American University coach Jeff Jones was so irritated by his undefeated team’s listless performance in a 66-54 win Tuesday at Howard that he didn’t allow his players to speak to reporters after the game.
The Eagles (5-0) were on their way to routing the injury-riddled Bison (1-4). But Kevin Nickelberry’s team scrapped its way back into the game despite taking the floor with just six scholarship players.
Jones promised corrective measures.
One potential modification will come with the addition of Charles Hinkle, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound sophomore transfer from Vanderbilt. When Hinkle becomes eligible next semester, he will be a wing complement to another transfer from an SEC school, junior Troy Brewer (6-5, 175) from Georgia, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds Tuesday night.
“Troy’s more of an athlete. Charles is more of a bruiser,” Jones said. “Charles, more so than anybody that we have right now, doesn’t mind contact.”
Hinkle, who received a medical redshirt after breaking an ankle early last season at Vanderbilt, has shown what he is capable of in practice.
“[Yesterday] he banged us around and really competed,” Jones said. “It’d be nice to have him out there just for a shot of toughness.”
Jones is stressing because the Eagles, the preseason pick to win the Patriot League, have a chance to be special. Forward Vlad Moldoveanu (21.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg) provides a unique inside-out scoring punch at 6-foot-9, while junior forward Stephen Lumpkins (13.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg) stays at home underneath.
