New Orleans (WGNO) — Dillard is one of the hottest NAIA teams in the nation right now, having won 10-straight, and currently undefeated in 2017. They’re up to 11th in NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and are sitting in first place in the GCAC standings.
“We’ve beaten 4 or 5 ranked teams,” said Dillard Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mike Newell. “We’ve had a very good schedule, which definitely gets you ready for the tournament but we’ve still got 6 pretty tough games left.”
The defending GCAC tournament champs haven’t always been the team to beat though. Before Coach Newell took over the Dillard program last season, the Bleu Devils were more often than not, on the losing end of their games, with 10-straight losing seasons.
“They’ve had success here,” Newell said. “They just haven’t had it in the last decade.”
“Last year they kind of picked it up and this year we’re doing even better than last year,” said Dillard junior center Jalen McGaughy. “It’s a real fun ride. We’ve got a great team, a lot of good guys, and I’m just enjoying it.”
“It’s extremely fun and exciting thing to hear about that we brought Dillard back on the map,” said Dillard senior forward Demetric Austin.
It’s been a complete overhaul for the program, and everyone’s on-board with Coach Newell’s rebuilding plan.
“We came in with a chip on our shoulder to change this whole program around,” Austin said. “We did what we did. We won a GCAC championship last year and got to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Tournament.”
“I think if we keep winning and kids keep seeing that we’re winning and doing a good job, they would be highly interested in coming here.” McGaughy said.
“That’s just sort of been my calling I guess,” Newell said. “Most of the jobs that I’ve had, I’ve had to go in and turn things around.”
Needless to say, the guys are glad they’ve gone from the underdog to the favorite, and now have their sights set on winning it all.
“We want to be each year where we’re competing for that national championship in Kansas City,” Newell said.
“It’s my last year,” Austin said. “We’ve got three seniors and we’re just trying to go out with a bang.”
“We can’t let anything get in our way,” McGaughy said. “We have our goals set on a national championship so that’s what we’re aiming for.”
With a win over 16th-ranked Talladega on Saturday, the Bleu Devils would clinch the regular season GCAC title for the first time since 2001.