PDF Release
NEC Player of the Week: Isaiah Blackmon, SFU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Tyler Thomas, SHU 
Previous NEC Releases: December 30 | December 23 | December 16 | December 9  | December 2 | November 25 | November 18 | November 11 | Preseason Poll Release

NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Isaiah Blackmon, Saint Francis U
6’1”, 170 lbs.
R-Sr., G, Charlotte, NC/West Charlotte
Blackmon was unstoppable in a 1-1 weekend for the Red Flash, averaging 26.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, while shooting a scorching 12-19 (.632) from three-point range. The redshirt senior dropped 24 points and added seven boards in a 67-63 setback at Bryant on Thursday, then caught fire from outside the arc on Saturday. He drained 8-11 from three-point territory and matched a career-high with 28-points to go along with eight rebounds in SFU’s 93-69 win at CCSU. The eight triples represented a career-best, were one off the school record and marked the most in an NEC game in exactly two years. Blackmon, who hails from Charlotte, NC, is fourth in the NEC with 17.0 ppg, and ranks second in three-point accuracy (.437) and fourth in made trifectas (2.58/game).

NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Tyler Thomas, Sacred Heart
6’3”, 195 lbs.
Fr., G, Amity, CT/Amity Regional (Williston)
Thomas collected his second NEC Rookie of the Week honor of the year after starting league play in impressive fashion last week. He came off the bench to average 15.5 points and 2.5 rebounds, while converting at a 71.4 percent clip from the floor and 80.0 percent from downtown. Thomas scored a game and career-high 18 points on 7-11 shooting in Thursday’s 65-57 loss at Merrimack. Two days later, he was a perfect 3-3 from the floor, 2-2 from outside the arc and 5-5 from the stripe in a 13-point effort as SHU downed Wagner, 81-74, in Staten Island. Thomas made a number of plays down the stretch and hit the game’s key bucket, a three-pointer with 1:13 to play that extended SHU’s lead to five points. The Amity, CT native lifted his scoring average to 7.2 ppg.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Adam Grant (BRY, Sr, G)
Grant has been as consistent as he has been spectacular this season for the Bulldogs. In yet another strong shooting week, the senior averaged 24.0 ppg on 51.6 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from distance. He made 11 three-pointers and added 4.5 rpg and 4.0 apg. Grant, who has ten games of 20+ points on the year, is the NEC’s second-leading scorer at 19.7 ppg and ranks first on the circuit with 3.73 triples per outing.

Kaleb Bishop (FDU, Sr, F)
Bishop averaged a double-double with 16.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg, while hitting 50.0 percent from the floor and 87.5 percent from the line. He also swatted 1.5 shots per game. Bishop was spectacular in FDU’s 77-73 victory at Bryant on Saturday, finishing with a career-high 25 points and season-best 15 boards. The senior is averaging 13.2 ppg and sits fourth in the NEC with 8.4 rpg.

Raiquan Clark (LIU, R-Sr, G/F)
The NEC’s leading scorer dropped 25 points in LIU’s conference opener, an 82-73 double overtime setback at the Mount. He also chipped in with nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. Clark is netting 20.5 ppg on 53.8 percent shooting from the floor this season.

Juvaris Hayes (MC, Sr, G)
Hayes contributed in every possible way in Merrimack’s first two NEC contests last week. He averaged 14.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 7.0 apg and 5.0 spg, and made 52.0 percent of his shot attempts. Hayes was the star in the Warriors’ 65-57 win at SHU on Thursday, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and an NEC single-game season-high eight steals. Hayes ranks first in the NEC in steals (3.3) and second in assists (5.7).

Malik Jefferson (MSM, So, F)
The opening weekend of NEC play saw Jefferson average a double-double with 13.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg and 1.0 spg in a Mount split. He rang up a career-high 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Saturday’s 82-73 double overtime win over LIU. Jefferson is supplying the Mount with 9.7 ppg on the season, and ranks fourth in the NEC in field goal percentage (.544) and sixth in rebounding (7.9).

AJ Bramah (RMU, Jr, F)
Bramah’s high-flying act hit the New England area over the weekend. The junior forward came off the bench to average 15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists, and shot 68.4 percent from the floor in a pair of Colonial wins. Bramah, who racked up five dunks in the two games, made 7-9 shots and finished with 14 points and a career-high 14 boards in Thursday’s win at CCSU. Bramah, who has reached double-digits in 10 straight games, is putting up 10.9 ppg and 8.1 rpg (fifth in NEC) on the year.

Josh Williams (RMU, R-Sr, G)
Williams was in can’t miss mode from long distance last week, making 9-13 (.692) from beyond the arc, while averaging 18.5 ppg and 3.0 apg in RMU’s 2-0 start in NEC play. He tied for game-scoring honors with 20 points, including a 4-6 mark on three-pointers, in Thursday’s 89-78 win at CCSU. Williams is tenth in the NEC in scoring (14.5), second in made 3P (3.53) and third in 3P accuracy (.429).

Unique McLean (SFBK, Gr, G)
McLean comes off a strong all-around game in the Terriers’ 79-63 win in its NEC lid lifter against FDU on Thursday. He posted a double-double with 12 points and a season-high tying 10 rebounds, and added three assists, a career-best three blocks and a steal, while shooting 55.6 percent from the floor. McLean is averaging 11.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg on the year.

Isaiah Blackmon (SFU, R-Sr, G)
Blackmon was feeling it last week, contributing 26.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg while draining 12-19 from three-point territory, a scorching 63.2 percent mark. Blackmon matched a career-high with 28 points, and established an NEC single-game season-best with eight triples in the Red Flash’s 93-69 conquest of CCSU on Saturday. Blackmon is fourth in the NEC with 17.0 ppg, and ranks second in three-point percentage (.437) and fourth in made three-pointers (2.58/game).

TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK 9

#NECNEWYEAR REVIEW

Ten games in and the madness has already begun.

There were more questions than answers at the conclusion of #NECNewYear weekend with only two teams walking away unscathed.

And wouldn’t you know it, the two teams that remained unbeaten were picked fifth (Robert Morris) and eighth (St. Francis Brooklyn), respectively, in the NEC preseason poll.

RMU scored its most points in a league opener since 2005 with an 89-78 victory at CCSU, then grinded out a 69-58 win at Merrimack two days later by forcing 19 turnovers to earn a sweep of its New England swing.

It was a complete team effort for the hot shooting Colonials, who had five players average double digits on the weekend with redshirt senior guard Josh Williams (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron)) leading the way with 18.5 ppg. RMU shot 22-46 (.478) from outside the arc over the two games, sparked by Williams, who made 9-13 (.692) from distance. Sixth-man extraordinaire AJ Bramah (San Leandro, CA/San Leandro (Sheridan College)) was unstoppable as well, chipping in 15.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg while shooting 68.4 percent from the floor.

RMU has now won its NEC opener four straight years and has started 2-0 in each of the last three seasons.

St. Francis Brooklyn only played once with a bye on Saturday, but delivered an impressive result on Thursday with a 79-63 win over defending NEC champion Fairleigh Dickinson. The Terriers had five players reach double figures in the win, including graduate student guard Unique McLean (Brooklyn, NY/The MacDuffie School (MA) (UMass)), who posted a double-double with 12 points and ten boards, and added three assists and three blocks.

RMU’s Andy Toole and SFBK’s Glenn Braica are now both 8-2 in NEC openers over the course of their respective coaching careers (see note).

Opening night also featured Merrimack’s introduction to NEC play.

Let’s just say that everyone came away impressed.

The Warriors went into the Pitt Center and put forth a stellar defensive effort, registering 13 steals on its way to forcing 18 turnovers in a 65-57 win. A 14-0 run to start the second half gave Merrimack all the cushion it needed to hold off a Sacred Heart team picked second in the NEC. Senior guard Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, NJ/St. Anthony) was magnificent with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and an NEC single-game season-high eight steals.

While Merrimack was doing work in Fairfield, the marquee matchup of opening weekend based on non-conference results took place up north in Smithfield that same night with Bryant hosting Saint Francis U.

It lived up to the billing.

With two red-hot teams going toe-to-toe, the Red Flash took a six-point lead into intermission, but it evaporated quickly in the second half as the hot-shooting Bulldogs (57.7 percent over the final 20 minutes) were able to get some separation. But just when it looked like Bryant was about to put the SFU away, senior guard Isaiah Blackmon (Charlotte, NC/West Charlotte) (game-high 24 points) sparked a furious late comeback. With the Flash within two points, Blackmon had a good look on a corner three with 37 seconds to play, but was just off and the Bulldogs were able to salt the game away at the line. Senior guard Adam Grant (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate) led the way for Bryant with 20 points, five rebounds and six assists.

That same night Wagner won convincingly at the Mount, 66-47, behind 25 points from Curtis Cobb III (Fall River, MA/ Wilbraham & Monsoon Academy (UMass)).

But in typical NEC fashion, the tables were turned in most cases on Saturday.

- FDU bounced back with an impressive 77-73 road win at Bryant behind a 25-point, 15-rebound performance from senior forward Kaleb Bishop (Paterson, NJ/St.  Anthony).

- Sacred Heart went into Staten Island and knocked off Wagner, 81-74, in an SNY televised affair. Both E.J. Anosike (East Orange, NJ/Paramus Catholic (St. Thomas More)) (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Cameron Parker (Beaverton, OR/Tilton School) (13 points, 10 assists) posted double-doubles for the Pios.

- Mount St. Mary’s came back strong, downing NEC preseason #1 LIU, 82-73, in double overtime in a game that aired on CBSSN. Sophomore guard Damian Chong Qui (Baltimore, MD/McDonough) scored a career-high 26 points in the win.

- SFU recovered from a 4-23 three-point shooting effort at Bryant by making 14-22 (.636) in a 93-69 win at CCSU. Blackmon, the NEC Player of the Week, hit 8-11 from distance to match his career-high with 28 points.

- And in the lone matchup of two 1-0 teams, Robert Morris shot 54.8 percent in the second half to pull away from Merrimack.

When the dust settled, there were seven teams tied for third with 1-1 records, and NEC blogger Ryan Peters needed just two words and three exclamation points at the end of his tweet to express his feelings on the #NECNewYear.
 
Ryan Peters @pioneer_pride
NEC Standings, 1/4/20
1) RMU, 2-0
2) St. Francis Brooklyn, 1-0
T3) Merrimack, 1-1
T3) Sacred Heart, 1-1
T3) SFU, 1-1
T3) Bryant, 1-1
T3) FDU, 1-1
T3) Wagner, 1-1
T3) Mount, 1-1
10) LIU, 0-1
11) CCSU, 0-2

Ooooh, parity!!!

DID YOU KNOW?

Road teams went 7-3 on the opening weekend of NEC play.

FOR OPENERS

Steer clear of Robert Morris and St. Francis Brooklyn if you’re looking to get your #NECNewYear off to a flying start

With double-digit wins on Thursday, Andy Toole and Glenn Braica both improved to 8-2 in conference lid lifters.

Wagner’s Bashir Mason isn’t far behind with a 6-2 mark in openers after the Seahawks won at the Mount.

Bryant’s Jared Grasso has won both his league openers after the Bulldogs edged Saint Francis U in Smithfield on Thursday.

NEC Opener Records - Current Coaches
Jared Grasso, BRY            2-0
Donyell Marshall, CCSU       1-3
Greg Herenda, FDU            5-2
Derek Kellogg, LIU           0-3
Dan Englestad, MSM           0-2
Andy Toole, RMU              8-2
Anthony Latina, SHU          2-5
Glenn Braica, SFBK           8-2
Rob Krimmel, SFU             4-4
Bashir Mason, WC             6-2

WARRIORS & HAYES WREAKING HAVOC

After unveiling their #MakeChaos style of defense throughout the non-conference season, NEC fans received their first taste of what Merrimack is capable in its first NEC game on Thursday.

With its trademark, swarming 2-3 zone in full effect, the Warriors forced 18 turnovers and had an NEC single-game season-high (vs. DI opponents) 13 steals in their 65-57 win at Sacred Heart.

The numbers bear out just how troublesome the Warrior defense has been for opposing teams this season.

Merrimack ranks fourth in the nation in steal percentage at 13.8, meaning the Warriors swipe the ball roughly on every seventh possession. Merrimack is also 25th nationally in turnover rate, forcing opponents to cough up the ball on 23.9 percent of possessions.

Senior guard Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, NJ/St. Anthony) is the ringleader of the Warriors’ band of thieves, ranking second nationally with 3.3 steals per outing. Likewise, his 5.5 steal percentage ranks third in DI.

On Thursday, Hayes racked up eight steals in his NEC debut at SHU. It marked the most steals by an NEC player since Bryant’s Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, MA/Brooks School) had eight swipes at FDU on February 24, 2018 and tied for 11th on the NEC’s all-time single-game list. The eight steals also ranks fourth on the NCAA single-game chart this season.

Hayes is the NCAA’s active leader with 386 career steals and with 16 games to go, remains on target to become just the seventh player in NEC annals to reach 100 in a season.

BRAXTON 1K

The man who goes by the 2K moniker on social media is now a 1K rebounder.

On Saturday, Saint Francis U senior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) became just the fifth player in NEC history to reach 1,000 career rebounds and moved within 154 boards of becoming the league’s all-time leader.

With 1,006 rebounds, he is just seven shy of moving into fourth place and 26 will launch him to the second spot.

Braxton joined Maurice Stokes, Larry Lewis and Jim McClellan as the only other players in program history with 1,000 career rebounds. He is the only player in SFU annals to rank in the top-five in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

On the Braxton 2K/1K watch, the Glassboro, NJ native needs 285 points to hit 2,000 for his career. No player in NEC history has ever record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

NEC Career Rebounding Leaders
1. Jalen Cannon             SFBK     1,159     2011-15
2. Justin Rutty             QU       1,032     2007-11
3. Ron Robinson             CCSU     1,022     2000-04
4. Carey Scurry             LIU      1,013     1982-85
5. Keith Braxton            SFU      1,006     2016-20
6. Alex Francis             BRY      990       2010-14
7. Obie Nwadike             CCSU     980       2003-07
8. Eric Taylor              SFU      967       1994-98
9. Corsley Edwards          CCSU     966       1998-02
10. Jamal Olasewere         LIU      963       2009-13

FDU’S JENKINS CELEBRATES NEW YEAR WITH MILESTONE

The NEC now sports six active players who have cracked the 1,000-point barrier with the addition of FDU junior guard Jahlil Jenkins (Ranson, WV/Virginia Academy) last week.

Jenkins reached 1,000 last Thursday on a floater midway through the second half at St. Francis Brooklyn. The cat-quick floor general enters play this week with 1,015 career points.

Jenkins became the 233rd player in NEC history and 29th in FDU annals to hit 1,000 points.
  
Jenkins joined SFU senior forward Saint Francis U senior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) (1,715), LIU Brooklyn redshirt senior swingman Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) (1,673), Bryant senior guard Adam Grant (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate) (1,612), Saint Francis U redshirt senior guard Isaiah Blackmon (Charlotte, NC/West Charlotte) (1,246) and LIU senior guard Jashaun Agosto (Seattle, WA/Garfield) (1,213) as active NEC players in the 1,000-point club.

CHONG QUI, GASKINS JR, COBB PERFORMANCES OF NOTE

Mount St. Mary’s sophomore guard Damian Chong Qui (Baltimore, MD/McDonough) poured in a career-high 26 points to go along with five rebounds and four dimes in the Mount’s 82-73 double overtime win over LIU in a game that aired on CBSSN on Saturday. He turned the ball over just one time in 47 minutes.

Sacred Heart senior guard Randall Gaskins Jr. (Woodbridge, VA/Bishop O’Connell) posted a career-high eight assists and did not commit a turnover in SFU’s win over CCSU on Saturday.

Wagner graduate student guard Curtis Cobb III (Fall River, MA/ Wilbraham & Monsoon Academy (UMass)) recorded his third 25+ point scoring effort of the year on Thursday, finishing with 25 in the Seahawks’ 66-47 win over the Mount. He hit 5-8 from three-point territory and snared six boards.

GRANT 3P UPDATE

We continue to track Bryant senior guard Adam Grant’s (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate School) NEC chart progress for made three-pointers.

With 11 three-pointers in two games last week - including seven in a 28-point showing against FDU on Saturday - Grant boosted his career total to 251 triples.

He moved up three spots in the process and now ranks 17th all-time. Grant needs just 19 more to reach the top-10 and 35 to make the top-five. Former CCSU star Tristan Blackwood holds the league’s all-time record with 328 trifectas from 2004-08.

NEC Career Three-Pointers Leaders
10. Ryan Litke             SHU    270     2006-10
      Dedrick Dye          WC     270     1999-03
12. Landy Thompson         MSM    267     2002-06
13. Kevin Booth            MSM    265     1989-93
14. Dave Calloway          MU     260     1987-91
15. Rob Monroe             QU     253     2001-05
16. Ben Mockford           SFBK   252     2011-14
17. Adam Grant             BRY    251     2016-20
18. John Hilvert           SFU    247     1987-91
19. Jeremy Chappell        RMU    243     2005-09
20. Julian Norfleet        MSM    242     2010-14

SHU’S PARKER SEEING DOUBLE
    
Sacred Heart sophomore guard Cameron Parker (Beaverton, OR/Tilton School) has posted five double-digit assist games this season, tied for most in the nation this season. Most recently he dished for 10 assist in Saturday’s 81-74 win at Wagner. Parker remains third in the nation with 8.3 apg.

RMU 3P MARKSMANSHIP NOTES
    
Robert Morris is shooting 43.4 percent from three-point range over its last five contests, making 10.6 per game over that stretch. The Colonials were a scorching 22-46 (.478) from three-point land over the weekend. RMU leads the NEC in three-point percentage on the year at 36.9 percent.

Redshirt senior guard Josh Williams (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron)) (9-13) and younger brother Jon Williams (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron)) (6-11), a junior guard, combined to hit 15-24 (.625) shots from distance in RMU’s two wins last week.

STAT ATTACK

Over its first two league games, 57.1 percent of Bryant’s field goal attempts have come from three-point range.

CCSU has posted a positive turnover margin in seven of the last nine games and has only committed more than 15 turnovers once in the last 11 games. The Blue Devils forced 39 turnovers over their first two league contests.

Wagner turned the ball over just 17 times in its first two conference games.

NEC MONTH-BY-MONTH LEADERS

With 2019 coming to a close, here were the leaders in various statistical categories on a month-by-month basis to start the 2019-20 season.
(Minimums: FG - 3.0/game, FT - 2.0/game, 3PFG - 1.5/game).

            November                     December
Scoring     Raiquan Clark, LIU (21.9)    E.J. Anosike, SHU (18.5)
Reb.        Patrick Harding, BRY (12.3)  E.J. Anosike, SHU (11.5)
Assists     Cameron Parker, SHU (6.9)    Cameron Parker, SHU (10.8)    
*FG%        Raiquan Clark, LIU (.612)    Mark Flagg, SFU (.700)
*3PFG%      Scott Meredith, SFU (.407)   Chase Freeman, WC (.526)
*FT%        Isaiah Blackmon, SFU (.938)  Jahlil Jenkins, FDU (.900)
3PFG        Adam Grant, BRY (3.5)        Josh Williams, RMU (3.8)
Steals      Juvaris Hayes, MC (3.1)      Juvaris Hayes, MC (3.0)
Blocks      Jare’l Spellman, SHU (2.3)   Elisias Hall, BRY (5.0)

NEC in NCAA STATS (Top-25)
 
Name                    School         Category       Rank       Value
Hall Elisias            BRY            Blocks         14th       2.87
Adam Grant              BRY            3PFG           6th        3.73
Jahlil Jenkins          FDU            Minutes        2nd        39:06
Raiquan Clark           LIU            PPG            23rd       20.5
Ty Flowers              LIU            Def. Reb.      17th       7.43
Juvaris Hayes           MC             Steals         2nd        3.33
Josh Williams           RMU            3PFG           8th        3.53
E.J. Anosike            SHU            Reb.           10th       11.0
E.J. Anosike            SHU            Def. Reb.      24th       7.20
E.J. Anosike            SHU            Off. Reb.      19th       3.80
Cameron Parker          SHU            Assists        3rd        8.27
Jare’l Spellman         SHU            Blocks         24th       2.40
Isaiah Blackmon         SFU            3P%            23rd       .437
Curtis Cobb             WC             3PFG           16th       3.27

Team                    Category        Rank          Value
LIU                     3PFG            15th          10.1
Merrimack               TO Margin       15th          5.20
Merrimack               Steals          6th           10.07
Sacred Heart            FT%             16th          .774
Sacred Heart            Rebounding      18th          41.47