Preseason Power Play: Wagner and CCSU Rise to Top In Deadlocked #NECMBB Coaches’ Poll - Northeast Conference Skip To Main Content
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Preseason Power Play: Wagner and CCSU Rise to Top In Deadlocked #NECMBB Coaches’ Poll

10/24/2024

 
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Bridgewater, NJ -- As NEC men’s basketball experiences a changing of the guard with two new programs joining the conference and a host of fresh faces stepping into key roles, one thing is for certain: NEC coaches see the 2024-25 season as a two-horse race.

After all the votes were tallied, defending NEC champion Wagner and reigning regular season champion CCSU ended in a dead heat for first place in the annual preseason poll. The Blue Devils received five first place nods, while the Seahawks picked up four.
 
2024-25 NEC Men’s Basketball
Preseason Coaches Poll

                     1. (tie) CCSU (5)
                         Wagner (4)
                     3. FDU
                     4. Le Moyne
                     5. LIU
                     6. Chicago State
                     7. Mercyhurst
                     8. (tie) Saint Francis U
                         Stonehill

   First place votes in parentheses
This marked the first time in 22 years that CCSU has topped the preseason rankings. Wagner was last installed as the preseason favorite in 2021-22.

FDU was slotted third in the poll, followed by Le Moyne and LIU in that order. NEC newcomers Chicago State and Mercyhurst took the sixth and seventh spots, respectively. Saint Francis U and Stonehill tied for eighth to round out the rankings.

The annual preseason poll was announced during the NEC Basketball Media Day webcast, which streamed exclusively on ESPN+.

Conducted annually, NEC coaches have only managed to correctly forecast the eventual league champion three times in the last 25 years. Over the last 37 seasons, their predictions have been accurate on only five occasions, or just 14 percent of the time.

The 2024-25 conference season tips off on January 3 with nine teams playing a 16-game traditional round-robin schedule.

The eight-team NEC Tournament is scheduled for March 5 (quarterfinals), 8 (semifinals) & 11 (championship), with each game hosted by the higher seed. All eight eligible teams will participate in this year’s NEC Tournament. Starting in the 2026-27 season, Mercyhurst will be eligible to compete in the NEC postseason.

If Le Moyne or Stonehill, both reclassifying institutions, wins the NEC Tournament championship, the tournament runner-up will advance to the NCAA Tournament as the NEC’s automatic qualifier, per current policy. In instances where two reclassifying members reach an NEC final in men’s and women’s basketball, the NEC will stage an “AQ Qualifier” game between the two non-advancing semifinal teams. This will serve as a decisive game to determine the team that will secure the NEC’s spot in the NCAA Tournament.

CCSU
Predicted NEC Finish: Tie-1st
2023-24 Overall Record: 20-11
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 13-3/Tie-1st
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Jordan Jones (Sr, G, 6’0”, 180 lbs.): 13.1 ppg (10th in NEC), 3.5 rpg, 3.6 apg (5th in NEC), 1.8 spg (4th in NEC)
Jayden Brown (Sr, F/C, 6’8”, 215 lbs.): 8.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg (4th in NEC), 52.6 FG% (4th in NEC)
 
Three Sentence Preview:
Following the program’s first NEC regular season championship in 17 years, the best may be yet to come for Pat Sellers’ talent-laden CCSU squad that brings back a quartet of four-year seniors to pair alongside do-it-all guard Jordan Jones (Florence, SC/Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate School (Coker)), a second team All-NEC honoree and the league’s lone returning all-star. Jones, an elite defender who finished his first season in New Britain ranked tenth in the NEC in scoring (13.1 ppg), fifth in assists (3.7), fourth in steals (1.8) and eighth in free throw percentage (.748), will be joined by the experienced senior backcourt trio of Jay Rodgers (Pickerington, OH/Cochise College), Davonte Sweatman (Boston, MA/Lawrence Academy) and Joe Ostrowsky (Mt. Pleasant, MI/Cheshire Academy, CT). Senior forward Jayden Brown (Providence, RI/Tilton School (NH)) was one of the NEC’s most improved players and efficient shooters last season, knocking down 52.6 percent of his attempts, while bruising classmate Abdul Momoh (Carteret, NJ/The Patrick School) served as a defensive deterrent in the paint.
 
Wagner
Predicted NEC Finish: Tie-1st
2023-24 Overall Record: 17-16
2023-23 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 7-9/6th (won NEC Tournament)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Javier Ezquerra (Sr, G, 6-1, 175 lbs.): 7.0 ppg, 4.4 apg (1st in NEC), 51 3PFG (9th in NEC)
Keyontae Lewis (Jr, F, 6-9, 255 lbs.): 6.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg (10th in NEC), 56.4 FG%
 
Three Sentence Preview:
Wagner’s Cinderella run to the NEC title as the sixth seed last March captivated the Staten Island faithful, and its First Four win over Howard put the Seahawks in the national spotlight as Donald Copeland’s defensive-minded, tough-as-nails squad overcame a series of season-ending injuries to earn the program’s first conference championship & NCAA berth in 21 years. The Green & White bring back several key players from last year’s title run, including crafty senior point guard Javier Ezquerra (San Juan, Puerto Rico/IMG Academy), who led the NEC with 4.4 assists per game, junior forward Keyontae Lewis (Chesterfield, VA/Lloyd C. Bird), the team’s top returning rebounder with 5.4 boards per game, and sharpshooting senior forward Tyje Kelton (Dunellen, NJ/Covenant College Prep (Monroe College)), who sank 45 three-pointers. The return from injuries of senior guard and mid-range maestro Rahmir Moore (Philadelphia, PA/RISE Prep (Ontario) (Saint Joseph’s)), junior interior forward Rob Taylor II (Brooklyn, NY/St. Marks) and senior combo guard Zaire Williams (Brooklyn, NY Eagle Academy (NY)) is just what the doctor ordered for Copeland, who will have a much deeper squad in Wagner’s quest to defend it NEC crown.
 
FDU
Predicted NEC Finish: 3rd
2023-24 Overall Record: 15-17
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 9-7/Tie-4th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Jo’el Emanuel (Jr, F, 6-6, 196 lbs.): 10.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 45.3 FG% (10th in NEC)
Terrence Brown (So, G, 6-3, 158 lbs.): 7.8 ppg, 2.2 apg, 1.4 spg
 
Three Sentence Preview:
One year after a magical NCAA Tournament journey thrust FDU into the national spotlight, the program appears ready to deliver a worthy encore in year two of the Jack Castleberry era, bolstered by a wealth of returning talent and incoming reinforcements in Hackensack. The Knights return significant firepower from a team that led the NEC in scoring last season, highlighted by rising 6’6” junior forward Jo’el Emanuel (Suffern, NY/Suffern) (10.6 ppg), a preseason All-NEC selection whose slashing and above-the-rim game ranks among the best in the conference, and sophomore guard Terrence Brown (Minneapolis, MN/Columbia Heights (Golden State Prep)) (7.8 ppg), a dynamic force in transition who comes off a standout All-Rookie campaign. The return of senior forward Cameron Tweedy (Waldorf, MD/Westlake (State Fair CC)), who missed last season with an injury, will be a welcome sight for FDU fans, who remember his impactful interior presence during the Knights’ 2023 postseason run, including a 10-point, six-rebound performance in their victory over top-seeded Purdue.
 
Le Moyne
Predicted NEC Finish: 4th
2023-24 Overall Record: 15-17
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 9-7/Tie-4th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Darrick Jones Jr. (5th, G, 6’5”, 200 lbs.): 8.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 40.4 3PFG% (2nd in NEC), 40 3PFG
Ocypher Owens (Sr, F, 6’8”, 215 lbs.): 8.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg
 
Three Sentence Preview:
Following in the footsteps of previous NEC programs making their DI transition, Le Moyne made plenty of noise its maiden NEC voyage last season, leveraging a freewheeling, three-point heavy offense into a 9-7 league record and fourth place finish in the conference standings, ultimately reaching the NEC Tournament semifinals under the guidance of alum Nate Champion. Despite losing a pair of All-NEC standouts to graduation, the Dolphins return experienced fifth-year guard Darrick Jones Jr. (Richmond, VA/Oak Hill Academy (Towson)), a preseason All-NEC honoree and a formidable catch-and-shoot threat who averaged 8.5 points per game, hit 40 triples and ranked second in the conference with a 40.9 percent success rate from deep, alongside athletic senior forward Ocypher Owens (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian Prep (Indian River State)) (8.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg), a defensive and rebounding force. Look for offensive-minded sophomore guard AJ Dancler (Indianapolis, IN/Southport) to increase his production after a solid freshman campaign, while sharpshooting graduate student guard Robby Carmody (Mars, PA/Mars Area (Notre Dame/Mercer)), who joins the team after stints at Notre Dame and Mercer, should seamlessly integrate into an offense that ranked 17th nationally in made three-pointers.

LIU
Predicted NEC Finish: 5th
2023-24 Overall Record: 7-22
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 6-10/7th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 3/10
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Terell Strickland (Sr,. G, 6’0”, 175 lbs.): 7.2 ppg, 3.6 apg, 1.6 spg
Jason Steele (So, F, 6’6”, 190 lbs.): 4.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.8 spg
 
Three Sentence Preview:
While the Rod Strickland era at LIU officially launched in 2022-23, the upcoming season will provide a clearer indication of the program’s future, with 12 new faces set to suit up in Brooklyn. The lone returning starter is graduate student point guard Terell Strickland (Tampa, FL/St. Petersburg (James Madison)), a creative playmaker and pesky on-the-ball defender who, despite fighting injuries last season, averaged 7.2 ppg and 3.6 apg as the team’s floor general and an extension of his father on the court. He’ll be joined by sophomore Jason Steele (Flushing, NY/Our Saviour Lutheran) (4.6 ppg), who showed promise down the stretch last season as a versatile wing, along with a host of impactful newcomers, highlighted by redshirt junior guard Malachi Davis (Toronto, ON/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona State)), a prolific scorer who was named to the preseason All-NEC squad after suiting up at Arizona State last season, and Chicago State transfer guards Brent Davis (Miramar, FL/Miramar (The Citadel/Chicago State)) (9.2 ppg, 39 3PFG) and A.J. Neal, Jr. (Orlando, FL/West Oaks Academy (Chicago State)) (4.9 ppg).
 
Chicago State
Predicted NEC Finish: 6th
2023-24 Overall Record: 13-19
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 1st year in NEC (previously independent)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Noble Crawford (Sr, F, 6’”, 195 lbs.): 7.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 spg,
Deshawn Jean-Charles (Jr, G, 6’7”, 200 lbs.): 5.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.1 apg
 
Three Sentence Preview:
With the NEC expanding into the Windy City, conference newcomer Chicago State is set for a fresh start under Scott Spinelli, who was promoted to head coach last spring. Spinelli, a seasoned veteran with assistant coaching stints at Boston College and Maryland, reshaped the roster to address gaps left by key departures following a breakthrough season that included a win over Big Ten rival Northwestern and a second-round appearance in the CBI. Senior forward Noble Crawford (Deltona, FL/West Oaks Academy (LIU)), an athletic rim-runner and tenacious ball hawk who averaged 7.8 ppg and ranked in the top-50 nationally with 2.0 spg last season, will join forces with energetic junior guard Deshawn Jean-Charles (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Miramar) (5.2 ppg) and defensive-oriented senior forward Cameron Jernigan (Gary, IN/Bosco Institute (Tarleton State)) (4.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg) for the Cougars.
 
Mercyhurst
Predicted NEC Finish: 7th
2023-24 Overall Record: 15-16
2023-24 PSAC Record/PSAC Finish: 11-11/Tie-5th PSAC West (1st year in NEC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Jeff Planutis (Gr, F, 6-6, 215 lbs.): 17.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 65 3PFG, 37.6 3PFG%
Aidan Reichert (Sr, F, 6-4, 215 lbs.): 12.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 47.7 FG%
 
Three Sentence Preview:
Excitement is sure to peak in Erie this winter as Mercyhurst makes its Northeast Conference and NCAA DI debut, aiming to follow in the footsteps of recent NEC reclassifying programs that quickly jumped into the mix as title contenders. The Lakers built a Division II powerhouse under longtime head coach Gary Manchel, reaching the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four years, and will look to build upon that tradition with players like graduate student forward Jeff Planutis (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton (Woodstock Academy)), a lanky, athletic wing and elite marksmen from deep who averaged 17.4 ppg and dropped 65 three-pointers on his way to first-team All-PSAC honors last season. Planutis will team up with veteran forward and top rebounder Aidan Reichert (Jackson Center, OH/Jackson Center) (12.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg), along with a wave of transfers led by Shemar Rathan-Mayes (Toronto, Ontario/Orangeville Preparatory (Youngstown State/UNC Wilmington)), a seasoned point guard with stops at Youngstown State and UNC Wilmington.
 
Saint Francis U
Predicted NEC Finish: Tie-8th
2023-24 Overall Record: 8-22
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 3-13/8th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
 
Returning Players to Watch:
Bobby Rosenberger III (So, G, 6’5”, 205 lbs.): 9.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 39 3PFG
Ace Talbert (So, G, 6’0”, 185 lbs.): 8.3 ppg, 2.2 apg, 37 3PFG, 38.1 3PFG% (5th in NEC)
 
Three Sentence Preview:
Looking for a return to prominence, Rob Krimmel is seizing the chance to hit the reset button with a significant roster overhaul this season at Saint Francis U. The dean of NEC head coaches and one of its top talent developers, Krimmel replenished his roster with 10 newcomers, but does have an ace up his sleeve with the return of sophomore Ace Talbert (Wyandanch, NY/Scotland Campus (PA) (Combine Academy (NC))), a tough, scoring-minded guard who supplied 8.3 ppg and ranked fifth in the circuit in three-point accuracy at 38.1 percent. Joining him is classmate Bobby Rosenberger (Quakertown, PA/Perkiomen School), the NEC’s third-leading returning scorer (9.0 ppg), who made an immediate impact last season with his versatile play, earning 26 starts and knocking down 39 triples while serving as the team’s swiss army knife.
 
Stonehill
Predicted NEC Finish: Tie-8th
2023-24 Overall Record: 4-27
2023-24 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 2-14/9th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
 
Players to Watch:
Chas Stinson (Jr, G, 6’4”, 195 lbs.): 7.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 spg
Todd Brogna (So., F, 6’7”, 220 lbs.): 5.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg. 21 3PFG
 
Three Sentence Preview:
Following an eye-popping NEC debut two years ago that saw Stonehill finish as the regular season runner-up, the Skyhawks hit some speed bumps during an injury plagued 2023-24 campaign, but are poised to bounce back with an influx of new faces under head coach Chris Kraus. Kraus restocked the program with a host of talented transfers, including graduate student guard Josh Morgan (Brampton, Ontario/Father Henry Carr Secondary School (Incarnate Word)), a long-distance shooting specialist who scored nearly 900 points at Incarnate Word. Key returnees in Stonehill’s analytics-driven, three-point-heavy system are junior guard Chas Stinson (Charlotte, NC/Liberty Heights (Hickory Grove)) (7.0 ppg), an athletic shooting guard who can fire away from deep, and sophomore forward Todd Brogna (Southborough, MA/Worcester Academy) (5.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg), a versatile talent who came on strong in his freshman campaign and took more than half his shots from three-point territory.
   
NEC Preseason Coaches Poll History (last 37 years)          
          
Year        Preseason Favorite                       NEC Tournament Champion
            (actual regular season finish)           (preseason selection)
 
2023-24     Sacred Heart (3rd)                       Wagner (5th)
2022-23     Merrimack (1st)                          Merrimack (1st)
2021-22     Wagner (1st)                             Bryant (2nd)
2020-21     FDU (8th)                                Mount St. Mary’s (tied 3rd)
2019-20     LIU (tie 5th)                            Robert Morris (5th)
2018-19     Saint Francis U (1st)                    FDU (2nd)
2017-18     Saint Francis U (tie 2nd)                LIU (6th)
2016-17     FDU (tie 5th)                            Mount St. Mary's (4th)
2015-16     Mount St. Mary’s (5th)                   FDU (9th)
2014-15     St. Francis Brooklyn (1st)               Robert Morris (3rd)
2013-14     Wagner (2nd)                             Mount St. Mary's (6th)
2012-13     LIU (3rd)                                LIU (1st)
2011-12     LIU (1st)                                LIU (1st)
2010-11     Quinnipiac (2nd)                         LIU (3rd)
2009-10     Mount St. Mary’s (3rd)                   Robert Morris (tie 3rd)
2008-09     Mount St. Mary’s (tie 2nd)               Robert Morris (3rd)
2007-08     Sacred Heart (3rd)                       Mount St. Mary’s (4th) 
2006-07     Monmouth (tie 8th)                       CCSU (tie 4th)
2005-06     FDU (1st)                                Monmouth (2nd)
2004-05     Monmouth (1st)                           FDU (2nd)
2003-04     Quinnipiac (10th)                        Monmouth (3rd)
2002-03     CCSU (3rd)                               Wagner (2nd)
2001-02     Monmouth (4th)                           CCSU (4th)
2000-01     CCSU (tie 5th)                           Monmouth (3rd)
1999-00     Mount St. Mary’s (tie 7th)               CCSU (3rd)
1998-99     Mount St. Mary’s (tie 5th)               Mount St. Mary’s (1st)
1997-98     LIU (1st)                                FDU (2nd)
1996-97     Monmouth (3rd)                           LIU (4th)
1995-96     Monmouth/Rider (tie 2nd/4th)             Monmouth (tie 1st)
1994-95     Rider (1st)                              Mount St. Mary’s (3rd)
1993-94     FDU (tie 5th)                            Rider (3rd)
1992-93     Wagner (2nd)                             Rider (3rd)
1991-92     Monmouth (tie 2nd)                       Robert Morris (2nd)
1990-91     Monmouth (4th)                           Saint Francis U (3rd)
1989-90     FDU (6th)                                Robert Morris (3rd)
1988-89     Monmouth (3rd)                           Robert Morris (5th)
1987-88     *Marist (tie 1st)                        FDU (2nd)

* Marist was ineligible for the NEC Tournament in 1987-88

About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 44th season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#8). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#87). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.