THE DELTA | A new era of Mississippi Valley State University men's basketball officially tips off Friday, November 6, as the Delta Devils travel to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the University of Oklahoma Sooners in their 2026-27 season opener. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT inside historic McCasland Field House, with the contest streaming live on SEC Network+.

The matchup marks the beginning of the Mike Davis era at Mississippi Valley State, as the veteran head coach makes his debut leading the Green and White. Davis, who was named the 13th head coach in program history in May, brings more than 35 years of coaching experience and a 412-360 career record to the Mississippi Delta.

Davis previously guided Indiana to the 2002 NCAA National Championship game and enjoyed tremendous success in the Southwestern Athletic Conference at Texas Southern, where he captured four SWAC regular-season championships and four conference tournament titles.

With a new coaching staff and a revamped roster, the Delta Devils enter the season looking to establish a new identity built around experience, versatility and competitive play.

Leading Valley's backcourt will be junior guard AJ Abrams, a transfer from South Suburban College, where he averaged an impressive 23.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.2 steals per game last season. Abrams earned NJCAA Division II First Team All-America recognition after shooting 60.6 percent from the field.

Joining Abrams in the backcourt is junior guard Eli Pippins, who averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 assists and 2.3 steals per contest at Coastal Alabama Community College–North. Pippins started all 34 games last season, finishing with 408 points and 251 assists.

Senior forward Tymias Williams provides experience and versatility in the frontcourt after averaging 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists at Rochester Christian University. The 6-foot-7 forward was named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year while earning First Team All-Conference honors.

Sophomore Caleb Cameron will also look to make an immediate impact after averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists at Indian River State College. Cameron shot 54.9 percent from the floor and contributed 56 steals and 30 blocked shots last season.

The Delta Devils will also feature additional size and depth with 6-foot-10 forward Gabriel Martinez, 7-foot freshman center Tianhao "Howie" Wu and senior forwards Chance Sutton and Tarique Foster.

Oklahoma enters Friday's contest with an 0-1 record after falling to East Texas A&M, 68-64, in its season opener on Monday. Pop Isaacs led the Sooners with 15 points, while Derrion Reid contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Sooners are led by sixth-year head coach Porter Moser.

Friday's matchup will mark the fourth all-time meeting between Mississippi Valley State and Oklahoma. The programs last met on December 29, 2025, when the Delta Devils battled the Sooners in Norman before falling 93-69.

For Mississippi Valley State, Friday's contest represents the first opportunity to establish momentum under Davis while competing against a Southeastern Conference opponent.

The Oklahoma matchup begins a challenging nonconference schedule for Valley, which will also face Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, Arkansas, Michigan, UConn and several other high-major opponents before opening Southwestern Athletic Conference competition in January.

Next Up
Following Friday's season opener, Mississippi Valley State will continue its road trip with a visit to the University of Washington on Monday, November 9. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT in Seattle, Washington.

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