FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Owls are Last NE10 Men's Basketball Team to Record 30 Wins in a Season.
"On This Date" in 2014, the Southern Connecticut men's basketball team lost in the NCAA Elite Eight to Evansville, 98-88, ending a remarkable 30-3 campaign – marking the last time an NE10 men's basketball team has recorded a 30-plus win season.
The Owls, led by head coach Michael Donnelly, boasted an 18-2 record in NE10 play in the 2013-14 season, and went on to capture the NE10 and NCAA East Region championships before taking their trip to Evansville, Ind., to compete in the national quarterfinals.
Senior Greg Langston averaged a team-high 19.8 points per game that season, while junior Tylon Smith chipped in 19.0 points per contest. Additionally, freshman Michael Mallory averaged 15.8 points and was named NE10 Rookie of the Year. The Waterbury, Conn., native would spend the next three seasons of his SCSU career becoming the NE10's all-time leading scorer with 2,515 points.
Langston earned the honor of NE10 Player of the Year and was named a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-American. Smith was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NE10 Championship that season with a 22-point performance against crosstown rival New Haven in the league final.
The 2013-14 Owls are one of only four NE10 men's basketball teams in history to hit the 30-win plateau for a single season (Bentley in 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2007-08) and are the only program to earn that achievement over the past 12 years.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
