SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant’s season may be best symbolized by a play in the last minute of Thursday night’s 66-63 loss to Fairleigh Dickinson. Down 62-58, Frankie Dobbs made a great hesitation move and drove uncontested to the basket for a layup that rolled out. Despite that, Bryant still had a chance late, but came out on the losing end.
The Bulldogs’ 2-19 record is a little deceptive. While they have been blown out a few times, with four losses by 25 points or more, they have had their share of close games like Thursday night. The Bulldogs are 2-6 in games decided by single digits and 1-4 in games decided by five points or less. Those are stats that can sometimes determine the course of a season for a team.
“We just can’t catch a break right now,” said head coach Tim O’Shea.
This wasn’t quite how the season was supposed to go. While no one expected Bryant to be at the top of the conference, surely no one expected a 2-19 mark after 21 games. But a look at the statistic just mentioned lends some insight into things: last season the Bulldogs were 6-4 in games decided by five points or less. A team can’t win every game like that, but some pull out more than others.
About a year ago at this time, the Bulldogs were in the midst of showing the future potential in the program. They won four straight games in January en route to nine on the season, including a 7-11 mark in Northeast Conference play. With a lot of the core of that team returning, there was reason to believe this team was on the upswing, although they would also appear to be a year away as they have no seniors.
The Bulldogs have struggled in just about every statistical area. On Thursday night, they led in rebounding for most of the first half, but trailed at halftime and ended the game even in that category. They’re not as good a shooting team they were last year. Defense has been a struggle as teams have shot over 46 percent from the field against them.
O’Shea said a couple of things come to mind that this team may be missing. For one, there’s no clear go-to guy, whereas in the past Cecil Gresham held down that role. They have a couple of players who could take that role on, like reigning NEC Rookie of the Year Alex Francis or Dobbs, but neither has done it yet. He also noted that this team doesn’t have a lights-out shooter. Dobbs and sophomore Corey Maynard are capable of shooting well from deep, and Raphael Jordan has had a few games where he has shot very well, but none can shoot like transfer Joe O’Shea (Tim’s nephew) or Dyami Starks. When they become eligible next season, they might provide a sizable boost to the offense.
Despite the struggles, this is a better team than the record indicates. The Bulldogs have played a murderous schedule that featured only two non-conference home games and trips to San Diego State, Notre Dame, Providence, Boston College and Arizona. They are also in a conference that is better than last year; O’Shea described the NEC as “tremendously improved” since he took the job. Not only that, but the Bulldogs have to play each of the top six teams in the standings twice or solely on the road.
Through it all, this team is a few plays away from having a few more wins and possibly feeling better about their progress during the season.
“I really don’t think we’re far away from being pretty good,” O’Shea said.
Next year is the first year where the team’s record really matters. Bryant will be eligible for the NEC Tournament and its automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and they’ll have a veteran team by that time. That’s part of what the growing pains all lead toward, and there will be a big goal in sight once next season comes. That’s what O’Shea and his staff have been building for.
Most won’t expect the Bulldogs to be in the mix, but they could be a sleeper. They’ll have the entire team back and add the aforementioned transfers. They will be experienced playing with one another, with additional help from an overseas trip that O’Shea is planning to take them on during the off-season. The non-conference schedule will also be lighter, with more home games, which means they could win more games early and have something to show for their efforts. The confidence a team can gain from early wins can’t be underestimated.
“Next year, I think we’re positioned to have a really good turnaround,” said O’Shea.
All along, O’Shea has been able to take a long view of things, and he’s kept a proper perspective on the situation. That has undoubtedly helped him through this season, as it’s easy to think it’s been very taxing on the soul but he says he’s managing fine and trying to hold it together for his team. Thus far, this team has continued to compete, so they aren’t playing like a defeated group, and there is good talent and a well-constructed team.
This season has had more tough losses than good wins, more close calls than breakthroughs. But the Bulldogs will come right back on Saturday against Monmouth and later in the season, as O’Shea and his staff continue to move the team forward for next year. They want to get some wins now, but they know there is a bigger goal, and they also know the team they have isn’t in dire straits.
