The big win over Wagner propels us to a 65-49 home win over Monmouth to open February. Balanced effort, with
PG Jeffrey McCarron's team-high 12 points and
C Chris Curtiss's 8 points and 11 rebounds the big highlights.
Then comes the major 90-88 home shocker over Robert Morris that sends the fans into raptures.
PG Jeffery McCarron is absolutely unconscious in scoring 31 points.
PF David Lilly racks up 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals for the other stupendous performance of the night.
So close to a shot at .500, but Sacred Heart snaps our 3 game win streak, 82-75, on the road. Can't blame
Jeffery McCarron (18 points),
SF Blair Isley (17 points) or
PF David Lilly (15 points), though.
We knock off St. Francis (PA) 73-64 on the road, keyed largely by
Junior Dillard's 17 bench points and
Lester Henning's 10 bench points. Any road victory is a big one when you're this school.
Third straight road game, second chance at .500, but Fairleigh-Dickinson spanks us 79-66.
C Chris Curtiss just misses the double-double with 10 points and 8 rebounds and
PG Jeffrey McCarron and
SG Andrew Hinshaw each score 14, but we shoot 34.9% as a team.
Our fourth straight game away, but this time we pull out the 81-70 victory over Central Connecticut State.
PG Jeffery McCarron leads the way with 25 points and he's aided by
C Chris Curtiss's 10 points and 12 rebounds,
Hershel Gaughan's 10 bench points and
Junior Dillard's 8 point in just 10 minutes.
Shot #3 at .500,
and this time we get it, beating St. Francis (NY) at home, 67-63. Our historic win comes via balanced effort headlined by
PG Jeffrey McCarron's 14 points and 5 assists and
Junior Dillard's 11 bench points.
To illustrate just how huge this win was:
*We're now 13-13 (8-8), the latest we've been .500 in either phase of the record at any point of the season.
*13 wins breaks the record of 12 I set my first season.
*8 conference wins breaks the record of 7, also in my first season.
But there's still a lot to play for. We're not even through February yet and we still have to fight to even get in the Northeast conference tournament or finish .500 or better or anything.
Naturally, we let it all go to our heads and get stunned by Long Island 86-74 on our own hardwood. Forget
PG Jeffery McCarron's 18 points; we played like shit and deserved to lose.
A victory would have guaranteed us .500 or better in the conference. Now we need to beat Mount St. Mary's on the road to do it.
March 1st. A .500 conference season all comes down to this.
Bulldogs win! Bulldogs win! 74-62!. The players mob me with joy, though they really should be cheering for
SF Blair Isley, who came alive for 17 points as our main man.
.500 in the conference in just my third season. That's a very, very sweet feeling.
Even better, we clinch a spot in the Northeast conference tournament!
But before that day, we have to play Winston-Salem State on the road, a game it's hard to get the boys focused for. Sure enough, we get sloppy and lose by a single point, 66-65 to an inferior team. Too bad, because
SG Andrew Hinshaw had one of his best games of the season with 22 points.
We're now 14-15. That guaranteed .500 overall record and the names on the jerseys could have been mine, damn it, if only we'd won.
But I'm not going to complain. No way in hell. It's been an amazing season so far.
The regular season final standings:
Code:
2013 Northeast Conference Standings
TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sacred Heart 14 4 .778 19 10 .655 168 18
Robert Morris 11 7 .611 20 11 .645 157 35
Quinnipiac 11 7 .611 14 15 .483 158 29
Wagner 10 8 .556 19 10 .655 178 27
Mount St. Mary's 10 8 .556 16 13 .552 218 24
Bryant University 9 9 .500 14 15 .483 197 3
St. Francis-NY 9 9 .500 11 18 .379 274 19
Monmouth 9 9 .500 9 19 .321 290 24
Fairleigh Dickinson 7 11 .389 11 18 .379 310 23
St. Francis-PA 6 12 .333 8 22 .267 301 11
Central Connecticut State 6 12 .333 7 22 .241 312 28
Long Island 6 12 .333 8 21 .276 320 16
As a reward for our success, we get the #6 seed in the Northeast tournament and draw Quinnipiac.
The campus is abuzz with excitement in the days leading up to the game. It's been a long time since Bryant Bulldogs basketball had even a shred of relevancy and here I've brought them that tiny bit. Well, I, Cortez, Malcolm, and John have... as well as the players.
Code:
# PLAYER POS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TO TEAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Todd Mack SG 30.4 19.9 3.3 1.8 0.4 0.2 2.4 St. Francis-NY
2 Rubin Dawson SG 29.8 17.0 5.5 4.6 1.1 0.1 3.5 Robert Morris
3 Michael Montana PG 31.2 16.3 2.7 3.0 0.8 0.1 2.5 Mount St. Mary's
4 Jarred McElrath SG 32.7 15.9 3.8 3.6 0.7 0.5 3.7 Fairleigh Dickinson
5 Arthur Stamps SG 27.2 15.6 3.4 1.9 1.2 0.1 2.0 Sacred Heart
6 Gary Kuhn PG 29.0 15.0 3.5 3.6 0.7 0.1 1.6 Sacred Heart
7 Jerry Jordan SF 30.2 15.0 7.5 1.7 1.2 0.6 1.4 Robert Morris
8 Herbert Froehlich PG 24.8 14.9 2.8 2.6 1.7 0.1 2.4 Wagner
9 Jeffery McCarron PG 29.6 14.1 3.9 3.9 0.5 0.1 2.4 Bryant University
10 Kenneth Marcano PG 26.8 14.0 4.1 2.1 1.1 0.0 2.2 Quinnipiac
11 Daniel Scott C 30.7 13.9 6.2 1.3 0.9 1.7 1.7 Central Connecticut State
12 Julius Gehrke SF 28.4 12.9 5.7 1.7 0.8 0.3 3.2 Long Island
13 Barney Erskine SG 29.5 12.8 5.1 1.8 0.5 0.2 2.4 Monmouth
14 Jackie Jones PF 28.9 11.9 8.0 1.4 0.5 1.3 1.8 Wagner
15 Jason Bailey SF 29.9 11.6 6.3 1.5 0.6 0.3 3.0 Monmouth
16 Andrew Hinshaw SG 25.6 11.4 3.0 1.7 0.5 0.1 1.0 Bryant University
17 Levi Moore SG 30.9 11.4 3.3 2.4 0.6 0.2 2.5 St. Francis-PA
18 Michael Brown SF 28.7 11.3 5.8 1.9 0.9 0.3 2.5 Sacred Heart
19 Blair Isley SF 24.7 11.1 4.0 1.3 1.0 0.1 1.4 Bryant University
20 Riley Koller SF 29.3 11.0 4.8 1.8 0.5 0.0 2.0 St. Francis-PA
21 Weldon Geyer PF 26.6 10.7 6.1 1.2 0.3 1.6 1.4 Quinnipiac
22 Theodore Eaddy PF 30.9 10.7 5.6 0.8 0.3 0.3 1.7 Long Island
23 Brian Hamlett SF 25.9 10.5 6.0 1.6 0.3 0.0 1.6 St. Francis-NY
24 Warren Worthy SG 24.0 10.5 1.8 1.7 0.7 0.1 3.1 Wagner
25 Johnie Marshall SG 28.0 10.3 4.1 1.5 0.4 0.1 3.3 Central Connecticut State
26 Bryan Philips SF 31.1 10.2 6.8 2.0 1.0 0.2 2.5 Quinnipiac
27 Richard Cook C 29.1 10.2 10.4 1.4 0.6 0.4 1.1 Sacred Heart
28 Tony Libby C 25.2 10.2 8.5 0.9 0.4 1.1 1.1 Mount St. Mary's
29 Mel Kennon PG 30.1 9.9 2.7 3.9 0.9 0.2 2.1 Quinnipiac
30 Larry Petit C 31.0 9.8 6.2 1.6 0.4 0.3 2.8 Monmouth
31 Nicholas Claiborne C 30.5 9.5 6.8 1.5 0.5 1.5 1.5 Robert Morris
32 Daniel Lerch PG 29.9 9.4 3.3 2.9 1.1 0.1 2.4 Fairleigh Dickinson
33 Thomas Baker SF 22.0 9.3 4.4 1.3 0.9 0.3 2.1 Mount St. Mary's
34 Harold Baran SF 24.0 9.0 5.0 1.2 0.8 0.1 1.6 Fairleigh Dickinson
35 Carter Holm C 27.4 8.5 6.3 1.3 0.2 1.0 2.1 St. Francis-PA
36 Steven Rosser PG 22.9 8.4 1.8 3.9 0.7 0.0 1.1 Wagner
37 Jerrell Pierce PF 32.4 8.4 8.8 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.7 Wagner
38 Rudolf Auernhammer PG 25.9 8.3 4.6 2.1 0.3 0.0 1.8 St. Francis-NY
39 Chris Curtiss C 32.7 8.1 8.9 1.4 0.5 0.2 1.4 Bryant University
# PLAYER POS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TO TEAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Duane Guyette PF 30.1 8.0 6.5 0.7 0.6 0.2 1.2 Mount St. Mary's
41 Gonzalo Herrera SF 27.4 8.0 3.7 1.6 1.2 0.1 1.6 Wagner
42 Cedrick Mills PG 22.8 7.9 2.7 1.9 0.5 0.2 1.6 Sacred Heart
43 Russell Fite PF 25.5 7.9 7.5 1.0 0.3 0.2 1.6 Central Connecticut State
44 David Powell PF 26.0 7.9 6.7 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.6 Robert Morris
45 Morgan Morris PG 29.4 7.8 2.9 2.0 0.7 0.1 2.0 St. Francis-PA
46 David Lilly PF 24.0 7.8 4.9 0.7 0.6 0.1 1.3 Bryant University
47 Ray Belle C 29.9 7.7 7.2 1.3 0.5 0.4 1.6 St. Francis-NY
48 Chris Llamas SG 15.7 7.6 1.5 0.5 0.1 0.3 1.1 Robert Morris
49 J.C. Taft C 25.0 7.3 5.4 1.3 0.6 0.1 1.1 Quinnipiac
50 Charles Wesley SG 21.7 7.1 4.2 1.3 0.8 0.3 1.6 Quinnipiac
Other key Bryant player stats to note:
*
Chris Curtiss is #2 in the Northeast in rebounds.
*
Jeffrey McCarron is also #3 in the Northeast in assists.
I mean in terms of per-game averages of course.
Two very small, but very vocal fanbases and their teams face off in the first round of the Northeast tournament. Quinnipiac and Bryant both have identical records, but the Bobcats have been here before and are coached by
Stephen Wilhoit, a Princeton alum (sigh), who was last year's Northeast Coach of the Year after taking them to a 24-9 (16-2) conference title and a first round NIT loss.
Meanwhile, I'm me. Middle class Midwestern kid, gone to public schools all my life except for when I took this job, and sure I have a Fitzgeraldean attraction to and sensibility about the rich, but I'm the newbie on the block, so I wouldn't be surprised if we get killed.
Sadly, despite holding the Bobcats to 34.3% shooting, we lose 78-65.
A 34 to 10 free throw attempt advantage for Quinnipiac sure helped a lot.
PG Jeffery McCarron played great with 18 points in his final collegiate game and although we're all disappointed, we can take pride in the fact that this was a landmark season for the Bulldogs in a lot of ways.
In wins. In postseason play. In recruiting.
Monmouth upset #1 seed Sacred Heart in the opening round, but #2 seed Robert Morris took care of them in the semi-final, so the Northeast championship game features the Colonials against Quinnipiac, who knocked out Wagner in the other semifinal.
It's a hell of a game, and Quinnipiac pulls off the 74-73 upset to deny Robert Morris its second straight Big Dance appearance. The Bobcats are going to the postseason for the second year in a row and I have to think Coach Wilhoit is on his way elsewhere after this season.
Quinnipiac earns a 16 seed in the East against Pittsburgh. Sacred Heart is an 8 seed in the NIT West against Houston.
Both UNLV and Princeton are postseason-less this year.
NCAA Notes
I'm just going to be real brief this year because I want to see what next season holds.
Sacred Heart upsets Houston 69-57 in the first round of the NIT. Huge victory for the Northeast! Qunnipiac also does us proud, nearly taking out the Panthers before losing 75-72.
Quiet year for upsets in the first round, although Her Blondeness's #11 seed Creighton upset #6 Indiana as one of the two major stunners.
It's almost all chalk through the Sweet 16, save the Midwest, where #4 seed BYU is the highest one remaining, following #8 Texas A&M upset of #1 Maryland, #7 Notre Dame beating #2 UCLA, and #6 Xavier beating #3 Michigan State. At least Creighton lost to Utah.
Sacred Heart continues their miracle NIT run, beating 4 seed Siena 66-57. 2 seed College of Charleston breaks the Heart, 83-60, though, to win the trip to the NIT Final Four in New York. The Cougars have scored 83+ points in all of their NIT games so far and look unbeatable.
Elite 8
#1 Arizona vs. #3 Ohio State
#4 BYU vs #7 Notre Dame
#1 Virginia Tech vs #2 Florida
#4 Duke vs #2 St. Joseph's
Arizona, Florida, Notre Dame, and St. Joseph's are the winners. Wow, that's hard to believe that Duke would lose.
Final Four
#1 Arizona vs #2 Florida
#7 Notre Dame vs #2 St. Joseph's
By the way, it's Missouri vs Missouri State in one half of the NIT Final Four.
Arizona State beats College of Charleston at their own high-scoring game and Missouri State upsets Mizzou. MBBF, MizzouRah, panerd, and other Tigers fans are reportedly in shock and mourning.
Arizona State wins the NIT in an ugly, 45-44 game over Missouri State. Charleston, meanwhile, easily beat Missouri 91-81 in a much better third place game.
Arizona continues the luck of the state by beating Florida, while Notre Dame stops St. Joseph's to prevent a surprisingly strong run of mid-major success the last few years.
Championship
#1 Arizona vs #7 Notre Dame
Action's heavy on the Wildcats, as most think the Fighting Irish have no business being here.
And indeed, it's an easy 70-53 win for 'Zona
National Champion: Arizona Wildcats
Northeast Season Awards
Code:
2013 NORTHEAST AWARDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Player of the Year:
SR SG Rubin Dawson Robert Morris 16.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.7 APG 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Freshman of the Year:
FR SG Arthur Stamps Sacred Heart 15.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.9 APG 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Coach of the Year:
Thomas Dyson Sacred Heart 21 - 12 (14 - 4)
All-league 1st Team:
C JR Richard Cook Sacred Heart 9.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
PF JR Jackie Jones Wagner 11.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG
SF SR Jerry Jordan Robert Morris 14.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG
SG SR Rubin Dawson Robert Morris 16.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG SR Gary Kuhn Sacred Heart 15.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
All-league 2nd Team:
C SR Nicholas Claiborne Robert Morris 9.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.5 BPG
PF SR Jerrell Pierce Wagner 8.4 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG
SF SR Bryan Philips Quinnipiac 10.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG SR Todd Mack St. Francis-NY 20.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
PG SR Herbert Froehlich Wagner 15.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG
All-freshman Team:
C FR David Powell Robert Morris 8.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
PF FR David Lilly Bryant University 7.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG
SF FR Lewis Cruz Mount St. Mary's 4.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
SG FR Arthur Stamps Sacred Heart 15.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG FR Daniel Lerch Fairleigh Dickinson 9.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
I'm stunned
Jeffrey McCarron got shut out of the awards. An absolutely travesty, in my opinion. I'll take
David Lilly being named to the All-Freshman team, though McCarron's robbery diminished the pleasure significantly.
Now time to see what the offseason brings.