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NEC Co-Players of the Week: E.J. Anosike, SHU & Deniz Celen, SFBK
NEC Rookie of the Week: Tyler Thomas, SHU 
Previous NEC Releases: December 16 | December 9  | December 2 | November 25 | November 18 | November 11 | Preseason Poll Release

NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
E.J. Anosike, Sacred Heart
6’6”, 245 lbs.
Jr., F, East Orange, NJ/Paramus Catholic (St. Thomas More)
Anosike had himself a day in Sacred Heart’s 89-68 win at Holy Cross on Sunday. The junior scored a team-high 19 points on 9-11 shooting, and added 14 rebounds and three steals - both game-highs - as the Pioneers won for the fifth time in six games to move to 7-5 in non-league play. It was his league-leading fifth double-double of the season and he also snared his 500th career rebound in the victory. Anosike, who hails from East Orange, NJ, is the NEC’s leading rebounder with 10.9 per game, and also ranks in the top-10 in scoring (16.6, fourth), field goal percentage (.529, eighth) and free throw percentage (.818, eighth). This is his third NEC Player of the Week honor of the season and fourth of his career.

Deniz Celen, St. Francis Brooklyn
6’8”, 235 lbs.
Sr., F, Ankara, Turkey/özel gürçag okullari
Celen was a force for the Terriers, who won their third straight with an 81-62 triumph over Delaware State at the Pope Center on Sunday. He set new career-highs with 27 points and 11 rebounds, while making 11-17 from the floor and 4-4 from the line. Celen scored 18 points and grabbed nine boards in the second half to help SFBK reverse a four-point deficit at the break. It was the senior’s second double-double of the season and the fourth of his career. The Ankara, Turkey product leads the Terriers with 6.8 rpg and ranks second in scoring with 12.0 ppg. He’s also second in the NEC in field goal accuracy, converting 60.6 percent of his attempts.

NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Tyler Thomas, Sacred Heart
6’3”, 195 lbs.
Fr., G, Amity, CT/Amity Regional (Williston)
Thomas caught fire from long distance as Sacred Heart made it five wins in its last six outings with an 89-68 conquest of Holy Cross on Sunday. He matched his career-high with 17 points, hitting 5-7 from three-point territory and 6-10 from the field overall. Thomas added three rebounds, an assist and a steal in 21 minutes off the bench. The Amity, CT native upped his scoring average to 6.1 ppg with his fourth double-digit scoring effort of the season.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Hall Elisias (BRY, Jr, F)
Elisias recorded his third game with at least six blocks this month and fourth of the year in Bryant’s 64-60 win at Dartmouth on Saturday. He scored seven points, grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds and added a pair of steals. Elisias is one of three players in the nation this season to post at least 13 rebounds, six blocks and two steals in a game. He is averaging 5.8 bpg during Bryant’s four-game win streak and leads the NEC with 3.1 per game.

Jahlil Jenkins (FDU, Jr, G)
Jenkins scored a game-high 21 points, and added five rebounds, five assists and two steals at La Salle on Saturday. He hit 8-17 from the field, including 3-6 from distance. Jenkins leads the Knights and ranks sixth in the NEC with 16.0 ppg, and needs just nine points to reach 1,000 for his career.

Raiquan Clark (LIU, R-Sr, G/F)
Clark dropped a game-best 24 points to go along with nine rebounds and four steals as the Sharks knocked off Delaware, 82-75, in overtime on Friday. The Blue Hens entered the game with a 10-2 record. Clark averaged 21.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 bpg and 3.5 spg in a 1-1 week for LIU. He leads the league with 20.6 ppg and 50.0 percent shooting from three-point territory, while ranking fourth in field goal accuracy (.563) and sixth in rebounding (7.7).

Josh Williams (RMU, R-Sr, G)
Williams contributed 20.5 ppg on an efficient 50.0 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from outside the arc and 81.8 percent from the stripe in a split for the Colonials. He hit 10 shots from downtown, and averaged 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.5 spg. Williams posted game-highs with 24 points (on just 10 shots) and eight boards in RMU’s 83-79 win over Central Michigan on Tuesday. He leads the league with 3.38 three-pointers per game and ranks fifth in 3P accuracy at 40.4 percent.

E.J. Anosike (SHU, Jr, F)
Anosike was unstoppable in Sacred Heart’s 89-68 win over Holy Cross on Sunday. He recorded a team-high 19 points on 9-11 shooting, and recorded game-highs with 14 rebounds and three steals to push the Pioneers’ non-conference record to 7-5. Anosike is the NEC’s leading rebounder with 10.9 per game, and also ranks in the top-10 in scoring (16.6, fourth), field goal percentage (.529, eighth) and free throw percentage (.818, eighth).

Deniz Celen (SFBK, Sr, F)
Celen established new career-bests on Sunday with 27 points and 11 boards to lift SFBK to a 81-62 win over Delaware State, the third straight for the Terriers. He converted 11-17 from the floor and went 4-4 from the line. Celen scored 18 points and grabbed nine boards after intermission to help SFBK pull away for the easy win. It was his second double-double of the season and fourth of his career.

Isaiah Blackmon (SFU, R-Sr, G)
Blackmon scored a game-high 17 points and recorded three steals to spark the Red Flash to a 78-72 win over William & Mary at the D.C. Holiday Hoops Fan Fest Showcase on Sunday. Blackmon buried 3-5 three-pointers as SFU closed non-conference play with its fifth straight win. His dagger three-pointer with 2:23 to play gave the Red Flash an eight-point advantage. Blackmon is second on the Red Flash and eighth on the circuit with 15.2 ppg.

Alex Morales (WC, Jr, G)
Morales boosted the Seahawks to an 82-62 win over Army on Saturday with one of the best all-around games of the year in the NEC. He tallied game-highs with 21 points and eight assists, and added eight caroms in a near triple-double effort. He is one of just six players in the country season with a 21/8/8 outing. For the week, Morales averaged 19.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.0 apg and 1.5 spg. With 14.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 5.0 apg, he is also one of 10 DI players putting up at last 14/5/5 this season.

SEVEN QUICK HITTERS FROM #NECMBB WEEK SEVEN

1 - The NEC has five schools (Bryant, Saint Francis U, Sacred Heart, Merrimack and St. Francis Brooklyn) with six or more non-conference wins. Those teams are a combined 16-2 at home and have combined for 15 road wins. With eight victories, Bryant is one shy of tying the league’s all-time mark for non-league wins.

2 - Saint Francis U has won five straight and at #138 is the NEC’s highest rated team in the NCAA NET rankings.

3 - The NEC has won 20 true road games over the course of the non-conference season, second to only the Southern Conference’s 24 wins.

4 - Bryant and Sacred Heart have won four true road games apiece, tying them for second-most in the nation with DePaul, William & Mary, East Tennessee State, Furman and Little Rock. Yale leads DI with five road victories.

5 - Saint Francis U senior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) has moved up to fifth on the NEC’s career rebounding list, and with 991, needs just nine more to become the fifth player in league history to reach 1,000 boards. Last week he passed Bryant’s Alex Francis (990 from 2010-14) and CCSU’s Obie Nwadike (980 from 2003-07).

6 - Bryant senior guard Adam Grant’s (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate School) is now tied for 19th on the NEC’s all-time three-pointer list with 242 triples.

7 - Fairleigh Dickinson junior guard Jahlil Jenkins (Ranson, WV/Virginia Academy) needs nine points to reach 1,000 for his career.