PDF Release
NEC Player of the Week: Katie Reese, SFU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Sydney Holloway, BRY
Previous NEC Releases: Preseason Poll Release | Preseason All-NEC Release
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
KATIE REESE, SAINT FRANCIS U
G, Sr., 5-8, Boonton Township, N.J. / Mountain Lakes
WEEK 1 STATS: 27 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, .563 FG pct., .571 3FG pct., .833 FT pct.
Reese powered the Red Flash to a noteworthy season-opening victory in Madison. The guard poured in 27 points and dished out a game-high seven assists in a 103-100 road win over Big Ten member Wisconsin. She shot 56 percent (9-of-16) from the field, including a 4-for-7 clip from downtown. Reese, who added a pair of rebounds and one steal as part of an all-around efficient effort, accounted for a 7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and was charged with only one personal foul in 32 minutes. The Garden State product had a red-hot hand down the stretch as Saint Francis ended the game with a 10-3 surge. Reese scored 11 of the team’s final 14 points, lifting the Flash to their first win over a Big Ten foe since 2006. She gave Saint Francis the lead for good by sinking a three-pointer that put the Flash in front by a 99-98 margin with 1:52 remaining in regulation. Her two free throws increased the SFU lead to 103-98 with 00:23 left.
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
SYDNEY HOLLOWAY, BRYANT
F/G, Fr., 5-11, Morgantown, WV/Morgantown
WEEK 1 STATS: 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 18 minutes
Holloway helped Bryant to a season-opening triumph over America East member Vermont. The freshman played an impactful 18 minutes in the 63-57 road victory, tallying nine points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Coming off the bench, Holloway shot 50 percent from the field and sank all three of her free throw attempts. She entered the game midway through the opening quarter and quickly contributed a three-point play, a defensive rebound and a block as the Bulldogs turned a 7-2 deficit into a 10-7 lead after one. Her first career assist came on a bucket by Alex Klein, breaking a 16-16 tie and giving Bryant the lead for good with 6:05 left in the second quarter.
TWEET SHEET
@NECHoopsRon
(Nov 13) ??That’s how you do it @RedFlashWBB! Also 103 pts, 15 3s & 25 forced TOs. @CoachJoeHaigh’s dream game come to life! #WeWin #NECPride #NECWBB
@JohnSMiko
(Nov 13) Wisconsin enrollment 43,000, SFU 2,300! #GiantKillers #SizeDoesntMatter
@DennisPunzelWSJ
(Nov 13) Gabby Gregory’s last-second 3 wide right as @BadgerWBB falls to St. Francis 103-100.
@DennisPunzelWSJ
(Nov 13) Whew. St. Francis gets layup at horn to take 80-79 lead over @BadgerWBB after 3Q. Badgers won 3Q 34-30.
@DennisPunzelWSJ
(Nov 13) St. Francis takes 50-45 halftime lead on @BadgerWBB 24 of Red Flash’s shots have been from 3. 8 have gone in.
@DennisPunzelWSJ
(Nov 13) St. Francis’ relentless pressure taking toll on @BadgerWBB but UW still leads 23-20.
@CanBallReport
(Nov 11) Alex Klein (Waterloo,ON) had 25 pts,6 rebs,1 ast in 30 mins in Bryant’s 63-57 win over Vermont. #CanBall
@ShawnSailer
(Nov 11) Final: @SacredHeartWBB 56 Fairfield 44. #CrosstownClassic #NECWBB #MAACHoops
@elsctpost
(Nov 11) SHU opening a double digit lead over Fairfield 22-12 with 6 minutes left in 2nd QT
@cthuddle
(Nov 11) That time of year, FINALLY -- Friday night college hoops in CT -- Sacred Heart and Fairfield at Webster Bank Arena
AROUND THE ARC
BRYANT, which lost the 2015-16 NEC rebounding champion (Breanna Rucker) to graduation, out-rebounded Vermont by a 41-30 margin in the 2016-17 opener with veteran Morgan Olander grabbing a game-high nine caroms.
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT hosts two straight games against America East opponents Hartford (Nov. 16) and Vermont (Nov. 18) this week.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON, which opened the season with its first-ever meeting with New Mexico (Nov. 12), is scheduled to play a Mountain West member for the second time when it hosts Air Force on November 26.
LIU BROOKLYN, which was plagued by 32 turnovers in the season-opening setback, faced Army for the first time since 1999.
MOUNT ST. MARY’S, which is 21-21 all-time in season openers, could not solve ACC member Pittsburgh (Nov. 12) and lost its lid-lifter for the seventh consecutive year.
ROBERT MORRIS wasted no time in giving first-year head coach Charlie Buscaglia his first career victory; the Colonials topped Division II Point Park in a Friday morning affair that was the first official game of the 2016-17 NCAA women’s basketball season.
SACRED HEART topped MAAC member Fairfield in the Crosstown Classic (Nov. 11), picking up its second win in the last three meetings with its local rival.
SAINT FRANCIS U will look for its second win in the state of Wisconsin when its visits Milwaukee-based Marquette (Nov. 15) in what will be the Flash’s lone bout against a Big East member this season.
ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN, which has 10 underclasswomen on its roster, had 12 different players, including 11 in the first quarter, see game action in a season-opening setback at CAA member James Madison.
WAGNER, which suffered from foul trouble in its season opener at NJIT (4 Seahawks with 4 fouls apiece), embarks on a three-game home swing and will play five of its next six games within the friendly confines of the Spiro Center.
FINE LINES (WEEK 1)
The following players earned "NEC Prime Performer status" after accounting for some fine statistical lines...
KATHERINE HAINES (SACRED HEART)
After missing last season due to injury, the 6-foot-2 sophomore forward powered the Pioneers to a road win over MAAC member Fairfield, tallying 18 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor.
KATIE REESE (SAINT FRANCIS U)
The veteran guard scored 11 of her 27 points during the decisive fourth quarter of the Flash’s 103-100 win over Big Ten member Wisconsin.
ALEX KLEIN (BRYANT)
Shooting 60 percent from the field, the veteran scored 25 points and grabbed 6 boards in a road win over America East member Vermont.
JESSICA KOVATCH (SAINT FRANCIS)
The 2016 #NECWBB Rookie of the Year opened her sophomore season with 29 points in a win at Wisconsin.
QUOTABLE
JESSICA MANNETTI (Sacred Heart), Head Coach
“I’m really lucky to have a veteran mentality, from top to bottom. Our seniors did a good job. [Reigning NEC Player of the Year] Hannah [Kimmel] wasn’t able get into a rhythm, silly foul trouble, she was frustrated, but we had other players step up.”
- after the Pioneers prevailed, 56-44, over crosstown rival Fairfield in the season opener
PETE CINELLA (Fairleigh Dickinson), Head Coach
“Our effort was very good today. I was so impressed with Natalie [Zamora] getting 18 against a very good team. We kept our turnovers down, but we just missed some open shots. We have to a better job of defending the three-point line.”
- after the Knights shot 28.6 percent from the field and were victimized by 11 three-pointers in a season-opening setback at New Mexico
MARY BURKE (Bryant), Head Coach
“Overall, I think it was the character of the team that was important to the win. The team’s refusal to lose and let Vermont come back was the difference. We struggled from outside but our staples were our defense, rebounding and tenacity,. Our shooting is going to come around. It is especially hard to come out hot on the road and with young kids trying to shake off the nerves. What proved to be the most crucial was our ability to withstand their runs and that along with our staples will benefit us moving forward.”
- on the Bulldogs’ road win over Vermont, during the second half of which they never trailed, but never led by more than nine points.
“Alex [Klein] did exactly what she did all preseason. Her ability to score carried over. A quote I always use is ‘as you practice, you will play’ and Alex did just that.”
- on forward Alex Klein’s 25-point performance at Vermont.
CHARLIE BUSCAGLIA (ROBERT MORRIS), Head Coach
“We have to do a better job in the moment. We have to take care of the ball better and make good decisions in the lane. Second half, we could have came back because we were creating things, but we didn’t play at the level we could play at down the stretch.”
- after the Colonials failed to start 2-0, falling at home to MAAC member Monmouth in a game that they trailed from the 7:43 mark of the first quarter onward.