PDF Release
NEC Player of the Week: Ace Harrison, SFU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Cebria Outlow, CCSU
Previous NEC Releases: Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason Poll Release | Preseason All-NEC Release
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ACE HARRISON, SAINT FRANCIS U
F, Gr., 6-2, Baltimore, MD/Maryland
WEEK 3 STATS: 12.0 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 4.0 spg, 3.0 bpg, .571 FG pct.
Harrison’s all-around effort was a key factor in Saint Francis U’s 95-74 victory over MAAC member Canisius. Playing only 24 minutes in the Red Flash’s lone game last week, Harrison shot 57.1 percent from the field and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe to help SFU even its overall record to 2-2. The graduate transfer, who spent the last three seasons at Maryland, tallied 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in a 95-74 triumph over the Golden Griffs. Contributing in multiple facets of the game, Harrison accounted for four assists, four steals and three blocked shots. The performance was Harrison’s first double-double in a Red flash uniform. The 6-foot-2 forward grabbed nine rebounds in each of the season’s first three contests. She’s averaging 17.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor this season.
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
CEBRIA OUTLOW, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
F, Fr., 5-9, Norwich, CT/Norwich Free Academy
WEEK 3 STATS: 8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.7 spg, .833 FT pct.
Outlow made contributions coming off the bench in all three of Central Connecticut’s games last week and ended the three-game span by turning in her best performance yet. The freshman small forward tallied a career-high 16 points, six rebounds and two steals against San Diego State in Sunday’s consolation game at the Seton Hall Classic. For the week, Outlow averaged 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. The rookie was almost automatic from the free throw line, nailing 15 of 18 attempts (.833). She hit both free throw attempts and grabbed a pair of rebounds during 13 minutes of action in an overtime road loss to Big East member Seton Hall on Saturday. Outlow started the week by scoring eight points and securing four caroms on Wednesday in a setback at A-10 member Massachusetts.
SYNONYMOUS WITH SCORING, SAINT FRANCIS HAS BALANCE
Saint Francis U’s scoring is up and so is the amount of balance on the stats sheet.
The Red Flash are averaging a conference-high 91.5 points per contest through the season’s first three weeks, a mark that ranks fourth overall on the NCAA Division I team leader board.
Led by reigning NEC Rookie of the Year Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, NJ) at 19.0 points per contest, four SFU starters are contributing at least 12.8 ppg apiece. Three of those four women rank amongst the top-five scorers in the conference thus far this season.
Although they topped the NEC in scoring offense for the 2015-16 campaign, the Red Flash averaged 74.5 points per game and Kovatch was responsible for more than 28 percent of that offensive output.
Averaging 20.9 points per game to lead all Division I freshmen, Kovatch was the lone SFU player to average double figures in scoring last season. Kovatch has continued to pile up the points early on during her sophomore campaign and she is receiving plenty of help from her friends.
The arrival of graduate transfer Ace Harrison (17.0 ppg) has contributed to SFU’s scoring surge this November and a pair of returnees have done their part, too.
Guards Katie Reese and Maya Wynn, who both averaged a shade under 10.0 points per contest last year, rank amongst the NEC’s top-15 scoring leaders. Reese’s 18.8 points per game average ranks second while Wynn sits 13th at 12.8 ppg.
Saint Francis U opened the 2016-17 schedule by dropping 103 points in a win at Big Ten member Wisconsin and the Flash have scored no fewer than 77 points in a game. Albeit in a losing effort, SFU poured in 91 points in a road game at Big East member Marquette.
The Red Flash, who own the league’s three highest single-game scoring totals, are the lone NEC team to hit the 90-point mark this season, having achieved the feat thrice. Amongst the other nine NEC members, St. Francis Brooklyn has gotten the closest to 90 points. The Terriers topped Monmouth, 87-78, on November 16.
Under the direction of Joe Haigh, Saint Francis has developed a reputation for fast play and high scoring. Haigh’s Flash set the conference’s single-season scoring record during the 2013-14 campaign when they accounted for 82.4 points per contest. SFU eclipsed the 100-point mark in a game five times that season.
KIMMEL DINES ON 30 BURGER IN BINGHAMTON
Reigning NEC Player of the Year Hannah Kimmel (Harpursville, NY) produced the league’s first 30-point performance on the season last week.
Powering Sacred Heart to a road win over America East member Binghamton, the veteran small forward tallied 30 points and 10 rebounds on November 23.
Kimmel sank a game-high 11 field goals, including five three-pointers, to surpass the previous NEC single-game scoring high that Katie Reese set when she poured in 29 points in Saint Francis’ season-opening win over Wisconsin.
Through five games, the do-it-all forward is averaging 14.6 points per contest. Last year, she finished fifth amongst NEC scoring leaders at 16.4 ppg (33 games).
FINE LINES (WEEK 3)
The following players earned “NEC Prime Performer status” after accounting for some fine statistical lines...
ACE HARRISON (SAINT FRANCIS)
Doing it all the Red Flash’s runaway win over Canisius, the graduate transfer tallied 12 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks.
MEGAN SMITH (ROBERT MORRIS)
The junior forward produced 14.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.7 bpg last week and earned a selection to the FIU Thanksgiving All-Tournament Team.
BRIANNA THOMAS (FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON)
The veteran guard averaged 22.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg during the Knights’ three-game week, including 21 points in a win over NJIT.
MARIA PALARINO (ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN)
The second-year Terrier led the way during its stay in Boulder, CO. Tallying 14.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 3.0 apg, Palarino earned Omni All-Tournament Team honors.
ALEAH EPPS (CENTRAL CONNECTICUT)
Shooting 46 percent and averaging 16.5 ppg, the third-year Blue Devil secured a spot on the Seton Hall Classic All-Tournament Team.
MILESTONES, FIRSTS, ETC.
ADYASHA WILLIAMS (SACRED HEART)
The veteran point guard poured in a career-high 22 points in the Pioneers’ road win over Binghamton, shooting 70 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the free throw line.
MAYA WYNN (SAINT FRANCIS U)
The junior shooting guard contributed a career-high 23 points to the Flash’s 95-74 victory over Canisius. The 5-foot-11 Wynn shot 64.3 percent from the field, including a 5-for-9 clip from downtown, to help SFU beat the Griffs for the first time in the last six meetings.
IVORY BAILEY (BRYANT)
The former NEC Rookie of the Year (2015) set a career high for three-pointers made during the Bulldogs’ overtime setback at New Hampshire. Bailey hit six triples en-route to 22 points in the 62-60 defeat.
TWEET SHEET
@LIUwbb
(Nov 27) Thank you to all of our friends and family that made the trip to VT to support us! ??We’re very Thankful for all the love! #blackbirdnation
@CoachWhitMSM
(Nov 27) Sharing what I’ve learned to young HC’s: Winning is HARD!!!
@CCSUBlueDevils
(Nov 26) Kiana Patterson’s buzzer beater to send the game into OT #shediditagain #sctop10
@CoachB_RMU
(Nov 24) Success is not measured by win or lose. Be truly passionate for your dreams, and then look back. You will then realize all you accomplished.
@SHUBigRed
(Nov 23) A trio of Pioneers set career highs as Hannah Kimmel (30 pts) and Adaysha Williams (22 pts) lead SHU to a 77-69 victory over Binghamton!
@FDU_WBB
(Nov 21) RECAP -- Thomas’ 21 helps Knights get Comeback Win at NJIT
#uKnighted
AROUND THE ARC
BRYANT faced a Big Ten member for the first time in program history, holding a 23-22 halftime lead over Rutgers before dropping a 50-42 decision in Piscataway. Mary Burke’s team is scheduled to face another BCS conference member this season, travelling to ACC member Pittsburgh on December 6. … The Bulldogs’ defense held Rutgers under 39 percent shooting from the field, including a 16.7 percent clip from downtown. Bryant paces the circuit in scoring defense (62.0 ppg).
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, which will play three of its next four games against ACC members, ranks second amongst NEC team leaders in rebounds per game (42.3).
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON didn’t have to travel far to secure its first road win of the season, topping fellow North Jersey occupant NJIT on November 21 in Newark. The Knights have two more road games against Garden State-based teams. FDU, which plays four of its next five games away from home, visits MAAC members Monmouth (Dec. 10) and Saint Peter’s (Dec. 13) at the back end of the road stretch.
LIU BROOKLYN’s first five games of the season have come against opponents from five different conferences (Patriot League, A-10, Big Ten, Horizon League, Atlantic Sun) and that pattern will continue this week. The Blackbirds have scheduled visits to Ivy League member Yale (Dec. 1) and America East foe Stony Brook (Dec. 4).
MOUNT ST. MARY’S enjoyed an eight-day break around the Thanksgiving holiday. The Mountaineers, who last dropped a 74-57 decision to Lehigh on November 22, tip off a three-game stretch against fellow Marylanders with a home contest against Coppin State on November 30. Then, the Mount will visit Baltimore for its annual rivalry game with Loyola on December 3 before hosting Maryland Eastern-Shore on December 7.
ROBERT MORRIS, which is in the midst of a six-game road swing, owns one of the conference’s highest-ranked defenses. The Colonials, who are limiting opponents to a .395 field goal percentage, are ranked second in scoring defense (62.7 ppg).
SACRED HEART split its Thanksgiving Week trip through Empire State, topping America East member Binghamton (Nov. 23) before falling to MAC member Buffalo (Nov. 26). Owning the NEC’s top-ranked field goal percentage defense (.382), the Pioneers return home to the Pitt Center for a date with Harvard (Nov. 29).
SAINT FRANCIS U, which is forcing a league-high 21.0 turnovers per contest, plays at the second-fastest pace in the nation. The Red Flash average more than 92 possessions per game.
ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN, which spent the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the high altitude of Boulder, CO, returns to the Pope Center for its second home game of the season – vs. Howard (Nov. 30). SFBK won its home opener in impressive fashion, downing MAAC member Monmouth, 87-78, on November 16. The Terriers, who rank second amongst NEC team leaders in assists (14.3 apg), notched 19 assists on 27 field goals in that win.
WAGNER’s defense has been a bright spot during Heather Jacobs’ first three weeks as head coach. The Seahawks, who are blocking an average of 3.4 shots per game (third-most in NEC), are the conference’s second-ranked team in both field goal percentage defense (.392) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.241).
QUOTABLES
JOHN THURSTON (ST. FRANCIS BKLYN), Head Coach
“We’re still searching for who’s going to make the plays, who’s going to make the shots, who’s going to play with intelligence, who’s going to play at both ends of the floor…”
- following the Terriers setback to Boston College in Boulder, CO
“We return home from the land of the monsters after tonight, we won’t see as many 6’4” kids as we’ve seen together than in this tournament. I thought we were dead even on the perimeter. I thought we could play Colorado, but where you can’t is the size and the skill of the 6’3’s and 6’4’s. They extend you and they make you better, and I thought our kids competed against them. We had a couple of nice runs in the second half so I was pleased with our effort.”
- on the physical size of SFBK’s opponents at Colorado’s Omni Classic
CHARLIE BUSCAGLIA (ROBERT MORRIS), Head Coach
“We have to hold ourselves accountable and mentally prepare ourselves to come out of the locker room,” said Buscaglia. “As the season goes on, you have experiences that you can learn from. We’re getting experience now in these moments; it’s our job to respond.”
- after the Colonials dropped a two-point decision at Florida International. Following a 3-1 start, RMU has suffered three consecutive road defeats
PETE CINELLA (Fairleigh Dickinson), Head Coach
“We have to find ways to get better looks. I did like what we did in the first half and being in the position of being up five at halftime.”
- after the Knights dropped a 56-48 home contest to Air Force on Nov. 26