PDF Release
NEC Player of the Week: Darian Anderson, FDU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Keith Braxton, SHU
Previous NEC Releases: January 16 | January 9 | January 2 | December 26 | December 19 | December 12 | December 5 | November 28 | November 21 | November 14 | Preseason Poll Release | Preseason All-NEC Release | NEC-TV Release
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Darian Anderson, Fairleigh Dickinson
6’1”, 182 lbs.
Jr, G, Washington, D.C./St. John’s College
Anderson’s second NEC Player of the Week award comes after an outstanding effort in Fairleigh Dickinson’s 83-66 win over LIU Brooklyn in a first place showdown on Saturday. Anderson scored a game-high 25 points on just nine shots, while adding nine rebounds, five assists and three steals to help the Knights to improve to 7-1 on the year, the program’s best start since the 2004-05 season. He hit 6-9 from the floor, including 2-3 from distance, and converted 11-12 from the stripe. For the week, Anderson averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals. The Washington, D.C. product shot 50.0 percent from outside the arc and 87.5 percent from the line. Anderson is the NEC’s third-leading scorer at 18.2 ppg and ranks in the top-10 in no less than seven different categories. He is currently second in free throw shooting (.861), steals (1.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.53), fourth in three-pointers made (2.4), fifth in three-point accuracy (.407) and eighth in assists (3.2).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Keith Braxton, Saint Francis U
6’4”, 208 lbs.
Fr., G, Glassboro, NJ/The Lawrenceville School
Braxton captures his third NEC Rookie honor in the last four weeks and conference-best fifth award of the season after putting up terrific all-around numbers once again for the Red Flash. Braxton averaged a double-double with 20.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in the Red Flash’s split. He also recorded 2.0 assists and 3.5 steals per outing, and shot 65.4 percent from the field. The Glassboro, NJ native began his week with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four steals while hitting 9-12 from the field as SFU posted a 75-61 win over Bryant. Two day later Braxton posted his fifth double-double of the season with 19 points and 14 rebounds in an 84-83 overtime setback to CCSU. His coast-to-coast layup with 13 seconds left in regulation sent the game to an extra session. Braxton boosted his scoring average to 13.5 ppg and is putting up 17.8 ppg against conference rivals. He paces all NEC freshmen in rebounding (8.6) and field goal percentage (.546).
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Khalen Cumberlander (CCSU, Sr, G)
Cumberlander hit the biggest shot of the season for the Blue Devils, draining a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds to play in overtime at Saint Francis U to give CCSU its first NEC win of the year. He averaged 16.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 spg and hit 5-10 from long range in two games. Cumberlander leads CCSU in league-play with 15.1 ppg.
Austin Nehls (CCSU, So, G)
Nehls led all NEC scorers with 21.5 ppg last week. He caught fire from beyond the arc, hitting 10-20 from distance. Nehls dropped 21 points and established a career-high with six three-pointers in CCSU’s 84-83 road triumph at Saint Francis U on Saturday.
Jerome Frink (LIU, Sr, F)
It was a typical week for Frink, who contributed 17.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 bpg while hitting 52.2 percent of his attempts from the field. He registered his ninth double-double of the season on Saturday with 20 points and 10 boards against FDU.
Junior Robinson (MSM, Jr, G)
Robinson shot 63.2 percent from the floor in averaging 18.0 ppg in a 2-0 week on the road for the Mount. He hit 6-10 from three-point range, including 3-4 in an 86-75 win over Sacred Heart on Thursday.
Kavon Stewart (RMU, Sr, G)
The senior point guard put up numbers in a host of categories, averaging 17.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg and 3.5 spg while shooting 86.7 percent from the line. He tallied 21 points, five rebounds and six assists in RMU’s 74-67 win over CCSU on Thursday.
Jamaal King (SFU, So, G)
King netted 20.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 3.5 spg last week for the Red Flash. He put on a show down the stretch in a one-point loss to CCSU on Saturday. With the game in OT, he scored seven straight points on a three-pointer, layup and two free throws to give the Red Flash a four point lead with under 30 seconds to play.
CCSU GETS ON THE BOARD AS CUMBERLANDER REACHES MILESTONE IN STYLE
With a number of close setbacks in NEC play, Central Connecticut head coach Donyell Marshall entered Saturday’s tilt at Saint Francis U needing someone to step up in a tight game.
Cue CCSU senior guard Khalen Cumberlander (Washington, D.C./Coolidge), who took matters into his own hands with the clock winding down and the Blue Devils trailing by two in overtime in a game airing live on ESPN3.
The D.C. native called his own number, but he had no intentions of playing another five minutes. Utilizing a Mustafa Jones (Harlem, NY/Cardinal Hayes) screen, Cumberlander pulled up from NBA range and drained a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds on the clock to give CCSU its first NEC victory and snap a 13-game losing streak.
To add even more luster to the picture perfect ending, the trifecta gave Cumberlander exactly 1,000 career points. He became the 36th player in CCSU annals and the 209th player in the NEC’s 36-year history to reach the milestone.
Cumberlander, who scored 19 points and added six rebounds, two assists and four steals, was fully aware of the significance of his clutch bucket.
“It’s a big shot,” said Cumberlander. “It’s for my 1,000th point, too. They set a rub screen for me, and I just pulled up and shot it.”
After seeing his team rally from four down with under 30 seconds remaining in OT, Marshall was in full agreement with his senior guard’s assessment.
“It’s a great shot,” said Marshall. “I’m yelling at him to attack the basket and let’s go into double overtime and try to win it then. And he pulled up. KC plays with a lot of confidence. He takes some shots you don’t want him to take, but he plays with confidence, and he doesn’t have 1,000 points for no reason.”
With that first NEC win in the books, Marshall has set his sights on a bigger goal.
“As bad as things have been, we’re still right there to make the NEC Tournament,” he said. “We’ve got 10 games left, we’ve got to win as many as we can. We always say, you’ve got to win one. You win one, you get that feeling and let things happen.”
Jones hit 9-14 from the field in a 20-point effort, while sophomore guard Austin Nehls (Tucson, AZ/Catalina Foothills (Cheshire Academy)) led all scorers with 21 points, including six shots from downtown. The six treys represented a new career-high for the Tucson, AZ product.
The Blue Devils hit a season-high 14 shots in 25 attempts from outside the arc.
The overtime loss overshadowed big games from Saint Francis U’s Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/The Lawrenceville School) and Jamaal King (Salisbury, MD/Bishop O’Connell (VA)).
Braxton’s layup with 13 seconds left sent the game to overtime, and King scored seven straight points in the extra session before the Blue Devils rallied for the win.
Braxton, who was named NEC Rookie of the Week for the fifth time this season, finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while King paced the Red Flash with 20 points.
KNIGHTS CLAIM FIRST PLACE SHOWDOWN WITH BLACKBIRDS
In the first true midseason showdown of the season, the defending NEC champions showed they have no intention of relinquishing their crown any time soon.
Fairleigh Dickinson jumped out to a 17-point first half lead and never looked back on Saturday in an 83-66 win over visiting LIU Brooklyn in a matchup of two 6-1 teams entering the game.
The loss snapped LIU’s six-game win streak and left the Knights in a tie for first place with Mount St. Mary’s.
“That was a quality win against a quality opponent,’ said FDU head coach Greg Herenda. “That was a team effort from top to bottom – and again – that is how we have been practicing day in and day out.”
FDU junior guard Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John’s College) seems to relish his games against LIU Brooklyn, and Saturday was no different.
The NEC Player of the Week scored a game-high 25 points on just nine shots, and added nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Last season Anderson averaged 26.5 ppg against the Blackbirds and hit big shot after big shot in FDU’s 101-95 and 88-85 victories.
“It is great to coach great guards and today Darian and Steph (Jiggetts) showed just how good they are,” said Herenda. “On top of that, Mike Holloway is playing way more consistently and with great poise. We are still a work in progress, but trust me, I love working with this group of young men. It is an honor and a privilege.”
FDU shot 54.0 percent for the game with sophomore forward Mike Holloway (Pittsgrove, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick) converting 6-7 shots to raise his season field goal percentage to .605, the second-best mark in the league.
LIU Brooklyn head coach Jack Perri knew taking on FDU would be a tall order.
“They are a really good,” said Perri. “They are picked to win the league for a reason. They defend. They played really, really hard. I was impressed with how hard they played on the defensive end.”
Despite the setback, Perri remains confident in his team - which sits alone in third place with a 6-2 record - and knows the rematch between the teams on February 11 will be a litmus test for his squad.
“This is the team we have to try and get through if we want to accomplish something special.” said Perri of FDU. “We knew that. We talked it that they are in our way and they are still in our way. Obviously, we felt good with the way we played against Wagner and this was going to be another difficult challenge and now we move on and we have to get back to the way we were playing and defending.”
LIU senior forward Jerome Frink (Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony (FIU)) led the Blackbirds with 20 points and 10 rebounds. It was his ninth double-double of the year.
FIRST PLACE MOUNT TAKES DIFFERENT PATH TO VICTORIES
As we have seen in the past, “Mount Mayhem” can take on different forms.
Last week, we saw two of the trademarks of the program’s Mayhem identity in a pair of road wins that improved the Mount’s NEC record to 7-1 and keep the team in a tie for first place with Fairleigh Dickinson.
In Thursday’s 86-75 win at Sacred Heart, the Mount was causing all sorts of mayhem with the three-ball. Hitting 8-12 from long distance in the first half, Mount St. Mary’s built a 24-point lead. And while the Mountaineers had to sweat out a SHU comeback attempt that saw the Pioneers pull to within three points following a 19-0 run, the long ball turned the momentum back in the Mount’s favor, culminating with sophomore guard Elijah Long’s (Mississauga, Ontario/John Carroll (MD)) trifecta with 2:20 to play to extend the lead to eight points.
Mount St. Mary’s finished the day 13-21 from long range with Long and junior guard Junior Robinson (Mebane, NC/Eastern Alamance) hitting 3-4, and freshman guard Miles Wilson (Baltimore, MD/Mount St. Joseph) draining 3-5 from downtown.
Two days later, the Mountaineers hit just six shots from three-point territory, but overwhelmed St. Francis Brooklyn with its swarming defense in a 55-47 win. The Terriers were held to 31.1 percent shooting from the field, the worst accuracy by a Mount opponent this season.
FDU, MOUNT TIDBITS
The last time Fairleigh Dickinson opened a year 7-1 was in 2004-05. The Knights went on to win their fourth NEC title that season.
At 7-1, this marks the best eight-game start in Mount’s 28-year history in the NEC.
MCKNIGHT KNIGHTED AFTER BIG WEEK
When you average 35.0 ppg and score 44 points to lead your team to a triple overtime victory, people are bound to take notice.
Sacred Heart sophomore guard Quincy McKnight (Bridgeport, CT/St. Joseph’s (Phelps)), not only caught the attention of fans and hoops aficionados across the nation, he was rewarded for his stellar play by a host of organizations.
McKnight was an easy pick for NEC Player of the Week on January 16 - his third of the season - but that was just the tip of the iceberg.
McKnight also earned the following acclaim:
- Lou Henson National Player of the Week
- Met Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week
- NCAA.com All-Week team
McKnight followed this past week by averaging 17.0 ppg on 55.6 percent shooting for the Pioneers.
NEC LEADERS: POINTS PER 40 MINUTES PLAYED
Taking a look at advanced stats, this week we tackle an offensive efficiency stat: points per 40 minutes played (min. 5 ppg)
Perhaps the most surprising name on the list is Bryant freshman forward Sabastian Townes (Chesapeake, VA/Norfolk Collegiate), who averages 21.5 points per 40 minutes played to rank third in the conference. Townes currently averages 7.4 points in just 13.7 minutes per outing.
Rk Player Team Pts/40
1 Quincy McKnight SHU 24.3
2 Nisre Zouzoua BRY 23.0
3 Sabastian Townes BRY 21.5
4 Darian Anderson FDU 21.3
5 Isaiah Blackmon SFU 21.2
6 Jerome Frink LIU 20.7
7 Jamaal King SFU 19.4
8 Mike Holloway FDU 19.2
9 Rasheem Dunn SFBK 18.8
10 Bosko Kostur BRY 18.7
Isaiah Still RMU 18.7
BUSY NEC-TV WEEK
It’s a big week for NEC-TV with three games on the slate.
It all starts on Wednesday in New Britain when CCSU hosts Saint Francis U at 7:00 on MSG+ and Fox College Sports. Paul Dottino (PxP), Terry O’Connor (color) and John Schmeelk (sideline) have the call.
NEC-TV returns to CBS Sports Network on Thursday when Mount St. Mary’s renews its rivalry with Robert Morris at 7:00 pm. Dave Popkin (PxP), Joe DeSantis (color) and Dottino (sideline) are in the booth.
The crew returns to New England on Saturday for a noon game on MSG & Fox College Sports pitting Fairleigh Dickinson at Bryant. Popkin (PxP), O’Connor (color) and Schmeelk (sideline) will bring you all the action.
STAT OF THE WEEK
Of Matej Buovac’s (Zagreb, Croatia/La Lumiere School (New Mexico State)) 118 shots from the floor this year for Sacred Heart, 89 or 75.4 percent have come from three-point range for the Sacred Heart redshirt senior forward.
Over the last five games, Buovac has hit 17-37 (.459) from distance.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Winning on the road is tough. Just ask any coach.
Wagner head coach Bashir Mason for one couldn’t mask his excitement on his team’s win at Sacred Heart on Saturday that evened the Seahawks’ NEC record at 4-4 on the year.
“It was a hard fought, tough battle against a really talented and explosive offensive scoring team in Sacred Heart,” said Mason. “I’m really proud of our guys for sticking to who we are for 40 minutes and coming out with a great, great road win. I’m really excited about it.”
QUICK HITTERS
Bryant freshman forward Sabastian Townes (Chesapeake, VA/Norfolk Collegiate) shot 60.0 percent from the floor last week, averaging a team-high 14.0 ppg to go along with 4.3 rpg. He finished with a career-high 17 points on Monday as Bryant wrapped up its non-conference slate against Harvard. He helped lead the Bulldogs back from a 22-point second-half deficit, as Bryant cut the deficit to just one point late in the second frame, finishing with a 6-12 effort from the floor to go along with three boards, two assists and a steal.
Bryant rallied from 12 down in the second half to upend Robert Morris on the road, 59-56, on Saturday. Sophomore forward Marcel Pettway (North Providence, RI/Hoosac School) did much of the damage for the Bulldogs, finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds, including 13 and eight in the second half. It marked his second double-double of the year.
LIU Brooklyn freshman guard Jashaun Agosto (Seattle, WA/Garfield) finished with 19 points on 7-11 shooting and added four assists in the Blackbirds’ 76-69 win over Wagner on Thursday. He wrapped the week with 15.0 ppg and 3.5 apg.
Robert Morris freshman guard Dachon Burke (Orange, NJ/Orange) has stepped up his game recently for the Colonials. He averaged 13.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg and shot 66.7 percent from the field in RMU’s split last week. In his last four games, the Orange, NJ native is putting up 13.0 ppg on 61.8 percent shooting for the Colonials.
St. Francis Brooklyn freshman guard Rasheem Dunn (Brooklyn, NY/Thomas Jefferson) contributed 9.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg last week for the Terriers. He ranks third among NEC freshmen with 13.4 ppg on the year.
Saint Francis U had five players achieve double digit scoring averages last week with both freshman guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Lawrenceville School) and Josh Nebo (Houston, TX/Cypress Lakes) averaging a double-double. Braxton finished with 20.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg, while Nebo netted 11.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg. Nebo, the NEC leader in blocked shots, rejected five in two games and is swatting 2.1 per game on the year.
Wagner senior forward Michael Carey (Nassau, Bahamas/Lamar Consolidated (San Jacinto JC)) finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in his sixth double-double effort of the year as the Seahawks downed Sacred Heart on the road by a 67-62 count. He scored 14 in the second half to help Wagner even it’s NEC record at 4-4 on the year. Carey is averaging 14.6 ppg and 10.3 rpg in league play.
TWEET DECK
Donyell Marshall @Dmarsh42
Congrats 2 (Khalen Cumberlander) on getting his 1000th point on game winning 3. I have been on him these past couple weeks. But he’s accepting challenge
Beryl Piper@BerylPiper
Great win for the CCSU men. Congrats to you guys and congratulations to Khalen on his 1000 point. Great road win @CCSUMBB @Dmarsh42
Andy Toole @AndyToole
The first weekend after a season ends I never have any idea what to do with myself, I can’t even imagine how Pres Obama will feel tomorrow!
Ryan Peters @pioneer_pride
Good for Khalen Cumberlander. And good for the Blue Devils - they could’ve easily rolled over in OT.
John Templon @nybuckets
Jashaun Agosto is really good. Wagner keeps cutting it to 2 and the freshman PG for LIU keeps answering. 4-point game with 11:40 to play.
Chris Cappella @C_Cappella
CCSU has a fan in me! @Dmarsh42 has his guys playing hard