Standing at 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds, sophomore forward Thomas Bruce is an imposing figure. A product of Maryland’s DeMatha Catholic High School — a basketball powerhouse that has produced multiple NBA stars — expectations were high for Bruce when he arrived at Binghamton last season.
As a rookie, Bruce averaged 6.8 points per game while racking up 5.0 rebounds per contest. Although these numbers don’t jump off the page, Bruce made strides in his first season as a Bearcat.
“[Division I basketball] is definitely a lot faster, the pace of the game,” Bruce said. “It wasn’t too big of a difference where it was hard to adjust, but I adjusted pretty quick and got into the flow pretty well.”
Bruce averaged 27.5 minutes per game last season, the fourth-most on the team. Bruce is happy to have his freshman year under his belt and knows his experience will help him going forward.
“I think [having played big minutes last year] will put me more at ease,” he said. “Overall [I’ll feel] just more relaxed and just play into my strengths.”
Bruce’s main focus this year will be helping his team improve. Binghamton recorded just a 5-11 conference record last year before being eliminated in the America East (AE) Tournament Quarterfinals for the fourth straight year. Bruce, however, refuses to let last year’s results shake his confidence in this year’s group.
“We’ve definitely shown signs of improvement this preseason; we’ve been working out [and] been in the gym all summer,” he said. “I think we should be pretty solid this year.”
One of the strengths for this BU squad is its defensive prowess. The Bearcats ranked third in scoring defense last season, just one year after finishing sixth. Much of the credit for Binghamton’s defensive turnaround can be attributed to Bruce’s inside presence. He was one of only six players to average over one block per game in conference play. He was also second on the team in rebounding during AE games, averaging 5.1.
Since the departure of Jordan Reed from the program in 2014, the Bearcats have lacked a rebounding presence. No BU player has averaged more than seven rebounds per game in the two seasons since Reed’s departure. Binghamton has been in the bottom half of the conference in rebounding margin and offensive and defensive rebounding. Bruce has showed promise on the boards, especially in conference play. He has the potential to provide the Bearcats with the frontcourt presence they need.
“I think that’s one of my biggest assets, being athletic,” Bruce said. “I can definitely protect the rim. I can definitely help the team be a better defensive team all around.”
Bruce is not just a defensive player, though. He reached double digits in scoring on nine separate occasions last season. This was highlighted by a career day at UMBC in late February, when he drained 18 points and shot 78 percent from the floor.
He was also a force on the offensive boards, recording 1.9 offensive rebounds per game in AE play. Bruce’s offensive contributions could be used on a regular basis by the Bearcats, who scored the least points per game (60.9) of any conference team last season.
“I just want to become more consistent to help my team out,” Bruce said. “Just kind of let the game flow to me naturally and not try to overdo it.”
Bruce is poised to develop into one of the top forwards in the conference. With high expectations for both himself and his team, Bruce is ready to get his sophomore year underway.
“I’m definitely really excited, it’s been a long preseason, tough preseason,” he said. “I think we are all ready to get on the court and show what we’ve been working on and show people that we can definitely be good this year.”