Des Moines, Iowa — Even during his basketball program's darkest days, Steve Pikiell never doubted that Stony Brook could reach the national stage.

"I knew the potential of the school was off-the-charts," Pikiell said.

Pikiell's faith, perseverance and hard work gradually paid off with Stony's Brook first NCAA tournament berth in his 11th season as head coach.

Since beating Vermont in the America East tournament final on Saturday to earn an automatic bid, the Seawolves have been the toast of Long Island and beyond.

Stony Brook (26-6) has the difficult task of playing No. 4 Kentucky at 9:40 p.m. Thursday in South Region first round at Wells Fargo Arena.

"It's been a crazy few days," Pikiell said. "It's tough to get in this tournament. This was the group that did it. It's very rewarding."

Pikiell, a Bristol native, UConn graduate and former Husky player, has completely rebuilt the Stony Brook program from the ground floor. In his first three years, he went 20-67 before breaking through with his first winning season in 2008-09. He's won at least 22 games in six of the last seven seasons and regularly competed for the America East title.

Through all the adversity, Pikiell remained confident that sunnier days were ahead.

"We started off building program and we didn't have a lot of success or a lot of tradition," Pikiell said. "It was probation the first couple of years, scholarship limitations and APR issues, I said we got the full makeover.

"I was very confident, though, in the program and if I could get my kind of guys that were a little bit tougher and wanted to be at Stony Brook ... We had such a great university, academically off-the-charts, near the water. ... and just a lot of good people, I knew we could get it going."

Pikiell's roots are firmly planted in Connecticut. He's graduated from St. Paul in Bristol. He met his wife while at UConn. To this day, his UConn connections remain as strong as steel.

"I always follow the Huskies," Pikiell said.

Pikiell played from 1986-1991 and helped UConn win the program's first Big East championship in 1990. Then he served one season as a graduate assistant on Jim Calhoun's staff before leaving the nest.

Former UConn assistant Howie Dickenman, who coached Pikiell at UConn and then hired him as his assistant at Central Connecticut, and Calhoun attended the America East championship game.

"They recruited me," Pikiell said. "I was part of that first recruiting class coach Calhoun had. They've been mentors. ... I was just honored that they both took the time."

All the members of his UConn family were thrilled that Pikiell finally earned an NCAA bid after failing in four previous trips to the America East title game.

"Steve has been so close and to see him break through was a wonderful thing," said UConn coach Kevin Ollie. "I think we all cheer each other on, because we all know what we've been through, through coach Calhoun's practices, so all of us got an understanding of brotherhood through those practices."

What Pikiell has accomplished at Stony Brook hasn't gone unnoticed outside of New York.

Kentucky coach John Calipari watched Stony Brook rally from a double-digit deficit to win the America East championship game from a Nashville hotel room.

"I'm happy for him," Calipari said. "I said, 'hope we don't play them.' Did not know my room was bugged by NCAA. When they heard that, they said that's who they're playing, we'll work the field around them. But, anyway, they're good. Our team knows they're good."

g.keefe@theday.com