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NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DENIA DAVIS-STEWART, MERRIMACK
Sr., F, 6-1, Dorchester, MA/New Mission
Week 1 Stats: 28.0 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 8.5 bpg, .513 FG pct., .700 3FG pct., 1.000 FT pct.
Davis-Stewart accounted for a sensational season-opening two-game stretch, leading the Northeast Conference in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots through one week of competition. Tipping off Merrimack’s Division I era, the do-it-all senior forward averaged 28.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 8.5 blocks per contest. Davis-Stewart shot 51.3 percent from the field while hitting the 25-point mark in back-to-back games. She sank 70 percent of her three-point attempts and went a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Carrying the Warriors to a win in their inaugural Division I game, Davis-Stewart posted a triple-double in a triumphant season opener at UMass. The 6-foot-1 senior poured in a career-high 31 points while pulling down 13 rebounds and recording a career-best 12 blocked shots in a 79-64 win over an A-10 member. The senior’s performance was only the 14th triple-double ever recorded by a NEC athlete and it marked only the third time that blocks were part of the equation. Davis-Stewart poured in a game-high 25 points, on 10-of-17 shooting, during Merrimack’s home opener against Lehigh. Playing 44+ minutes in the 72-68 overtime setback, the veteran forward pulled down a game-high 16 caroms and blocked five shots.
NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
ALEX COWAN, WAGNER
Fr., G, 5-6, Bowie, MD/St. John’s College HS
Week 1 Stats: 24.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.0 3FGM/g, .625 3FG pct.
Cowan lit it up from long range during her first two collegiate contests. The first-year Seahawk exceeded the 20-point mark in back-to-back games while sinking 62.5 percent of three-point attempts. With Wagner tipping off the season by visiting Maryland and Butler, Cowan averaged 24.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per outing. Making her collegiate debut against No. 4 Maryland, the 5-foot-6 guard tallied 25 points in 31 minutes. Cowan, who came off the bench against the Terps, earned her first start at Butler and proceeded to pour in 23 points. She sank six triples and dished out three assists in 36 minutes.
PRIME PERFORMERS (Week 1)
The following players earned “NEC Prime Performer status” after accounting for some fine statistical lines...
NNEKA EZEIGBO (ROBERT MORRIS)
2 starts, 15.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.0 spg; Double-double (21 p, 12r) in win over LaSalle
DENIA DAVIS-STEWART (MERRIMACK)
2 starts, 2 double-doubles, 28.0 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 8.5 bpg, .513 FG pct., .700 3FG pct., 1.000 FT pct.; Triple-Double (31 p, 13 r, 12 b) in road win over UMass
NIKKI JOHNSON (SACRED HEART)
2 starts, 22.0 ppg,5.5 rpg, 4.0 spg, 3.5 apg, .483 FG pct., .429 3FG pct., .909 FT pct.; game-high 19 points in win over Hofstra
ALEX COWAN (WAGNER)
2 games, 24.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.0 3FGM/g, .481 FG pct., .625 3FG pct.; 25 points at #4 Maryland
BRANDY THOMAS (LIU BROOKLYN)
2 starts, 16.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, .400 FG pct.
JADE JOHNSON (ST. FRANCIS BKLYN)
3 starts, 19.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, .440 3FG pct., .833 FT pct.; two 20-point performances [Stony Brook, Marquette]
KATE MAGER (MERRIMACK)
2 starts, 16.0 ppg, 4.0 3FGM/g, .476 FG pct., .471 3FG pct.; 22 points [career high] in win at UMass
ALLY LASSEN (ST. FRANCIS BKLYN)
3 starts, 18.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .514 FG pct., .800 FT pct.; 24 points at Marquette
TWEET SHEET
@NECcommish
(Nov 5) It’s finally here! @NECsports men’s and women’s basketball game day!! Good luck to all the #NECMBB & #NECWBB teams as they open the 2019-20 season this week! #ALLINBALLOUT
@CraigCD13
(Nov 5) Bryant holds on & finishes up 2 minutes before This is Us starts...a double win! Wild final 5 seconds...Trinity Bravo is the closer tonight, key plays at the end of the game defensively & on the glass
@CCurti_Trib
(Nov 5) Good effort today by ??@RMUWBasketball?? as they gave the Big 12’s TCU all it could handle before losing 66-61. Team highs of 11 points and 6 assists for Nina Augustin and 10 points for newcomer Holly Forbes
@ESPN_WomenHoop
(Nov 5) Denia Davis-Stewart had a triple-double — 31 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks — as @MerrimackWBB made its Division I debut.
@MDCollegian
(Nov 6) Merrimack ruins UMass’ opening night with 79-64 win, writes @TimSorota.
@EmilyGiam
(Nov 5) The Cowan basketball doubleheader is about to begin: Alex (Wagner) plays the Maryland women’s team at 11 a.m. Anthony plays Holy Cross at 7:30 p.m. Two siblings, one gym and “a dream come true” for the Cowan family
@EmilyGiam
(Nov 5) Wow, Alex Cowan scored a game-high 25 points in her college debut. We’ll see if her brother can come close to matching that tonight.
@CCurti_Trib
(Nov 9) @RMUWBasketball defeats LaSalle in OT. Double-double for Nneka Ezeigbo (21 points, 12 boards) plus 2 blocks, 4 steals.
@NECFrontRow
(Nov 9) Our @DianaCannizzaro caught up w/ @SHUBigRed WBB head coach @jmnetter33 at halftime of today’s football game and she’s pretty pumped for her 7th season at the helm. #NECWBB
@GardellaDan
(Nov 6) Per the Seton Hall broadcast, Jessica Mannetti said her team has a short rotation tonight against Seton Hall. Pioneers are without All-NEC selection Adrianne Hagood. They are holding their own so far against the Pirates, trailing 7-5 four minutes in. #WeAreSHU #NECWBB
@coachcim
(Nov 7) Bigger than the game...honored to be a part of the Donate Life game tonight at Marquette to promote awareness of organ donation, including the paired exchange donation program. Let’s spread awareness & help Marquette senior Tori McCoy who needs a kidney transplant.
AROUND THE ARC
BRYANT, which opened the season by defeating Ivy League member Brown for the eighth time in 14 all-time meetings, will contest four straight road games before returning home to the Chace Center to host UMass Lowell.
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT posted a 48-43 edge on the boards while limiting MAC member Buffalo to a measly 13.3 percent three-point shooting in the season opener.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON saw three freshmen make their collegiate debuts against Lafayette with 5-foot-9 guard Celia Carbonell (Barcelona, Spain) receiving a start and Sierra DeAngelo (Pittsburgh, PA) and Jayde Boyd (Pittsburgh, PA) coming off the bench.
LONG ISLAND’s returning starters Brandy Thomas (16.5) and Jeydah Johnson (12.0) both boast double-figure scoring averages.
MERRIMACK, which out-shot both UMass and Lehigh, owns a .445 field goal percentage while limiting the opposition to a .349 conversion rate from the floor.
MOUNT ST. MARY’S, which opened the season with back-to-back games against top-25 opponents (#13 Kentucky, #24 Indiana), will play three consecutive contests against fellow Maryland state inhabitants beginning with a home battle against Frostburg State on November 11.
ROBERT MORRIS eclipsed the 70-point mark in its overtime victory over La Salle, improving to 21-0 when scoring 70 or more points during head coach Charlie Buscaglia’s tenure.
SACRED HEART welcomed Adrianne Hagood, who missed the season opener due to injury, back to the lineup during Sunday’s win over CAA member Hofstra and the 2019 all-NEC third team selection hit three triples en-route to 13 points.
SAINT FRANCIS U opened the season with a pair of road tests at ACC member Virginia Tech and Big 12 member West Virginia and the Red Flash shooters averaged 6.0 three-pointers per outing.
ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN, which played three games during the season’s first week, including road dates at ACC member Boston College and Big East member Marquette, will enjoy a nine-day hiatus before hosting Army on November 20.
WAGNER has three players shooting better than 48 percent from the field through its first two games – Emilija Krista-Grava (.524), Alex Cowan (.481), Drayah Heyward (.500).