Choice Hotels/NEC Player of the Week
Kyle Vinales, Central Connecticut
6-1, 180lbs
So., G, Detroit, MI/Phelps School

Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week
Stephon Mosley, Saint Francis University
6-6, 212lbs
Fr., F, West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep

ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE: QUINNIPIAC PLAYS TWO INSTANT CLASSICS
One NEC men’s basketball fan termed it “November Madness” in a tweet while watching Quinnipiac’s 89-83 double overtime loss to #23 UConn in the semifinals of the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.  The Bobcats came up short despite holding a 10 point lead with under five minutes to play in regulation and outrebounding the Huskies, 44-35. 

UConn chipped away at the QU lead late in the second half and finally tied the game on a Shabazz Napier layup with four seconds on the clock.  The Bobcats returned the favor in the first OT, rallying to even the game on senior guard Dave Johnson’s (Jackson, NJ/St. Mark’s (MA)) three-pointer with six seconds to go.  With junior forward Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/John D. O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) (10 points, 9 rebounds) having fouled out early in the first OT and the Huskies hitting their free throws (39-45 on the night), the Bobcats fell behind early in the second extra session and could not make up any ground.  Johnson led the way with for QU with 16 points, 5 rebounds and four assists.  The Bobcats now move on to play George Mason in the consolation bracket on Monday.

“It’s hard,” said Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore. “My kids are a little devastated, because they feel they were close to beating a team that they have a lot of respect for. In tournaments like this, you don’t get extra points for playing really well against a good team.”

Two nights earlier, Quinnipiac and Iona played some free basketball in the Paradise Jam opener for both teams, and it too, became must see TV viewing.  The Bobcats led the entire second half and were up eight with under two minutes remaining when Iona’s MoMo Jones took over, scoring eight of his game-high 40 points, including a game-tying trifecta with four seconds remaining.  In the overtime, Quinnipiac opened up with a pair of threes by Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, MD/Salisbury (CT) School) and Shaq Shannon (Philadelphia, PA/Communications Tech (CSJC)) and never looked back, outscoring the Gaels, 19-13, in the extra session to nail down a 98-92 victory.  Ike Azotam led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while frontcourt mate Jamee Jackson (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony’s) added 17 points and 10 boards.

NEC FAST BREAK…NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
MILESTONE WIN FOR COACH D
Is there any one coach more synonymous with NEC hoops than CCSU’s Howie Dickenman? A fixture at his alma mater since taking over the program in 1996, Dickenman won his 250th career game last Thursday with an 86-71 victory over Brown.  The second-winningest coach in school history behind CCSU legend Bill Detrick, Dickenman’s teams have won three NEC titles in 2000, 2002 and 2007.

BLUE DEVIL ROAD SHOW
It didn’t take long for CCSU’s Howie Dickenman to notch victory #251 as the Blue Devils’ trip to the City of Brotherly Love on Sunday resulted in a convincing 81-74 win over La Salle.  CCSU scored the last seven points of the game, including a key Matt Hunter (Detroit, MI/Henry Ford (Odessa JC)) layup that stretched the lead to six with 40 seconds to go.  All five Blue Devil starters scored in double digits for the first time in nearly three years, and Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) rang up a game-high 23 points.  Sophomore forward Adonis Burbage (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian Prep) continued his hot shooting start from three-point range, hitting 5-6 from outside the arc, en-route to a career-high 21-point afternoon.  

BRYANT’S ALEX “FRANCHISE” HITS 1,000
Bryant junior forward Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep) became the 32nd player in Bryant history and first exclusively at the Division I level to reach 1,000 points.  It took Francis just 63 games to reach the milestone. The former NEC Rookie of the Year also needs just 14 more rebounds for 500 in his career.

There are five active NEC players ensconced in the 1,000-point club and 180 in the history of the conference who have reached the milestone.  The four other players with 1,000+ points were all tabbed to the Preseason All-NEC team led by Sacred Heart senior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly), who paces all current players with 1,513 points.  Behind him are LIU Brooklyn senior forwards Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) (1,373) and Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) (1,333), and Robert Morris senior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) (1,312).  

COLONIALS TURN CORNER
After two lopsided losses to start the season, Robert Morris seems to have gotten its mojo back.  A 74-58 win over Fordham on Tuesday in the second game of the Preseason NIT set the stage for a near-upset of perennial NCAA participant Xavier on Saturday.  Trailing by two points, the Colonials missed three shots in the final 12 seconds to fall to the Musketeers, 61-59, in front of nearly 10,000 fans at the Cintas Center.  Ironically, the seeds may have been set for the turnaround in a 79-50 setback to Lehigh last Monday in RMU’s Preseason NIT opener.

“This is going to be one of the most bizarre statements ever -- we lost by 29 points, but I think I got my team back tonight,” Toole said after the Lehigh game. “I’ve talked about fighting success. As much as you beat the drum that it’s not last year and it’s not going to be easy and it’s not going to be roll it out and here comes big, bad Robert Morris and people are just going to cower -- you have to go out and earn it this year, and I think the message is starting to set in.”

FIRST WIN OF “MAYHEM” ERA
First year Mount St. Mary’s head coach Jamion Christian made his return to the Knott Arena sidelines a special one last Thursday.  A former player in the Jim Phelan era, the 30-year old Christian unleashed his full court press and running game – dubbed “Mount Mayhem” - in the team’s home opener against Hartford.  The Mountaineers forced 20 turnovers in the contest and used a 12-0 run midway through the second half to take the lead for good in a 70-63 win.  Mount St. Mary’s forced 23 more turnovers at  American two days later, but fell short, 62-57.  

“This is just the first step in the journey,” said Christian after the win over Hartford. “Now, if we get to the end of the year and we’re where we think we should be, I promise to show a little more emotion.”

GIBSON THE PRIME TIME PLAYER
It wasn’t the greatest of games for Sacred Heart senior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly). The NEC’s leading scorer last season with over 22 ppg, Gibson put just three points on the board over the first 37 ½ minutes of Sunday’s contest at Stony Brook.  But with the Pioneers trailing by seven points, it was showtime for the Killingly, CT native.  Gibson scored SHU’s last 11 points, beginning with a pair of three pointers and ending with the game-winner, a conventional three-point play off a driving layup with 29 ticks left on the clock. When all was said and done, the Pioneers ended the game on a 13-2 run to secure their fourth straight win over the Seawolves.

GIBSON THE CHART CLIMBER
Sacred Heart senior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) continued his march up the NEC career scoring chart last week. With 14 points in the comeback win over Stony Brook, Gibson became the 60th player in NEC history to reach the 1,500 point milestone.  The leading active scorer in the Conference, he enters play this week with 1,513 points.

1196 TO 2!
When Wagner took the floor against Syracuse on Saturday, it marked just the second game in the head coaching career of Bashir Mason.  Mason, the nation’s youngest head coach at 28 years of age, was going up against SU legend Jim Boeheim, who was coaching the 1,196th game of his illustrious career and is 40 years his senior.

“[Boeheim] could probably undress me with his knowledge,” said Mason prior to the game.  “I’m not intimidated going in there.  It’ll be a great feeling, a great opportunity.”

BEST OF THE WEEK
Alex Francis (BRY): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 9-14 FG in win over New Hampshire
Adonis Burbage (CCSU): Career-high 21 points, 7-8 FG, 5-6 3PFG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists in win over La Salle
Kyle Vinales (CCSU): 28 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 9-13 FG, 4-5 3PFG, 6-6 FT in win over Brown
Mathias Seilund (FDU): 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 7-10 FG in loss to Northwestern
Julian Boyd (LIU): 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 11-20 FG in loss to Maryland
Jaml Olasewere (LIU): 25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, 11-12 FT in loss to Lafayette
Dion Nesmith (MU): 15 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, 6-9 FG in loss to Rider
Rashad Whack (MSM): Career-high 20 points, 6 rebounds, 7-10 FG, 4-6 3PFG in win over Harford
Ike Azotam (QU): 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 8-15 FG in win over Iona
Karvel Anderson (RMU): Game-high 17 points, 7-13 FG in loss to Xavier
Louis Montes (SHU): 20 points, 7-12 FG, 6-6 FT, 9 rebounds in win over Stony Brook
Jalen Cannon (SFBK): 8 points, 11 rebounds, 4-7 FG in loss to Illinois
Stephon Whyatt (SFU): 23 points, 8-12 FG, 3-4 3PFG in loss to Niagara
Jonathon Williams (WC): 19 points, 8 rebounds, 8-13 FG in loss to Delaware State

BY THE NUMBERS
• 1st win in a home opener for Bryant in the Division I era after beating New Hampshire, 76-64, on Saturday.
• 5 blocks for Robert Morris junior forward Vaughn Morgan (Pittsburgh, PA/Southwestern Christian College) against Lehigh was the most by a Colonial since Rob Robinson rejected five shots against FDU on January 14, 2010.
• 8 second half assists for FDU freshman Sekou Harris (Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield) against Northwestern on Sunday.
• 10 assists for LIU junior guard Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) to go along with 14 points in a double-double performance at Maryland last Friday.
• 14 out of 33 career games in which CCSU sophomore guard and 2011-12 NEC Rookie of the Year Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) has scored 20 or more points.
• 19-0 run by Wagner early in the second half turned an 11-point deficit into an eight point advantage at Delaware State last Wednesday.
• 24 rebounds in two games for St. Francis (NY) sophomore forward Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Allen), a 2011-12 NEC All-Rookie selection.
• 37 game streak of double-digit scoring efforts for Sacred Heart senior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) came to an end with a seven-point outing against Hartford last Friday.
• 43 turnovers forced by Mount St. Mary’s in the first two games of the Jamion Christian era.
• 50 three-point field goal attempts for Mount St. Mary’s in those two games.
• 66.7 percent three-point shooting thus far for CCSU sophomore forward Adonis Burbage (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian Prep). Burbage, who has hit 12-18 from long range, has already matched his three-point total from his freshman season.
• 79 of CCSU’s 81 points in its 81-74 win at La Salle were scored by the starting five of Kyle Vinales (23), Adonis Burbgage (21), Matt Hunter (15), Malcolm McMillen (10) and Joe Efese (10).

TWEETS OF THE WEEK
Vincent Corvari @vpcorvari
The fact that #Quinnipiac took Top 25 #UCONN to double OT is a sign that there is a bright future for QU basketball. #GreatGame #GoBobcats

Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein
UConn-Quinnipiac in an INSTANT CLASSIC. Who needs Sunday night football?

Ryan Peters @pioneer_pride
Wow, what a tremendous win for CCSU. A good day for the #NECMBB!

TJ Kelley @scoopIPS
Let a Central CT St fan know they beat Lasalle...he says Kyle Vinales went for 23. I say Matt Hunter 15. He says “Vinales is wicked good.”

Steve Uhlmann @suhlmann12
Xavier survives RMU 61-59. Colonials are always undersized but the toughness they play with is downright ridiculous.

SHU Pioneers @SHUBigRed
COMEBACK KIDS DO IT AGAIN!!! SHU ends the game on a 18-4 run and steal a 64-62 win at Stony Brook #GOHEART

ACTIVE LEADERS
SCORING
Shane Gibson        SHU    1513
Julian Boyd         LIU    1373
Jamal Olasewere     LIU    1333
Velton Jones        RMU    1312
Alex Francis        BRY    1003
Latif Rivers        WC     883
Russell Johnson     RMU    877
Frankie Dobbs       BRY    807
Ed Waite            MU     805
CJ Garner           LIU    775

REBOUNDING
Julian Boyd         LIU    815
Jamal Olasewere     LIU    711
Russell Johnson     RMU    569
Ed Waite            MU     524
Ike Azotam          QU     507
Alex Francis        BRY    486
Kenny Onyechi       LIU    396
Jamee Jackson       QU     393
Akeem Johnson       SFNY   366
Shane Gibson        SHU    349

ASSISTS
Jason Brickman      LIU    455
Velton Jones        RMU    414
Dave Johnson        QU     309
Frankie Dobbs       BRY    308
Anthony Myers-Pate  RMU    236
CJ Garner           LIU    234
Josh Castellanos    MSM    230
Jesse Steele        MU     188
Shane Gibson        SHU    167
Latif Rivers        WC     157

MILESTONE WATCH
Just three games into his junior season and LIU Brooklyn sophomore guard Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) has broken into the top-30 on the NEC career assists chart.  With 455 dimes, he is 29th all-time in the conference and needs just 79 more to break into the top-10.

LIU Brooklyn senior forward Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) passed NEC Hall of Famer Rik Smits last week and now ranks 16th on the NEC career rebounding list.  With 815 boards, he is 78 shy of cracking the top-10.

Monmouth senior forward Ed Waite (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pine Crest) is sixth all time at Monmouth with 524 career rebounds, and ranks 14th with 112 steals.

Quinnipiac junior forward Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/John D. O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) cracked the 500-rebound mark for his career against UConn on Sunday.  He has pulled down 507 boards in 67 games, an average of 7.6 per outing.

Robert Morris senior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) became the eighth player in school history to eclipse 400 career assists and enters play this week with 414 career dimes.

QUOTABLE
“I didn’t know who the new player was, but he looked like Terrell Allen.  He just shot it like he knew it was going in.  He’s a product of hard work.  He would never take those shots last year – because he wasn’t allowed to.  He’s earned the opportunity to shoot.  The first half, he basically carried us.” – CCSU head coach Howie Dickenman after junior forward Terrell Allen hit three straight three-pointers against Brown.  Allen did not attempt a single trey in his first two years in New Britain.

“Playing in the Coaches vs. Cancer is a great opportunity for our team.  It is always a prestigious tournament.  Most people know someone who has been effected by cancer.  I think the coaches have been doing a great job of bringing awareness to it, and trying to help with these games and the breakfasts they have. It is an honor that we got invited and hopefully we play well in these next three games.” – Monmouth head coach King Rice

“This is a learning experience.  Later down the road we’ll have a better chance of playing with them.  It’s not who’s better now, it’s who’s better in February.  I think we’ll be there when the time comes.” – Wagner’s Jonathon Williams on playing Syracuse

“What are these Twitter things about? Like, what is it?” - Longtime Saint Francis University colorman Bernie Jubeck

TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES

BRYANT (1-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 at Providence (L, 81-49); Nov. 17 at New Hampshire (W, 76-64)
This Week: Nov. 21 at Brown; Nov. 25 at Boston College

• In just his 63rd game as a Bulldog, junior forward Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)) became the 32nd member of Bryant’s 1,000-point club with his layup and 20th point of the game four minutes into the second half of Saturday’s home-opening 76-64 win over the University of New Hampshire. Francis scored a game- and season-high 23 points in the contest while shooting 64.3 percent from the field (9-14; 5-6 in the second half) and pulling in a game- and season-best nine rebounds.
• The victory marks the first time the Bulldogs have won their home opener in the Division I era.
• The Bulldogs shot 54.7 percent on the contest Saturday against the Wildcats, including a 58.3 percent clip in the second half. It marked the first time Bryant has shot better than 50 percent in a game since Dec. 3, 2011, and the first time the team has shot 50 percent or better in both halves since Jan. 20, 2011.
• Senior point guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/Saint Edward) is also on his way to joining the 1,000-point club and currently has 867 career points. He is on pace to score his 1000th-career point in Game #14 - Jan. 10 against Quinnipiac.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT (2-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 at Saint Peter’s (L, 64-61); Nov. 15 vs. Brown (W, 86-71); Nov. 18 at La Salle (W, 81-74)
This Week: Nov. 20 at UMBC; Nov. 24 at Hartford

• All five starters scored in double-figures on Sunday in the win over La Salle, marking the first time since Dec. of 2009 that CCSU had five players score in double-figures in a game.
• Head Coach Howie Dickenman won his 250th career game on Thursday night with an 86-71 win over Brown. Dickenman is the second winningest coach in school history.
• Junior Matt Hunter (Detroit, MI/Odessa JC) is filling up the stat sheet for the Blue Devils this season, leading the team in blocks (6), steals (12) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Hunter is second on the team in scoring at 14.3 ppg, and is 17-of-20 from the free-throw line. His 11 assists are second on the team.
• Sophomore guard Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) posted three 20+ outings last week as the Blue Devils went 2-1 with wins over Brown and then on the road at LaSalle on Sunday. It’s the first time in his career he has scored 20 or more in three straight. He now has 14 career games with 20 or more, and 27 with 10 or more....all in 33 career games.

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON (0-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 18 at Northwestern (L, 80-53)
This Week: Nov. 20 at Illinois State; Nov. 23 vs. Delaware State; Nov. 24 vs. Navy/Prairie View A&M

• The Knights fell to Big Ten team, Northwestern on Sunday in the first game of the South Padre Invitational.
• Junior Mathias Seilund (Dragoer, Denmark/Falkonergaardens Gymnasium) scored a career-high 16 points against NU with a stunning 7-for-10 shooting from the field.
• Freshman Sekou Harris (Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield) dished out eight assists in the second half in his collegiate debut.
• The Knights trailed 41-14 at the half at Northwestern but fought to a 39-39 second half.

LIU BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS (0-3, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 at Lafayette (L, 98-94 (OT)); Nov. 16 at Maryland (L, 91-74)
This Week: Nov. 23 at #3 Kentucky

• The Blackbirds went 0-2 on the week, falling to Lafayette on the road in overtime, 98-94, before falling to Atlantic Coast Conference member Maryland, 91-74.
• Four players scored in double figures for LIU Brooklyn against the Leopards, including a game-high 25 points for senior Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook). Olasewere added 11 rebounds and three steals, and is averaging 22.3 points per game through three games.
• Junior Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) tallied a career-high 19 points against Lafayette, then had his first double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 assists against Maryland. Brickman is dishing out 8.7 assists per game over the season’s first three games.
• Reigning NEC Player of the Year Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/Taft) had a monster game against the Terrapins, scoring 22 points on 11-of-20 from the floor and pulling down eight rebounds in 34 minutes of work. Boyd did much of his work against Maryland’s 7-foot-1 center Alex Len, and also blocked two shots.

MONMOUTH (1-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 at #20 Notre Dame (L, 84-57); Nov. 17 at Rider (L, 65-62)
This Week: Nov. 19 at Georgia State; Nov. 20 vs. South Alabama; Nov. 21 vs. Tennessee State

• Senior guard Dion Nesmith (Union, NJ/Union (Northeastern)) posted back-to-back double-digit game for the Hawks in the two road losses, notching 13 points at No. 20 Notre Dame and 15 more at Rider to lead the Blue and White.
• Senior Stephen Spinella (Colts Neck, NJ/Apex Academy (South Carolina)) notched his first double-digit day for the Hawks on Saturday, hitting 4-of-6 from the field for 13 points in a loss at Rider.
• Monmouth erased a 15-point halftime deficit at Rider to tie the score twice in the second half, before falling to the Broncs.
• The Hawks have played four nationally-ranked teams under coach Rice after losing at No. 20 Notre Dame on Monday. The Hawks are now 0-21 all-time against nationally-ranked opponents and 0-41 against teams from the Big East Conference.
• Ed Waite (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pine Crest) is sixth all time at Monmouth with 524 career rebounds, and ranks 14th with 112 steals.
• Jesse Steele’s (Milford, NJ/Oak Hill Academy (Army)) 188 assists moved him to 19th all-time at Monmouth, now just two assists behind No. 18 Dwayne Byfield (190; 2001-05).

MOUNT ST. MARY'S (1-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 13 vs. Hartford (W, 70-63); Nov. 15 at American (L, 62-57)
This Week: Nov. 24 at Georgetown

• Mayhem has arrived at the Mount as head coach Jamion Christian’s full court press forced 43 turnovers in the two games this week. The Mount forced Hartford into 20 turnovers in the 70-63 win, and followed by forcing American into 23 turnovers.
• The Mountaineers are averaging 9.0 three-point field goals made per game this season, converting 37.0 percent as a team from beyond the arc. Last year, the Mount averaged just 5.5 three-pointers per game. Rashad Whack (Hyattsville, MD/Bishop McNamara) leads the way, hitting 9-of-18 (.500) from three-point range over the first three games of the year. The Mount has four players averaging 1.67 or more three-point field goals made per game on the season.
• Head coach Jamion Christian earned his first career win in the 70-63 victory over Hartford. Christian is the 22nd coach in MSM history, and the fifth-youngest in NCAA Division I at 30 years of age.
• Junior point guard Josh Castellanos (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian Prep) has 18 assists over the first three games, an average of 6.0 per game. He has recorded five or more assists in all three games this year.
• The game at American marked the start of a three-game road swing with all of the games in Washington, D.C. The Mount is off until visiting Georgetown on November 24 and George Washington on November 26.

QUINNIPIAC (2-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 vs. American (L, 61-55); Nov. 16 vs. Iona (W, 98-92 (OT)); Nov. 18 Vs. #23 Connecticut (L, 89-83 (2 OT))
This Week: Nov. 19 vs. George Mason

• Quinnipiac played its fifth Division I double overtime game when the UConn Huskies and the Bobcats  needed 10 extra minutes to decide the non-conference showdown. Quinnipiac is 4-1 in double overtime games and 22-10 when extra time is needed. This includes a 9-4 mark under Head Coach Tom Moore. The last double overtime game was back in 2007 when the Bobcats edged the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
• Five players finished with 10 or more points in the last two games for the Bobcats. Prior to this weekend’s Paradise Jam, the Bobcats hadn’t seen five players in double-figures since a 72-70 win over Monmouth back in the 2010-11 campaign.
• The Bobcats will enjoy some time off after their stay in Saint Thomas. Quinnipiac returns to the hardwood on Tuesday, November 27 with a crucial non-conference showdown against CJ McCollum and Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the TD Bank Sports Center.

ROBERT MORRIS (1-3, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 vs. Lehigh (L, 89-60); Nov. 13 vs. Fordham (W, 74-58); Nov. 17 at Xavier (L, 61-59)
This Week: Nov. 19 vs. Bowling Green; Nov. 20 vs. Cleveland State

• Redshirt senior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/ Northeast Catholic) averaged 15.0 points and 6.0 assists last week, including a game-high 18 points in a 74-58 victory over Fordham
• Junior guard Karvel Anderson (Elkart, IN/ Glen Oaks Community College) averaged 12.7 points in three games last week, including a game-high 17 points at Xavier
• Junior forward Vaughn Morgan (Pittsburgh, PA/ Southwestern Christian College) finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five blocks against Lehigh, becoming the first Colonial to record at least five blocks in a game since Rob Robinson (2008-10) finished with five rejections in an 80-73 win over Fairleigh Dickinson (1/14/10)
• Redshirt senior forward Russell Johnson (Chester, PA/ Chester) made his 2012-13 debut @ Xavier after missing the first three games due to injury and finished with eight points, four rebounds and four assists
• Velton Jones became the eighth player in school history to eclipse 400 career assists. Jones enters this week’s action with 414 career dimes and needs to average 5.3 assists over RMU’s final 27 regular-season games to break the school record of 555 that is held by former guard Forest Grant (1980-84)

SACRED HEART (2-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 at Rutgers (L, 88-62); Nov. 16 at Hartford (L, 62-47); Nov. 18 at Stony Brook (W, 64-62)
This Week: Nov. 25 vs. Lehigh

• The Pioneers completed their second big late comeback in a week on Sunday, erasing a 12-point Stony Brook lead with five minutes left to steal a 64-62 win over the Seawolves. SHU’s Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) scored the final 11 points of the game to lead an 18-4 run by the Pioneers to end Stony Brook’s 15-game home court winning streak.
• SHU has now won four-straight over the Seawolves and the two teams will meet again this season on December 18th in Fairfield. On Friday night, the Pioneers saw an eight-game winning streak against the America East conference end with a 62-47 loss at Hartford. The Pioneers shot a light 19.2 percent in the first half and were just 1-11 from three in the loss. The 47 points were the fewest since a 55-48 loss at home to Quinnipiac onm 2/14/2011.
• Gibson saw a 37-game streak of scoring in double figures end in Monday’s loss at Rutgers. Gibson scored just seven points in the loss. The Pioneers saw their winless streak against the Big East Conference reach 17-straight with loss to the Scarlet Knights.
• Junior Louis Montes (Brockton, MA/Brockton) has started the season strong, scoring double figures in every game, notching a pair of double doubles and just missing another on Sunday. Montes had a game-high 20 points with nine rebounds to help beat the Seawolves.
• SHU has the holiday week off before opening at home against Lehigh on Sunday.

ST. FRANCIS (NY) (1-1, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 12 at Illinois (L, 89-64)
This Week: Nov. 20 vs. Army; Nov. 24 at Brown

• Sophomore forward Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Alllen) pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds at Illinois last Monday..Cannon is averaging 10.5 points and 12.0 caroms per game.
• St. Francis (NY) will host Army in their home-opener on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The Terriers then hit the road for four straight contests, including a post-Thanksgiving tilt at Brown on November 24.
• Akeem Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Susan S. McKinney) is 34 rebounds shy of 400 for his career.

SAINT FRANCIS (PA) (0-3, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 13 at Niagara (L, 86-69); Nov. 16 at Youngstown State (L, 75-60)
This Week: Nov. 20 vs. Colgate; Nov. 24 at #20 Notre Dame

• A youth movement is afoot in Loretto. Junior Umar Shannon was the old man of Friday night’s starters at Youngstown State, with one sophomore (Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston)) and two freshmen (Stephon Mosley (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep), Ronnie Drinnon (Jamestown, OH/Greenview) & Greg Brown (Odenton, MD/Archbishop Spalding)) rounding out the lineup.
• The Red Flash’s starting five is the youngest in the NEC so far this season.
• Through the first three halves of 2012-13, SFU collected only two offensive rebounds before erupting for 12 in the second half against Niagara.
• Sophomore guard Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) has been a pleasant surprise for first-year head coach Rob Krimmel this early season. The 6-1 Whyatt is SFU’s leading scorer through three games (16.3) and dropped a up a career-high 23 points at Niagara (11/13).
• Mosley joined the starting lineup for Friday’s game at Youngstown State. The rookie responded by scoring eight points and pulling down six rebounds. Mosley also scored eight points against Niagara.

WAGNER (0-2, 0-0 NEC)

Last Week: Nov. 14 at Delaware State (L, 73-69 (OT)); Nov. 18 at #8 Syracuse (L, 88-57)
This Week: Nov. 24 at NC Central

• Wagner opened up its 92nd season of intercollegiate basketball with a pair of losses at Delaware State (11/14) and No. 8 Syracuse (11/18).
• The game marked the beginning of the Bashir Mason era on Grymes Hill ... Mason, who is the youngest coach in America, locked horns with Jim Boeheim, the nation’s longest tenured coach, in his second game.
• Junior Jonathon Williams (Richmond, CA/Kennedy (City College of San Francisco)) had an outstanding week, averaging a team-best 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from the floor.
• Williams began the week with a game-high 19 points and eight rebounds at Delaware State and is now and is now averaging 22.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, while shooting a blistering 66.7 percent (26-for-39) from the floor, in three career games against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
• Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth (Avon Old Farms (CT)) (883 points) is 117 points away from becoming the 40th member of the 1,000-point club.
• Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin/Wilbraham and Monson Academy (MA)) blocked four shots against Delaware State (11/14) and now has 101 for his career, just four away from fifth place in the all-time annals.