NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK presented by
Travis Atson, St. Francis Brooklyn
6’5”, 200 lbs.
Gr., G/F, Brooklyn, NY/Christ the King (Tulsa, Quinnipiac)
Atson did not disappoint in his first two games with St. Francis Brooklyn, supplying the Terriers with 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 spg while shooting 55.6 percent from the field in a split with Bryant at the Pope Center to commence NEC play. Atson, who transferred from Quinnipiac and also spent a year at Tulsa, scored a career-high 19 points and snared eight boards off the bench in his debut on Tuesday. Earning a start the following afternoon, he posted his first career double-double with 18 points on 7-12 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds and five assists - both career-bests - to help spark the Terriers to a 93-91 comeback win over the Bulldogs. He leads the NEC in scoring and is second in rebounding.

Elyjah Williams, Fairleigh Dickinson
6’7”, 220 lbs.
Sr., F, Evanston, IL/Evanston
Williams, a preseason All-NEC pick, played at elite level in FDU’s first two conference tilts. He netted 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 block per outing, and hit at a 56.0 percent clip from the floor as the Knights split with CCSU at home. Williams rang up a career-best 24 points and added nine rebounds and four assists in a setback on Tuesday, and followed with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double the following afternoon as the Knights bounced back with a 79-71 win over the Blue Devils, the program’s first victory of the 2020-21 campaign. The Evanston, IL product ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (15.4), rebounding (7.0) and field goal accuracy (.554).

NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK presented by
Joe Munden Jr., Fairleigh Dickinson
6’4”, 160 lbs.
Fr., G, Bronx, NY/Monsignor Scanlon
Munden Jr. makes it back-to-back NEC Rookie of the Week honors following another productive week off the bench for the Knights, who split their first two NEC games. Munden averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and shot a scorching 66.7 percent from downtown where he made 6-of-9 shots.  The Bronx, NY native drilled 4-of-5 from deep in a career-high 16-point effort to go along with four rebounds and three steals in FDU’s season opening loss to CCSU on Tuesday. Munden chipped in with 10 points in 20 minutes of action the following afternoon in the Knights’ 79-71 victory over the Blue Devils. Over the first six outings of his career, Munden is shooting 50.0 percent from long range while supplying 8.5 ppg. FDU has now been honored with NEC Rookie awards all three weeks of the season with Pier-Olivier Racine earning co-ROW accolades on November 30.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Chris Childs (BRY, Jr, G)
Childs continued his lights out shooting, sinking 13-22 (.591) from three-point range on his way to averaging 16.7 ppg off the bench for the Bulldogs. He finished 5-8 from long range and scored 17 points in 28 minutes as Bryant won its NEC opener at SFBK on Tuesday. Childs leads the NEC with 3.7 3PFG/game and is converting 53.7 percent of his triple attempts on the year.

Michael Green III (BRY, So, G)
Green filled it up in a 2-1 week for Bryant with 17.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 4.0 apg. He was near perfect at the line, hitting 19-20 (.950). Green scored 22 of his career-high 24 points in the second half to key a 81-72 win over Stony Brook on Saturday. The New York City native is third in the conference in scoring (17.3) and assists (4.7).

Charles Pride (BRY, So, G)
Pride averaged a double-double with 14.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 4.7 apg and 1.0 spg in a terrific all-around week. He scored 16 points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds in Tuesday’s 101-82 win at SFBK that opened NEC play for the Bulldogs. Pride scored 18 points and added a career-best eight assists in Saturday’s 81-72 win over Stony Brook. The soph ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (15.2) and rebounding (8.3).

Greg Outlaw (CCSU, So, G)
Outlaw paced CCSU with 14.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg in last week’s road split at FDU. He shot at a 50.0 percent clip from the floor, and also added 3.0 apg. The soph posted his first career double-double in Tuesday’s 94-87 victory over FDU with career-highs of 21 points and 10 boards. Outlaw’s 12.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg on the year both rank first on the Blue Devils.

Jahlil Jenkins (FDU, Sr, G)
Jenkins was superb in a 1-1 week to begin conference play, posting 17.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.0 apg and 2.5 spg while committing just three turnovers in 77 minutes. He scored a season-high 24 points in the series opener with CCSU, then narrowly missed out on a double-double with 11 points and nine assists in a 79-71 win over the Blue Devils. Jenkins averages 14.5 ppg and ranks seventh with 3.8 apg.

Elyjah Williams (FDU, Sr, F)
Williams enjoyed a strong start to NEC action last week in a split with CCSU. The senior averaged 18.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.0 bpg, while connecting on 56.0 percent of his shots from the field. Williams poured in a career-high 24 points, and added nine boards and four assists in the Knights’ NEC opener against CCSU on Tuesday, and followed the next day with his seventh career double-double, tallying 13 points and 10 rebounds in FDU’s 79-71 win. He ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (15.4), rebounding (7.0) and field goal accuracy (.554).

Damian Chong Qui (MSM, Jr, G)
Chong Qui dialed in a 17-point, eight-assist, four-rebound effort as the Mount kicked off league play with a home win over SFU on Tuesday. He knocked down 7-13 shots, including three from downtown. Chong Qui is second in the league with 4.8 apg, while contributing 12.6 ppg.

Mezie Offurum (MSM, Jr, F)
A transfer from George Washington, Offurum drained 7-12 from the floor and all five of his free throw attempts in establishing a career-high with 19 points in the Mount’s 75-57 win over SFU in its NEC opener. He added eight rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.

Travis Atson (SFBK, Gr, G/F)
Atson stuffed the stat sheet in his first two games in a Terrier uniform, averaging 18.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 spg while hitting at a 55.6 percent clip from the floor as SFBK split games with Bryant. After coming off the bench with a career-high 19 points in a loss to the Bulldogs on Tuesday, Atson earned a start the following afternoon. He recorded his first career double-double with 18 points, snagged a personal-best 11 rebounds and dished for five assists as the Terriers rallied for a 93-91 win. Atson ranks first in the NEC in scoring and second in rebounding.

Rob Higgins (SFBK, So, G)
Higgins scored 18 of his career-high 24 points in the second half to help rally SFBK back from a 16-point deficit with under nine minutes remaining to defeat Bryant, 93-91, and salvage a split of its season-opening series. Higgins also contributed three rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win. For the week, the sophomore averaged 17.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.5 apg and 1.5 spg.

Unique McLean (SFBK, Gr, G)
McLean was a key contributor in both games last week against Bryant in SFBK’s first action of the 2020-21 season. He finished with 16.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and shot 40.0 percent (4-10) from three-point range. McLean tallied 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a block in the Terriers’ two-point win over the Bulldogs on Wednesday.

Mark Flagg (SFU, Sr, F)
Flagg recorded his first double-double of the year with 13 points and a career-best 14 rebounds in Tuesday’s tilt at Mount St. Mary’s. He hit 3-6 from the field and was a perfect 7-7 from the line. Flagg, who leads the Flash with 12.8 ppg and 7.0 rpg, ranks second in the NEC with 64.1 percent shooting accuracy.

TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK THREE

Here’s all you need to know from week three of the 2020-21 season...

BULLDOG RUN & GUN
 
Bryant is scoring in bunches, and they are making history along the way.
 
With 98.0 ppg over their first six contests, the Bulldogs rank third nationally in scoring and first in adjusted tempo with 77.1 possessions per 40 minutes. Bryant’s 14 seconds per average possession is the fifth-fastest in the country.
 
In winning two-of-three last week, Bryant scored 101, 91 and 81 points, and has now scored at least 80 points in all six games this season. In doing so, the Bulldogs became the first NEC team to open a season with six straight 80+ point games in at least the last 25 years.
 
Furthermore, Bryant became the first conference program to record six consecutive 80+ point outings since LIU ran off six in a row back in February, 2012.
 
Below is a chart depicting all teams that have scored 80 or more in at least five straight games dating back to the 1995-96 season.
 
Team                           Consecutive 80+ Games       Dates
LIU                                     27                 Dec. 5, 1997 to Mar. 16, 1998
LIU                                     11                 Feb. 1, 1997 to Mar. 3, 1997
LIU                                      9                 Feb. 3 to Mar. 3, 2011
Wagner                                   8                 Jan. 19 to Feb. 11, 2002
LIU                                      7                 Dec. 28, 1996 to Jan. 18, 1997
Bryant                                   6                 Nov. 27, 2020 to Dec. 12, 2020
LIU                                      6                 Feb. 4 to Feb. 13, 2012
Saint Francis U                          5                 Dec. 31, 2017 to Jan. 13, 2018
Sacred Heart                             5                 Feb. 20 to Mar. 4, 2007
St. Francis Brooklyn                     5                 Jan. 20 to Jan. 29, 2001
Wagner                                   5                 Feb. 17 to Mar. 3, 2001
Rider                                    5                 Feb. 17, 1996 to Mar. 1, 1996
Wagner                                   5                 Dec. 16, 1995 to Jan. 11, 1996
 
WEEK ONE CONFERENCE SUPERLATIVES
 
Bryant converted 48.9 percent from three-point range in its opening series with St. Francis Brooklyn.
 
CCSU shot a league best 52.6 percent from the field and posted a 59.9 percent effective field goal percentage over its first two conference games.
 
FDU led all teams with a 47.0 free throw rate over the first week of NEC play. The Knights went to the line 54 times in two games.
 
Mount St. Mary’s made 23-of-33 (.697) from two-point range in its win over Saint Francis U last Tuesday.
 
SCHEDULE UPDATES
 
The following series have been rescheduled to the NEC’s first makeup week in January. The conference has three makeup weeks built into the calendar.
 
- Merrimack at LIU moved from December 10-11 to January 26-27
- FDU at Saint Francis U moved from December 15-16 to January 26-27
- Wagner at Mount St. Mary’s moved from December 15-16 to January 26-27
 
In addition, to fill an open gap for both teams, the Wagner at Bryant series was moved from January 21-22 to December 16-17.
 
Still to be rescheduled:
 
- Merrimack at Bryant from December 15
 
WELCOME BACK
 
LIU is set to make its 2020-21 debut on Wednesday when the Sharks travel to Sacred Heart for a two-game series.
 
CHILDS CONNECTING FROM DISTANCE
 
It’s early, but Bryant junior guard Chris Childs (Bronx, NY/Woodstock Academy (CT) (Indian Hills CC)) is already invoking comparisons to some of the great shooters from the NEC’s past.
 
Over his first six games, Childs boasts an effective field goal percentage of 74.4 percent, which ranks him first in the NEC and 45th nationally. His 75.4 true shooting percentage also tops the conference and is 42nd in the country.
 
Childs has made 22-of-41 shots from three-point range, a 53.7 percent success rate that ranks him first among NEC players with more than ten shots from beyond the arc. Among those nationally with at 20 three point attempts, Childs ranks eighth.
 
Last week, he drained 13-22 (.591) from distance, including five triples in each of Bryant’s conference games at St. Francis Brooklyn.
 
Childs has made three or more trifectas in five-of-six games this year. He leads the circuit with 3.67 per game, a figure that ranks him 16th nationally.
 
FDU YOUTH ON DISPLAY
 
FDU has become the first school to have student-athletes earn at least a share of the NEC Rookie of the Week award in each of the first three weeks of the season since CCSU’s Kyle Vinales was honored the first three weeks of the 2011-12 campaign.
 
Freshman guard Joe Munden Jr. (Bronx, NY/Monsignor Scanlon) has won back-to-back awards and freshman guard Pier-Oliver Racine (Montreal, Quebec/Vanier College) was the pick following the opening week of the season.
 
ATSON’S HOMECOMING FOR SFBK
 
It was quite a homecoming for St. Francis Brooklyn graduate student guard Travis Atson (Brooklyn, NY/Christ the King (Tulsa, Quinnipiac)).
 
Atson, a Brooklyn native who made pit stops at Tulsa and Quinnipiac before returning home to play for the Terriers, earned NEC Co-Player of the Week honors after averaging 18.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 spg while hitting at a 55.6 percent clip from the floor as SFBK split games with Bryant.
 
In Wednesday’s win over the Bulldogs that saw the Terriers overcome a 16-point deficit with under nine minutes remaining, Atson had a game to remember in his first start. The 6’5” guard became one of just 10 players this season nationally  to finish a game with at least 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in his first career double-double effort.
 
CCSU SHOOTING STARS
 
In securing its first win of the year with a 94-87 road triumph over FDU in its NEC opener on Tuesday, CCSU caught fire from the field and moved the ball in a way that impressed head coach Donyell Marshal.
 
“We shared the ball, we had 21 assists,” said Marshall. “The guys who made shots today is because we shared the basketball. Guys got the ball in their position ready to shoot and I think that’s what made the difference today.”
 
Sparked by a career-high 21 points from sophomore Greg Outlaw (Chicago, IL/Rezin Orr Academy) (9-15 FG) and 17 more from junior Ian Krishnan (Boyds, MD/Proctor Academy (NH)) (7-9 FG), CCSU scored 1.22 PPP and shot 63.8 percent from the floor in the win, the highest in an NEC game since FDU converted 63.8 percent to defeat SFU, 85-76, in the 2019 NEC title game. It was the highest percentage in a regular season conference tilt since Bryant shot 69.2 percent in a 105-104 loss to Sacred Heart on February 24, 2019.
 
The Blue Devils shot better than 60 percent in a game for the first time since November 18, 2018, in a win over Florida A&M when they drained 66.7 percent from the field.
 
You’d have to go all the way back to February 8, 2014 for the last time CCSU hit 60.0 percent of its shot opportunities in a league game. That day, the Blue Devils made 62.3 percent in a 91-86 OT victory over FDU.

JENKINS LOOKING TO JOIN ELITE GROUP
 
It seems like FDU senior Jahlil Jenkins (Ranson, WV/Virginia Academy) has been around forever. And if we had it our way, we’d never let him go.
 
The preseason All-NEC honoree is the current NEC active leader in scoring (1,382), assists (424), three-pointers (138) and steals (156).
 
Jenkins is bidding to become just the seventh player in NEC history to reach 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals for his career.
 
NEC Players with 1,500 Points/500 Assists/300 Steals
Velton Jones           RMU         1,588/551/220          2009-13
Jeremy Goode           MSM         1,706/594/257          2006-10
Jeremy Chappell        RMU         1,875/338/266          2005-09
Tony Lee               RMU         1,489/487/275          2004-08
Gregory Harris         MSM         1,760/529/205          1996-00
Dave Masciale          LIU         1,501/504/258          1993-97
 
Chappell (2008-09) and Lee (2007-08) were both NEC Player of the Year award winners.
 
FLAGG TIDBITS
 
Saint Francis U senior forward Mark Flagg (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) has scored in double digits in each of the Red Flash’s first five games. This marks the first time in his career, the SFU big has reeled off five straight double digit scoring efforts.
 
Flagg has also hit 50 percent or more of his attempts each game this season. He leads the Flash with 12.8 ppg despite averaging just 7.8 shots per outing.
 
One more nugget...after missing all five of his free throws vs. UMBC on November 28, Flagg rebounded to go a perfect 7-for-7 from the stripe in last week’s game at Mount St. Mary’s.