8 Games In & CCSU is 3-5 Part 1

The Blue Devils came into this year with a lot to look forward to. They were only losing one starter from the season before and were returning star players Ken Horton and Shemik Thompson. Then they found out that the star center Horton would miss the entire season with a hip injury.

When it came to start the season the team looked at the schedule and realized that they were on the road for their first seven games of the season and didn't have a home game until last Saturday when the Great Danes of Albany came and visited.

There seven game road trip consisted of playing in the Connecticut 6 Classic that featured six teams from Connecticut each playing one game in one day against another team in Connecticut at the Harbor Yard Arena in Bridgeport, CT. The six teams that took part in the Classic were: CCSU, Sacred Heart, Quinnipiac, Yale, Fairfield and Hartford.


CCSU drew Fairfield who plays their home games at Harbor Yard so it turned out to be more of a home game for Fairfield. In the first game of the season CCSU lost a 67-58 decision to the Stags of Fairfield. One game in and they were already missing Horton as they were out rebounded by 14 rebounds during the game.

Following the CT 6 they traveled to Savannah State in the first of their three games against the school this year. CCSU lost the initial matchup 53-45 as they shot only 36% from the field for the game. Shemik Thompson led the team with 12 points that game and Robby Ptacek added 11 with six rebounds.

With an 0-2 record the Blue Devils were scheduled to participate in the CollegeInsider.com Skip Prosser Tournament at The Citadel in Charleston, SC. In the tournament they met Savannah State for their second game of the season this time on a neutral court. This time the Blue Devils came away with their first win of the season as they won 51-44. Robby Ptacek (16) and Shemik Thompson (15) combined for 31 of the Blue Devil's 51 points in this game as the Blue Devils showed this time around that they were the better team.

In the second game of the Tournament they were scheduled against the home team The Citadel. The Blue Devils were looking to add their second straight game but The Citadel proved to be too much for CCSU that game. However, starting guard Shemik Thompson was out this game with an injury. The highlight of the Blue Devils was sophomore Robby Ptacek, who scored a career high 24 points during the game. Even with Ptacek's career game the absence of THompson was too much for the Blue Devils.

Four games into the season without a home game and the Blue Devils were looking at a 1-3 start for the 09-10 season. Later on part 2 will feature a review of the next four games that have happened so far this season.