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NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Player of the Week: Malachi Davis, LIU
NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Rookie of the Week: Shadrak Lasu, LIU
Previous NEC Releases: November 18 | November 11 | Preseason Poll Release
 
NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Malachi Davis, LIU
R-Jr., G, 6-34, 172 lbs.
Toronto, Canada/Central Tech (Arizona St./Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College)
Davis stepped up his game during LIU’s split last week, averaging 26.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per contest. He shot 47.1 percent from beyond the arc and hit all 13 of his free throw attempts. The Arizona State transfer was incredible in the Sharks’ 79-76 win at Charlotte on Saturday, piling up a career-high 31 points on 9-18 shooting and a 4-8 mark from downtown. He scored 19 points in the first half as LIU built a double-digit lead, then helped ice the game with four free throws in the final 16 seconds. The redshirt junior also dropped 22 points in Wednesday’s 80-72 setback to unbeaten Columbia. Davis, who hails from Toronto, raised his season scoring average to 21.0 ppg, which ranks second in the NEC. He’s also fourth in free throw accuracy (.879) and made triples (2.5/game), fifth in assists (3.5) and tenth in 3P percentage (.429).

NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Shadrak Lasu, LIU
Fr., F, 6-8, 200 lbs.
Winnipeg, Canada/Northstar Prep
After missing two games with an injury, Lasu returned on Saturday and produced his first career double-double, compiling a season-high 11 points on 4-6 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and a pair of blocks in LIU’s 79-76 road conquest of AAC opponent Charlotte. Lasu’s 10 boards were one off his career-best and his double-double was the first by an NEC freshman this season.  The Winnipeg native leads the Sharks with 8.0 rpg this season and is contributing 5.5 ppg.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
 
Jordan Jones (CCSU, Sr, G)
Last week: 14.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.0 spg

- Finished with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in CCSU’s 64-56 triumph over Bighamton on Sunday.

Terrence Brown (FDU, So, G)
Last week: 25.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.5 apg, 56.3 FG%

- Extended his 20+ game scoring streak to four, highlighted by a 26-point outburst at Army on Wednesday. He hit 10-19 from the field and 3-7 from deep.
- Set a new career-high with 9 boards vs. Vermont St. Randolph.
- Leads the NEC and ranks ninth nationally at 23.1 ppg.

Malachi Davis (LIU, R-Jr, G)
Last week: 26.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg, 47.1 3P%, 100.0 FT%

- Exploded for a career-high 31 points in LIU’s win at Charlotte on Saturday, converting 9-18 from the floor, 4-8 from three and 9-9 from the stripe.
- Added 22 points against Columbia and now ranks second in the NEC with 21.0 ppg.

Shadrak Lasu (LIU, R-Jr, G)
Last week: 11 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks vs. Charlotte

- Posted first career double-double in statement win at Charlotte

Terell Strickland (LIU, Sr, G)
Last week: 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.5 spg. 61.1 3P%

- The NEC assist leader registered season-highs in dimes in back-to-back games last week, tallying six against Columbia and seven in LIU’s win at Charlotte. He’s averaging 4.8 apg on the season.

Riley Parker (SFU, Jr, G)
Last week: 15.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 43.8 3P%

- Logged a career-high 20 points at Georgetown on Saturday. He sank 4-9 shots from deep and scored nine points in a 21-10 run that gave SFU its final lead of the game at 57-56.

Bobby Rosenberger III (SFU, So, G)
Last week: 14.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.0 spg

- Rang up 20 points at Georgetown to tie for game-high honors, and added seven caroms and three steals. He leads SFU with 12.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg.

Todd Brogna (STO, So, F)
Last week: 10 points, 15 rebounds vs. Bryant

- Registered first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and a career and NEC single-game season-high 15 boards in Stonehill’s 67-66 win over Bryant.
- Brogna’s 15 rebounds were the most by a Skyhawk since Will Moreton recorded 15 against Merrimack on February 14, 2018.
- Brogna’s 7.0 rpg ranks second in the NEC.

Josh Morgan (STO, Gr, G)
Last week: 22 points, 2 assists, 7-15 FG vs. Bryant

- Posted his second 20+ point game in the last three outings, scoring a game-high 22 points in a one-point win over Bryant.
- His 14.7 ppg ranks third in the conference.

Amir Nesbitt (STO, Gr, G)
Last week: 10 points, 15 rebounds vs. Bryant

- Came off the bench to score a career-high 17 points, including a 6-10 mark from the field and 3-7 night from deep to help sink Bryant. His back-to-back triples gave the Skyhawks a five-point lead with 4:21 to play.

RJ Greene (WC, Jr, G)
Last week: 13.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 55.0 FG%

- Greene scored four points in the final 0.6 seconds, including a layup at the horn, to help Wagner pull off an improbable 60-58 win at Boston U on Tuesday. He racked up all 19 of his season-high points in the second half and snared eight rebounds.

Zaire Williams (WC, Sr, G)
Last week: 18.5 ppg, 2.0 apg, 5.0 spg, 58.3 FG%, 44.4 3P%

- Williams contributed on both ends of the floor in a 2-0 week for the Seahawks. He tallied 18 points and five steals in a last-second win at BU, then followed with 19 points and five more swipes against Springfield.

#NECMBB BY THE NUMBERS
 
2 - FDU’s turned the ball over just 2 times in its win over Vermont St. Randolph, the lowest single-game total by an NEC squad in nearly ten years (Bryant 1 vs. SHU, 1/24/15).

5 - Wagner’s Zaire Williams became the first NEC player to post 5 steals in two straight games since Bryant’s Ikenna Ndugba back on February 22 & 24 in 2018.

26.0/25.7 - FDU’s Terrence Brown and LIU’s Malachi Davis - the NEC’s top two scorers - have been on a tear, averaging 26.0 and 25.7 points per game, respectively, over their last three outings.

52.7 - Wagner has given up just 52.7 ppg over its last three contests. The Seahawks lead the NEC and stand 16th nationally in scoring defense at 58.5 ppg. 

#NECMBB FAST BREAK

CCSU
CCSU ranks first in the nation in fewest fouls committed per game at just 10.8 per content.

Chicago St.
Junior guard Quincy Allen, who had previous stops at Colorado and JMU, set career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (8) at Indiana State on Saturday

FDU
FDU sophomore guard Terrence Brown has scored 20+ points in 4 straight games and in 5 of FDU’s 7 games this season. He paces the NEC and ranks eighth nationally with 23.1 ppg.

Le Moyne
The Dolphins harassed UT Martin into a 3-31 (9.7 percent) performance from outside the arc in Friday’s 65-53 win at the Island U Invitational. 

LIU
LIU’s win at Charlotte on Saturday was it’s first ever against an opponent from the AAC. The 49ers entered the game ranked 130 by KenPom.

Mercyhurst
In his collegiate debut, freshman guard Deshaun Jackson Jr. supplied 14 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals vs. Mount Aloysius on Tuesday.

Saint Francis U
Junior guard Chris Moncrief scored all of his career-high 17 points in a 5:35 span in the second half against Penn State Schuylkill last Wednesday.

Stonehill
Stonehill enjoyed a 51-35 edge on the glass in its win over Bryant on Thursday. The Skyhawks’ 19 offensive boards were the most in program’s DI era.

Wagner
Wagner’s 18 steals against Springfield were the program’s highest single-game total in over two decades, dating back to a 19-steal performance during an 88-73 victory over Iona on December 4, 2001.
   
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB

Here’s all you need to know from the third week of the 2024-25 season...

>> SEAHAWKS SNAG DRAMATIC WIN IN BEANTOWN
 
Talk about answering the call in crunch time.
 
Wagner junior guard RJ Greene (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) delivered a spectacular second half performance, capped by a pair of clutch buckets in the final 0.6 seconds to give Wagner a dramatic 60-58 win at Boston U on Tuesday.
 
Let’s set the stage.
 
Greene scored all 19 of his game-high points after the break, including eight points down the stretch to help the Green & White rally from eight down in the final 4:19 of the game.
 
Trailing by three, Greene cut the deficit to 57-56 on a layup with 34 seconds on the clock.
 
BU made one-of-two free throws, but retained possession after missing the second. Back at the line with six seconds to play, the Terriers missed both attempts, giving the Seahawks life.
 
Down 58-56, Wagner advanced the ball near midcourt and called a timeout.
 
Greene took the inbounds pass and attached the basket for a layup with just 0.6 seconds remaining.
 
On the ensuing inbounds, BU attempted a home run pass that went out of bounds without anyone touching the ball, giving it back to Wagner under its own hoop.
 
Senior guard Javier Ezquerra (San Juan, Puerto Rico IMG Academy) threaded the needle on a bounce pass in traffic and Greene did the rest, muscling in a layup at the horn.
 
The play caught the attention of a number of national outlets, including the NCAA March Madness account and CBS Sports College Basketball.
 
Greene finished with 19 points on 8-14 shooting and his eight boards also tied for game-high honors.
 
>> NEWBIE NOTE
 
Of the NEC’s top 25 point producers over the first three weeks of the season, 15 are newcomers to the league.
 
>> LIU ROAD TESTED, AAC BESTED
 
What appeared to be an epic rout turned into a battle for survival for LIU in its clash at Charlotte on Saturday.
 
Behind the stellar play of junior guard junior guard Malachi Davis (Toronto, ON/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona State)), the Sharks built a seemingly insurmountable 24-point lead over the 49ers with under 11 minutes to play, but had to withstand a furious rally to secure a noteworthy 79-76 win over the AAC opponent.
 
After freshman guard Jalen “Roc” Lee’s (Atlanta, GA/West Oaks Academy) layup put LIU up 67-43, the Sharks went scoreless for 7:44 as the 49ers trimmed the lead to six with 3:23 to play.
 
Ahead by five in the final two minutes, senior guard Terell Strickland (Tampa, FL/St. Petersburg (JMU)) took control. He converted a sweeping layup with 1:32 on the clock, then dropped a dime to senior forward Jamal Fuller (Toronto, Canada/Academy of Art Academy) for a dunk at the 34 second mark to make it 75-70 in favor of the Sharks.

Still, Charlotte had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, intentionally missing a free throw to set up a corner three attempt that was just off the mark, clinching the big win for LIU.
 
Davis, who hit four straight free throws in the last 16 seconds, was magnificent, racking up a career-high 31 points on 9-18 shooting from the field and a 4-8 mark from distance.

Returning from injury, freshman Shadrak Lasu (Winnipeg, Canada/Northstar Prep) posted his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Strickland finished with 13 points, and a game and season-high seven dimes.
 
>> MORE ON LIU/NEC VS. AAC
 
LIU’s 79-76 win was at Charlotte marked the program’s first-ever for the program over an AAC opponent and the NEC’s fifth all-time victory against the conference.
 
The league’s biggest win against the AAC came back in 2016 when Wagner knocked off #18 UConn, 67-58, in its season opener.

NEC Wins vs. AAC
LIU 79, Charlotte 76 (11/23/24)
Wagner 76, Temple 73 (OT) (11/7/22)
CCSU 79, East Carolina 68 (11/17/17)
Wagner 67, #18 UConn 58 (11/11/16)
FDU 73, Rutgers 72 (11/26/13)
 
LIU also picked up a win against the Mountain West this season, knocking off Air Force,  63-54, on November 11.
 
>> STONEHILL DEFENSE PUTS THE BITE ON BULLDOGS
 
Stonehill’s gritty 67-66 win over Bryant last Thursday was powered by a defense that rose to the occasion in front of an electric crowd at Merkert Gymnasium.
 
The Skyhawks, who took down a Bryant team projected to finish third in the America East, held a Bulldog offense that came in ranked 21st nationally at 91.4 ppg to 25 below their average.
 
Stonehill limited Bryant to 36.7 percent shooting from the field and a season-low 0.97 PPP.
 
The Skyhawks dominated the boards, outrebounding the Bulldogs, 51-35, despite Bryant entering the game ranked 26th in the nation in rebound margin at +12.0 per game.
 
The Bulldogs missed their last five shots and did not score over the final 1:35.
 
>> BROWN’S SEISMIC IMPACT
 
FDU’s Terrence Brown (Minneapolis, MN/Columbia Heights) is rewriting the playbook on versatility.
 
The sophomore guard Terrence Brown (Minneapolis, MN/Columbia Heights) is making his mark in nearly every major statistical category, ranking among the NEC’s elite across the board.

The Minneapolis, MN native currently ranks first on the circuit in scoring (23.1) and defensive rebounding (5.6), third in overall rebounding (6.6), fifth in made three-pointers (2.0), ninth in field goal percentage (.522), steals (1.6) and three-point percentage (.452), and 12th in assists (2.4) and free throw percentage (.737).

>> #NECINTHEPROS UPDATE: MORALES COMPETES IN FIBA AMERICUP QUALIFYING
 
A two-time NEC Player of the Year continues to shine, this time on the international stage.
 
Wagner all-time great Alex Morales, who claimed the league’s top honor in both 2020-21 and 2021-22, is representing Puerto Rico in AmeriCup qualifying during an international break.
 
On Friday, Morales scored nine points, hitting 2-3 from beyond the arc and 5-5 at the free throw line, in a loss a to Team USA squad featuring former NBA players Robert Covington, Tony Snell and Frank Kaminsky.
 
Morales is currently in his third year as a member of the Osceola Magic in the NBA G League.
 
This season, he is averaging 8.3 ppg and 2.8 rpg across his first four games, shooting 59.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range.
 
>> RED FLASH NUGGET
 
In Saturday’s game at Georgetown, Saint Francis U junior guard Riley Parker (Mandurah, Australia/Mandurah Catholic College Cochise College (AZ)) and sophomore guard Bobby Rosenberger III (Quakertown, PA/Perkiomen School) become the eighth and ninth players to register a 20-point game against a Power 5 opponent under head coach Rob Krimmel and the first since Josh Cohen (30 points) and Landon Moore (25 points) turned the trick against No. 25 Miami on December 17, 2022.
 
The games against Georgetown and Miami were the only two times under Krimmel that two players registered 20 points in the same game against a Power 5 team.
 
>> QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 
Saint Francis U head coach Rob Krimmel can deliver a quote with the best of ‘em.
 
Here’s what he had to say after the Red Flash battled Georgetown to a standstill until the Hoyas pulled away late on Saturday.
 
“So much of the game of college basketball progress is measured in wins, but there are some things and losses that you can take from it. I’m pleased with the 40 minutes; I thought we competed and followed the game plan. We out-rebounded them, and we’ve been challenging our guys to be able to do those things over 40 minutes. In games like this, I always tell our guys to put us in a position at the under-four media timeout. Give Georgetown credit. Down the stretch, they pressured us a little bit, and some turnovers led to some untimely layups, but they got some momentum rolling downhill. But I thought that in our first half, aside from digging ourselves a bad hole, we responded, came back, and took the lead in the second half. That certainly something to build on.”