Our fate is doubtlessly that of a 16 seed, but we have a team Selection Sunday viewing party anyway.
Sure enough, we're the 16 seed in the East region, playing against 1 seed Maryland. UNLV finally made it back to the tournament, as a 6 seed in the South. Creighton's a 10 seed in the South as well.
Before the game, I tell the guys we have nothing to lose, so just go out there and have fun. It's an even bigger national audience now, but no one expects us to win so we have nothing to lose.
Sure enough, the Terps blow us out 88-50, although
Blair Isley had a great final game with 18 points.
Fairleigh Dickinson was an 8 seed in the NIT and St. John's beat them handily, 95-78, in the first round.
An upset-filled tournament led to a Final Four of 5 seed Indiana, 4 seed Ohio State, 2 seed Notre Dame, and 9 seed VCU. VCU shocked the Fighting Irish and then upset Ohio State to become the most unlikely NCAA Champions in history.
UNLV lost to 3 seed Seton Hall in the second round and Creighton just failed in their upset bid of Purdue, falling 72-70.
Code:
2015 NORTHEAST AWARDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Player of the Year:
JR SG Arthur Stamps Sacred Heart 23.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.9 APG 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Freshman of the Year:
FR SF Fletcher Sydnor Sacred Heart 6.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.8 APG 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Coach of the Year:
Izulde Jestor Bryant University 19 - 14 (10 - 8)
All-league 1st Team:
C JR J.C. Taft Quinnipiac 15.7 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG
PF SR Theodore Eaddy Long Island 12.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
SF SR Blair Isley Bryant University 14.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG JR Arthur Stamps Sacred Heart 23.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG SO Joseph Routh Robert Morris 12.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG
All-league 2nd Team:
C SR Chris Hysell St. Francis-PA 8.3 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.7 BPG
PF SR Duane Guyette Mount St. Mary's 10.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SF SR Ruben Middleton Fairleigh Dickinson 14.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
SG JR Chris Llamas Robert Morris 18.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
PG JR Daniel Lerch Fairleigh Dickinson 9.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG
All-freshman Team:
C FR Joaquin Bravo Bryant University 5.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
PF FR Bobby Wald Fairleigh Dickinson 5.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SF FR Fletcher Sydnor Sacred Heart 6.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
SG FR Mack Williams Long Island 7.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG FR Larry Liu Quinnipiac 8.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
It felt fantastic when I got the news I'd been named Northeast Coach of the Year. But I was just as happy for
Blair Isley becoming my first ever 1st Team All-Conference player.
Blair Isley graduates as the school record holder in career points scored, #4 in the Northeast with 1,478.
Other Isley School Career Records
Offensive Rebounds - 229 (9th in Northeast)
Steals - 139 (4th in Northeast)
Junior Dillard graduates with the school record in Free Throws Made at 196, while
Chris Curtiss, our other graduating senior, sets the school record in career total rebounds with 625, good for 11th all-time in the Northeast.
Code:
#14 SF Chris Curtiss - Bryant University - Senior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 7-0
Weight: 281
High School: Fike High School
Hometown: Wilson, NC
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 45 66 37 0 46 26 29 58 35 35 29 6 44 83 49 56
2014: 44 63 36 0 43 25 28 55 33 34 28 5 42 77 47 49
2013: 42 59 34 0 40 23 26 48 30 33 27 4 41 72 47 43
2012: 40 56 33 0 38 22 24 42 28 32 26 3 41 67 47 37
2011: 38 52 31 0 36 20 22 38 26 32 26 3 39 55 45 25
Potential: C B C F C D D B D C D F
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 98
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 25 18 25.7 5.6 1.4 4.8 1.2 1.2 1.07 0.4 0.1 2.4
2013 30 30 32.5 7.9 1.9 8.7 1.4 1.5 0.93 0.5 0.2 3.0
2014 18 16 27.4 6.4 0.9 5.4 1.0 1.2 0.86 0.4 0.2 2.7
2015 33 4 17.5 6.8 0.8 4.5 1.3 0.8 1.57 0.3 0.1 1.5
Career 106 68 25.4 6.8 1.3 5.9 1.3 1.2 1.57 0.4 0.2 2.4
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 2.0 4.7 .427 1.6 2.2 .741 0.0 0.2 .200 1.21 -1.28
2013 3.1 6.5 .469 1.8 2.5 .697 0.0 0.2 .200 1.21 0.00
2014 2.9 6.2 .464 0.7 1.4 .462 0.0 0.0 .000 1.04 -3.22
2015 2.8 5.3 .528 1.2 1.8 .672 0.0 0.2 .000 1.28 -1.36
Career 2.7 5.7 .478 1.4 2.0 .673 0.0 0.1 .133 1.20 -1.27
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 25 18 643 141 36 119 31 29 10 3 59
2013 30 30 975 238 56 262 41 44 14 6 91
2014 18 16 493 116 16 97 18 21 8 4 49
2015 33 4 577 225 27 147 44 28 10 3 51
Career 106 68 2688 720 135 625 134 122 42 16 250
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 50 117 40 54 1 5 -32
2013 92 196 53 76 1 5 0
2014 52 112 12 26 0 0 -58
2015 93 176 39 58 0 5 -45
Career 287 601 144 214 2 15 -135
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 18 3 10 4 2 1 4 9 19 3 7 0 1
Career 18 6 13 4 2 2 4 9 19 9 10 1 2
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 3
2011 High School: Rated * and #1331 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
2012 Freshman All-Conference (Northeast Conference)
Code:
#30 SG Junior Dillard - Bryant University - Senior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 5-10
Weight: 187
High School: Johnston Senior High School
Hometown: Johnston, RI
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 29 72 43 57 40 38 27 31 32 46 38 16 87 43 78 95
2014: 27 71 42 55 40 37 25 29 30 41 36 15 87 42 77 88
2013: 25 69 41 53 40 36 23 27 28 37 34 14 86 41 76 81
2012: 24 66 40 51 40 35 22 26 27 34 32 14 85 40 75 75
2011: 22 62 38 49 40 33 20 24 25 30 30 14 83 38 72 55
Potential: D B C C D C D C C C D D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 70
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 19 0 17.6 5.6 0.8 2.4 1.7 1.7 0.97 0.5 0.0 2.1
2013 30 0 15.6 6.3 0.5 1.3 1.0 1.3 0.76 0.3 0.0 1.5
2014 28 15 24.3 9.6 0.6 3.3 1.7 2.3 0.75 0.9 0.0 2.3
2015 33 33 22.7 11.1 0.8 2.8 1.8 2.3 0.77 0.9 0.1 2.3
Career 110 48 20.3 8.5 0.7 2.4 1.5 1.9 0.77 0.7 0.0 2.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 1.9 3.9 .500 0.9 1.3 .680 0.8 1.7 .485 1.45 -3.63
2013 1.9 4.5 .425 1.6 2.1 .762 0.9 2.1 .422 1.41 -2.30
2014 3.0 7.3 .412 1.9 2.8 .679 1.7 4.3 .388 1.31 -4.04
2015 3.6 8.5 .429 2.4 3.2 .750 1.5 4.5 .322 1.31 0.73
Career 2.7 6.3 .431 1.8 2.5 .726 1.3 3.3 .376 1.34 -2.06
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 19 0 335 107 16 45 32 33 10 0 39
2013 30 0 469 189 16 39 29 38 9 1 45
2014 28 15 681 268 17 91 48 64 25 0 65
2015 33 33 749 366 28 94 59 77 30 4 76
Career 110 48 2234 930 77 269 168 212 74 5 225
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 37 74 17 25 16 33 -69
2013 57 134 48 63 27 64 -69
2014 84 204 53 78 47 121 -113
2015 120 280 78 104 48 149 24
Career 298 692 196 270 138 367 -227
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 20 3 7 5 3 2 6 6 14 6 9 4 9
Career 24 3 8 6 5 2 6 7 15 7 9 5 10
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 1
2011 High School: Rated ** and #614 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
2011 High School: All-State (Rhode Island)
And finally....
Code:
#40 SF Blair Isley - Bryant University - Senior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-5
Weight: 217
High School: West Charlotte High School
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 47 36 29 71 62 30 36 16 44 9 92 31 53 64 51 67
2014: 44 33 29 70 58 29 35 16 41 8 82 29 53 62 51 63
2013: 42 30 28 66 54 28 34 16 39 7 73 28 52 60 50 58
2012: 39 27 26 61 49 26 33 15 36 6 63 27 52 58 50 54
2011: 37 25 24 57 45 24 31 15 34 6 55 25 52 54 48 44
Potential: C C D B B D C D C F A D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 40
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 29 29 31.8 9.7 1.9 3.8 2.1 2.6 0.80 0.7 0.1 2.8
2013 30 30 24.7 11.0 1.9 4.0 1.4 1.4 1.00 1.0 0.1 2.3
2014 29 29 29.8 13.3 1.9 4.2 1.6 1.6 0.98 1.3 0.2 2.9
2015 33 33 28.5 14.6 1.8 4.1 1.7 1.2 1.47 1.6 0.2 2.9
Career 121 121 28.6 12.2 1.9 4.0 1.7 1.7 1.47 1.1 0.2 2.7
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 3.6 9.2 .384 1.0 1.9 .500 1.7 5.5 .302 1.05 -3.28
2013 3.7 9.0 .416 1.6 2.5 .627 1.9 5.5 .349 1.22 -1.00
2014 4.7 10.6 .440 1.6 3.1 .516 2.4 6.4 .371 1.26 -3.03
2015 5.1 10.7 .476 1.8 2.8 .638 2.6 6.1 .423 1.36 1.67
Career 4.3 9.9 .433 1.5 2.6 .576 2.1 5.9 .365 1.23 -1.31
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 29 29 922 282 56 111 61 76 20 4 82
2013 30 30 740 329 56 119 42 42 29 4 70
2014 29 29 865 386 56 123 45 46 38 7 83
2015 33 33 939 481 61 135 56 38 52 5 97
Career 121 121 3466 1478 229 488 204 202 139 20 332
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 103 268 28 56 48 159 -95
2013 112 269 47 75 58 166 -30
2014 135 307 47 91 69 186 -88
2015 168 353 60 94 85 201 55
Career 518 1197 182 316 260 712 -158
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 32 6 9 4 3 2 3 11 21 5 8 7 12
Career 32 7 10 6 5 2 6 11 21 6 10 7 13
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 17
2011 High School: Rated ** and #589 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
2012 Freshman All-Conference (Northeast Conference)
2014 2nd Team All-Conference (Northeast Conference)
2015 1st Team All-Conference (Northeast Conference)
Two of my North Carolina three were part of my first recruiting class, and all three of those guys played a huge role in Bryant's best ever season. I'll miss them all.
Chris Curtiss got accepted into Harvard Business School, and I'm very happy for him.
Junior Dillard got a job in Providence, so he'll be able to watch Bryant play whenever he wants. As for
Blair Isley, he's moving back to his hometown of Charlotte, where he got a job offer from the Bobcats of all teams, working in their marketing department. Very cool for all three of my first class.
Our prestige skyrockets to 11 after our NCAA appearance.
We're no longer the least prestigious program in the Northeast, having shot past Long Island and St. Francis (PA).
Code:
2015 Recruiting Rankings
# Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
143. Monmouth Northeast PG James Torres *** 0 0 1 1 0
179. Bryant University Northeast PG Mack Rasmussen *** 0 0 1 2 0
249. Wagner Northeast PG Kenneth Stout ** 0 0 0 1 4
263. Quinnipiac Northeast SF Les Blue ** 0 0 0 1 2
269. Mount St. Mary's Northeast PG Jeromy Edson ** 0 0 0 1 2
284. St. Francis-PA Northeast C Chris Marvel ** 0 0 0 1 2
293. Fairleigh Dickinson Northeast PG Gerald Hammond ** 0 0 0 1 0
298. St. Francis-NY Northeast C James Satterwhite ** 0 0 0 1 1
307. Long Island Northeast SF Abe Dyer ** 0 0 0 1 1
314. Central Connecticut State Northeast SG Randy Tomblin * 0 0 0 0 3
325. Robert Morris Northeast PF Grady Lanier ** 0 0 0 1 0
336. Sacred Heart Northeast PF Robert Pink * 0 0 0 0 1
Our first ever Top 200 recruiting class and the first time we've cracked the top two in the conference.
Better news yet: the board has voted to increase our budget after last year's NCAA tournament appearance. It's money we'll need because
we have 6 scholarship seniors. Concurrent with those funds, though, is the requirement that
we finish at least .500 in conference.
Oddly enough, the board isn't delighted with me just yet. They're waiting to see if last year was just a fluke.
But then again, there's no guarantee I'll be here next year. I don't feel as good about this squad as I do last season's and with that many scholarships opening up, it's going to be hell on the trail again. Still, I'm not going to sneeze at an extra $17,693, which is what the board manages to raise.
No job offers come through, so I'm in Smithfield for a sixth season. Nobody transfers and no tournaments come calling.
It's amazing what an NCAA tournament appearance will do.
Six 3* players say they have High interest in us, the first time that's ever happened.
But Cortez, Malcolm, John and I have a lot of discussion and debating to do before we decide what direction to go in. All I know is, right now is a good time to be the head coach of the Bryant Bulldogs.