Howard vs Davidson prediction: Howard's ball-hawking defense tests Davidson's rebuilt, careless backcourt
The reigning MEAC champions took the ball away as well as almost anyone last season, and Davidson coughed it up far too often in its winning opener.
- Expect a slow, grinding game in Davidson's first home date, decided by whether the Wildcats' hot shooting outlasts Howard's pressure.
- Howard's Cam Gillus and James Brown, with four steals each at Yale, against Davidson's new lead guard Nick Janowski.
- No line posted yet. Both teams' openers went under, and Davidson covered as a 2.5-point underdog at Washington State.
Howard's hands, Davidson's handle
Howard won 24 games last season by making opponents miserable. The Bison forced turnovers on 21.2% of opponent possessions, 12th in Division I, and allowed just 30.9% from three. That defense ranked 23rd nationally in points allowed per 100 possessions.
The pressure survived the offseason. Howard's steal rate in its opener at Yale ranked 36th, and Cam Gillus and James Brown each had four steals. Brown added four blocks in 30 minutes.
That is the problem for Davidson. The Wildcats turned it over on 21.2% of their possessions in the win at Washington State, a rate that ranked 267th. Last season's group was far tidier at 15.7%, but that group is mostly gone. Davidson returns 45.0% of last season's minutes, so the turnover number from one game may say more about this roster than last season's ever could. Every live-ball steal Howard converts is a possession Davidson's shooters never get.
A new Davidson backcourt finds range
Matt McKillop, in his fifth season, lost four guards to transfer, including Parker Friedrichsen to Washington and Roberts Blums to Penn State. The replacements looked ready in Pullman. Davidson posted a 66.0% effective field goal percentage (a shooting mark where threes count 1.5 times), 31st nationally, and made 52.2% of its threes.
Nick Janowski, a transfer from St. Thomas-Minnesota who averaged 16.1 points there last season, scored 21 on 3-of-5 from deep. Sam Brown, a returning starter, hit 6 of 10 threes for 22 points. Treat Brown's night carefully: he shot 27.2% from three last season. Ian Platteeuw filled the stat sheet with 9 rebounds and 8 assists, and the Wildcats led by as many as 19 before closing out a 76-61 win.
Howard's offense went the other way at Yale. The Bison shot a 40.4% effective field goal percentage, 317th, and Alex Cotton went 1 of 8 from three. Gillus was the exception at 4 of 6. Cedric Taylor III, who averaged 17.0 points last season, took on a 34.6% usage rate and needed 12 shots for 11 points. Howard also lost its leading scorer, Bryce Harris, who averaged 17.3 points last season.
Second chances on both ends
Howard's other route to points is the offensive glass. The Bison ranked 28th in offensive rebound rate last season (the share of their own misses they recover) and grabbed 42.0% of their misses at Yale.
Davidson's defensive rebounding was shaky in the opener, ranking 240th of 357. If Howard keeps shooting in the low 40s, extra possessions off misses and steals are how it stays within reach.
The catch is Howard's own defensive boards. The Bison collected just 47.6% of Yale's misses, 352nd of 357. Josh Scovens, Davidson's returning forward, scored 17 and grabbed 8 rebounds at Washington State and should find putback chances.
Slow pace, no number yet
Neither team wants to run. Howard played at a pace that ranked 321st in its opener, and Davidson's ranked 311th. Davidson was also one of the slower teams in the country last season at 64.6 possessions per 40 minutes.
The early market results reflect that. Howard's game at Yale closed with a 153.5 total and stayed under, and Davidson's closed at 149.5 and also went under. Both teams come in with 12 days of rest, and this is Davidson's first home game in a four-game November homestand.
No spread or total has been posted. For a baseline, last season's final adjusted ratings had Davidson 111th in net efficiency and Howard 200th. Howard returns 64.9% of its minutes, so its baseline holds up better than Davidson's.
Key players
- Cam Gillus (Howard): Scored 16 with 4 steals at Yale after shooting 40% from three last season.
- James Brown (Howard): Posted 11 points, 4 steals and 4 blocks on 5-of-8 shooting against Yale.
- Cedric Taylor III (Howard): Averaged 17.0 points last season but went 4 of 12 in the opener.
- Nick Janowski (Davidson): Scored 21 on 80% shooting in his Davidson debut.
- Sam Brown (Davidson): Hit 6 of 10 threes for 22 points after shooting 27.2% from deep last season.
- Ian Platteeuw (Davidson): Ran the offense with 8 assists and added 9 rebounds at Washington State.
Numbers that matter
| Howard forced turnover rate, last season | 21.2% | Ranked 12th nationally and anchored the MEAC champions' defense. |
|---|---|---|
| Davidson turnover rate, opener | 21.2% | Ranked 267th, a weak spot against a team that lives on steals. |
| Davidson 3-point %, opener | 52.2% | Ranked 10th, powered by a rebuilt backcourt that may not stay this hot. |
| Howard defensive rebound %, opener | 47.6% | Ranked 352nd of 357, an opening for Davidson's second-chance points. |
| Davidson returning minutes | 45.0% | Makes last season's Davidson numbers a weak guide to this roster. |
Howard vs Davidson: quick answers
When is Howard vs Davidson?
Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.