Bryant Bulldogs Basketball Season Preview

Thursday, November 13, 2014

GoLocalProv Sports Team

The Bryant University Bulldogs basketball team tips off their season on Friday November 14th on the road against the defending National Champion Connecticut Huskies. Last season, the Bulldogs finished with an overall record of 18-14 and 10-6 in conference play. 

"I just take every season as it comes, good or bad. This new season will have a life of it's own" said Head Coach Tim O'Shea on last season. 

This season the Bulldogs return with a good mix of young players and veterans in hopes of bouncing back strong from last years defeat. 

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"I like our talent level, we look good at our guard position and we are strong up front" O'Shea said of his 2014-2015 squad. "I'm Looking forward to Friday" he added. 

Guards

Bryant has great depth at the guard position led by seniors Joe O'Shea and Dyami Starks. Last season as a junior, Starks averaged 18.9 points per game to lead the Bulldogs, knocking down 88 three pointers on the season which led the team. Meanwhile, Joe O'Shea comes into this season after averaging nine points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season including picking up his first career double-double in the first round of the NEC tournament.  

Behind those two veterans, is junior Curtis Oakley and red shirt junior Zach Chionum who sat out last season after coming over from Boston University. Last season, Oakley averaged just under 12 minutes off the bench and posted 3.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. He will look to improve upon those numbers this season. 

One player to watch is freshman Hunter Ware from Powder Springs Georgia. Head Coach Tim O'Shea had high remarks and high expectations for the 6"2' guard. 

"I think when his career is done, he will go down as one of the better guards to ever play here" O'Shea said of Ware. 

Forwards

The Bulldogs will be young up front this season, having to start sophomores on the front line. They will look to Dan Garvin to lead them after he came off a freshman year where he had 36 blocks which led the team and was eighth best in the league. He also ranked third best on the team with just under five rebounds per game. With an average of 20 minutes per game last season, Garvin has the most playing experience of any of the other sophomores on the roster. Expect him to have a big role this season. 

One player to watch at the forward position for the Bulldogs is 6'8" freshman Angus Riley who has come over from New Zealand to play for the Bulldogs. Riley is coming off a stint as the captain of the New Zealand U18 Men's National Team where he averaged 9.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the 2013 Australian State Championships.

"He has come along way and has really looked good. I think he is going to be in the starting line up" O'Shea said of Riley.

Click here to see the rest of the Bulldogs roster.

The Schedule 

Bryant has a really tough non conference schedule, only playing two home games in the first month of the season and challenging road games against UConn, Akron and Denver. This schedule should help them gain exposure on a national level and build their brand, but also prepare them for conference play. 

The bulldogs open up their season on Friday night, November 14th against the UConn Huskies. Click here to listen to the game.

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Related Slideshow: Bryant Bulldogs Projected 2014-2015 Starting Lineup

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