BALTIMORE –
Dallas Gary had to double-check the calendar when he walked into the Coppin State men's basketball locker room last week and saw his new white jersey hanging up.
The Coppin State coaching staff had a brief surprise for the Eagles as they arrived for photo day last week. Players knew they were getting new uniforms this season, but they weren't prepared for the beautiful sight that greeted them. It was the first time that the players laid eyes on the new uniforms they will perform in this season.
"I thought we had a game," Gary said. "I was about to put my pads on. When I walked in the locker room, I was surprised because I didn't think the uniforms would be this nice. I like them a lot."
Junior
Sterling Smith offered a quick seal of approval when asked about his thoughts on the uniforms.
"They're tough," Smith said. "The uniforms look good, they have a good material and they're light."
The uniforms are part of Russell Athletic's men's Dri-Power® athletic cut sublimated collection. They are constructed with a more tailored fit to allow for ease of movement. The stretch-mesh material is 92% nylon and 8% spandex. Unlike previous years, the uniforms do not have the players names on them.
First-year coach
Michael Grant made the players wait a little longer to see the uniforms.
"We were supposed to take pictures two weeks ago," Gary said. "We were all anxious and we kept asking coach when we were taking pictures because we were excited to see the uniforms."
Gary and the Eagles are looking forward to the 2014-15 season.
The Eagles return 11 players, including five key seniors, from last year's team that won 12 games and advanced to the MEAC semifinals. Coppin State is experienced, talented and motivated heading into the season. Coppin State was picked sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason poll.
Two weeks into practice, Gary loves the energy of his teammates. He knows he will be asked to play a larger role this season. Gary is looking to have his strong finish from last season carry over into this year.
He averaged 11 points over CSU's final five games of the season in which he started. He scored a career-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds in an 83-77 victory over Hampton in the MEAC quarterfinals. For the season, Gary scored in double figures seven times.
"As a team, we're at a good point, but we know we still have a long way to go to get to where we want to be," Gary said. "We still have to master the offense, learn all the sets and find out where certain players are going to be on the floor and where they like to have the ball during certain parts of the game."
Coppin State starts its season on Friday, Nov. 14 at the University of Oregon in a game beginning at midnight (9:00 p.m. Pacific Time). The entire nation can get a fresh look at Coppin State's new uniforms as the game will be nationally televised by the Pac-12 Network.
