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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: Jeremy Clayville, SFU
Previous NEC Releases: January 7 | December 30 | December 23 | December 16 | December 9 | December 2 | November 25 | 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, 6-4, 172 lbs.
Toronto, ON/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona St.))
With LIU sitting as the NEC’s only unbeaten team at 4-0, Davis claimed his second Player of the Week honor after leading the charge in an impressive road sweep. He supplied the Sharks with 19.5 points on 52.9 percent shooting and added 2.5 steals per game. Davis racked up a game-high 27 points on 12-18 shooting in LIU’s 70-60 road win at Stonehill on Friday, including 13 straight points in the final four minutes to close out the victory. On Sunday, he tallied 12 points and contributed a pair of steals and an assist in the final 2:30 to help the Sharks hang on for a 54-52 win at preseason co-favorite CCSU. A native of Toronto, Davis ranks second in the NEC in scoring at 17.3 ppg and is averaging 18.8 ppg in league play. LIU is off to its best start since opening the 2011-12 season with an 8-0 mark.

NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jeremy Clayville, Saint Francis U
Fr., G, 6-0, 165 lbs.
Ridgewood, NJ/Saint Joseph Metuchen
Clayville joined teammate Juan Cranford, Jr. on the NEC Rookie of the Week list after averaging 15.0 points and 4.5 assists, while converting at a 55.6 percent clip from the field and 42.9 mark from three-point range in Saint Francis U’s sweep of Mercyhurst and FDU. He shined in SFU’s first conference win of the season, a 73-59 triumph over the Lakers on Friday. The Ridgewood, NJ product tallied 17 points and five assists, both career-highs against a DI opponent. Two days later, he scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half to key SFU’s 75-71 victory at FDU that secured the Red Flash’s first conference sweep since February, 2023. Clayville ranks third among NEC freshmen scorers at 9.5 ppg and is the league leader in three-point accuracy, knocking down 42.7 percent of his attempts.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
 
Terrence Brown (FDU, So, G)
Last week: 20.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.000 FT

- Dropped a game-high 25 at Le Moyne for his 12th game of 20+ points on the season, which ranks third nationally.
- Made 16-16 from the line on the week.
- Leads the NEC and ranks seventh in the nation with 21.4 ppg.

Jo’el Emanuel (FDU, Jr, F)
Last week: 21.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.0 spg
- Tallied 19 points in FDU’s 2OT win at Le Moyne on Friday, then rang up a game and season-high 24 points to go along with 10 boards for his second double-double effort of the season in a setback to SFU on Sunday.
- Ranks second on FDU in scoring (11.5) and third in rebounding (4.7).

AJ Dancler (LEM, So, G)
Last week: 16.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 52.6 FG%, 50.0 3P%

- Popped for 18 points and a career-high eight rebounds against FDU on Friday, then followed up with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists to spark Le Moyne to its first NEC win of the season on Sunday over Mercyhurst.
- Produced double-digit points totals in five of his last six games to raise his season average from 6.9 ppg to 9.7 ppg.

Ocypher Owens (LEM, Sr, F)
Last week: 16.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 55.6 FG%

- Posted a season-high 21 points and a career-best 13 rebounds in a 2OT setback to FDU on Friday for his league-best fourth double-double of the season.
- Leads the league with 9.3 rpg and 65.4 percent shooting from the field in NEC play, while averaging 17.3 ppg vs. conference rivals.

Malachi Davis (LIU, R-Jr, G)
Last week: 19.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 spg, 52.9 FG%

- Poured in a game-high 27 points on 12-18 shooting in LIU’s 70-60 road win at Stonehill on Friday.
- Scored 13 straight points over the last four minutes to help ice the victory.
- Ranks second in the NEC in scoring at 17.3 ppg and is putting up 18.8 ppg vs. league opponents.

Jeremy Clayville (SFU, Fr, G)
Last week: 15.0 ppg, 4.5 apg, 55.6 FG%, 42.9 3P%

- Netted 17 points and five assists as the Red Flash won its first conference game of the season, a 73-59 conquest of Mercyhurst on Friday. Both were career-bests vs. a DI opponent.
- Scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half of SFU’s first NEC road win since February, 2023, a 75-71 triumph at FDU on Sunday.
- Ranks third among NEC freshmen scorers at 9.5 ppg.

Riley Parker (SFU, Jr, G)
Last week: 15.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 57.1 FG%, 62.5 3P%

- Paced SFU in scoring during a 2-0 week.
- Stuffed the stat sheet in a 73-59 win vs. Mercyhurst with 13 points, six rebounds and six assists, then hit for a team-high 18 as SFU posted a 75-71 victory at FDU two days later. In that win, he shot 7-10 overall and 3-3 from downtown.
- Averaging a team-best 15.5 ppg on 53.3 percent shooting from the floor and a conference-high 50.0 percent mark from outside the arc in NEC play.

Valentino Pinedo (SFU, Jr, F)
Last week: 12.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 73.3 FG%

- Registered a career-high 18 points in SFU’s 73-59 win over Mercyhurst on Friday. He hit 8-11 from the floor and scored eight points in a decisive 18-5 run.
- Averaging 9.5 ppg and leads SFU with 6.5 rpg.

Ja’Kair Sanchez (WC, Gr, G)
Last week: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 8-11 FG at CCSU

- Scored a game-high 19 points in 23 minutes off the bench in Wagner’s 62-57 win at CCSU.
- His drive and bucket with 28 seconds to play gave WC a four-point edge.
- Shooting 53.7 percent from the field & 40.5 percent from downtown.

Zaire Williams (WC, Sr, G)
Last week: 18 points, 4-8 3P, 6-6 FT at CCSU

- Has averaged 19.2 ppg and shot at a 40.4 percent clip from 3P range over last five games.
- Leads Wagner in scoring at 12.5 ppg.

#NECMBB BY THE NUMBERS
 
.313 - Home teams have won just 31.3 percent of games over the first two weeks of NEC play.

1 - The teams second (2-1) to eighth (1-2) in the NEC standings are separated by just 1 game.

32 - Le Moyne’s Dwayne Koroma ranks first in the NEC and 16th nationally with 32 dunks on the year, per Synergy.

53.2 - LIU has allowed a league-low 53.2 ppg over its first four conference games and leads the NEC in defensive efficiency (0.87 PPP), FG% defense (.372), 3P% defense (.222) and eFG% defense (.417).

#NECMBB FAST BREAK

CCSU
Junior forward Devin Haid scored 15 second half points to spark a CCSU comeback that fell just short in a two-point loss to LIU on Sunday.

Chicago St.
Noble Crawford hit 5-10 shots from the field and paced the Cougars with 15 points vs. Stonehill in the program’s first-ever NEC home game on Sunday.

FDU
FDU has four regulars (Barba-Bey, Emanuel, Jones and Nsiah) each shooting between 38.5 percent and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Le Moyne
Le Moyne enjoyed a +15.0 rebound margin in its split last week and leads the NEC with a +6.7 margin in conference play.

LIU
LIU has held four consecutive NEC opponents to 62 points or fewer, marking the third time in program history the Sharks have accomplished this feat. They also recorded four-game streaks in 1999 and 2000.

Mercyhurst
Senior guard Bernie Blunt III has hit 10-22 from three-point territory over the first four conference contests, which ranks fifth on the circuit.

Saint Francis U
Last Wednesday marked was the 70th anniversary of the program’s first-ever win against a ranked opponent, an 82-72 victory over #2 Duquesne on January 8, 1955. Led by Maurice Stokes. SFU advanced to the NIT semifinals that year.

Stonehill
Stonehill held Chicago State to just 0.83 PPP in Sunday’s 68-52 win, its best-ever mark against an NEC rival.

Wagner
Wagner’s bench was responsible for 35 of the Seahawks’ 62 points in its five-point win at CCSU on Friday.
   
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB

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

>> AND THEN THERE WAS ONE
 
Just two weeks in, and we’re down to one team that has kept its record spotless in NEC play.
 
Off to its first 4-0 start since the 2011-12 season, LIU made a bold statement this past weekend. The Sharks took a deep dive into hostile waters and surfaced with wins over two previously unbeaten home teams and a 1 1/2 game lead in the NEC standings.
 
Let’s rewind.
 
Fresh off convincing home wins against Le Moyne and Chicago State to open the season, LIU headed to New England with a tough task at hand. The Sharks, who were picked fifth in the NEC preseason poll, squared off with Stonehill and CCSU, two teams that combined to win 17 non-conference games and had posted a perfect 11-0 mark at home entering play on Friday.
 
NEC Player of the Week Malachi Davis (Toronto, ON/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona State)) put on a show at Merkert Gymnasium to kick things off at Stonehill. Holding a precarious 55-53 lead with under five minutes remaining, the redshirt junior guard reeled off 13 straight points for the Sharks, converting an assortment of contested shots and acrobatic layups, capped by a steal and highlight reel slam with 43 seconds on the clock to put the 70-60 win on ice. Davis finished with 27 points on 12-18 shooting from the floor.
 
Two days later, LIU entered Detrick Gymnasium seeking a signature win over CCSU, the NEC preseason co-favorite that has lived up to the hype and then some with a stellar non-conference campaign.
 
This one was a slugfest from the start with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm.
 
After closing the first half on a 9-2 run to lead 24-16 at the break, LIU extended its advantage to 45-36 on a Davis jumper with 8:22 remaining, matching its largest lead of the game.
 
CCSU dug in its heels with Devin Haid (Wooster, OH/Wooster (Notre Dame College/Cuyahoga CC)) igniting a 13-2 run over the next four minutes, capped by his three-pointer that put the Blue Devils ahead 49-47 with 4:27 remaining.
 
LIU immediately answered with a 7-0 spurt of its own, starting with a Brent Davis (Miramar, FL/Miramar (Citadel/Chicago St.)) layup in traffic and punctuated by a Shadrak Lasu (Winnipeg, Canada/Northstar Prep) three-point play in transition.
 
CCSU had a chance to tie or win it on its final possession, but Brent Davis came up with a steal to seal the 54-52 win and send LIU home as the NEC’s last unbeaten team at 4-0.
 
LIU conceded just 56.0 ppg on the weekend and held its two opponents to 37.9 percent shooting from the floor and 25.6 percent from beyond the arc.
 
LIU’s 4-0 start is its best since the 2011-12 season when the program started 8-0 on its way to a 16-2 campaign and the second of its record three straight NEC Tournament titles.
 
It also marked LIU’s first weekend road sweep since knocking off Saint Francis U and Mount St. Mary’s on January 17-19, 2022 and the 20th road sweep by an NEC team over the last five years.

NEC Weekend Road Sweeps (since 2019-20)
LIU                      Jan. 10-12, 2025 (STO/CCSU)
CCSU                     Feb. 22-24, 2024 (WC/SHU)
Merrimack                Jan. 25-27, 2024 (WC/SFU)
FDU                      Jan. 14-16, 2023 (CCSU/STO)
Saint Francis U          Feb. 16-18, 2023 (SFBK/LIU)
Stonehill                Jan. 20-22, 2023 (LIU/FDU)
Bryant                   Feb. 3-5, 2022 (SFU/MSM)
LIU                      Jan. 17-19, 2022 (SFU/MSM)
SFBK                     Feb. 17-19, 2022 (MSM/SFU)
Wagner                   Jan. 21-23, 2022 (LIU/MC)
Bryant                   Jan. 25-26, 2021 (LIU/LIU)
FDU                      Feb. 4-5, 2021 (LIU/LIU)
Merrimack                Feb. 11-12, 2021 (CCSU/CCSU)
SFBK                     Feb. 16-17, 2021 (FDU/FDU)
Wagner                   Feb. 4-5, 2021 (SFBK/SFBK)
Wagner                   Feb. 16-17, 2021 (MSM/MSM)
Merrimack                Jan. 18-20, 2020 (RMU/SFU)
RMU                      Jan. 2-4, 2020 (CCSU/MC)
RMU                      Feb. 6-8, 2020 (WC/SHU)
Saint Francis U          Feb. 6-8, 2020 (SHU/WC)
 
The Sharks’ 4-0 start has generated some social media buzz as LIU aims for its first winning season since 2021-22, first NEC regular-season title since 2011-12 and first NEC Tournament championship since 2012-13.
 
Nelson Castillo @NelCastNY
This is LIU first 4-0 start since 2011-12, they started off 8-0 that season. A long way to go but you’re LIU, you can’t be any happier with this start to conference play.
 
Coleman Crawley @SharpshotSelect
How about the weekend the LIU Sharks had!? They earn a 2 game lead over the favorites in the conference on the road.
 
This makes the rematch in the Shark Tank on January 30th such a big deal that it’s hard to wrap my mind around.
 
Nate Weiser @nweiser09
LIU is 4-0 in the NEC, which is their best start in conference since the 2011-12 season. They have won eight games this season after only winning seven games  last season.
@LIUBasketball #FINSUP
 
Bracket Busters @BBustersHoops
Long Island (@LIUBasketball) remains undefeated in the @NECsports after taking down Central Connecticut 54-52!
 
>> RED FLASH REBOUND
 
LIU wasn’t the only team to come away with a sweep over the weekend.
 
Saint Francis U started its season 0-2 at home, but by Sunday afternoon, the Red Flash had turned things around and banked a pair of dubs.
 
SFU posted a 73-59 home win over Mercyhurst on Friday and a 75-71 triumph at FDU two days later.
 
In doing so, the Red Flash won back-to-back games for the first time since defeating Lehigh and American during the 2023 non-conference campaign. It also marked SFU’s first sweep over NEC opponents since beating SFBK and LIU on February 16-18, 2023.
 
The quartet of Riley Parker (Mandurah, Australia/Mandurah Catholic College (Cochise College (AZ))), Jeremy Clayville (Ridgewood, NJ/Saint Joseph Metuchen), Valentino Pinedo (Murcia, Spain/Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) (East Carolina)) and Juan Cranford, Jr. (Dayton, OH/Wayne) all averaged double digits last week, combining to shoot a scorching 62.7 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range in the two victories.
 
Against FDU, the Red Flash converted at a 65.4 percent clip in the second half and withstood a furious rally in the final minute that saw the Knights trim a nine point deficit to two before Cranford and freshman Victor Payne (Cromwell, CT/Cromwell) each hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to close it out.
 
SFU head coach Rob Krimmel was especially proud of his team’s resiliency on the road.
 
“We had to overcome a lot of adversity throughout the game,” said Krimmel. “Foul trouble and injuries had us playing combinations we hadn’t played together all year. The guys on the floor did a much better job of handling the moment together on both ends of the floor. Winning is hard. Winning on the road is even tougher. In the words of (SFU football) coach Chris Villarrial, “they found a way.”
 
>> SANCHEZ SPARKS SEAHAWK SURGE
 
After a tough start to the season that saw the Seahawks drop a pair of home games by double digits, Wagner was hungry for a win.
 
To do it, the Seahawks faced an uphill battle, heading to New Britain to take on the NEC’s hottest team in their own gym, where the Blue Devils were unbeaten to date.
 
The battle of the NEC preseason co-favorites lived up to billing with Wagner winning a 62-57 barnburner behind a star turn from graduate student guard Ja’Kair Sanchez (Syracuse, NY/William Nottingham (Roberts Wesleyan/Minnesota State University Moorhead)).
 
Sanchez buried 8-11 shots from the field in a game-high 19-point effort off the bench, but it was his final shot that had the biggest impact.
 
With Wagner leading by two, Sanchez bodied his way to the basket, powering through traffic to hit a contested runner off the glass with under 30 seconds remaining.
 
Senior guard Zaire Williams (Brooklyn, NY/Eagle Academy (NY)) hit 4-8 from deep and finished with 18 points as Wagner’s backcourt accounted for 58 of the team’s 62 points on the night.
 
The two teams will rematch in Staten Island on March 1 in a game set to air on ESPNU.
 
>> RESEARCH PROJECT: THE 4-0 FILES
 
Dating back to the 1997-98 campaign, there have been 21 teams to start the year 4-0 or better in NEC play, including LIU this season.
 
Following the Sharks’ road sweep of Stonehill and CCSU, Rod Strickland and the Sharks are the NEC’s sole remaining unbeaten team entering week three.
 
Of the 20 teams that began 4-0 prior to this season, just four went on to win the NEC regular season title. Similarly, six of those teams went on to capture the NEC Tournament crown.
 The most recent NEC team to commence the season 4-0 and clinch the regular season championship was Robert Morris in 2013-14.
 
As for the last squad to start 4-0 and win the tournament title, that honor goes to the 2019-20 Robert Morris squad.
 
However, a quick start does not guarantee future success.
 
Five teams went unbeaten in their first four outings and finished fifth or lower in the standings.
 
NEC Teams That Have Started 4-0 Since 1997-98
 
2024-25
LIU           4-0 start   ???? regular season finish
 
2022-23
FDU           5-0         Tie 2nd
SFU           4-0         4th
 
2021-22
WC            11-0        2nd
 
2019-20
RMU           4-0         Tie 2nd        NEC Champion
 
2017-18
RMU           4-0         Tie 6th
 
2016-17
FDU           4-0         Tie 5th
 
2013-14
RMU           7-0         1st
 
2012-13
BRY           6-0         Tie 2nd
 
2011-12
CCSU          5-0         Tie 5th
LIU           8-0         1st            NEC Champion
 
2010-11
WC            4-0         Tie 6th
 
2009-10
LIU           5-0         4th
 
2007-08
WC            5-0         2nd
 
2005-06
RMU           5-0         5th
 
2004-05
MU            7-0         1st
 
2003-04
MU            5-0         Tie 1st        NEC Champion
 
1999-00
CCSU          12-0        1st            NEC Champion
QU            5-0         Tie 4th        
RMU           4-0         Tie 2nd
 
1998-99
UMBC          15-0*       1st            *NEC record for best start
 
>> BIZARRO WORLD
 
NEC preseason co-favorites CCSU and Wagner have combined for an 0-4 record at home and 3-0 record on the road to begin NEC competition.
 
>> DID YOU KNOW?
 
Only two out of the first 16 conference games have been decided by less than four points or have gone into overtime.
 
>> BROWN’S BOARD GAME (AND MORE)
 
We all know about FDU sophomore guard Terrence Brown’s (Minneapolis, MN/Columbia Heights) scoring exploits.
 
The Minneapolis native currently leads the NEC and ranks seventh nationally in point production at 21.4 ppg.
 
But how many are aware of Brown’s prowess on the boards?
 
Standing 6’3, Brown leads the NEC in defensive rebounding with 4.8 per game and ranks fourth overall with 6.1 boards per outing.
 
He also ranks in the NEC top-10 in assists (seventh, 3.1), free throw percentage (fifth, .816) and steals (fourth, 1.89).
 
The list of NEC players who have finished a season in the top-10 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals over the past decade is essentially a who’s who of NEC hoops.
 
NEC Players Ranked in NEC Top-10 in Scoring, Rebounding, Assists & Steals Over Last Decade
Jordan Derkack            2023-24          NEC Player of the Year
Ty Flowers (LIU)          2021-22          1st Team All-NEC
Alex Morales (WC)         2021-22          NEC Player of the Year
Ty Flowers (LIU)          2020-21          2nd Team All-NEC
Alex Morales (WC)         2020-21          NEC Player of the Year
Keith Braxton (SFU)       2019-20          First Team All-NEC
Keith Braxton (SFU)       2018-19          NEC Player of the Year
Tyler Kohl (CCSU)         2018-19          2nd Team All-NEC
Romone Saunders (WC)      2018-19          2nd Team All-NEC
Tyler Kohl (CCSU)         2017-18          2nd Team All-NEC
 
>> NEC ANALYTICS ZONE (courtesy Ryan Peters, NEC Overtime! Blog)
 
LIU squads have been synonymous with high tempo basketball for many seasons, and that had not changed with Rod Strickland at the helm. In the Sharks current winning streak however, LIU has play its slowest four-game stretch over the past decade, according to KenPom. Strickland’s group has amassed 245 possessions in the four league games, and were victorious in all of them. For the season, the Sharks are 5-1 in contests where they totaled 63 or fewer possessions. Last season they only played two games with a possession total that low, going 1-1 in those matchups.
 
Not only does Le Moyne’s Dwayne Koroma (Berlin, Germany/Bishop Walsh (MD) (Iona/Salt Lake CC/UT Arlington)) have the second-best effective field goal percentage (0.755) in the country, but he’s also been a prolific rebounder, securing a league best 16.9 percent of the Dolphins missed shots and corralling 15.4 percent of the opponent’s misses off the defensive glass. His 15-point, 10-rebound performance versus Mercyhurst was the second double-double this season for the power forward. Every one of his seven field goal makes in the aforementioned Mercyhurst win came at the rim, with four conversions on dunks.
 
Despite having the 347th-least experienced roster in Division I according to KenPom, Saint Francis U has been coming into their own of late. The Red Flash lead the NEC in three-point shooting (34.1 percent) and are second in free throw percentage (75.6 percent) in conference play. In SFU’s sweep over this past weekend, Rob Krimmel’s group posted their second and third best offensive efficiencies for the season. In the FDU victory, SFU scored 23 points off the pick-and-roll.
 
It doesn’t matter which side Wagner’s Ja’Kair Sanchez (Syracuse, NY/William Nottingham (Roberts Wesleyan/Minnesota State University Moorhead)) drives toward when getting downhill with the basketball. According to Synergy, he’s efficient attacking with either hand off the bounce as evident from his 1.14 points per possession mark when he dribbles right (22 possessions) and 1.14 points per possession when he dribbles left (seven possessions). The graduate senior guard has been Donald Copeland’s most efficient player, helped by a very respectable 15.3 percent turnover rate. Wagner’s victory over CCSU was made possible by Sanchez’s 18 points, earning him the KenPom MVP for the contest. The Seahawks are 3-0 when he is denoted at the KenPom player of the game.