Dominican Tournament Complete Game Notes (pdf)

BACK AT IT
The Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team kicks off the 2014 portion of its schedule at the Dominican Tournament on Jan. 3-4. The Owls play Post on Friday at 5:30 p.m. before taking on host Dominican on Saturday at 6 p.m.

ALL-TIME AGAINST POST
The Owls are a perfect 7-0 to date versus Post.

ALL-TIME AGAINST DOMINICAN
SCSU leads the all-time series 2-1 over the Chargers.

HISTORIC OPENER
This is the first time that the Owls have won nine of their first 10 games this millenium. Southern Connecticut last had a record of 9-1 in the 1996-97 season.

LANGSTON LEADS
Greg Langston scored 16 points in the second half in overtime to help the Owls erase a double digit second half deficit to defeat New Haven 82-74 in overtime on Dec. 22.

MURPHY'S LAW
Deshawn Murphy averaged 20.4 points per game as Southern Connecticut had a perfect December.
• In the Owls' 70-69 Northeast-10 Conference victory at Le Moyne on Dec. 19. Murphy led all scorers with 30 points as SCSU rallied from a 13 point halftime deficit to escape. The sophomore recorded 25 points in the final period.
•Murphy scored 21 in the Owls' 82-74 overtime win versus New Haven on Dec. 22.
•The sophomore recorded his first career double-double, scoring 23 points and snagging 11 rebounds, in the Owls' win over AIC, 80-70, on Dec. 7. 
• Murphy was named to the Northeast-10 weekly honor roll for his performance in NE-10 games against Saint Rose and AIC and again for the the three games versus Bridgeport, Le Moyne, New Haven.

ON BOARD
Langston's 15 rebounds in the win over New Haven on Dec. 22, were the most since Dexton Williamson grabbed 16 at Adelphi, on Dec. 1, 2010.

IN A ROW
The Owls are in the midst of a five-game winning streak.  The last time that SCSU won five in a row was when it won six from 1/26-2/12/13.

SMITH SETS CAREER-HIGH IN BRIDGEPORT WIN
Tylon Smith tallied a career-high 37 points to spur the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team to a 97-90 non-conference victory over Bridgeport on Dec. 16. The Owls' tri-captain went 12-of-15 from the floor and 13-of-16 from the free throw line. Smith also grabbed six rebounds, dished out five assists and had three steals.

OWLS AMONG NCAA LEADERS
• Greg Langston ranks 26th in Division II averaging 21.6 points per game.
• Tylon Smith places 25th in minutes per game (36.4).
• Luke Houston ranks 15th in steals per game (2.7).

ON THE GLASS
SCSU averages 43.5 boards per game, tops in the Northeast-10 Conference. Greg Langston leads the team with 7.4 rebounds per game.

MALLORY MAKES A MARK
Freshman guard Michael Mallory has stepped right into the Owls' rotation this season. He finished with 17 points, along with six rebounds, in the season-opener against Molloy. In 2013-14, Mallory has averaged 13.1 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game.

LANGSTON EARNS NE-10 HONORS
Greg Langston has been named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll seven times this season (date honored in parentheses):
• Recorded his seventh career double-double: grabbing 15 rebounds to go along with a game-high 27 points, in the Owls' come from behind overtime victory against New Haven on Dec. 22 (Dec. 23).
• Totaled 17 of his game-high 20 points in the second half in the Owls' 76-65 win over Saint Rose on Dec. 4, a few days before leading all scorers with 24 at AIC on Dec. 7 (Dec. 9).
• Against Pace on Nov. 26, the senior recorded a double-double in defeat. Langston, who led all scorers with 25 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and was one of five players to score in double figures for Southern Connecticut (Dec. 2.).
• In the Owls' 80-52 victory over Adelphi on Nov. 20,  Langston topped all scorers with 24 points. The Owls' senior, who went 12-for-19 from the floor, also grabbed six rebounds (Nov. 25).
• In the Owls' 98-74 victory over Concordia on Nov. 15,  Langston led all scorers with 28 points. The senior guard also had six rebounds and dished out three assists (Nov. 18).
• Averaged 25.0 points per game at the Bridgeport Classic (Nov. 11).

CAPTAINS CARRY THE LOAD
Owls' tri-captains Greg Langston, Luke Houston and Tylon Smith have carried the scoring load for the team. At the Bridgeport Tournament, the three guards accounted for just shy of 69% of SCSU's points.
• Langston, who leads the Owls averaging 21.6 points per game, ranks second the Northeast-10 Conference.
• Smith, who set a team-high with 37 points versus Bridgeport on Dec. 16, leads the team with 5.4 assists per game.
• Houston, who recorded a double-double at Concordia, tops SCSU with 2.7 steals per game.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE
The Dec. 7 victory marked the first time since the 2001-02 season that Southern Connecticut won at AIC.

WELCOME BACK
Deshawn Murphy and Jack McCarthy made an impact when they returned to the court in early December.
• Murphy scored 15 points off the bench against Saint Rose on Dec. 4 and then recorded a double-double, scoring 23 points and snagging 11 rebounds, when he started in the Owls win over AIC, 80-70, on Dec. 7.  It was the sophomore's first career double-double.
• McCarthy grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Saint Rose on Dec. 4.

BALANCED ATTACK
The Owls had five players score in double figures in three of the first five games.

WILLIAMS CRASHES THE BOARDS
Stefon Williams recorded season-high 14 points and seven rebounds at Pace on Nov. 26. The sophomore had a team-high 10 rebounds in the exhibition against UConn.

CRUZ CONTROL
Jose Cruz scored a season-high seven points against Adelphi.  The junior shot 100-percent from the floor and had three rebounds.

LANGSTON DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Greg Langston tallied the sixth double-double (25 points, 14 rebounds) of his career at Pace on Nov. 26 and seventh versus New Haven (27 points, 15 rebounds) on Dec. 22.

HOUSTON EARNS NE-10 HONORS
Luke Houston was named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll on Nov. 18.
• Houston recorded a double-double for the Owls against Concordia. The junior scored 15 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

SMITH NAMED NE-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tylon Smith, instrumental in SCSU earning two victories at the Bridgeport Men's Basketball Classic, was named the Northeast-10 Spalding Player of the Week on Nov. 11.
• In the Owls' 93-77 win over Molloy, the junior registered 22 points along with team-highs of 10 assists and eight rebounds. It was the seventh career double-double for the Owls' tri-captain.
• The following night, Smith had 12 of his 19 points in the second half to help SCSU earn the victory over Bridgeport, 77-73. The Owls' guard grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists.

SCSU WINS TWICE AT BRIDGEPORT CLASSIC
Southern Connecticut opened the 2013-14 season with two victories at the Bridgeport Men's Basketball Classic, defeating Molloy, 93-77, on Nov. 9 and host Bridgeport, 77-73, on Nov. 10.
• Against Molloy, five players scored in double figures, led by a double-double from tri-captain Tylon Smith. The junior guard registered 22 points along with team-highs of 10 assists and eight rebounds. Greg Langston led all scorers in the game with 24 points. Luke Houston and Michael Mallory each posted 17 for the Owls, while Stefon Williams added 10.
• The following night, Smith had 12 of his 19 points in the second half to help SCSU earn the victory over Bridgeport. The guard grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists. Greg Langston led all scorers with 26 points. The senior guard also grabbed six rebounds.

IN THE PRESEASON NE-10 COACHES POLL
In the release of the Northeast-10 Conference preseason coaches' poll, the Owls were picked second in the Southwest Division. SCSU received 70 points, including one first place vote, tied for second with Saint Rose and behind the University of New Haven. 

IN SEASON OPENERS
The Owls are 28-36 all-time in season-opening games. SCSU has won its last four season openers, including an 93-77 win over Molloy to start this year.

A LOOK BACK AT THE URI GAME
SCSU held a one-point lead at halftime, but the University of Rhode Island outscored the Owls by a 52-35 margin the second half to claim a 93-77 win in an exhibition contest on Nov. 1.
• Greg Langston led the Owls with 21 points in the contest. Michael Mallory added 19 points and five rebounds, while Tylon Smith chipped in 12 points, along with team-highs of seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

A LOOK BACK AT THE UCONN GAME
Senior forward Greg Langston finished with 18 points, but the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team dropped a 93-65 decision to No. 18/19 nationally ranked University of Connecticut in an exhibition contest on Oct. 30.
• Michael Mallory also reached double figures in the contest as he scored 13 for the Owls. Luke Houston and Austin Carter added nine points each.
• After a jumper from UConn's Shabazz Napier to open the scoring, the Owls went in front on a three-pointer from Langston. The Huskies followed with an 8-0 run to take a 10-3 lead. Southern Connecticut countered with a spurt to cut the gap to 18-14 with just over nine minutes left in the opening frame. The lead was just 23-16 approaching the eight minute timeout.
• However, the Huskies closed the half on a spurt that allowed them to extend their lead to 44-28 at the break.
• The Huskies outscored the Owls by a 49-37 margin in the second half to make it a 93-65 final.

MAKING STRIDES ON THE GLASS
Southern Connecticut outrebounded UConn by a 48-43 margin in its exhibition opener.

NEW ARRIVALS
The Owls welcome five newcomers to the squad for the 2013-14 season - Michael Mallory, Austin Carter, Michael Bozzuto, Jonathan Paul and Dominic Migliaro.

HELLO AGAIN
Southern Connecticut returns eight players from last year's squad - senior Greg Langston, juniors Jose Cruz, Luke Houston and Tylon Smith and sophomores Stefon Williams, Deshawn Murphy and Jack McCarthy and redshirt freshman Lucas Van Nes.

THE CAPTAINS
Head coach Michael Donnelly announced that senior Greg Langston and juniors Tylon Smith and Luke Houston will serve as team captains for the 2013-14 season.

ON THE BRINK
The Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team just missed out in its first NCAA Tournament berth in more than a decade. The Owls were ranked as high as No. 4 in the region during the year and closed the campaign with a 17-10 overall mark. It marked the second straight year that the Owls posted a winning record. In addition, the team also finished in fifth place in the Northeast-10 Conference, matching its highest placement since joining the league.

DONNELLY BUILDING A FOUNDATION
Owls' coach Michael Donnelly enters his fourth season at the helm of the SCSU men's basketball program in 2013-14. Over the course of his first three years, he has guided the Owls to steady win total improvements. Donnelly inherited a team that won just two games the year prior to his arrival and has since followed up with campaigns of 12, 14 and 17 victories. He has a 52-39 record as head coach at SCSU, which includes three straight trips to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament, a program first. Prior to his hiring at SCSU in May, 2010, Donnelly spent seven years as the head coach at Post University.

SMITH NAMED TO NE-10 MEN'S HOOPS ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Tylon Smith was selected to the Northeast-10 Conference Men's Basketball All-Academic Team for his work in the classroom and on the court. He averaged 10.2 points per game and had a team-high 6.8 rebounds.

EXCELLING IN THE CLASSROOM
Southern Connecticut had four student-athletes selected to the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for their work in the classroom during the 2012-13 academic year.

UP NEXT
SCSU returns to Northeast-10 Conference action when it hosts Southern New Hampshire on Jan. 8 before visiting Bentley on Jan. 11.