Illinois State guard
Tarise Bryson, the nations fourth-leading scorer last season, has completed the necessary academic work to receive another year of eligibility under NCAA rules.
The Decatur native sat out his first year (1997-98) at Illinois State to meet NCAA requirements. He was listed as a senior during the 2000-01 season.
However, during the spring semester of the recently completed school year, he fulfilled the academic requirements to gain another year of playing eligibility.
He will now be the nations top returning scorer after posting an average of 22.8 points per game last season.
I really hope this is more of a start for Tarise than a finish, said ISU head coach Tom Richardson. Hes been working toward this goal for more than a year and now its time for him to focus on the ultimate college goal and thats getting his degree.
Obviously, his presence with our team is very significant. He is one of the most prolific scorers in school history and he continues to expand his game.
Bryson said his focus is on the ultimate post-season prize
I really wanted this extra year because I havent played in the NCAA Tournament yet, he said. Thats always been my goal. Records are nice, but I remember that 1998 team that went to the tournament and I want to be a member of a team like that.
Bryson currently ranks as the No. 6 scorer in Illinois State history with 1,728 points, some 512 behind all-time leader Doug Collins. He has exceeded 512 points in each of the last two seasons.
I think any player in Tarises position would be interested in setting that record, but Tarise was here when guys like
Dan Muller were here and he understands that we measure a lot of a players greatness by what the team accomplishes, Richardson said. We feel like weve got better people around Tarise for the upcoming season and I know his goals are very much team oriented and centered on the NCAA Tournament.
