers with 15 points per game.