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 put the Blue Devils on his back in a pair of wins to claim his league-leading fifth NEC Player of the Week award of the season. He posted double-doubles in both contests, and averaged 26.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.5 apg for the week. The senior shot 41.7 percent from three-point range and 86.4 percent from the stripe. Kohl opened his week with 29 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in a 78-72 win over St. Francis Brooklyn. He scored the go-ahead bucket with 1:43 to play, then hit two free throws with 20 seconds left to help ice it. Two days later, he went for 23 points, 13 rebounds and four assists as CCSU ended the game on a 21-3 run to post a 64-59 win over Bryant. With the Blue Devils trailing by six, Kohl assisted on Mike Underwood’s three-pointer, then scored eight straight points over the final 1:36 to help the Blue Devils improve to 4-6 in NEC play. Kohl ranks third in the conference in scoring (17.6) and assists (4.6), and fourth in rebounding (7.3).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Malik Jefferson, Mount St. Mary’s
6’9”, 230 lbs.
Fr., F, Hopewell, VA/Hopewell
The Mount’s stranglehold on the NEC Rookie of the Week award continued with Jefferson picking up his second honor this season. Jefferson caught fire from the field, shooting a scorching 78.9 percent on 15-19 shooting. He averaged 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game despite playing just 19.5 minutes per outing. Jefferson scored 14 points and pulled down seven boards against Sacred Heart on Thursday, then posted his third double-double of the year with 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. Saint Francis on Saturday. The Hopewell, VA native hit 9-11 shots in a 19-minute stint against the Red Flash. Jefferson is averaging 6.9 ppg, leads the Mount with 6.5 rpg and ranks third in the NEC with a 53.8 percent success rate from the floor. He has been the NEC’s most accurate shooter in league play at 67.9 percent. The Mountaineers have now earned NEC Rookie accolades in 8-of-13 weeks this season. Vado Morse has won a league-leading four weekly awards, followed by two for Jefferson and one apiece for Dee Barnes and Nana Opoku.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Tyler Kohl (CCSU, Sr, G/F)
Kohl did it all in a 2-0 week for the Blue Devils, compiling 26.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 4.5 apg. He shot 41.7 percent from long range and 86.4 percent at the stripe. The NEC Player of the Week scored eight of his 23 points in the final 1:36 of Saturday’s win over Bryant as CCSU erased a 13-point deficit with a 21-3 run to close the game. He also recorded 29 points, 12 rebounds and five dimes in Thursday’s win over SFBK. Kohl ranks third in the NEC in scoring (17.6) and assists (4.6), and fourth in rebounding (7.3).
Darnell Edge (FDU, Sr, G)
Edge was in top form last week, finishing with 24.0 ppg on 55.6 percent shooting from the field and 64.3 percent from distance (9-14) to help extend FDU’s win streak to five games. He hit 6-9 shots from three-point territory and tied his career-high with 28 points in Saturday’s 97-94 double overtime win over first place RMU. Edge is second in the league in three-point accuracy (.423) and third in made three-pointers (2.5/game).
Jahlil Jenkins (FDU, So, G)
FDU’s floor leader contributed 17.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.0 apg and 1.0 spg while hitting 4-5 from downtown and a perfect 12-12 from the line. Jenkins hit all three of his long distance shots and finished with 19 points in FDU’s double overtime win over RMU on Saturday. The soph ranks fourth on the circuit with 4.5 apg.
Ty Flowers (LIU, R-So, F)
Flowers supplied the Blackbirds with 17.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 bps and 1.0 spg in a terrific all-around week. He scored 19 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked three shots at Wagner on Saturday. Flowers ranks second on LIU with 13.6 ppg.
Malik Jefferson (MSM, Fr, F)
Jefferson was in can’t miss mode for the Mount last week, shooting 78.9 percent from the floor while averaging 17.0 ppg and 8.5 rpg. The NEC Rookie of the Week made 15-19 shots, including 9-11 against SFU on Saturday when he finished with 20 points and 10 boards in his third double-double of the season. Jefferson paces the Mount with 6.5 rpg.
Matty McConnell (RMU, Sr, G)
McConnell comes off another productive week with 17.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.0 spg. He hit 6-13 (.462) from three-point territory. McConnell racked up a career-high 24 points on 7-11 shooting against SFU on Thursday. The senior leads the NEC with 1.78 steals per game.
Josh Williams (RMU, Sr, G)
Williams exploded for seven triples and 34 points in Saturday’s double overtime setback at FDU. For the week, he averaged 22.0 ppg, 2.5 apg and shot 43.5 percent from three-point range, where he hit 10-23. Williams leads the NEC with 3.35 trifectas per game.
E.J. Anosike (SHU, So, F)
Anosike continues to improve by leaps and bounds as evidenced by his 19.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg in a pair of SHU victories. He shot 57.1 percent from the floor and made 5-8 (.625) from outside the arc. Anosike poured in career-high 27 points and drained 4-of-6 three-point opportunities in Saturday’s 71-62 victory over SFBK. Anosike is third in the NEC with 7.9 rpg.
Sean Hoehn (SHU, Sr, G)
Hoehn caught fire in SHU’s win at the Mount on Thursday, piling up 29 points on 9-14 shooting and 10-11 from the line. He finished the week with 19.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 2.5 apg. Hoehn is the league’s fourth-leading scorer with 17.4 ppg.
Keith Braxton (SFU, Jr, G)
Another terrific week for Braxton saw the junior average 23.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 3.0 apg in a pair of SFU wins. He tossed in a season-high 27 points and snared 10 caroms in his league-leading eighth double-double effort of the year at the Mount on Saturday. Braxton also hit 17-18 (.944) from the line. He leads the NEC with 9.6 rpg and ranks second with 1.7 spg.
Romone Saunders (WC, R-Sr, G)
Saunders was his typical self, checking off all the boxes with 15.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 5.0 apg and 4.5 spg. He recorded 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals in Saturday’s home win over LIU. Saunders is second in the NEC in scoring (17.9), fifth in rebounding (7.1) and seventh in assists (3.8).
TOP STORYLINES FROM AROUND #NECMBB
Here’s all you need to know from the 13th week of the 2018-19 season...
THE PLOT THICKENS
All it took was 48 hours to change everything.
Robert Morris entered last week with a two-game edge on the field, but with two tough games on the docket the Colonials had their work cut out for them.
And when the dust settled, two things were obvious:
1. Despite a pair of setbacks, the Colonials look every bit the championship contender.
2. The NEC standings took on a new look.
RMU dropped a couple of thrillers, first at home with an 83-79 loss to Saint Francis U, then on the road in perhaps the best game of the NEC season, falling to Fairleigh Dickinson, 97-94, in double overtime.
RMU maintained its stranglehold on first place with a 7-3 record, but its lead was cut to just one game, with FDU, Sacred Heart and Saint Francis U all one game back at 6-4 on the year.
Key Takeaways
- Fairleigh Dickinson has now won five straight games following a 1-4 start. Taking into account that all four of their losses came by seven points or less - including a two-point setback to LIU and a double OT defeat against CCSU - the Knights look like a team with title aspirations.
- Sacred Heart entered the week 4-0 at home and 0-4 on the road in NEC play, but finally broke through away from the friendly confines of the Pitt Center with an 87-79 win at the Mount on Thursday. The Pioneers then returned home to face St. Francis Brooklyn and came back from a 16-point first half hole to post a 71-62 victory.
- Preseason favorite Saint Francis U looks to have turned the corner with three straight wins following a 3-4 start to NEC play. The Red Flash picked up their biggest victory of the year on Thursday, climbing back from a 13-point deficit to win at RMU by four. SFU then improved to 4-2 on the road against league rivals with a 72-63 triumph at the Mount two days later. Looking to make their push, the Flash play five of their next six at home.
- CCSU picked up two much-needed home wins last week to remain in the thick of the playoff hunt. With NEC Player of the Week Tyler Kohl (Allentown, PA/Mineral Area College) leading the way with 26.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 4.5 apg, the Blue Devils held off St. Francis Brooklyn, 78-72, on Thursday, then ended Saturday’s game against Bryant on a 21-3 run to win 64-59 and improve to 4-6 on the year.
- In the race for a top-four spot and a home NEC playoff game, there are three teams tied for second (FDU, SHU, SFU) and three more teams one game behind (BRY, SFBK, WC).
CCSU COMEBACK TRIVIA
Central Connecticut erased a seven-point (33-26) halftime deficit in Saturday’s win over Bryant, marking the largest halftime deficit the Blue Devils have overcome this season and the program’s third win when trailing at the break on the year.
CCSU also rallied from a 13-point deficit with 8:18 to play against the Bulldogs. This was the the second time in NEC play that the Blue Devils have come back from a double-digit deficit for a win. CCSU trailed by 16 in the first half at Mount St. Mary’s before storming back to post a nine-point win on January 12.
DID YOU KNOW?
Only three of the first 50 NEC games this season were decided by 20 points or more. The 6.0 percent blowout percentage is the sixth-lowest of any conference in the country.
MCCONNELL JOINS NEC 1K CLUB
The NEC added a tenth active player to its 1,000-point club when Robert Morris senior guard Matty McConnell (Oakdale, PA/Chartiers Valley) gained admission.
McConnell reached 1,000 on a second half free throw in RMU’s game against Saint Francis U on Thursday. He enters play this week with 1,015 points.
McConnell became the 229th player in NEC history and 25th in RMU annals to reach the milestone.
He is also just 32 boards shy of becoming the 14th player in program history to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
McConnell joined FDU senior forward Saint Francis U junior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) (1,323), Saint Francis U senior guard Jamaal King (Salisbury, MD/Bishop O’Connell (VA)) (1,305), FDU senior forward Mike Holloway (Pittsgrove, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick) (1,304), LIU Brooklyn senior swingman Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) (1,265), St. Francis Brooklyn graduate student guard Glenn Sanabria (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s) (1,222), Wagner redshirt senior guard Romone Saunders (Temple Hills, MD/Potomac) (1,217), FDU senior guard Darnell Edge (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) (1,208), Sacred Heart senior guard Sean Hoehn (Morristown, NJ/Morristown (St. Thomas More (CT))) (1,193) and Bryant junior guard Adam Grant (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate) (1,150) as the NEC’s 1,000-point scorers.
ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR BRAXTON
Not a week goes by without Saint Francis U junior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) adding another footnote in the NEC recordbook.
This past Saturday, Braxton entered the top-25 on the NEC career rebounding list, boosting his lifetime total to 791 boards following a 27-point, 10-rebound outing in the Red Flash's 72-63 win at Mount St. Mary's.
Braxton, who leads the NEC with 9.7 rpg, is now tied with former SFU great Earl Brown on the all-time chart and 42 shy of cracking the top-20.
The Glassboro, NJ native needs 368 rebounds over the remainder of his career to pass St. Francis Brooklyn’s Jalen Cannon (1,159 from 2011-15) and become the league’s all-time leader.
NEC Career Rebounding List
20. Nigel Wyatte WC 834 2000-04
21. Largest Agbejemisin WC 829 1983-87
22. Rik Smits MAR 811 1984-88
23. Ronnie Drinnon SFU 804 2012-16
24. Keith Braxton SFU 792 2016-19
Earl Brown SFU 792 2011-15
26. Jamie Latney FDU 786 1984-88
FDU’S EDGE HEATS UP
Fairleigh Dickinson senior guard Darnell Edge (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) has long been recognized as one of the NEC’s top long distance marksman, but he has taken his shooting next level in recent weeks.
Edge has converted 21 of his last 37 from three-point range over the last six games, a 56.8 percent clip. In that same span, he’s shot 55.7 percent from the field and 90.9 percent from the line while averaging 19.8 ppg.
The native of Saugerties, NY has posted conference splits of 46.5/46.7/89.3 this season.
Last week, he averaged 24.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg, hitting 9-14 (.643) from downtown in a pair of FDU wins that stretched its win streak to five games.
NEC-TV SCHEDULE
It’s another jam packed week of NEC-TV.
The NEC returns to the ESPNU airwaves on Thursday, when Saint Francis U plays host to CCSU at 5:00 pm. Mike Crispino (PxP) and Noah Savage (color) have the call.
Saturday brings not one, but two ESPN doubleheaders.
First we set up shop in Fairfield as Sacred Heart welcomes Mount St. Mary’s. The women tip things off at noon on ESPN3, followed by the men at 3:00 pm on ESPN+. Craig D’Amico (PxP) and Pam Roecker (color) are in the booth for the women, while Dave Popkin (PxP) and Tim Capstraw (color) bring you men’s coverage.
The scene shifts to Robert Morris at 4:00 pm with the Colonials entertaining CCSU in men’s action. The RMU women host Bryant in the nightcap at 7 pm. Paul Dottino (PxP) and Joe DeSantis (color) will provide commentary for the men, with Dottino and Karen Hall (color) calling the women’s contest.
BRYANT AMONG NATION’S MOST IMPROVED
What a difference a year makes.
Last season was a struggle for a proud Bryant program. The Bulldogs finished 3-28 and were 2-16 in NEC play.
Enter Jared Grasso, who took over as head coach last spring.
It took little time for the NEC alum to put him imprint on the program.
After crossing the halfway point of the conference schedule, Bryant has more than doubled its overall and conference win total.
So pronounced is the upswing that the Bulldogs find themselves near the top of the NCAA’s most improved rankings.
The flip from 3-28 to 8-13 represents a 10-game swing, which is tied for third in the nation with Longwood behind American and South Florida’s 10.5 game improvement.
Tied for fifth place at 5-5 heading into play this week, Bryant find itself in thick of the league race with a bevy of teams eying a top-four finish and the NEC Tournament home game that comes along with it.
NEW NEC SCORING LEADER WITH A TWIST
Hats off to Saint Francis U senior guard Jessica Kovatch, who last week broke the longstanding NEC record for most career points in men’s or women’s hoops.
With 2,622 points heading into play this week, she surpassd Wagner’s Terrance Bailey, a NEC Hall of Famer who amassed 2,591 points from 1983-87.
YOUTH BRIGADE IN EMMITSBURG
The young guns at Mount St. Mary’s continue to amaze.
With freshman Malik Jefferson (Hopewell, VA/Hopewell) winning NEC Rookie of the Week honors for the second time this season, it raised the total number of ROW honors for the Mount to eight over the first 13 weeks of the season. The last NEC school to win the award eight times over the course of the season was Saint Francis U in 2016-17.
Vado Morse (Suitland, MD/Bullis School) leads the way with four accolades, followed by Jefferson’s two, and Dee Barnes (Great Mills, MD/Great Mills) and Nana Opoku (Woodbridge, VA/Potomac) with one apiece.
The Mountaineers already have set the NEC record with four different ROW winners on the year.
MOUNT’S SULTAN OF SWAT
Speaking of the youth movement of the Mount, first year head coach Dan Engelstad sports a potential game-changing defensive presence in freshman Nana Opoku (Woodbridge, VA/Potomac).
Opoku blocked a career-high nine shots in Saturday’s game against Saint Francis U, many of the highlight reel variety.
Here’s a look inside the numbers of his big defensive day.
- The nine blocks matched the NEC single-game season-high. Sacred Heart’s Jare’l Spellman (Glen Allen, VA/Fork Union Military Academy (Florida Southern)) also swatted nine shots Wagner on January 21.
- Opoku is now tied for eighth on the NEC’s all-time single-game blocks list.
- The nine rejections tied for the second-most blocks in the nation this season. Louisiana’s Jakeenan Gant had 10 vs. Southern on December 1.
- Opoku is the first player in the country in over five years to block nine shots in 21 or less minutes. UC-Irvine’s mammoth 7’6” center Mamadou Ndiaye rejected 10 shots in 19 minutes against Eastern Washington on November 24, 2013.
Opolu ranks second in the NEC with 1.8 bpg and is averaging 2.8 per outing in league games.
NUMBERS GAME FOR KOHL & SAUNDERS
In Thursday’s win over St. Francis Brooklyn, CCSU senior swingman Tyler Kohl (Allentown, PA/Mineral Area College) became just the second DI player this season to post at least 29 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two steals in an outing. He joined South Dakota State stud Mike Daum, who tallied 33 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three steals against Omaha on January 26.
Wagner redshirt senior guard Romone Saunders (Temple Hills, MD/Potomac) became the 10th player in the nation this season - and just sixth against a DI opponent - to finish a game with at least 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals, turning the trick in the Seahawks’ 71-59 win over LIU Brooklyn on Saturday. Interestingly, one of the other nine players was LIU Brooklyn senior Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse), who had 22 points, nine boards, five helpers and six steals vs. New Rochelle on November 6.
NEC WELCOMES HOOPS LEGEND TO HALL OF FAME
When the 2018-19 NEC Hall of Fame induction class was announced last Thursday, it included yet another #NECMBB all-time great in Mount St. Mary’s basketball player Chris McGuthrie (1992-96).
He joined Fairleigh Dickinson bowler Danielle McEwan (2009-13) and former CCSU AD Charles “CJ” Jones (1995-09) as this year’s honorees.
One of the iconic NEC players of the 1990s, McGuthrie is still fondly remembered in Mount St. Mary’s circles to this day both for his unlimited shooting range and his role in establishing in establishing the Mountaineers as a force in the conference. He began his career as a star and ended it four years later as a Mount legend.
It all started in 1992, when McGuthrie arrived in Emmitsburg and served notice to the rest of the conference by averaging 19.8 ppg and 5.1 apg en route to NEC Rookie of the Year and second team All-NEC honors.
From there he would go on to earn All-NEC honors in all four of his years, including first team accolades in his junior and senior seasons. He remains the only four-time All-Conference award winner in league history.
McGuthrie poured in 19.7 ppg as a junior in 1994-95 to rank third in the NEC in scoring and help lead the Mount to its first-ever NEC title with a 69-62 win at Rider. He would go on to score 20 points against Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The sharpshooter from Silver Spring, MD became the Mount’s first NEC Player of the Year in his senior campaign. He topped the NEC in scoring with 22.3 ppg and a school record 102 three-pointers, and helped spark a 14-game win streak to close out the 1995-96 regular season. The Mountaineers won a school record 21 games - a mark that still stands - and earned a berth in the Postseason NIT. In perhaps his signature game, McGuthrie scored 37 points, including eight three-pointers, in the team’s 71-69 win over No. 21 Georgia Tech on December 18, 1995
McGuthrie closed out his star-studded career with 2,297 points and 300 three-pointers, both of which rank third on the NEC’s all-time list. He holds the Mount record for triples and is the second-leading scorer in program history. McGuthrie, who averaged 20.0 ppg for his career, is also eighth in school history with 426 assists and sixth with 202 steals.
Following graduation, he spent 10 years playing professionally overseas and was named MVP of the Dutch Basketball League for the 2000–01 season.
McGuthrie was inducted into the Mount Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2017 became the fifth Mountaineer to have his uniform number retired by the school.
#NECMBB Players in the NEC Hall of Fame (Induction Year)
Terrance Bailey, Wagner (2010)
Rik Smits, Marist (2011)
Tom Green, Fairleigh Dickinson (Coach, 2011)
Desi Wilson, FDU (2012)
Myron Walker, RMU (2013)
Corsley Edwards, CCSU (2014)
Howie Dickenman, CCSU (Coach, 2017)
Mike Iuzzolino, SFU (2017)
Chris McGuthrie, MSM (2018)
STAT TRACKER
Bryant junior forward Juan Cardenas (Medellin, Colombia/First Love Christian (PA) (Midland College)) continues to make an impact on the defensive end of the floor. He had three blocks in Bryant’s 71-64 at Wagner on Thursday, then recorded a career-high five steals at CCSU on Saturday. He ranks third in the NEC with 1.7 bpg.
CCSU converted its final 18 foul shots at the line in Thursday’s win over St. Francis Brooklyn after opening the game 3-6. CCSU then made its first five foul shots vs. Bryant on Saturday to make it 23 in a row. The Blue Devils finished the game 17-of-21 (.810) from the stripe in the comeback win. CCSU is shooting a league-best .775 from the foul line for the year, which ranks seventh nationally.
CCSU grabbed a season-high 49 rebounds in Saturday’s 64-59 win over Bryant. Tyler Kohl (Allentown, PA/Mineral Area College) and Jamir Coleman (San Antonio, TX/South Plains College) grabbed 13 and 11 boards, respectively, as Central improved to 5-1 on the season when grabbing 40+ rebounds. It was the highest rebound total for the Blue Devils since compiling 51 at St. Francis Brooklyn on December 31, 2016.
CCSU junior swingman Jamir Coleman (San Antonio, TX/South Plains College) averaged a double-double with 12.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg. He made four free throws in the final 12 seconds to seal Saturday’s win over Bryant. Teammate Ian Krishnan (Boyds, MD/Proctor Academy) scored 16 points in each CCSU win, including five points to help jump start a 21-3 game-ending run to edge the Bulldogs.
Robert Morris senior guard Josh Williams (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron)) connected for seven three-pointers against FDU on Saturday, pushing his season total to 77 for RMU, which ranks 10th on the school’s all-time list. Including his time at Akron, Williams eclipsed 200 career triples with 204 to his credit.
NEC assists leader Cameron Parker (Beaverton, OR/Tilton School) averaged 7.5 per game last week and sported a 12-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in Sacred Heart’s win over St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday. It marked his fifth double-digit assist game of the year and boosted his season average to 7.0 per game, ranking him seventh nationally.
Sacred Heart freshman guard Aaron Clarke (Parsippany, NJ/Pope John) came off the bench to average 10.0 ppg last week, and helped spark Saturday’s comeback win over SFBK on Saturday by netting eight of his 10 in the second half.
St. Francis Brooklyn sophomore forward Yaradyah Evans (Brooklyn, NY/South Shore) pulled down 15 rebounds against Sacred Heart on Saturday, the third most in an NEC game this season. He is the only player in the conference with multiple 15+ rebound games on the year.
St. Francis Brooklyn sophomore guard Chauncey Hawkins (Spring Valley, NY St. Joseph Regional) came off the bench to average 14.0 ppg on 56.3 percent shooting last week, while junior forward Deniz Celen (Ankara, Turkey özel gürçag okullari (Fairfield/Harcum College)) posted 13.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 2.5 apg.
Saint Francis U senior guard Jamaal King (Salisbury, MD/Bishop O’Connell) finished with 23 points, four assists and five steals in the Red Flash’s win at Robert Morris on Thursday. He averaged 17.0 ppg and 4.5 apg for the week.
Wagner freshman guard Jonathan Norfleet (Virginia Beach, VA/Salem) comes off the best week of his young career with 13.0 ppg on 52.6 percent shooting from the field. He recorded a career-high 14 points against Bryant on Thursday.
Wagner redshirt senior guard Romone Saunders (Temple Hills, MD/Potomac) scored 17 points in Saturday’s win over LIU Brooklyn to give him 1,217 for his career and move him past recent Seahawk standout Tyler Murray into a tie for 23rd place in the Wagner career recordbook. He has scored in double digits in each of the last 20 games.
Wagner redshirt senior center AJ Sumbry (East Windsor, CT/St. Benedict’s Prep (Quinnipiac)) is now tied with Durell Vinson for fifth on Wagner’s career list with 118 blocks.