NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK presented by 
Michael Green III, Bryant
5’11”, 155 lbs.
So., G, Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael Academy
Green III was the driving force behind a 3-0 week for the Bulldogs that included an NEC series sweep over Wagner and a 93-88 win at UMass. The sophomore guard averaged 21.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals, and also shot 54.1 percent from the floor and made 10-20 from outside the arc for a 50.0 percent success rate. Green posted his first career double-double with 20 points and a career-high 10 assists in an 81-75 win over Wagner last Thursday. His three-pointer with 39 seconds left on the clock broke a 73-73 tie. On Monday, Green racked up a career-high 33 points on 12-16 shooting vs. UMass with 22 of those points (8-10 FG) coming in the second half. Making big play after big play down the stretch, he knifed his way through the lane for the go-ahead layup with 1:03 to play. The Bronx native and 2019-20 NEC Rookie of the Year ranks fourth in the NEC in scoring (18.7) and assists (4.7).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK presented by
Mike Sixsmith, Sacred Heart
6’0”, 170 lbs.
Fr., G, Hicksville, NY/Holy Trinity
Sixsmith has given the Pioneers an offensive spark off the bench in a promising start to his collegiate playing career. The Hicksville, NY native last week supplied SHU with 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per outing, and committed just one turnover over 98 minutes as the Pios split four conference games. Sixsmith shot 52.9 percent from the field, including a 50.0 percent mark from three-point territory where he drained 7-14 shots. He also made all eight of his free throws. Sixsmith’s best game came in a career-high 13-point effort on Tuesday to help boost SHU to a 86-85 double OT win at Wagner. He made 3-4 from distance and helped seal the game with four free throws and a steal in the second overtime period. Sixsmith ranks second among NEC freshman with 8.8 ppg and is second overall in the conference in three-point accuracy at 55.6 percent.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Hall Elisias (BRY, R-Sr, F)
Elisias was an intimidating defensive presence last week as the NEC’s leading shot blocker averaged 4.3 rejections per outing to go along with 10.0 ppg and 9.3 rpg in three Bryant victories. Elias, who made 66.7 percent of his shot attempts, posted his second double-double of the year with 12 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high seven blocks in the Bulldogs’ 81-75 win over Wagner last Thursday. He then tallied six points, nine boards, six blocks and helped neutralize talented UMass big Tre Mitchell as Bryant turned back the Minutemen, 93-88, on Monday. Elisias paces the NEC and ranks seventh nationally with 3.2 bpg.
Michael Green III (BRY, So, G)
Green was at his absolute best on Monday, scoring a career-high 33 points on 12-16 shooting in a 93-88 win at UMass that lifted Bryant’s record to 7-2 heading into the new year. For the week, the sophomore guard averaged 21.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.7 apg and 1.7 spg while shooting 54.1 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent from outside the arc where he hit 10-20. Green posted his first career double-double with 20 points and 10 assists in last Thursday’s 81-75 win over Wagner. He ranks fourth in the NEC in scoring (18.7) and assists (4.7).
Peter Kiss (BRY, R-Sr, G)
Kiss recorded three 20+ point outings in a 3-0 week for the Bulldogs. He supplied 21.0 ppg, 3.3 apg and 3.0 spg in a typically strong all-around week for the redshirt senior. Kiss converted at a 62.5 percent clip from the field, 45.5 percent from downtown and 81.8 percent from the stripe. At 17.4 ppg, he is fifth in the NEC in scoring, and also ranks second in steals (2.2) and tenth in field goal accuracy (.535).
Tre Mitchell (CCSU, Jr, G)
Mitchell led CCSU with 15.0 ppg, and added 3.5 rpg and 2.0 apg while committing just a single turnover over 52 minutes. He shot 56.3 percent from the field, 87.5 percent from the line and 50.0 percent from downtown, hitting 5-of-10 over two games against SFBK. The junior, who has reached double-figures in his last five contests, scored 17 in the series opener against the Terriers then added 13 on 4-6 shooting in a 78-59 win that saw him post a +27 plus/minus raring to lead the team.
Brandon Rush (FDU, So, G)
Rush came out on fire in FDU’s win at Fairfield on Tuesday, hitting his first six shots from three-point territory on his way to a 7-10 mark from distance in a career-high 28-point outing. He also matched a career-best with seven boards, and added three assists, a block and two steals. Rush is eighth in the conference with 15.9 ppg, and also ranks fourth in made three-pointers (2.5/game) and eighth in three-point percentage (.452).
Ty Flowers (LIU, R-Sr, F)
Flowers made his 2020-21 debut a memorable one with 21.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg in LIU’s season-opening split at Sacred Heart. The preseason All-NEC honoree put up 20 points and 13 rebounds in LIU’s 75-55 win on Wednesday, and came back with 23 points, five rebounds and two steals the following afternoon.
Jermaine Jackson Jr. (LIU, Jr, G)
Jackson Jr. came out firing from three-point range in his first two games of the season, hitting 8-17 (.471), while averaging 19.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.5 apg in the Sharks’ series split against Sacred Heart. He netted 17 points on 3-6 from outside the arc in Wednesday’s win, then followed with 21 points and five dimes, while hitting 5-11 from distance, in game two.
Tyler Thomas (SHU, So, G)
Thomas came up big in SHU’s two NEC wins, setting new career-highs in scoring in each one. He rang up 23 points and nine rebounds in the Pioneers’ 87-72 victory over LIU last Thursday, and bettered that with 27 points five days later, highlighted by a late three-pointer that provided SHU with cushion it needed to hold off Wagner in double overtime. Thomas averaged 15.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 3.5 apg in a solid all-around week. He leads the Pios with and ranks ninth in the NEC with 15.3 ppg on the year.
Travis Atson (SFBK, Gr, G/F)
Atson tallied 14.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.0 spg and shot 45.5 percent from three-point range in a 1-1 week for the Terriers. Last Tuesday he scored a career-high 21 points on 8-17 shooting and went 5-10 from behind the arc in a 91-86 triumph at CCSU. The five made triples were a personal-best and he also grabbed eight rebounds in the win. Atson sits seventh in the league in scoring (16.3) and fourth in rebounding (8.3).
Elijah Ford (WC, Sr, G)
Ford comes off the biggest week of his Wagner career, exploding for 23.8 ppg on a scorching 67.9 percent shooting from the field. He added 7.3 rpg and 2.0 spg over four league contests. The senior had three 23+ point performances, including a career-high 29 on 10-13 shooting at Bryant last Thursday, a figure he matched on Tuesday in a 2OT loss to SHU. Ford is the NEC’s second-leading point producer at 20.8 ppg, and also ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.621), third in steals (1.8) and 10th in rebounding (6.4).
Alex Morales (WC, Sr, G)
Morales stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 16.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 5.8 apg and 1.8 spg in a four-game span over the last week. He posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards at Bryant last Wednesday, and had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in Wagner’s 74-46 win over SHU on Monday. Morales ranks among NEC leaders in scoring (14.4, 13th), rebounding (8.4, 3rd), assists (4.8, 2nd) and steals (1.6, 8th).
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK FOUR
Here’s all you need to know from week four of the 2020-21 season...
BRYANT EARNS SIGNATURE WIN, OFF TO HISTORIC START
Putting a bow on 2020 with two more conference wins and an impressive non-league conquest, Bryant heads home for the holidays with their heads held high.
The Bulldogs swept Wagner last Wednesday (74-62) and Thursday (81-75) at home to improve to 3-1 in NEC play, then went to UMass on Monday and took down the A-10 squad, 93-88, in a high scoring affair in Amherst.
The win over the Minutemen marked the second straight year Bryant has knocked off an A-10 team on the road. The Bulldogs downed Fordham, 69-61, on December 10, 2019.
At 7-2, Bryant is off to the best start in its DI history, and has been the case all season, it was sophomore guard Michael Green III (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael Academy), the reigning NEC Rookie of the Year, who served as the catalyst in the takedown of UMass.
Green dropped a career-high 33 points and was unstoppable both off the dribble and from distance, hitting 12-16 from the field and 3-4 from downtown. After UMass rallied back from a 17-point second half deficit to tie the game at 84, it was Green who sliced through the defense for a layup with 1:03 to go that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good. Green hit three free throws and redshirt junior guard Luis Hurtado (Merida, Venezuela/Sagemont School (UAB)) sank four more to seal the win.
“We knew it was going to take a big effort to beat a really good Atlantic 10 team, and our guys came up with it,” said Grasso. “Every time they made a run our guys responded.”
Green became the first Bulldog since Adam Grant (Feb. 28, 2019 vs. SFBK) to score 30+ points in a game and it was the highest output by a Bryant player since SaBastian Townes dropped 34 against Hartford on Dec. 12, 2018.
“Today’s win was a big win for us...beating an A-10 team, winning a buy game,” said Green. “We knew we had to come out with an edge and we did.”
Bryant shot a season-high 58.2 percent from the field, scored 1.12 PPP and limited the Minutemen to just 39.1 percent shooting.
UMass sophomore big Tre Mitchell, the 2019-20 A-10 Rookie of the Year who has NBA aspirations and entered the game with two 30-point outings already this season, was limited to 12 points on 4-9 from the field. Much of the credit can be given to Bryant senior forward Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South (New Mexico JC)), who blocked five shots and altered many more in a defensive tour de force.
“(Hall Elisias) has been a monster the last three games, both defensively, rebounding the ball and blocking shots,” said Bryant head coach Jared Grasso, following the UMass win. “That’s what he’s capable of doing.”
Sophomore guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Putnam Science) added 11 points and 12 rebounds in his second double-double effort of the season, while junior guard Chris Childs (Bronx, NY/Woodstock Academy (CT) (Indian Hills CC)) provided 14 points off the bench.
WAGNER’S HIGH RISER: BUYING STOCK IN FORD
In looking at the NEC’s most improved players this season, Wagner senior swingman Elijah Ford (Newark, NJ/Weequahic (Barton CC)) has rocketed up the chart.
Ford, who was a solid contributor for the Green & White a year ago with 9.5 ppg on 47.9 percent shooting to go along with 5.3 rpg, has emerged as an elite scorer over the first five games of his senior campaign.
The Newark, NJ native, who came to Staten Island via Barton CC, has lifted his scoring average to 20.8 ppg on red-hot 62.1 percent shooting, which rank him second and fifth in the conference, respectively. Ford is also snaring 6.4 rebounds per game, the tenth-best mark on the circuit.
Last week Ford posted his first double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s game at Bryant, then added a career-high 29 the next afternoon, hitting 10-13 from the floor.
He wasn’t done, making big play after big play in Wagner’s heartbreaking 86-85 double overtime loss to Sacred Heart on Tuesday. Ford matched his career-best with 29 points on 10-15 shooting, including 10 of Wagner’s last 12 points of regulation, highlighted by a game-tying layup with just four seconds left on the clock. He added four points in the first OT and six more in the second OT.
On the week, Ford produced 23.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 2.0 spg, and shot a blistering 67.9 percent from the field.
SPLITS VS. SWEEPS
A host of leagues around the country are employing the same conference scheduling format as the NEC this season with teams playing back-to-back games on consecutive nights at the same site.
To date nationwide, there have been 30 back-to-back conference series with sweeps coming in 18 of them or 60.0 percent of the time.
That trend hasn’t taken hold in the NEC.
Of the six completed series, only Bryant managed to sweep both games in its B2B with Wagner last week.
Conference Sweeps Splits Percentage Sweep
America East 3 1 75
Big Sky 2 1 67
Big South 4 0 100
Horizon 4 1 80
MAAC 4 4 50
NEC 1 5 17
The Mountain West provides a rest day in between games of the series and is not included.
Leagues that are also going B2B this season but have yet to start conference play include the ASun, Big West, CAA, Conference USA, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Patriot, Summit, Sun Belt and WAC.
WAGNER’S MORALES IN ELITE COMPANY
Wagner senior guard Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)) is the only player in the nation this season averaging at least 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
In fact, there have been just 12 players nationally since the 1992-93 season to finish a season with those numbers, a list that includes eight current or former NBA players: Ben Simmons (LSU), Evan Turner (Ohio State), Penny Hardaway (Memphis), Kyle Anderson (UCLA), John Konchar (IPFW), Kyle Collinsworth (BYU), Mark Davis (Texas Tech), Jeryl Sasser (SMU). Former NEC baller Nate Pondexter, who starred at Quinnipiac, reached the statistical plateau in the 1998-99 season.
Morales is currently contributing 14.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 4.8 apg and 1.6 spg.
PIONEER TRIAL BY FIRE
With a roster comprised of eight freshman, two sophomores and just five upperclassmen, Sacred Heart is forging ahead with a youth movement.
According to KenPom, of the 329 teams that have already played this year, SHU is ranked 301st as far as inexperience with its roster averaging of 1.14 years of experience.
Over their first five games, SHU freshman are playing 44.0 percent of the team’s minutes and accounting for 42.1 percent of its scoring.
Freshman guard Mike Sixsmith (Hicksville, NY/Holy Trinity), the NEC Rookie of the Week, leads the way among SHU freshman with 8.8 ppg on an efficient 54.2 percent from the field and 55.6 percent efficiency from three-point territory. Bryce Johnson (Stockton, CA/St. Mary’s (Pomfret)) has contributed 7.0 ppg and leads all NEC freshman with 7.4 rpg.
MITCHELL MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF AT CCSU
CCSU newcomer Tre Mitchell (Phoenix, AZ/La Joya Community (Phoenix College)) has been just what the doctor ordered for an improved Blue Devil squad that is off to a 2-2 start in conference play.
A 6’3” playmaking guard, Mitchell has been an efficient scorer, reliable long distance marksmen and an elite ball protector over his first eight games in New Britain.
Mitchell last week averaged 15.0 ppg on 56.3 percent shooting from the field, 50.0 percent from three-point land and 87.5 percent from the line in a split with St. Francis Brooklyn.
The Phoenix, AZ native is second on CCSU with 12.0 ppg. He currently ranks ninth in the conference in field goal accuracy (.536) and 11th in three-point proficiency (.414).
Mitchell has been remarkably careful with the ball as well, turning it over just three times in 163 minutes over seven games. His 5.2 turnover rate is second in the NEC and ranks 33rd nationally.
BRYANT’S ELISIAS: GET USED TO REJECTION
Talk about being a defensive presence.
Bryant senior forward Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South (New Mexico JC)), who ranked 15th nationally in blocks last season, has moved up the charts in 2020-21, currently sitting fourth in the country with 3.1 bpg.
His 10.28 block rate is first in the NEC and 31st in DI.
Last week, he swatted a season-high seven shots in a win over Wagner and followed with six more in a showdown with Tre Mitchell and UMass this past Monday. Mitchell, a 6’9” forward who was coming off a 37-point outing at La Salle, was limited to 12 points on 4-9 shooting in Bryant’s 93-88 win. Elisias rejected two of Mitchell’s shots and then delivered a highlight reel block on Javohn Garcia’s dunk attempt late in the game.
NEC PUSHING THE PACE
Buoyed by Bryant’s breakneck pace, the NEC has emerged as the quickest tempo conference in the country in league play according to KenPom, albeit with a small sample size.
Over the first 13 conference games, the NEC has an adjusted tempo of 73.1, well ahead of the Mountain West, which is second at 70.9. Only 16 conferences have started league play at this time.
Bryant’s pace remains is the quickest in the country. At 77.6 possessions per 40 minutes, the Bulldogs are one of five NEC team ranked in the top-100 in adjusted tempo. LIU (74.3, 26th), St. Francis Brooklyn (73.3, 39th), FDU (72.6, 64th) and CCSU (72.5, 67th) also rank among the nation’s leaders. The national average is 70.4 at this time.
FOR OPENERS
Every coach wants to begin the NEC campaign on a positive note.
Who has done it best among the current crop of mentors?
Bryant’s Jared Grasso has won all three of his league openers after the Bulldogs downed St. Francis Brooklyn back on December 8.
St. Francis Brooklyn’s Glenn Braica (8-3), Wagner’s Bashir Mason (6-3) and FDU’s Greg Herenda (5-3) all atypically dropped their respective openers this season.
Only Merrimack’s Joe Gallo has yet to begin conference play. He will look for his second straight NEC lid-lifter victory when the Warriors take on Sacred Heart on January 7.
NEC Opener Records - Current Coaches
Jared Grasso, BRY 3-0
Donyell Marshall, CCSU 2-3
Greg Herenda, FDU 5-3
Derek Kellogg, LIU 1-3
Joe Gallo, MC 1-0
Dan Englestad, MSM 1-2
Anthony Latina, SHU 2-6
Glenn Braica, SFBK 8-3
Rob Krimmel, SFU 4-5
Bashir Mason, WC 6-3
STOCKING STUFFERS
Bryant averaged 87.8 ppg in going 3-1 in its non-conference schedule with the only setback coming in an 85-84 loss at Syracuse on opening night.
Bryant is averaging 10.4 three-pointers per game, a league-leading figure that ranks 17th nationally. The Bulldogs also pace the circuit and rank seventh in the nation in field goal accuracy at 42.5 percent.
CCSU had six players score in double-figures in its 78-59 win over SFBK last Wednesday. It was the first time since January 27, 2018 at LIU that the Blue Devils had six reach double-digits in a game.
CCSU has five players averaging double-digits in league play. The Blue Devils are averaging 82.3 ppg (third in NEC), and shooting .500 overall (first) and .449 from three-point range (second) against NEC rivals. The Blue Devils are also dishing a league-leading 18.5 assists per game and have posted a 1.3 assist/turnover ratio, which ranks second on the loop.
Brandon Rush’s (Warrensville, OH/ Warrensville Heights) seven three-pointers in FDU’s win over Fairfield on Tuesday were the most by a Knight since Darnell Edge connected on seven in the team’s 2019 NCAA Tournament game win over Prairie View A&M.
Sacred Heart freshman guard Mike Sixsmith (Hicksville, NY/Holy Trinity) currently ranks fourth nationally in offensive rating at 152.4. He has recorded a 75.0 effective shooting percentage over his first five career games.
St. Francis Brooklyn junior forward Vuk Stevanic (Jagodina, Serbia/Canterbury School (Highland CC)) has turned the ball over just once in 84 minutes this season.
GREEN, BULLDOG SUPERLATIVES
Bryant sophomore guard Michael Green III (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael Academy) currently sits atop the NEC single-game charts in a number of categories this season.
Most Points: 33 vs. UMass (12/21)
Most Assists: 10 vs. Wagner (12/17)
Most Field Goals: 12 vs. UMass (12/21)
FT Percentage: 1.000 (8-8) vs. SFBK (12/8)
His teammates have joined in on the fun.
Sophomore guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Putnam Science) pulled down a league-best 17 boards vs. SFBK on 12/8, senior guard Peter Kiss (New York, NY/Notre Dame Prep (Rutgers)) had six an NEC-best six steals vs. RIC on 12/5 and senior forward Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South (New Mexico JC)) blocked a conference-high seven shots against Wagner on 12/17/
NEC TV SKED REVEALED
Last week, the NEC announced an 18-game basketball television package for the 2020-21 season, including nine of the men’s side.
The NEC and ESPN will team up to bring games to fans through ESPN streaming services on web and via the ESPN App across smartphones, tablets and connected devices. Eleven NEC games will be streamed non-exclusively on ESPN3, with five more games to air exclusively on ESPN+, the direct-to-consumer streaming service.
SNY will carry three men’s games featuring NY Metro area schools, including the package opener on December 21 when Sacred Heart visited Wagner. The annual “Battle of Brooklyn” rivalry game between LIU and St. Francis Brooklyn on January 30 will air on same day tape delay. SNY will also broadcast the FDU-Mount St. Mary’s game on February 20.
MASN is also set to pick up the Mount St. Mary’s-FDU game on February 20.
The conference anticipates adding additional regional syndication partners in the coming weeks
All NEC men’s teams will be featured once during the regular season with an ESPN3 wildcard game on February 25.
When March rolls around, ESPN3 is set to carry the men’s semifinals on Saturday, March 6 and the NEC men’s title game will be televised by ESPN2 for the 34th straight year on Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 pm.
Now in his 21st season, Dave Popkin serves as the primary play-by-play announcer on men’s broadcasts, with Paul Dottino (22nd year) filling in. Tim Capstraw (22nd year) and Joe DeSantis (14th year) are slated to split color analyst duties.
Pack Network will handle production duties for the league’s ESPN3/ESPN+ package.
2020-21 NEC Men’s Basketball Television Schedule
Date Matchup Time Carriers
Mon., Dec. 21 Sacred Heart at Wagner (m) 7:00 pm ESPN3, SNY
Thur., Jan. 14 Bryant at Saint Francis U (m) 7:00 pm ESPN+
Sat., Jan. 30 LIU at St. Francis Brooklyn (m) 4:00 pm ESPN3, SNY (TD)
Thur., Feb. 11 Merrimack at CCSU (m) 7:00 pm ESPN+
Sat., Feb. 20 Mount St. Mary’s at FDU (m) 2:00 pm ESPN3, SNY, MASN
Thur., Feb. 2 Wildcard Game (m) 7:00 pm ESPN3
Sat., Mar. 6 NEC Men’s Semifinal #1 12:00 pm ESPN3
NEC Men’s Semifinal #2 2:00 pm ESPN3
Tues., Mar. 9 NEC Men’s Championship 7:00 pm ESPN2