Tag: Brandon Peel

Howie Dickenman Not Going Out Winner, But An NEC Legend

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – We all know that “nice guys finish last”, and the nicest guy in the NEC will likely finish his career at the bottom of the conference standings, although with three games to go, Howie Dickenman’s squad is playing its best basketball. Thursday night, his Central Connecticut squad led the entire second half in a 76-72 win over Mount St. Mary’s at Detrick Gym.

Dickenman made official Thursday following the game what was already common knowledge thanks to sources and social media, his 20th season in charge of CCSU basketball would be the 69-year-old’s final one. It was typical Dickenman that he was slightly annoyed that word of his retirement leaked out before he could make it official, technology and social media are not really his thing.

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LIU Brooklyn 76, Central Conn. 67 – Rough Sledding For Blue Devils

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – “They’re going to beat somebody” might be the ultimate in backhanded compliments, but it’s become a common refrain for opponents of Central Connecticut the last two seasons.

There are many causes, the most prominent being the dismissal of Kyle Vinales before last season, but these aren’t encouraging times for CCSU, now 1-12 overall and 0-2 in the NEC after falling 76-67 Monday night. With no more winless teams in Division I, the Blue Devils are tied for bottom in that category, and perhaps even more concerning, rank No. 350 overall in KenPom, with only Florida A&M behind them.

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Three Thoughts: Central Conn. 53, Wagner 50 (Plus Story Behind Brandon Peel’s Winner)

It was inevitable that Howie Dickenman would bring up Tate George and Scott Burrell after Faronte Drakeford and Brandon Peel pulled off the play of the NEC season Saturday night with a play eerily reminiscent of UConn’s winner in the 1990 Sweet 16 against Clemson to lead CCSU to a 53-50 win over Wagner at Detrick Gym.

Heck, even the time on the clock was the same (1.0 seconds), although Drakeford left Peel with a little more work to do than George had, as Peel turned and hit only his second career three-pointer from a good 25 feet out after Drakeford fired the ball down the court. Dickenman, of course, was an assistant under Jim Calhoun on that UConn squad where he would stay until taking over at CCSU in 1996.

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Three Thoughts: LIU Brooklyn 71, Central Conn. 66

Among the many cliches used by basketball coaches is, “They’re going to beat somebody, we don’t want it to be us” when playing a struggling team. And as with all cliches, there is a modicum of truth in there.

For instance, as poorly as Central Connecticut has played and as undermanned as the Blue Devils are (without Kyle Vinales and Malcolm McMillan – who now appears to be lost for the season with a back injury), our buddies (or buddy) at KenPom put their odds of going winless in the NEC at a paltry 2.6% heading into Thursday’s game against LIU Brooklyn at Detrick Gym.

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Three Thoughts: Central Connecticut 65, UMBC 53

It ain’t easy being winless, and it’s even less so when your leading scorer is already done for the season.

UMBC coach Aki Thomas spent most of Wednesday night’s 65-53 loss to Central Connecticut cringing at crucial mistakes and stomping his foot after missed opportunities. But even though his Retrievers are one of four winless teams in Division I (of 351), Thomas was much more positive in the postgame, acknowledging that the America East is a one-bid conference anyway, so they just need to be producing in a few weeks when conference play begins. And UMBC was in the game for about 35 of the 40 minutes on the road.

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Three Thoughts: Central Connecticut 56, Hartford 47

Howie Dickenman, at 68 years young, has been dealt some tough hands the last couple of seasons at Central Connecticut. This, his 19th at the table with CCSU, looked like it could hold some winning cards,none more valuable than his ace, senior Kyle Vinales, who was a first-team preseason pick and the leading returning career scorer in the conference.

But just two weeks before the regular season began, Vinales was arrested after an altercation with his girlfriend and subsequently suspended indefinitely. The Blue Devils lost their first seven games, and were down to just nine players in uniform with starting point guard (and another senior) Malcolm McMillan out injured heading into Saturday’s short drive to Hartford. They also learned earlier in the week that Vinales would not return, leaving school completely, ending his collegiate career on an unfortunate note.

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