The Central Connecticut Blue Devils men's basketball team is the men's

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

team that represent

Central Connecticut State University Central Connecticut State University (Central Connecticut, CCSU, Central Connecticut State, or informally Central) is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticut's oldest publi ...

New Britain New Britain () is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi Island, Umboi the Dampie ...

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

, United States. The school's team currently competes in the

Northeast Conference The Northeast Conference (NEC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Teams in the NEC compete in Division I for all sports; football competes in the Division I Foo ...

and is coached by Patrick Sellers. The team last played in the

NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

History

Central's first year of competition was the 1934–35 season under coach Harrison J. Kaiser, after whom the athletic building is named. CCSU joined the NCAA Division I ranks in the 1986–87 season, marking 2020–21 as the 35th season at the Division I level.

Classification

Home court

Conference affiliation

Year by year results

{, class="wikitable" , - align="center" , -style="background: #ffffdd;" , colspan="8" align="center" ,

Postseason

NCAA Division I tournament results

The Blue Devils have appeared in three NCAA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 0–3. {, class="wikitable" , - ,

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, , #15 , , First Round , , #2 Iowa State , , L 78–88 , - ,

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, , #14 , , First Round , , #3

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, , L 54–71 , - ,

, , #16 , , First Round, , #1 Ohio State, , L 57–78

NCAA Division II tournament results

The Blue Devils have appeared in six NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 6–8. {, class="wikitable" , - ,

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

, , First Round
Regional Semifinals
Regional Final
Elite Eight , , Potsdam State
Philadelphia Textile
Assumption
Kentucky Wesleyan , , W 94–82
W 96–75
W 96–87
L 76–84 , - ,

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

, , Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals , , Buffalo State

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

, , W 90–73
L 76–114 , - , 1969 , , Regional Semifinals
Regional Third Place , , Springfield
Assumption , , L 80–91
L 77–98 , - ,

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...

, , Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals , , Stonehill
Assumption , , W 111–99
L 77–105 , - ,

1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...

, , Regional Semifinals
Regional Third Place , , American International
Assumption , , L 64–65
L 89–99^OT , - ,

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, , Regional Semifinals
Regional Third Place, , South Dakota State
American International , , L 59–74
W 102–90 , -

NAIA national tournament results

The Blue Devils have appeared in 10 NAIB/NAIA National Tournaments at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Their combined record is 1–10. {, class="wikitable" ,

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

, , First Round
Second Round , , Montana
Xavier (Ohio) , , W 63–52
L 39–57 , , – , - ,

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025 * January 2 – Luis ...

, , First Round , , Indiana Central , , L 59–72, , – , - ,

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

, , First Round , , Westminster (Pa.) , , L 62–70 , , – , - ,

1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...

, , First Round , , #12 Westminster (Pa.) , , L 76–79 , , – , - , 1960 , , First Round , , #6 Grambling , , L 68–92 , , – , - , 1961 , , First Round , , #11 Southwest Texas State , , L 59–70 , , – , - ,

1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

, , First Round , , #16 William Jewell (Mo.) , , L 52–57 , , – , - ,

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...

, , First Round , , Athens State (Ala.) , , L 71–72, , #16 , - ,

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

, , First Round, , Saint Mary’s (Texas) , , L 62–64 , , #14 , - ,

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...

, , First Round , , #9 Augsburg (Minn.) , , L 87–103 , , – , -

NCAA Division I conference awards

Player of the Year

''Northeast Conference'' * 2011 – Ken Horton * 2007 – Javier Mojica * 2004 – Ron Robinson * 2002 – Corsley Edwards * 2000 – Rick Mickens

Defensive Player of the Year

''Northeast Conference'' * 2008 – Tristan Blackwood * 2007 – Tristan Blackwood * 2000 – Rick Mickens *2025 – Abdul Momoh ''East Coast Conference'' * 1991 – Patrick Sellers

Rookie of the Year

''Northeast Conference'' * 2012 – Kyle Vinales * 2008 – Shemik Thompson ''East Coast Conference'' * 1991 – Bryon Smith

All-Conference First Team

''Northeast Conference'' * 2013 – Kyle Vinales * 2012 – Ken Horton * 2011 – Ken Horton * 2008 – Tristan Blackwood * 2007 – Tristan Blackwood, Javier Mojica, Obie Nwadike * 2006 – Justin Chiera * 2004 – Ron Robinson * 2003 – Ron Robinson * 2002 – Corsley Edwards * 2001 – Corsley Edwards * 2000 – Rick Mickens ''Mid-Continent Conference'' * 1996 – Keith Closs

All-Conference Second Team

''Northeast Conference'' * 2015 – Matt Mobley * 2009 – Ken Horton * 2002 – Damian Battles, Ricardo Scott * 2001 – John Tice * 2000 – Corsley Edwards, John Tice * 1999 – Rick Mickens, Charron Watson * 1998 – Rick Mickens ''Mid-Continent Conference'' * 1997 – Sean Scott

All-Rookie Team

''Northeast Conference'' * 2020 – Myles Baker * 2019 – Ian Krishnan * 2016 – Austin Nehls * 2014 – Matt Mobley * 2013 – Brandon Peel * 2012 – Kyle Vinales * 2008 – Ken Horton, Shemik Thompson * 2004 – Obie Nwadike * 2003 – Justin Chiera * 2001 – Ron Robinson * 1999 – Corsley Edwards * 1998 – Marijus Kovaliukas ''Mid-Continent Conference'' * 1995 – Keith Closs, Bill Langheim

Coach of the Year

''Northeast Conference'' * Howie Dickenman – 2007, 2006, 2002, 2000

Other awards

All-American Selections

First Team * Howie Dickenman – 1969 Second Team * Richard Leonard – 1984 & 1983 * Steve Ayers – 1982 * Bill Reaves – 1971 & 1970 Third Team * Steve Ayers – 1981 Honorable Mention * Ken Horton – 2011 UPI Selection * Eugene Reily – 1966

All-New England selections

First Team * Rich Leonard – 1984 * Steve Ayers – 1982 * Bill Reaves – 1971 * Howie Dickenman – 1969 Second Team * Corsley Edwards – 2002 * Rick Mickens – 2000 * Byran Heron – 1989 * Ken Hightower – 1984 * Rich Leonard & Steve Ayers – 1983 * Billy Wendt – 1973 * Howie Dickenman – 1968 * Paul Zajac – 1967 Third Team * Greg Roberts – 1978 * Jere Quinn & Robert Charbonneau – 1977

Blue Devils in the NBA

* Corsley Edwards – 2002 NBA Draft – Round 2, Pick 29 / Sacramento Kings (10 games played) * Keith Closs – 1997 Free Agent / Los Angeles Clippers (130 games played) * Howie Dickenman – 1969 NBA Draft – Round 17, Pick 210 / Phoenix Suns (did not play)

References

External links

* {{Northeast Conference men's basketball navbox