NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tyler Kohl, Central Connecticut
6’5”, 220 lbs.
Sr., G/F, Allentown, PA/Mineral Area College
Kohl claimed his third NEC Player of the Week honor following a spectacular performance in CCSU’s 93-90 double overtime win over Maine on Saturday. Kohl netted a career-high 33 points on 8-12 from the field, 5-8 from beyond the arc and 12-13 from the line. He also contributed seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. He finished with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the extra sessions alone. Kohl became just the third player in the nation this season to finish with at least 33/7/4/3 against a DI team and the second to score at least 33 points on 12 or fewer shot attempts. The Allentown, PA native posted his second 30-point game of the season, and scored 20+ points for the seventh time this season and 20th time in his two-year CCSU career. Kohl ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (19.3, 2nd), rebounding (6.4, 8th), assists (4.0, 6th), steals (1.4, 9th), field goal percentage (.481, 10th), free throw percentage (.879, 2nd), three-point percentage (.392, 9th) and assist-to-turnover rato (1.26, 9th).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-ROOKIES OF THE WEEK
Malik Jefferson, Mount St. Mary’s
6’9”, 230 lbs.
Fr., F, Hopewell, VA/Hopewell
Jefferson became the third Mount St. Mary’s player to collect an NEC Rookie of the Week accolade following a eye-catching performance in the Mount’s 56-55 win at American on Tuesday. He scored 12 points and grabbed a Mount DI school record 20 rebounds in the victory. Jefferson’s 12 offensive rebounds tied the NCAA single-game season-high, while the 20 boards were the most by an NEC freshman since St. Francis Brooklyn’s Jalen Cannon racked up 20 vs. FDU on February 15, 2012. Likewise, Jefferson became just the 11th NEC player in the last decade to finish a game with at least 20 caroms. For the week, he averaged 8.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and shot 50.0 percent from the field. Jefferson, who hails from Hopewell, VA, leads all NEC freshman and ranks fourth overall with 7.5 rpg. The Mount’s Nana Opoku and Dee Barnes also earned NEC Rookie of the Week recognition this season.
Joe Kasperzyk, Bryant
6’1”, 185 lbs.
Fr., G, New Haven, CT/Woodstock Academy
Kasperzyk came off the bench to net a career-high 19 points on 6-11 shooting from the floor and 7-9 from the stripe in Bryant’s 68-67 win over Dartmouth on Friday. He added two rebounds and four assists. With the score tied at 53 and under eight minutes to play, Kasperzyk hit back-to-back jumpers to put the Bulldogs back in front, then assisted on SaBastian Townes’s go-ahead three-pointer with 18 seconds left to play. The New Haven, CT product is averaging 8.6 ppg and leads all NEC freshman with an 82.9 success rate from the free throw line.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Joe Kasperzyk (BRY, Fr, G)
Kasperzyk played the finest game of his young career on Friday with a career-high 19 points on 6-11 shooting as Bryant edged Dartmouth by a point. The NEC Co-Rookie of the Week dished for four assists and snared two rebounds.
SaBastian Townes (BRY, Jr, F)
Townes scored all 23 of his points in the second half and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining in Bryant’s 68-67 win over Dartmouth on Friday. He is averaging 28.5 ppg over his last two contests.
Tyler Kohl (CCSU, Sr, G/F)
Kohl exploded for a career-high 33 points on just 12 shots and added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in a 93-90 double overtime win over Maine. He made 8-12 from the floor, including 5-8 from long range, and was 12-13 from the line. The NEC Player of the Week is second in the NEC with 19.3 ppg and ranks in the top-10 in eight different categories.
Jahlil Jenkins (FDU, So, G)
Jenkins stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 15.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apg and 3.0 spg in a split with Saint Peter’s and UMass. He finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists in a one-point setback at UMass on Friday. Jenkins is fifth in the NEC in assists (4.2) and sixth in steals (1.6).
Ty Flowers (LIU, So, F)
Flowers recorded a career-highs with 27 points, 11 rebounds and four steals in a narrow one-point loss to Binghamton on Friday. He hit 12-19 from the floor and also added two assists and two blocks in his third double-double effort of the season. Flowers leads the Blackbirds with 6.4 rpg and ranks second with 14.3 ppg.
Malik Jefferson (MSM, Fr, F)
Jefferson had a game to remember in the Mount’s 56-55 win at American, finishing with 12 points and a school DI record 20 rebounds in his second double-double effort of the year. He pulled down 12 offensive rebounds, which tied him for the most in the nation this season. Jefferson finished the week averaging 8.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg and shot 50.0 percent from the field. The NEC Co-Rookie of the Week leads all NEC freshman and ranks fourth overall with 7.5 rpg on the year.
Charles Bain (RMU, So, F)
Bain made all three of his three-point attempts and hit 6-9 from the floor to lead RMU with 18 points at Louisville on Friday. He also added four rebounds. Bain has contributed 12.4 ppg over his last five outings to lift his season average to 9.4 ppg.
Sean Hoehn (SHU, Sr, G)
Hoehn strung together strong efforts against elite Big East competition last week, averaging 16.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.0 bpg and 1.0 spg in setbacks at Seton Hall and St. John’s. He shot 42.9 percent from three-point territory and 92.3 percent from the stripe. Hoehn became the 42nd SHU player to crack the 1,000-point mark for his career, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks against the Pirates on Wednesday. He ranks third in the NEC with 18.8 ppg.
Keith Braxton (SFU, Jr, G)
Braxton comes off another outstanding week that saw him average 16.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg while shooting 52.0 percent from the field. He posted his league-leading fourth double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Lehigh on Saturday. Braxton leads the NEC with 9.8 rpg.
Romone Saunders (WC, R-Sr, G)
Saunders scored his 1,000th point as part of an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in Saturday’s 77-68 victory over Hartford. The redshirt senior also chipped in with three assists, two blocks and a steal. Saunders became the 45th player in Wagner history and 228th in NEC annals to reach the 1,000-point plateau.