Preview: Oakwood Ambassadors vs. Dillard Bleu Devils in HBCUAC Tournament

NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — The Dillard Bleu Devils will look to repeat a recent victory when they host the Oakwood Ambassadors in the second round of the HBCUAC Men’s Basketball Championship on Wednesday.

The teams met just over two weeks ago, on Feb. 7, with Dillard securing an 87-74 home win. That result is part of a broader trend, as the No. 3-seeded Bleu Devils (12-9) enter the postseason with a winning record, while the No. 6-seeded Ambassadors (10-15) seek postseason momentum after a challenging regular season.

Oakwood, however, arrives with some confidence following a 79-66 home victory over Wiley on Tuesday. The Ambassadors are led by guard Jordan Bell, who starred in that win with 25 points and seven rebounds. Bell has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 17.1 points over his last seven games, including a 20-point performance in the earlier loss at Dillard.

The Bleu Devils counter with guard Christian Pichon Jr., who was instrumental in the first matchup, dishing out eight assists and scoring 14 points. Pichon is coming off a well-rounded performance in Dillard’s last outing on Feb. 14, a narrow 81-78 win over Southern University at New Orleans, where he posted 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

Dillard’s path to the tournament included a split of its final two regular-season games. Oakwood’s schedule was more turbulent, featuring a forfeit loss to Rust on Feb. 17 and a lopsided 107-75 defeat at Fisk on Feb. 14 before Tuesday’s win.

The winner of Wednesday’s contest will advance to the tournament semifinals. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST at Dillard’s home court.