The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1992 to 1997 includes the head coaching tenure of Scott Hicks, who was the youngest head coach in the NCAA during his first two seasons. The Dolphins had winning records in their first four seasons under Hicks. Despite a losing record in 1996–97, the Dolphins won their conference tournament and made their second straight NCAA tournament appearance. Hicks inherited a team that featured capable scorers John Haas, Joe Girard and Mike Montesano. As a sophomore late in the 1991–92 season, Dan Sandel had started getting more playing time. Sandel blossomed in 1992–93, becoming a force under the basket at both ends of the floor. Montesano and sophomore Adam Stockwell were suspended for several games at the start of the 1993–94 season, for gambling, an offense that normally carries a complete loss of athletic eligibility. The NCAA approved Le Moyne's plan to suspend the two players and provide them counseling and education, and they were reinstated. Montesano set a new program record for points scored in a season during the 1994–95 campaign. Stockwell's sellar guard play, supported by fellow senior Dan Drews and freshman John Tomsich, carried Le Moyne to a 24–6 record, their best under Hicks, in 1995–96. Senior Rob Atene handled the point, and Tomsich and freshman Jesse Potter patrolled the interior, leading the Dolphins to a Cinderella march through their conference tournament and an automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA tournament. Hicks resigned in 1997, to take the head coaching position at Albany (NY), which was beginning its transition to Division I.
Youngest head coach in the NCAA (1992–1993) Le Moyne hired Scott Hicks, who played for the Dolphins from 1984 to 1988, under former coach John Beilein, as their new head coach on May 22, 1992. Hicks had been co-captain of the Dolphins team that reached the NCAA tournament in the 1987–88 season. After graduating from Le Moyne, Hicks worked as an assistant coach at Hamilton for two years before moving on to Syracuse, where he worked for Jim Boeheim for two more years. Hicks was 26 years old at the time, and Le Moyne's search committee members believed that his age was an advantage, because he could relate well to athletes trying to excel academically. Hicks was the youngest men's basketball head coach across the NCAA's three divisions during the 1992–93 season. Le Moyne received more than 70 applications from those interested in filling the coaching vacancy.
Practices for the 1992–93 season commenced on November 1. The Dolphins lost Tom Herhusky, a reliable scorer, and Bob Piddock to graduation in 1992. Four regular starters from the previous campaign returned: seniors Christian Buchholz and John Haas, junior Joe Girard and sophomore Mike Montesano. Also returning were juniors Dan Sandel, who started several games late in the 1991–92 season, and Andre Dearing and sophomores Bob McFadden, Karl Radday and Jim Brindle. A pair of freshmen recruited by former head coach John Beilein were added to the team. Dan Drews, a 6'8" center played for New York State Section 5 Class B champion Palmyra-Macedon High School. Adam Stockwell, a 6'3" guard from Belleville-Henderson High School, was the only high school player in New York state to reach 2,000 career points in 1992. The first recruit for new head coach Scott Hicks was Martin Janson, a 6'10" sophomore transfer center from Sweden. Due to the Division I age limit of 24 years old, Janson had only one year of eligibility in Division I. However, he had three years of eligibility in Division II, and Hicks was able to sign the 23-year-old. Janson had represented Sweden in international youth competition and had hopes of making the senior team. Walk-on freshmen Joe Stickle and Mike Cassella were also added to the team. Buchholz and Haas were named co-captains.
After playing the 1991–92 season as an independent, Le Moyne joined the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) in 1992.
Chris Granozio and Don Familo, both 1986 Le Moyne graduates, replaced Peter Stoyan, who moved to Florida, calling Dolphins games on the radio in 1992. Granozio handled play-by-play, and Familo provided the color on WVOA-FM.
The Dolphins erased an early second-half nine-point deficit with a 17–2 run and cruised to a 92–76 victory over Saint Michael's at home on November 28, 1992. Mike Montesano scored 30 points to lead Le Moyne. Dan Sandel had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Senior point guard John Haas scored 20 points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished out seven assists.
Dan Sandel sprained his medial collateral ligament early in the second half of the Dolphins' 65–63 win at Pace on December 6, and was expected to miss several weeks. A pair of free throws by Adam Stockwell with eight seconds to play secured the win for Le Moyne, which improved to 3–0 on the season. While Sandel was unavailable, Stockwell was expected to start for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins hosted the opening round of the Coca-Cola Holiday Inn Carrier Circle Classic on December 11, and defeated Hilbert, 84–51. Mike Montesano scored 15 points to lead Le Moyne. The following evening, Montesano scored 23 points to lead five Dolphins in double figures as Le Moyne captured the tournament title with a 90–75 victory over Pitt-Johnstown. Martin Janson had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Dolphins. Montesano was named the tournament's most valuable player. Christian Buchholz had 11 points in the title game and joined Montesano on the all-tournament team. Le Moyne improved to 5–0 on the season.
The Dolphins ventured a bit more than three miles to take on Division I Syracuse, ranked no. 13 in the AP poll, in a battle of unbeatens on December 21. Syracuse paid Le Moyne about $15,000, which represented 40% of the basketball budget for the season. The Dolphins started the game strong and led, 11–10, with 14:37 left in the first half, before the Orangemen went on an 18–3 run. Le Moyne recovered to pull within 10 points with five minutes to play in the half, but Syracuse responded with a 17–2 run and led, 51–27, at intermission. The Dolphins' shooting heated up, and they outscored the Orangemen, 25–23, over the first minutes of the second half, but Syracuse controlled the final eight minutes and cruised to a 102–71 win. Point guard John Haas finished with 14 points, seven assists and three steals for Le Moyne. Center Martin Janson led the Dolphins with 17 points and eight rebounds. Lawrence Moten led the Orangemen with 16 points and 12 rebounds, including nine off the offensive boards. John Wallace added 13 points and seven rebounds, and Mike Hopkins finished with 12 points and eight rebounds for Syracuse.
John Haas and Martin Janson each scored 15 points in the Dolphins' 83–56 loss at Division I Siena on December 28. After the Saints controlled the game most of the way, Janson's offensive reboound and three-point play pulled the Dolphins within a point with 12:44 to play, but Siena went on a 27–5 run over the next nine minutes to put the game away. Janson grabbed 12 rebounds, and Haas added four assists for Le Moyne, which dropped to 5–2 on the season. For his efforts against Syracuse and Siena, Janson was named NECC rookie of the week.
The Dolphins played their first NECC game at Keene State on January 5, 1993. Mike Montesano scored 30 points and shot 6 for 9 from three-point range to lead Le Moyne to an 84–71 win. Dan Sandel returned to the lineup and scored eight points.
The following evening, the Dolphins visited Franklin Pierce, ranked no. 2 in the NCAA Division II poll. Le Moyne closed the first half on a 22–10 run and had a 37–31 lead at the break. A 10-foot jump shot by Martin Janson, who finished with eight points, gave the Dolphins a 43–35 lead with 15:44 to play. However, the Ravens responded with a 12–0 run that gave them the lead for good, and Franklin Pierce cruised to a 76–69 victory. Dan Sandel scored 16 points to lead Le Moyne. Janson and Sandel grabbed six rebounds each. John Haas scored 13 points and had nine assists for the Dolphins.
Martin Janson repeated as NECC rookie of the week and was also named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II rookie of the week on January 18.
The Dolphins had a brief two-game homestand over three days and welcomed a pair of ranked teams. Franklin Pierce, ranked no. 4 in the NCAA Division II poll, claimed a 9–2 lead over Le Moyne in the first three minutes of the game on January 30. The Dolphins battled back, and Adam Stockwell's jump shot over 6'8" Jason Miglionico cut the Ravens' lead to 52–50 with 11:32 to play. However, Franklin Pierce hit a three-pointer on their next possession. After a shoving match between Le Moyne's John Haas and the Ravens' Larry Wynn expanded to involve several Franklin Pierce players, Miglionico was ejected for leaving the bench and joining the fracas. Mike Montesano hit a pair of technical free throws, and the Ravens' lead was 58–54 with 9:51 left. However, Franklin Pierce scored the game's next five points and pulled away from there for a 79–66 victory. The Ravens' defense forced 20 turnovers, and Le Moyne managed only nine assists. Haas scored 18 points to lead the Dolphins. Dan Sandel and Martin Janson each had a double-double for Le Moyne. Sandel had 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, and Janson scored 10 points, grabbed 10 boards and blocked two shots.
New Hampshire College, ranked no. 11 in the NCAA Division II poll, built a 13-point lead on February 1, but the Dolphins fought back and tied the score at 60 with seven minutes to play on a three-pointer by freshman Adam Stockwell. After a John Haas bank shot gave the Dolphins their first lead at 65–63 with 3:50 on the clock, the Penmen scored the next five points to take a 68–65 lead with two minutes remaining. The Dolphins had possession in the closing seconds, trailing, 68–67. However, a short jump shot by Christian Buchholz was off the mark and rebounded by New Hampshire College, which held on for the win. Stockwell scored 22 points off the bench to lead Le Moyne. Dan Sandel scored 20 points, snatched six rebounds and neutralized Wayne Robertson, the New Hampshire College center, who came into the game averaging 20.5 points and 14.7 rebounds per contest. Robertson finished with only six points and five rebounds. The loss was the Dolphins' fourth straight, dropping them to 9–8 overall and 3–6 in NECC play.
John Haas became the 22nd Dolphin to reach 1,000 career points in Le Moyne's 100–75 win at Division III Mount Saint Mary (NY) on February 9. Christian Buchholz scored 16 points to lead Le Moyne, which improved to 11–9 on the season.
John Haas recorded his 500th career assist in the Dolphins' 109–93 home victory over New Haven on February 13. Le Moyne shot 61% from the floor in the first half and led, 51–27, at the break. The Dolphins set new program records in the game for free throws made and attempted, going 42 for 50 from the line. The Chargers had embarked on their road trip to Le Moyne for the Saturday evening game at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon. However, a series of mechanical failures involving three different buses resulted in the Chargers arriving at 2 a.m. Saturday morning. To make matters worse, New Haven took a bus from their hotel to the Henninger Athletic Center for a morning shoot-around, but the bus driver misunderstood the instructions and left after dropping them off. The players were stuck waiting at the gym for five hours. Nevertheless, Chargers head coach Stu Grove made no excuses, crediting the Dolphins for their stellar play. Mike Montesano scored 25 points to lead Le Moyne. Haas finished with 18 points and seven assists. Dan Sandel had a double-double for the Dolphins with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Le Moyne improved to 12–9 overall and 4–7 in NECC play with their second straight win.