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.
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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.