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Date Posted: 10:10:52 02/01/05 Tue
Author: Hartford Courant
Subject: On The Outside For Now

February 1, 2005
By TOM YANTZ, Courant Staff Writer

If the Northeast Conference tournament had started Sunday, Central Connecticut (7-11, 3-6) would have been a spectator. Eight teams make it, and the Blue Devils are ninth in the 11-team league.

"We've had a tough time finishing off teams," said DeMario Anderson, Central's leading scorer (13.4 points).

The Blue Devils, losers of two consecutive NEC games, need to rebound to jump back into the tournament picture. They were two games behind fourth-place St. Francis (Pa.) and Long Island University before NEC play Monday night.

The first half of the NEC season has included more frustration than fulfillment for Central, which lost to Monmouth in the NEC tournament title game last season.

The positives include an 80-68 victory at Santa Clara; 11 three-pointers against UConn; the emergence of Anderson as a scorer who leads the NEC in free-throw shooting percentage (87); and Obie Nwadike's inside consistency (13.1 points, 7.5 rebounds).

"The biggest surprise has been Lenny [Jefferson]," coach Howie Dickenman said. "He has stepped up in a lot of areas."

Jefferson has raised his scoring average from 6.7 last season to 9.1.

The downside includes Nwadike's severe left ankle sprain that caused him to miss three games - all losses - and defeats on last-second shots to Mount St. Mary's and nonleague opponent Florida International. But Dickenman knows the biggest problem.

"The biggest disappointment has been our defense," he said.

Through Sunday's games, Central was tied for last in NEC field goal percentage defense (47.6). Central was 10th in blocks (1.83), eighth in three-point percentage defense (37.0) and eighth in steals (6.61).

And in contrast to many of the better Central teams of the past, this team has seldom won because of defense.

"We're well prepared and mentally ready, but we haven't carried the defense over into the games," Dickenman said.

Central's lack of frontcourt size also hurts. Often times, the Blue Devils have had to use 6-foot-3 guard Javier Mojica or the 6-2 Anderson to defend forwards. Expending so much energy to try to hold position inside appears to have hindered Central's offense, especially late in games.

The Blue Devils need 6-6 center Rich Pittman to score and rebound down the stretch. He has struggled with his shot (46.9 percent after shooting 59.5 last season) and with a pulled left hamstring. He didn't practice last week and didn't make the trip to Moon Township, Pa., Friday, so he could receive medical treatment in New Britain. Central lost to Robert Morris Saturday, 81-75.

Dickenman said the worst loss of the season probably was at St. Francis (Pa.), where Central led 47-30 at halftime before losing 84-81 in overtime. Central has outscored opponents in the second half only six times.

The Blue Devils can be encouraged by last season, when they finished 7-2 to become the seventh seed in the NEC tournament. The final nine regular season games this month will define them: play well and play on in the tournament or stumble and stay home.

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[> CCSU needs the future to arrive today -- New Britain Herald, 10:15:14 02/03/05 Thu

By MATT STRAUB, Assistant Sports Editor 02/03/2005

NEW BRITAIN -- CCSU coach Howie Dickenman sat back at his desk, put his hands behind his head and smiled.

"I think the future is bright at Central Connecticut," he said.

The long-term future of the program is what he was referring to, but for the Blue Devils there are still plenty of goals to be reached in the near future.

The Blue Devils enter tonght’s rematch with St. Francis (Pa.) with a 3-6 record in conference play. They have seen a potentially strong NEC campaign falter, most notably from second half collapses.

Chief among the long list of mistakes this year was the game at St. Francis, when CCSU saw a 17-point halftime lead evaporate, and a key conference road win disappear in overtime.

Sometimes young teams learn lessons the hard way. Dickenman has one senior, Rich Pittman in his rotation, and the forward has been hobbled by a leg injury for the past three games.

"We’re playing with next year’s team," Dickenman said.

That team, which includes a freshman point guard and a sophomore scorer, has begun the growing up process, which has been hastened by being thrown directly into the fire.

"I expect by this time of year freshmen are no longer freshmen and sophomores are no longer sophomores because we are halfway through the season," Dickenman observed. "We’re doing some good things, we just haven’t gotten the results that I think we’re going to get in the future. We have to continue to work hard, and I have to be patient with these guys, even though I find it difficult to be patient."

Dickenman’s desire to impart all of his knowledge on his young team as quickly as possible is clear, whether he’s on the sidelines urging them on, or pacing around the gym before a practice.

The results haven’t always been perfect, but the Devils are showing signs of becoming the team their coach envisions even while making the mistakes common to a underclassman.

"I can understand hustle mistakes," Dickenman said. "What I tell them is to make a different mistake. Don’t make the same mistake again. And lazy mistakes will not be tolerated."

There were plenty of mistakes the first time CCSU took on the Red Flash. CCSU led 47-30 at halftime in Loretto, then led 62-48 before Darshan Luckey took over. He finished the night with 35 points, and gave the Blue Devils what Dickenman called a "sickening" loss.

"We were blowing them out of their own gym," he said. "We told the kids they were tough at home. I don’t know if it was a psychological thing where we thought we were going to win, but I have to give St. Francis credit, they came back."

Coming back is exactly what the Devils will look to do in the second half of the year. A year ago they started 2-6 and found themselves in the NEC title game. Now they hope to reverse their record again and stage a similar rally.

"We had to fight last season. We were dead and buried. We were 2-6 in the league and everyone counted us out," Dickenman said. "We got into the seven spot, beat the two and went on from there."

Yes, Dickenman can see the bright future ahead. He likes the way Lenny Jefferson is developing as a defender and can see him being a leader. He notes DeMario Anderson’s development into a solid scoring threat. He sees the potential freshman guard Tristan Blackwood possesses.

For the future to pay immediate dividends, one of those youngsters must grow up on the court over the next month.

"We don’t have a horse this year, but maybe we have a lot of ponies," Dickenman said. "If the ponies can gather up and get us to the finish line, get us into the tournament first, once we get there I think our chances of winning the NEC tournament are just as good as anyone, we just have to get there first."

Stopping Darshan Luckey tonight would be a great first step for the Dickenman’s Pony Express.

Matt Straub can be reached via email at mstraub@newbritainherald.com


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