The next stop on Brycen Goodine's basketball journey is the University of Oklahoma.
The New Bedford native, who had an outstanding career at Fairfield University as one of the nation's top three-point shooters, has announced he will play his senior year for the Western Sooners.
“Growing up, I always wondered where I'd end up playing,” said Goodin, 24, who also played at Syracuse and Providence. “I never thought I'd end up playing in the SEC somewhere in the Midwest, but I guess that's why I chose it. It's different, it's something I've never tried before, and I'm excited about it.”
Oklahoma finished the 2023-24 season with an overall record of 20-12 but missed out on the NCAA Tournament as the first team to lose on Selection Sunday.
“I got the impression from the coaching staff that they have really big plans for the team,” Goodin said. “They want us to go to March Madness. That's the culture I want to be a part of. On the biggest stage possible. It's going to be fun.”
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Goodin said he was amazed at what the University of Oklahoma had to offer.
“The resources they have, the technology, the coaching staff and the competitive mindset – they're definitely top class,” he said. “I'm interested to see how I would fare in that environment.”
Goodin makes the ultimate comeback
Finishing his collegiate career at Oklahoma is even more meaningful for Goodin, who suffered a torn meniscus during his first year at Fairfield in 2022 and had to battle a recovery from it.
“When I got injured I thought it was over,” he admitted. “As you can see, I'm still here, so you never know what's going to happen.”
Determined, Goodeen spent the long offseason working on improving different aspects of his game.
“I was able to sit back and think about what I need to improve in my game,” he said. “To be honest with you, I didn't even practice shooting. I was just thinking, 'I can shoot, what other ways can I score?' I was just focusing on ball handling, footwork and strength.”
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Goodin played in the first few games of his junior year at Fairfield University but missed the early part of the season due to the birth of his son, Cohen.
When Goodin returned, he was ecstatic.
He scored 40 points in a win over Siena on Jan. 5 and 37 points against Canisius on March 7, the two highest scoring games this season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
“I'd heard about daddy strength, but I never knew until I experienced it,” he said. “It's just willpower. That's daddy strength. My daddy strength makes me give 100 percent. Not that I haven't done that before, but my daddy strength makes me give it every single time I go out and compete.”
Goodin came off the bench in 24 of 31 games this year and relished his role.
“My mindset was, whether I was coming off the bench or starting or whatever I was doing, I was going to play the same,” he said. “I would watch the games before I went out and get a sense of what the team was missing and what we needed. And whether it was rebounding, not driving or not having the energy, I said, 'I'm going to go out there and do it.'”
“I always tried to come in with a spark of energy no matter what.”
Goodin made 77 3-pointers in the 2023-24 season. He ranked third in NCAA Division I in catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, shooting 49% on four attempts per game.
“Brycen was one of the best 3-point shooters in the country last season,” Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser said in a press release. “He can score in a variety of ways and uses his athleticism and length to his game. He combines a scorer's mentality with high efficiency.”
Goodin was named MAAC Sixth Man of the Year last season after averaging 13.9 points, three rebounds and 1.4 assists.
“It was a team award and I don't think I would have been nominated if the team hadn't been successful and recognized,” Goodin said.
Fairfield finished the season 24-13, losing to St. Peter's in the 2024 MAAC Championship and to Seattle in the Lo College Basketball Invitational semifinals.
Goodine's Trail from Bishop Stang to Oklahoma
Goodin's dream of playing college basketball began long before he led Bishop Stang to a Division 3 state championship in 2016, but he never expected it to take such a big turn.
Goodin won a NEPSAC Class AA championship during his senior year at St. Andrew's School in Barrington before spending one season (2019-20) at Syracuse University, averaging 1.9 points and 1.0 rebounds in 23 games.
He then transferred to Providence College and helped the school reach the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2022. In his two years at Providence, he played in a total of 37 games and averaged just under two points per game.
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Goodin played in four games for Fairfield before suffering a knee injury.
“At each place I've earned the little chips that have helped me get to where I am today,” he said, noting that playing at this level requires a full-time commitment. “It's not just about playing and training. It's two hours every day, but it doesn't end when you leave the gym. It has to be your lifestyle. You wake up every morning and you get ready and you mentally prepare, you eat, you take care of your body and recover.”
“When I was younger, I didn't understand all this. My success here comes from learning these things. Just coming to practice doesn't work, because nobody just practices.”
Goodin said he is looking forward to his time at Oklahoma.
“My goal this year is to become a pro on and off the court and be good at whatever I do,” he said. “If I do that, I think a lot of opportunities will come my way and who knows where I'll end up.”
