Bryant Bulldogs
2014-15 record: 16-15, 12-6 in the NEC
Head coach: Tim O’Shea
Tenure at Bryant: 8th season
Career coaching record: 73-139
Home court: Chase Athletic Center
Starters: F Andrew Scocca, F Dan Garvin, F Bosko Kotsur, G Hunter Ware, G Shane McLaughlin
Bench: C Gus Riley, G Curtis Oakley Jr, F Dennis Levene
Overview: After losing two starters from last year’s team—guards Joe O’Shea and Dyami Starks—Bryant is the projected third-place finisher in the NEC and will look to receive greater contributions from forward Andrew Scocca and guard Hunter Ware. Scocca started 10 games last year, averaging 1.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, and Ware was the sixth man, averaging 5.6points per game. Ware was the Bulldogs' only freshman to appear in every game last season, and will take on a bigger role this season.
Dan Garvin, Bryant’s leading returning scorer and rebounder, was named to the NEC’s preseason all-conference team, following a Second-Team All-NEC selection last season. Last year, Garvin finished fourth in the conference in rebounding and third in blocked shots. As the team’s only returning starter at the forward position, Garvin will be relied upon by head coach Tim O’Shea to supply the brunt of the scoring in the paint.
The other player to start every game for the Bulldogs—senior Shane McLaughlin—led the team in assists last season and finished third in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio. McLaughlin is the team’s best ball-handler and can generate open opportunities for his teammates. The 6-foot-1 point guard will be looked to by O’Shea to provide veteran leadership, especially to his backcourt mate Ware.
Kotsur came on strong for Bryant at the end of the season, as the swingman started the last 12 games of the 2014-15 season. Kotsur has a dangerous mid-range shot arsenal, and averaged 12.4 points per game in the last dozen contests of the season.
This Bulldog team will rely on its two stars—McLaughlin and Garvin—to lead the team, as a group that performed well in minimal opportunities surrounds them. This team will be a challenge for O’Shea, but it certainly possesses the ability to win the NEC and return to the NCAA tournament.
One thing that needs to go right: Katsur must continue his strong play from the end of last season, when he was able to use his 6-foot-7 frame to create high-percentage mid-range shots.
One thing that could go wrong: Ware and Scocca cannot transition into starting roles, and the team struggles to discover its identity.
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