Choice Hotels/NEC Co-Player of the Week
Coron Williams, Robert Morris
6-2, 170lbs
R-Jr., G, Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School
Williams led the Colonials in back-to-back NEC road wins at Fairleigh Dickinson and Monmouth this past week, averaging 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting a blistering 66.7 percent from the floor, including 70.6 percent from long range. In his team’s 88-54 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson Thursday night, the junior knocked down a season-high 27 points highlighted by an 8-for-10 shooting display from beyond the arc. The eight trifectas matched the NEC single-game season-high previously set by teammate Karvel Anderson. The Midlothian, VA native netted three straight bombs in the first four and a half minutes of the second stanza to push the Colonial lead to 27 points. Two nights later, Williams added 14 points and six boards in a 70-55 NEC-TV win over Monmouth. He converted 5-for-9 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from deep, and sank back-to-back three-pointers with under six minutes to play that put the game out of reach. For the season, Williams is averaging 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 48.9 percent from beyond the arc, a mark that ranks second in the league. He also places second in the NEC in three-point field goals made, hitting 2.71 per contest.
Choice Hotels/NEC Co-Player of the Week
Alex Francis, Bryant
6-6, 205lbs
Jr., F, Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)
Francis averaged a double-double on the week as the red-hot Bulldogs extended their winning streak to six games and remained perfect in NEC play (4-0) by downing Quinnipiac, 103-95, and Central Connecticut, 69-62. The former NEC Rookie of the Year averaged 21.0 points and 12.5 rebounds, and shot 52.9 percent from the field on the week. At home against Quinnipiac on Thursday, Francis scored 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting while collecting seven boards. He then put on his best performance of the season on the road Saturday at Central Connecticut, scoring a season-best 26 points, including 20 in the second half, and nabbing a career-high 18 boards as the Bulldogs rallied for the victory. For the season, Francis is averaging 16.5 points and 8.6 rebounds, and is shooting at a 50.5 percent clip from the field. He ranks fourth in the league in rebounds, sixth in scoring and ninth in field goal accuracy. Francis, who hails from Harlem, is the third Bryant player to earn Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week honors this season, joining two-time winner Dyami Starks and Frankie Dobbs.
Choice Hotels/Co-Rookie of the Week
EJ Reed, LIU Brooklyn
6-6, 200lbs
Mesquite, TX/Mesquite
Earning his third straight NEC honor, Reed had another big week for the Blackbirds, averaging 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in LIU Brooklyn's home split. Against Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday, he scored a career-high 21 points and pulled down seven rebounds in an 86-72 victory at the Barclays Center. The 6-6 forward shot 7-of-13 from the field and also blocked a pair of shot in 28 minutes worth of action off the bench. Two days earlier he shot 5-for-9 from the floor and piled up 14 points in a setback to Wagner. Reed, a Mesquite, TX native, has now averaged 15.6 points over his last five games to raise his season average to 7.1 ppg.
Choice Hotels/NEC Co-Rookie of the Week
Brandon Peel, Central Connecticut
6-7, 200lbs
Fr., F, Forestville, MD/Riverdale Baptist
It was a breakthrough week for Peel, who averaged 11.5 points and 13.5 rebounds as the Blue Devils split a pair of games against a pair of New England rivals. In an 84-78 win over Sacred Heart Thursday night, the Forestville, MD recorded career-highs in both points (17) and rebounds (17) in one of the best performances by an NEC freshman in recent memory. He shot 6-for-10 from the field and also blocked a career-best four shots. He then followed up that performance with his third straight game with 10 or more boards, grabbing 10 while also scoring six points in a 69-62 setback to first-place Bryant. With his recent surge, Peel now leads all NEC freshman with 5.7 rebounds per game on the year.
And Then There Was One: Red-Hot Bryant Is Last Remaining NEC Unbeaten
Things just keep getting better for Tim O'Shea and his Bryant club.
With a pair of wins last week, the Bulldogs improved to 4-0 in the NEC and extended their win streak to six in the process, the longest in the school's short DI history.
The Bulldogs have also established a new school single-season mark at the DI level with 11 overall victories.
“We’ve gone from the bottom to the top,” said senior guard
Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/Saint Edward (Ohio U.)), who scored his 1,000
th career point last Thursday.
“It puts everything in perspective.
Coming from where we were to where we are makes winning that much more special.”
Coaches around the nation have taken notice of Bryant's turnaround, having included the Bulldogs in the
College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 two weeks running.
O'Shea's troops debuted in the December 31st poll, coming in at #25.
One week later, Bryant rose four spots to its current #21 position.
“Do you know how improbable that is - for us to be ranked in any poll?” O’Shea said.
“A year ago, people would have thought that to be impossible.”
Each week it seems like another Bryant player steps into the spotlight, and last week it was junior forward
Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)).
The
Choice Hotels NEC Co-Player of the Week exploded for a season-best 26 points and a career-high 18 boards in a come-from-behind 69-62 win at CCSU on Saturday, and for the week, averaged 21.0 ppg and 12.5 rpg.
While Bryant fans continue to rejoice in the team's newfound success, conference play has also been kind to Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn and Wagner, all tied for second place with 3-1 NEC marks.
The Pioneers closed out 2012 with seven consecutive setbacks, but wiped the slate clean with the commencement of their NEC slate.
Off to the program’s best start since 2007-08 – a year that concluded with a second straight NEC title game appearance – the Pioneers have been sparked by the trio of
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly),
Louis Montes (Brockton, CT/Brockton) and
Steve Glowiak (New Britain, CT/New Britain).
All three rank in the top-10 in scoring in league play, combining for 54.3 ppg.
"I thought we were playing decent ball prior to the two eggs we laid at LaSalle and George Washington,” said Sacred Heart head coach Dave Bike, following his club’s win at in-state rival Sacred Heart on Saturday.
“I thought we were playing decent and trying to be a little more consistent.
We're pleased with the outcome today and I've been pleased with the effort."
Playing the majority of its non-conference schedule on the road, St. Francis Brooklyn also jumped out to a slow start, but won its final two OOC games and has made it five of its last six with three wins in four NEC outings.
This past weekend, it was all about defense for Glenn Braica’s troops.
The Terriers held Mount St. Mary’s to 56 points, then limited Wagner to 52 in an impressive 19-point road win.
Sophomore forward
Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Allen) continues to put up big numbers, but it has been super-sub
Travis Nichols (Brooklyn, NY/Food & Finance) who has provided the spark recently .
Nichols scored 20 points in 25 minutes against Wagner and is averaging 11.8 ppg against league rivals.
“This a tough place to play,” noted Braica, after the Terriers won in Staten Island on Saturday.
“Wagner is a good team that is playing great right now, and anytime you can come into someone’s building and win a game like this it’s definitely important.”
The fact that Wagner is 3-1 at this point is somewhat remarkable considering the team’s training room resembles a M.A.S.H. unit.
Star forward
Jonathon Williams (San Francisco, CA/Kennedy (City College of San Francisco)) has missed the last three games with an injury, and key reserve guard
Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC/David W. Butler) has sat out the last two.
At the same time, All-NEC guard
Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth (Avon Old Farms (CT))) is still playing himself into shape after sitting out nine games in non-conference play nursing a knee ailment.
Bashir Mason has leaned on junior point guard
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi)) and sophomore forward
Mario Moody (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) to fill the voids, and both have responded.
In league play, Ortiz ranks in the NEC top-10 in both scoring (14.3) and assists (6.5), while Moody similarly sits among conference leaders in scoring (14.8) and rebounding (9.0).
NEC Fast Break…News You Need To Know
Milestone Moment: Dobbs Hits 1,000 Point Plateau
Playing in front of his home crowd on Thursday, and with his father watching from the sideline as an assistant coach,
Bryant senior guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/Saint Edward (Ohio U.)) reached the 1,000-point mark for his career.
He has 1,033 career points, of which 973 have been tallied as a Bulldog.
Once Dobbs scores his 1,000th point in a Bryant uniform, he will join teammate
Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep) as two of just 181 players in the history of the NEC who have cracked the milestone and one of 34 at Bryant.
The four other current players with 1,000+ points are led by Sacred Heart senior guard
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly), who is the NEC active leader with 1,726 points.
Behind him are LIU Brooklyn senior forwards
Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) (1,522) and
Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) (1,467), Robert Morris senior guard
Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) (1,461) and Francis (1,200).
Milestone Moment #2: Olasewere Reaches 1,500 Point Mark
Bryant's
Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/Saint Edward (Ohio U.)) wasn't the only NEC player last week to hit a milestone scoring number.
LIU senior forward
Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) crossed the 1,500 point mark for his career in Thursday's win over Wagner.
In doing so, he became the 61st player in the history of the NEC to reach the 1,500 mark.
Olasewere is now ninth on the LIU career scoring list with 1,522 points, 18 behind Freddie Burton (1986-89).
Milestone Moment #3: 20 and Rising for SHU’s Gibson
As
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) has hit his stride, so has Sacred Heart.
The senior guard has gone on a scoring tear to start NEC play, and in doing so, has earned himself a spot in the pantheon of NEC scoring greats.
With 53 points last week – including a season-high 31 in an 80-74 win at Quinnipiac on Saturday that pushed SHU’s record to 3-1 in the conference – the Killingly, CT product rocketed up seven spots on the NEC career scoring chart to 20
th all-time with 1,726 points.
In doing so, he passed two former rivals in Mount’s Jeremy Goode and LIU Brooklyn’s Jaytornah Wisseh, and moved within 104 points of cracking
the top-10.
NEC Career Scoring Leaders
10. Joe Griffin LIU 1,830 1991-95
11. Jeff Hamilton SFU 1,810 1981-85
12. Charles Jones LIU 1,772 1996-98
13. Gregory Harris MSM 1,760 1997-00
14. Alex Blackwell MU 1,749 1989-92
15. John Giraldo MU 1,749 1992-96
16. Kevin Booth MSM 1,742 1989-93
17. Landy Thompson MSM 1,733 2002-06
18. Corsley Edwards CCSU 1,731 1998-02
19. James Johnson QU 1,729 2008-12
20. Shane Gibson SHU 1,726 2008-12
Gibson is tied for the NEC scoring lead in league play with 23.5 ppg and is third overall with 18.2 ppg on the year.
Olasewere & The Charity Stripe
If you're LIU Brooklyn head coach Jack Perri, it's an unmatched weapon.
If you're an opposing coach, it's both unstoppable and infuriating at times.
LIU senior forward
Jamal Olasewere's (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) ability to get to the line makes him one polarizing figure in the league.
Olasewere has scored a league-best 95 points from the line, representing over 37 percent of his points this season.
To put that in perspective, Robert Morris senior guard
Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) (38.1 percent) and Wagner junior guard
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi)) (35.1 percent) are the only other players in the NEC top-30 in scoring who are amassing one third of their points from the stripe.
Jones ranks ninth in the nation in this category, while Olasewere is 15th and Ortiz is 23rd.
On a national scale, Olasewere leads the nation in free-throw attempts per game at 9.4, and has accumulated 132 attempts overall to rank fifth in the country.
The only players over the past five seasons in the NCAA to average over 10 attempts to the free throw line per game were Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina (10.1 in 2007-08) and Stefon Jackson of UTEP (10.5 in 2008-09).
Press Clips of the Week
The Courant's Mike Anthony spent two days with Howie Dickenman and the CCSU team back in December, and the resulting piece is a fascinating inside look at the longtime head coach and the inner workings of the Blue Devil program.
The New York Post’s Howie Kussoy profiled FDU senior forward Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison (Globe Institute)) this past weekend, specifically his transformation into one of the NEC’s top interior players.
“I thought this kid would be a backup and just play a couple minutes,” said Greg Vetrone, his head coach.
“I wasn’t thinking he could start.
All of a sudden, he comes here and he’s taking people’s jobs. It’s incredible.
It’s the story of a kid who just wanted an opportunity and he made the most of it.”
Rochford leads the NEC in rebounding (10.3), and ranks in the top-10 in field goal percentage (.582, fourth), blocked shots (1.25, fourth) and scoring (16.3, eighth).
Record Night For Wagner Sharpshooters
When Wagner entered the WRAC to face LIU Brooklyn on Thursday, little suggested we would be seeing a historical long distance shooting performance by the Seahawks.
Wagner entered the game converting at a 28.2 percent clip from beyond the arc, and with sophomore guard
Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC/David W. Butler) - who leads the team in made threes - out with an injury, points in the paint figured to be the key to victory for the Green & White.
But wouldn't you know it, 40 minutes later the Seahawks were on a bus returning to Staten Island the proud owner of the NEC single-game record for three-point percentage.
Wagner hit 9-10 shots from three-point territory, and the 90 percent success rate beat out Marist's 88.9 percent (8-9) effort versus St. Francis Brooklyn on February 21, 1991.
Wagner junior guard
Latif Rivers (Elizbaeth, NJ/Avon Old Farms (CT)) was a perfect 4-4 from long distance, and classmate
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi) - who went 0-12 from three-point range over the first 42 games of his career - hit 2-2 and is now 5-7 over his last four games.
“I think we did a good job of not over-hyping the fact that we had lost to these guys so many times or talking about that they are the conference champs,” said Wagner head coach Bashir Mason.
“We just went about getting ready, and our kids obviously came to play.
We executed defensively, and we made shots.”
Bombs Away
While Wagner was setting a record for its long distance shooting prowess in Brooklyn, a mere 20 miles away in Hackensack, Robert Morris junior guard
Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School) was putting on his own three-point shooting exhibition last Thursday.
Williams, the
Choice Hotels NEC Co-Player of the Week, drained 8-10 of his shots from beyond the arc in RMU's 88-54 win over FDU, matching his career-high set against Monmouth in the NEC quarterfinals on March 1, 2012.
It marked the second scintillating shooting performance by a Colonials this year.
Teammate
Karvel Anderson (Elkhart, IN/Elkhart (Glen Oaks CC)) made all eight of his three-point attempts in an 84-76 triumph over Ohio on December 1.
The eight treys also represent an NEC single-game season-high.
With a 13-24 night against FDU, Robert Morris
has made at least nine three-pointers in seven of its last eight games.
The Colonials lead the NEC in made three-pointers with 8.4 per game, with Williams (2.7 per game) and Anderson (2.46 per game) ranked second and sixth, respectively, in the conference.
Offensive Explosion at the Chace
If you're into offensive execution, this game was for you.
If you were looking for a defensive gem, you stepped into the wrong gym.
But when all was said and done at the Chace Center on Thursday, Bryant and Quinnipiac had put on quite a show for the fans.
Bryant's 103-95 win not only set a DI single-game school record for points, but it marked the highest scoring NEC game since St. Francis Brooklyn beat Robert Morris, 102-97, in two overtimes back on February 17, 2007.
For games that ended in regulation, it was the highest scoring affair since February 21, 2005.
On that night, the Terriers beat FDU, 110-103.
All five Bryant starters finished in double-digits and the Bulldogs shot 60.7 percent from the field, a school DI record.
Bryant also set a new all-time program mark from three-point range in the win, converting at a 63.2 percent clip.
Quinnipiac was no slouch either, hitting at a robust 57.7 percent mark from the floor, while placing four players in double-digits.
Let's Hear It For The Freshman
Until recently, the current crop of NEC freshman had yet to distinguish themselves in terms up putting up numbers comparable to recent classes.
But since the start of league play, we've witnessed some stellar performances from the Class of '16, led by NEC Co-Rookies of the Week
E.J. Reed (Mesquite, TX/Mesquite) of LIU Brooklyn and
Brandon Peel (Forestville, MD/Riverdale Baptist), along with Saint Francis U freshman forward
Stephon Mosley (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep).
Reed has stepped in to fill the void from
Julian Boyd's (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) season-ending knee injury for the Blackbirds.
Over his last five outings, Reed is averaging 15.6 ppg and 4.4 rpg, while shooting 51.0 percent from the floor.
On Saturday, he exploded for a career-high 21 points and added seven boards as LIU picked up its first league win of the year, an 86-72 triumph over the Mount.
He is a three-time ROW award winner.
"He's been great.
He's really starting to come into his own," said LIU Brooklyn head coach Jack Perri.
"We've seen it from the beginning, that he has this ability.
He's so long, he's athletic and he has a great motor to him."
Peel has become a force on the boards for CCSU, as his 11.5 rebounds per game in league play ranks second in the conference.
Last Thursday, he established a pair of career-bests with 17 points and 17 boards in putting on a one-man show in the Blue Devils' 84-78 victory over Sacred Heart.
The 17 rebounds were the most by an NEC freshman since St. Francis Brooklyn's
Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Allen) ripped down 20 versus FDU on February 25, 2012.
“I do whatever it takes to help the team win," said Peel after his big game last week. "I’ve always been a top rebounder from what people tell me. I just try to go after the ball and get it back for my teammates.”
Mosley leads all NEC freshman with 8.5 ppg and 51.6 percent shooting from the floor.
On Saturday, he recorded an impressive 19-point, 7-rebound effort against FDU to boost his weekly numbers to 13.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg.
WRAC Streak Snapped
There's nothing automatic in sports, but in the NEC, the closest thing to a sure thing has been LIU Brooklyn's play at the WRAC.
For 764 days (!), the Blackbirds had not tasted defeat at the WRAC, that is until Wagner tripped up LIU, 86-75, on Thursday.
The streak last 31 games, and dated back to December 8, 2010 when the Blackbirds were picked off by Iona, 88-82.
In fact, LIU had won 23 straight home games against NEC opponents going back to a 70-69 setback to Robert Morris on December 2, 2010.
To put it in other terms, LIU's starting backcourt of
Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) and
C.J. Garner (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook (South Alabama)) had not lost at home since the eighth game of the their collegiate careers.
Mason The Student
Wagner college head coach Bashir Mason's can't have much in the way of free time.
As if being a first year head coach wasn't time consuming enough, Mason has also taken on the role of student.
As reported in the Staten Island Advance, Mason received a pair of Bs in the fall semester as he works to complete his Masters in Education at Wagner.
Mason, the nation's youngest head coach at 28 years of age, will take another class this spring, and upon completion, will need just one more class to finish his degree requirements.
Earl Brown Update
If anyone thought Saint Francis U sophomore forward
Earl Brown (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) was a flash in the pan, think again.
Following his out-of-this-world 25 rebound effort last Thursday against CCSU, Brown has continued to dominate on the boards and give the Red Flash a lift on offense.
Brown has now registered five straight double-doubles after tallying just one over the first 33 games of his career.
In that span, Brown has pulled down 75 rebounds, an average of 15.0 per game, and averaged 13.4 ppg.
The Philadelphia native has now raised his rebounding average from 2.7 per game on December 20th to 7.8 per game entering play this week, good for sixth in the NEC.
The last NEC player prior to Brown to recorded five straight double-doubles was Quinnipiac's Justin Rutty, who did it in seven straight games from February 18 - March 10, 2010.
NEC-TV On The Horizon
The NEC resumes its 23-game TV package this Saturday with doubleheader action from Loretto as Saint Francis U hosts Sacred Heart.
The women tipoff at 11:30 am with Paul Dottino (play-by-play), Phyllis Mangina (color) and Dave Popkin (sideline) in the booth.
The men follow at 2:00 pm with Popkin (play-by-play), Terry O'Connor (color) and Dottino (sideline) on the call.
Both games will air live on FCS and ESPN3, and on one-day delay on Root Pittsburgh.
The men's game will include a halftime feature on SFU junior guard
Umar Shannon (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) and focus on his relationship with his family, his recovery from knee surgery and playing under first year head coach Rob Krimmel.
Enjoy The Best Seat In The House With NEC Front Row
With the start of league play,
NEC Front Row is the place to catch all the action.
One of the only free conference webstreaming platforms in the country, all NEC games will air on Front Row aside from events hosted by Monmouth and Robert Morris, who are contractually obligated to other providers.
Through Front Row’s unique Control Room, which debuted in January, fans can catch up to six games at once.
Likewise, games can also be viewed at no charge on smartphones and tablets, including the iPhone, iPad and Android devices.
Vinales's Race To 1,000...Updated
Looking for the definition of a pure scorer?
Well then look no further than CCSU's scintillating sophomore guard
Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School).
After averaging 23.7 ppg last week, Vinales upped his career point total to 842 in just his 44
th career game.
As the Detroit product races toward the 1,000-point mark, he has a chance to be the quickest NEC player to 1,000 since former Saint Francis U star Darshan Luckey.
Luckey reached the milestone in his 50th career game back in 2004.
For Vinales to match, he would need to average 26.3 ppg over his next six outings.
Two-time NEC Player of the Year Charles Jones of LIU Brooklyn holds the distinction as the fastest to 1,000 in NEC history, accomplishing the feat in just 33 games from 1996-97.
Vinales will almost certainly eclipse former
teammate Ken Horton, himself a former NEC Player of the Year, as the fastest Blue Devil to hit 1,000.
Horton crossed the plateau in 68 games.
LIU’s Jason Brickman: Top-10 Distributor
Just a few years ago, the NEC assist record appeared to be unbreakable.
No player has come within 200 assists of challenging the mark established by former Marist great Drafton Davis from 1984-88.
That was until LIU’s
Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) arrived on the scene in 2010.
With 17 helpers in two games last week, the San Antonio native leapfrogged two more NEC greats to move into sixth place on the NEC career list with 562 assists, just one behind fifth place Courtney Pritchard of Wagner (563 from 2000-04).
He is second on the school's career list behind Robert Cole (610 from 1979-83).
In all likelihood, Brickman will enter his senior season second in NEC history with just Davis to catch.
He currently leads the NEC and ranks second nationally with 8.3 apg.
NEC Career Assist Leaders
1. Drafton Davis MAR 804 1984-88
2. Jeremy Goode MSM 603 2006-10
3. Deon Hames RID 598 1992-96
4. Napoleon Lightning SFU 589 1981-85
5. Courtney Pritchard WC 563 2000-04
6. Jason Brickman LIU 562 2010-12
7. Andre Van Drost WC 560 1982-87
8. Forest Grant RMU 555 1981-84
9. Rob Monroe QU 541 2001-05
10. Jaytornah Wisseh LIU 538 2006-10
Stellar Numbers For SHU's Gibson
In the “stellar games” category, no NEC player is even close to Sacred Heart senior guard
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly). Gibson has racked up 42 games of 20+ points over the course of his career, more than double that of his next closest competitors.
Gibson has also tallied six games of 30+ points, also a league-leading mark.
This season, CCSU sophomore guard
Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) ranks first in the Conference with nine 20-point games.
NEC Active Leaders : 20 Point Games
Shane Gibson, SHU 42
Julian Boyd, LIU 20
Kyle Vinales, CCSU 20
Alex Francis, BRY 19
Velton Jones, RMU 16
Jamal Olasewere, LIU 16
Umar Shannon, SFU 15
Latif Rivers, WC 11
Ike Azotam, QU 10
Frankie Dobbs, BRY 10
Melquan Bolding, FDU 9
Julian Norfleet, MSM 7
Dyami Starks, BRY 7
Jonathon Williams, WC 7
Jalen Cannon, SFC 6
NEC Active Leaders: 30 Point Games
Shane Gibson, SHU 6
Kyle Vinales, CCSU 4
Melquan Bolding, FDU 2
Alex Francis, BRY 2
Velton Jones, RMU 2
Jamal Olasewere, LIU 2
Kinu Rochford, FDU 2
On The National Leaderboard
Below are a list of NEC players and teams who rank in the top-20 nationally in various statistical categories.
Category Name Team Stats Ranking
Scoring Kyle Vinales CCSU 21.5 ppg 6th
Rebounding Kinu Rochford FDU 10.3 rpg 18th
Assists Jason Brickman LIU 8.3 apg 2nd
Phil Gaetano SHU 7.3 apg 8th
Steals Matt Hunter CCSU 2.7 spg 9th
Rashad Whack MSM 2.4 spg 20th
Rebounds QU 40.8 rpg 17th
FT% CCSU .774 6th
3PFG% FDU .390 20th
Steals MU 9.8 spg 11th
Blocks WC 5.7 bpg 16th
TOs Forced MU 20.1 2nd
Best of the Week
Frankie Dobbs (BRY): 24 points, 6 assists, 7-13 FG, 5-7 3PFG vs. Quinnipiac
Alex Francis (BRY): 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 7-9 FG vs. Quinnipiac; 26 points, career-high 18 rebounds, 2 steals vs. CCSU
Dyami Starks (BRY): 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 7-10 FG, 3-4 3PFG vs. Quinnipiac
Adonis Burbage (CCSU): 20 points, 2 rebounds vs. Bryant
Matt Hunter (CCSU): 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals vs. Sacred Heart
Brandon Peel (CCSU): Career-high 17 points, career-high 17 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals, 6-10 FG vs. Sacred Heart
Kyle Vinales (CCSU): 22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals vs. Bryant
Melquan Bolding (FDU): 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals vs. Robert Morris
Kinu Rochford (FDU): 11 points, 12 rebounds 5-8 FG vs. Saint Francis U
C.J. Garner (LIU): 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 6-10 FG, 2-2 3PFG, 5-5 FT vs. Mount St. Mary’s
Jamal Olasewere (LIU): 16 points, 9 rebounds vs. Wagner; 16 points, 11 rebounds, 7-10 FG vs. Mount St. Mary’s
E.J. Reed (LIU): 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 7-13 FG vs. Mount St. Mary’s
Jesse Steele (MU): 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 5-8 3PFG vs. Saint Francis U; 17 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 6-11 FG, 3-6 3PFG vs. Robert Morris
Rashad Whack (MSM): 17 points, 5-8 FG, 6-7 FT vs. St. Francis Brooklyn; 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6-11 FG vs. LIU Brooklyn
Ike Azotam (QU): 21 points, 6 rebounds, 10-16 FG vs. Bryant
Dave Johnson (QU): 17 points, 3 assists vs. Sacred Heart
Lucky Jones (RMU): Career-high (tied) 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 7-12 FG, 2-4 3PFG vs. Monmouth
Coron Williams (RMU): 27 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 9-12 FG, 8-10 3PFG vs. FDU
Shane Gibson (SHU): 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists vs. CCSU; 31 points, 9-18 FG, 4-8 3PFG, 9-9 FT vs. Quinnipiac
Steve Glowiak (SHU): Career-high 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals vs. CCSU; 21 points, 5 assists, 6-7 FG, 3-4 3PFG vs. Quinnipiac
Travis Nichols (SFC): 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4-9 3PFG vs. Wagner
Ben Mockford (SFC): 19 points, 6-9 FG, 5-6 3PFG vs. Mount St. Mary’s
Earl Brown (SFU): 11 points, 11 rebounds, 4-6 FG, 3-3 FT vs. Monmouth; 17 points, 12 rebounds, 6-11 FG vs. FDU
Stephon Mosley (SFU): 19 points, 7 rebounds, 8-15 FG, 3-3 FT vs. FDU
Mario Moody (WC): 19 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 8-14 FG vs. LIU Brooklyn
Kenneth Ortiz (WC): 19 points, 11 assists, 4 steals, 5-7 FG, 2-2 3PFG vs. LIU Brooklyn
Latif Rivers (WC): 20 points, 2 rebounds, 6-10 FG, 4-4 3PFG vs. LIU Brooklyn
By The Numbers
2 games last week in which St. Francis Brooklyn held the opposition to under 60 points, the first time the Terriers have accomplished the feat in the 2012-13 campaign.
2 double-doubles for Quinnipiac on Saturday against Sacred Heart as
Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/John D. O'Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) and
Jamee Jackson (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony's) both finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds apiece.
3-1 start for Sacred Heart is its best in NEC play since the 2007-08 season.
5-1 record for St. Francis (NY) over its last six games.
5th in the nation, the Mount St. Mary’s rank for percentage of points coming off three-pointers.
The Mount has scored 39.3 percent of its output from long range in 2012-13.
#6 play on the SportsCenter Top-10 for Wagner freshman
Dwaun Anderson (Sutton’s Bay, MI/Suttons Bay (Michigan State)) for his thunderous putback slam against St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday.
It was his second appearance on the #SCTop10 this season.
6th career 30+ point game for Sacred Heart senior guard
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) on Saturday.
Gibson exploded for a season-best 31 points in SHU’s triumph over Quinnipiac.
6-3 road record for Bryant this season.
The Bulldogs had totaled five road wins the previous three seasons combined.
7 turnovers, a season-low, for FDU in its 79-69 overtime win over Saint Francis U on Saturday.
10-0 record for Wagner when junior guard
Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ/Avon Old Farms (CT)) scores at least 20 points
10.3 rebounds per game for FDU senior forward
Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison), a league-leading figure that also ranks 18
th in the nation.
11 assists for Wagner junior guard
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi) against LIU Brooklyn on Thursday were a career-high and the most by a Seahawk since former All-NEC performer Mark Porter handed out 13 against UMES on December 15, 2007.
13.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg last week for Saint Francis U freshman forward
Stephon Mosley (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep).
14 forced turnovers for Monmouth against Robert Morris on Saturday marked the first time this season that the Hawks didn’t force at least 15 in a contest.
19 point margin of victory, the largest this season for St. Francis Brooklyn in its win over Wagner on Saturday.
21.5 ppg last week for Sacred Heart sophomore guard
Steve Glowiak (New Britain, CT/New Britain).
He netted a career-high 22 against CCSU on Thursday, then followed with 21 versus Quinnipiac two days later.
25 consecutive wins for Robert Morris when holding opponents under 60 points.
26-3 record for Wagner the last two years when shooting a higher percentage from the field than its opponent.
31 straight wins for Robert Morris when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
50th meeting in the series between CCSU and Quinnipiac last Thursday.
The Blue Devils lead the series, 32-18.
51 second half points for Sacred Heart – a season-high – in its 80-74 win at Quinnipiac on Saturday.
56 second half points for CCSU against Sacred Heart was the most for the program in a non-overtime half in 11 seasons.
59.2 percent shooting from the field by Wagner in its win over LIU Brooklyn last Thursday was the highest for the program since hitting 60.4 percent against Yale on December 6, 2008.
61 second half points for Bryant against Quinnipiac on Thursday.
70.6 percent shooting from three-point range last week for Robert Morris junior guard
Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch).
He hit 12-17 from long range in RMU’s two wins.
Quotable
“A lot of my players have basketball DNA that enables them to overcome their physical limitations. They know what to do on the court. We win by being savvy.” - Bryant head coach Tim O’Shea
“It was a great team win, we never quit. It's great to see the team win in overtime without our leading scorer [Rochford] for most of the game. Xavier Harris was fantastic tonight. Dylan Moody was the unsung hero with a great stop on their last possession and great defense in overtime. Moody and Sidney Sanders came up big for us; Sanders took over in overtime and dominated the game for us.” - FDU head coach Greg Vetrone, commenting on the Knights’ overtime win over Saint Francis U on Saturday
"Dion Nesmith is what college basketball is all about. He is a Dean's List student, a great defender, a great player and is just a great young man. He is a great leader - the type of young man you want your child to grow up to be like." - Monmouth head coach King Rice
“There was never a drop off in how hard our kids were trying. Sometimes you get in a funk and you can’t get out. And these kids showed a lot of courage, a lot of fight and just kept playing, and then good things happened for them. And when we got into the locker room it just felt great to get that monkey off our backs.” - Monmouth head coach King Rice after the Hawks snapped a seven-game losing streak last Thursday with a 65-60 win over Saint Francis U.
“When you don’t make your shots, as a basketball coach the thing you worry about is that you’re asking for incredible defensive will. But basketball players in general value how they’re playing by how they’re playing offense, not how they’re playing defense. I thought our spirit broke defensively early in the second half until we put the press on.” - Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore reflecting on his team’s six-point loss to Sacred Heart on Saturday
“It’s definitely a stepping stone for us, because since I’ve been here we haven’t beat them. To be able to come in on the road and beat a good team, that’s really good at home is definitely big for us.” - Wagner junior guard Latif Rivers on the Seahawks’ win over LIU Brooklyn on Thursday.
Tweets of the Week
bdornfried @bdornfried
Hey @ESPNAndyKatz how bout some Bryant love? First 10 win season in the history of the program!
BryantMascot Tupper® @BryantTuppy
PAWSOME! "@dgthree_: @BryantAthletics @BryantTuppy @NECsports Another good win by Bryant #SixStraightWins #ShootForSeven"
Ryan Peters @pioneer_pride
@dgthree_ @ESPNLunardi @BryantAthletics @NECsports @NECralph Bryant's playing like they deserve a 15 seed! Has good wins vs RMU, Lehigh & BC
Patrick McClure @pmacc17 [FDU baseball player]
Why is everyone so focused on the ravens broncos when FDU wins in overtime at the stratis arena!? #fduknow
Greg Thompson @gregthompson27
Is it too early to be thinking @SFCTerriers MBB could be legit in the NEC? Conference seem wide open, so why not? #BKsports
Ralph S. Ventre @NECralph
My 2 top highlights from last night's #NECMBB TV gm #MONvsRMU ... 1) Lucky Jones' 18 & 8 off bench 2) Oceanport fan contigent's enthusiasm
Gabe Gilson @GGverified
Not sure if I'm happier with the #49ers doing that or #WagMBB made sportscenter top 10 with a nasty Dwaun Anderson dunk. @justcallmeLL
Milestone Watch
Bryant head coach
Tim O’Shea reached the 150 victory mark for his career last Thursday as the Bulldogs beat Quinnipiac, 103-95.
He has 151 entering play this week.
LIU senior forward
Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) is two rebounds shy of becoming just the seventh player in LIU history to record 800 rebounds in a career.
Monmouth senior guard
Jesse Steele (Milford, NJ/Millburn (Oak Hill Academy, Army)) is only six three-pointers shy of ninth place on MU's career-list behind Mustafa Barksdale (134).
Monmouth senior forward
Ed Waite (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pine Crest) played in his 110th career game against Robert Morris on Saturday, moving him within one game of 20th place overall (Mustafa Barksdale).
Quinnipiac’s
Tom Moore is two wins shy of 100 for his career.
Robert Morris senior forward
Russell Johnson (Chester, PA/Chester) moved into the top-five all-time at the school for career rebounds, as his 647 boards ranks fifth.
Johnson would need to average 7.5 caroms per contest over RMU's final 14 regular-season tilts to break the school record of 751 that is shared by former Colonials Anthony Dickens (1985-90) and Tony Lee (2004-08).
Robert Morris senior guard
Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) started his 115th career contest on Saturday, moving into second place all-time on the program’s career starts list.
Only former Colonial Jeremy Chappell (2005-09) has started more games for the Colonials in school history with 120.
Wagner junior forward
Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin/Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA)) blocked four shots on the week and now has 128 for his career.
He is seven behind Miladin Mutavdzic for second place on the all-time Wagner rankings.
Active Leaders
SCORING
Shane Gibson SHU 1726
Jamal Olasewere LIU 1522
Julian Boyd LIU 1467
Velton Jones RMU 1461
Alex Francis BRY 1200
Frankie Dobbs BRY 973 (at Bryant)
Russell Johnson RMU 964
Latif Rivers WC 930
CJ Garner LIU 910
Ed Waite MU 901
REBOUNDING
Julian Boyd LIU 843
Jamal Olasewere LIU 798
Russell Johnson RMU 647
Ike Azotam QU 600
Ed Waite MU 592
Alex Francis BRY 590
Jamee Jackson QU 460
Akeem Johnson SFC 436
Kenny Onyechi LIU 419
Jalen Cannon SFC 403
ASSISTS
Jason Brickman LIU 562
Velton Jones RMU 484
Frankie Dobbs BRY 357
Dave Johnson QU 348
Josh Castellanos MSM 267
CJ Garner LIU 263
Anthony Myers-Pate RMU 258
Phil Gaetano SHU 238
Jesse Steele MU 229
Kenneth Ortiz WC 205
Team-By-Team Notes
Bryant (11-4, 4-0 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 vs. Quinnipiac (W, 103-95); Jan. 12 at Central Connecticut (W, 69-62)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 vs. Mount St. Mary’s; Jan. 19 vs. Wagner
• The Bulldogs are the winners of six straight and have won 11 of their last 13 outings after a 103-95 win over Quinnipiac Thursday and 69-62 victory over CCSU Saturday.
• Bryant set multiple records Thursday night against the Bobcats, including new Division I marks for points in a game (103), assists in a game (24), single-game field goal percentage (.607), wins in a season and consecutive victories, as well as the all-time program mark for 3-point field goal percentage (.632). It was the first time the Bulldogs scored 90 or 100 points in a game since 2005.
• Senior point guard
Frankie Dobbs (Berea, Ohio/St. Edward (Ohio U.)) scored his 1000th-career point Thursday night, needing just five of his game-high 24 points to become the 34th member of the elite club in Bryant men’s basketball history. Dobbs averaged 19.0 points and 5.5 assists per game on the week, shooting 50 percent from the floor, 53.8 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the line.
• Bryant’s victory over Quinnipiac Thursday was the first home win over the Bobcats at the Division I level (4 games) and its win over CCSU was the team’s first at Detrick Gym since joining the Division I ranks (4 games).
• Bryant scored an impressive 61 points in the second half alone Thursday at home.
• Tim O’Shea recorded his 150th-career win as a head coach Thursday night against Quinnipiac.
• The Bulldogs have now won a Division I best six straight and a DI-high 11 wins.
Central Connecticut (6-9, 2-2 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 vs. Sacred Heart (W, 84-78); Jan. 12 vs. Bryant (L, 69-62)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 vs. Wagner; Jan. 19 vs. Mount St. Mary’s
• Freshman forward
Brandon Peel (Forestville, MD/Riverdale Baptist) had a standout week for the Blue Devils posting double-figure rebounds in each game (now three straight) as the Blue Devils went 1-1 at home. In the win over Sacred Heart on Thursday night Peel had a career-high. He posted career-highs of 17 points and 17 rebounds on the way to the win. The 17 rebounds were the most for a Blue Devils in a game in six seasons. He was 6-of-10 from the floor and also blocked a career-best four shots. He followed that up with his third-straight game with 10 or more rebounds, grabbing 10 boards and adding three steals and six points in a home loss to Bryant. For the week Peel averaged 11.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 steals while playing 65 total minutes.
• Sophomore
Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) scored 15 points and had seven assists, all in the second half, in the home win over Sacred Heart on Thursday night.
• Central scored 56 second half points in the win over Sacred Heart on Thursday night. It was the most points in a non-overtime half in 11 seasons.
• All five starters scored in double-figures for the fourth time this season for CCSU in the win over Sacred Heart. Central is 4-0 in those games.
• Central scored 84 points in the win over Sacred Heart on Thursday night. They are now 5-0 this season when scoring 80 or more points.
Fairleigh Dickinson (7-9, 2-2 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 vs. Robert Morris (L, 88-54); Jan. 12 vs. Saint Francis U (W, 79-69 (OT))
This Week’s Games: Jan. 14 vs. NJIT; Jan. 17 vs. LIU Brooklyn; Jan. 19 at St. Francis Brooklyn
• The 2-2 record in conference ties last year’s conference win total for FDU, while the Knights’ seventh win marks the most in a season since the 2009-10 campaign.
• In Saturday’s win over Saint Francis U, the Knights saw career-highs set by several players: newcomers
Sidney Sanders Jr. (Charleston, SC/Burke) and
Xavier Harris (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) set new personal records in points with 15 and nine, respectively. Sophomore walk-on
Dylan Moody (Philadelphia, PA/Abington Friends) grabbed a career-high four rebounds.
• FDU pulled down a season-high 39 rebound
s and allowed a season-low seven turnovers against Saint Francis U.
• Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) continues to lead FDU with 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. After sitting out for four games early in the season, Rochford is now eligible for the NEC and NCAA rankings.
LIU Brooklyn (6-10, 1-3 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 vs. Wagner (L, 86-75); Jan. 12 vs. Mount St. Mary’s (Barclays) (W, 86-72)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 at Fairleigh Dickinson; Jan. 19 vs. Monmouth
• LIU Brooklyn saw its 31-game winning streak at the Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center come to a close on Jan. 10, as Wagner defeated the Blackbirds 86-75. The loss was the first for LIU at its on-campus arena since Iona came away with an 88-82 win at the WRAC on Dec. 8, 2010.
• Senior
Kenny Onyechi (Sugar Land, TX/Kempner) has been ultra-efficient through the first four games of NEC play, going 13-for-17 from the field for an NEC-best field-goal percentage of 76.5%.
• Junior
Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) handed out 17 assists over two games on the week, and moved into second place nationally at 8.3 apg. Michael Carter-Williams of Syracuse leads the country in assists at 9.4 apg.
• Senior
C.J. Garner (Silver Spring, MD/South Alabama) had an all-around game against Mount St. Mary’s, tallying 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Garner went a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range and is now 6-for-7 from deep over his last two games.
• The Blackbirds won for the first time at Barclays Center on Jan. 12, after falling short in their previous two contests at the billion-dollar arena earlier this season. LIU will play one more game at the home of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10 against local rival St. Francis Brooklyn.
• Senior
Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) scored his 1,500th career point early in the second half of the game against Wagner on Jan. 10. Olasewere became the ninth player in school history to achieve the milestone, and is 18 points behind Freddie Burton (1986-89) for eighth place on LIU’s all-time list.
• Olasewere is also two rebounds shy of becoming just the seventh player in LIU history to record 800 rebounds in a career.
Monmouth (6-11, 1-3 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 vs. Saint Francis U (W, 65-60); Jan. 12 vs. Robert Morris (NEC-TV) (W, 70-55)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 at St. Francis Brooklyn; Jan. 19 at LIU Brooklyn
• Monmouth won its fourth straight NEC home opener on Thursday night against Saint Francis U.
• The Hawks’ 21 first-half points against Robert Morris, tied a season-low, which was originally set on December 12 at Maryland.
• Monmouth forced 14 turnovers against Robert Morris, marking the first time this season the Hawks didn’t force at least 15 in a game.
• Monmouth has 166 steals on the year. The program record is 280 set in 2000-01.
•
Jesse Steele (Milford, NJ/Oak Hill Academy (Army)) is only six three-pointers shy of 9th place on MU’s career-list behind Mustafa Barksdale (134).
•
Ed Waite (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pine Crest) played in his 110th career game against Robert Morris, moving him within one game of 20th place overall, also Mustafa Barksdale (111).
Mount St. Mary's (6-9, 1-3 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 at St. Francis Brooklyn (L, 70-56); Jan. 12 at LIU Brooklyn (Barclays) (L, 86-72)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 at Bryant; Jan. 19 at Central Connecticut
• The Mount went 0-2 this week, falling at St. Francis (N.Y.) and LIU Brooklyn. The two games are part of the Mount’s four game road trip that includes Bryant and Central Connecticut St. this week. The Mountaineers are 2-8 on the road this year and 9-36 over their past 45 road games.
• Guard
Rashad Whack (Hyattsville, MD/Bishop McNamara) had a good week for the Mountaineers, averaging 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the two games in Brooklyn. Whack has scored in double figures in each of the past seven games and in 13 of the Mount’s 15 games this year.
•
Raven Barber (Edgewood, MD/Paul VI (VA)) had 10 points and six rebounds in the loss at LIU Brooklyn. The senior has been contributing off the bench of late, averaging 7.7 points over the past six games, shooting 65.6 percent from the field over that stretch.
• Despite a recent shooting slump from three-point range, the Mount continues to rely on the three-point shot as a big part of the offense. The Mountaineers hit 11 three-pointers against LIU Brooklyn. The Mount is fifth in the nation with 39.3 percent of its points coming off of three-pointers this season.
Quinnipiac (5-10, 1-3 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 at Bryant (L, 103-95); Jan. 12 vs. Sacred Heart (L, 80-74)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 14 at Hampton; Jan. 17 at Saint Francis U; Jan. 19 at Robert Morris
•
Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) finished with 23 points against the Bryant Bulldogs, going 10-of-16 from the floor with six rebounds.
Jamee Jackson (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony’s) posted a season-high 15 points,
Kendrick Ray (Middletown, NY/Middletown) finished with a career-best 12 points and Ousmane Drame concluded players in double-figures with 10 points.
Evan Conti (Bayside, NY/Holy Cross HS) added nine points and six rebounds in his sixth career start.
• Azotam and Jackson each finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday afternoon against Sacred Heart.
Dave Johnson (Jackson, NJ/St. Mark’s (MA)) led the Bobcats offensively with a season-high 17 points – going 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Azotam, Jackson and
Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, MD/Salisbury (CT)) each chipped in with 10 points and Conti added nine.
Ousmane Drame (Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianapolis Prep)) and
James Ford, Jr. (Hopewell, VA/Quality Education Academy) finished with seven apiece – while combining for a total of 12 rebounds.
• Head coach
Tom Moore is two wins shy of 100 for his career at Quinnipiac.
Robert Morris (10-7, 2-2 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 at Fairleigh Dickinson (W, 88-54); Jan. 12 at Monmouth (NEC-TV) (W, 70-55)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 vs. Sacred Heart; Jan. 19 vs. Quinnipiac
• Robert Morris picked up its first two Northeast Conference victories of the 2012-13 campaign with a road sweep of its Garden State rivals, earning an 88-54 win @ Fairleigh Dickinson (1/10/13), followed by a 70-55 victory @ Monmouth (1/12/13).
• The Colonials extended a pair of streaks with its two wins last week, stretching its winning streak to 31 straight when shooting 50 percent or better from the field while owning 25 consecutive victories when holding their opponents to less than 60 points.
• Redshirt junior guard
Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School) averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in the sweep last week, shooting 66.7 percent (14-for-21) from the field, including 70.6 percent (12-for-17) from beyond the arc. Williams scored a season-high 27 points on the strength of an 8-for-10 performance from deep in the win over the Knights, then added 14 points and six rebounds in the win over Monmouth.
• Robert Morris is 29-8 (.784) over the last three seasons when Williams scores in double figures, the highest winning percentage by an active Colonial.
• Sophomore forward
Lucky Jones (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony) missed RMU’s win over FDU due to a violation of team rules but came back to tie a career-high with 18 points off the bench to pace the Colonials in their victory @ Monmouth. He also added eight rebounds and a pair of steals.
• Redshirt senior forward
Russell Johnson (Chester, PA/Chester) averaged 8.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in the two victories last week, recording his first double-double of the 2012-13 campaign and sixth of his career with 10 points and 10 boards in the win over Fairleigh Dickinson. Two nights later he posted one of the most complete games of his career, finishing with seven points, 10 rebounds, a career-high six assists and four steals in the victory over the Hawks.
• Redshirt senior guard
Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) started his 115th career contest in RMU’s 70-55 win @ Monmouth, moving into second place all-time at Robert Morris in career starts. Only former Colonial Jeremy Chappell (2005-09) has started more games for the Colonials in school history with 120.
• Russell Johnson moved into the top five all-time at Robert Morris for career rebounds, as his 647 boards ranks fifth. Johnson would need to average 7.5 caroms per contest over RMU’s final 14 regular-season tilts to break the school record of 751 that is held by former Colonials Anthony Dickens (1985-90) and Tony Lee (2004-08).
Sacred Heart (5-10, 3-1 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 at Central Connecticut (L, 84-78); Jan. 12 at Quinnipiac (W, 80-74)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 at Robert Morris; Jan. 19 at Saint Francis U
• The Pioneers are off to a 3-1 start to the NEC slate, their best start since the 2007-08 season. SHU is in the midst of a four-game road swing and split with in-state rivals CCSU and Quinnipiac this week.
• The Pioneers saw a 38-28 halftime lead and 10-point second half lead erased in the loss to the Blue Devils. CCSU used a late 10-0 run and shot 51.5 percent on their way to 56 second half points in the win. Despite the loss, New Britain native
Steve Glowiak (New Britain, CT/New Britain) poured in a career-high 22 points on the night. Glowiak also collected six rebounds and had six assists, both career-high marks as well.
•
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) went for a season-high 31 points on Saturday, amking four threes and hitting nine-of-nine at the free throw line to help beat Quinnipiac. SHU had a monster second half, shooting 60 percent (15-25) and scoring 51 points, their best half this season.
• Glowiak just missed matching his career mark from Thursday, scoring 21 points, 14 in the first half. Glowiak had 11 of the Pioneers first 13 points of the game. He added five assists. For the week, Glowiak dished 11 assists against just one turnover.
St. Francis Brooklyn (7-8, 3-1 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 vs. Mount St. Mary’s; Jan. 12 at Wagner
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 vs. Monmouth; Jan. 19 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
• Last week, the Terriers held both opponents under 60 points for the first time this season, and the 19-point win against the Seahawks was their largest of the campaign.
• Junior shooting guard
Ben Mockford (Shoreham-by-Sea, England/Oak Hill Academy (VA)) scored 19 points in the victory versus the Mount on Thursday night. Mockford hit 5-of-6 three-pointers, including 4-for-4 over the first 4:09 of the second-half. Mockford had made just 28-of-96 long-range field goals (.292) over his first 15 career games on his home floor prior to the explosion. He’s third in the league with 2.53 3-pointers per game.
• Senior forward
Travis Nichols (Brooklyn, NY/Food & Finance) paced the Terriers with 20 points off the bench at Wagner on 7-of-15 shooting, including 4-for-9 from long-distance. Nichols also added 10 points and nine boards versus the Mount. Nichols has been in double-figures in four of his last six contests and is averaging 12.0 points in just 20.3 minutes per game during the stretch.
• For the first time this season, sophomore forward
Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Alllen) failed to produce a double-figure night in either points or rebounds against the Mount as he was held to just eight points and a season-low three caroms. He is averaging 16.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore point guard
Brent Jones (Brooklyn, NY/Bedford Academy) has reached double-figures in scoring in three of his last four contests. Jones failed to hit the mark the first 11 contests this season.
• Senior guard
Dre Calloway (Harlem, NY/Abraham Lincoln (CO)) has gone 7-of-8 from the line over the past two contests. Calloway was just 70-for-155 (.451) for his career from the stripe prior to the spurt.
•
Kevin Douglas (Bronx, NY/Frederick Douglass Academy), who had started every game at small forward, injured his non-shooting hand while stopping a fast-break dunk against the Mount and did not play at Wagner. Junior A
leksandar Isailovic (Belgrade, Serbia / Provincetown High School) started his first career-game in his place. The Terriers had started the same starting five in all 14 contests prior to the Wagner contest.
• Sophomore forward
Lowell Ulmer (Staten Island, NY/McKee (Staten Island Tech)) returned to his native borough and provided a huge spark with five points in seven first-half minutes against Wagner, including his first career trey. Ulmer, who had scored just three points all season, also produced several hustle plays that ignited a big run to close out the half.
• St. Francis will play five of their next six contests at home including a pair of contests against Monmouth and Fairleigh Dickinson at the Pope Physical Education Center this week.
Saint Francis U (1-14, 1-3 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 at Monmouth (L, 65-60); Jan. 12 at Fairleigh Dickinson (L, 79-69 (OT))
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 vs. Quinnipiac; Jan. 19 vs. Sacred Heart (NEC-TV)
• Sophomore
Earl Brown (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) earned his seventh straight double-digit scoring game and his fifth-straight double-double in Saturday’s loss at FDU. Brown averaged 13.0 points and 11.5 rebounds last week.
• Two SFU freshmen set season scoring highs last week. Ben Millaud-Meunier (Montreal, Quebec/Vanier) scored 11 points at Monmouth of Thursday and Stephon Mosley (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) tossed in 19 points on Saturday.
• SFU’s 16 made free throws at Monmouth on Thursday were a season high (15 vs. Cornell, Lehigh).
• The Red Flash has used the same starting five in a season-high four consecutive games.
Wagner (9-6, 3-1 NEC)
Last Week’s Games: Jan. 10 at LIU Brooklyn (W, 86-75); Jan. 12 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn (L, 71-52)
This Week’s Games: Jan. 17 at Central Connecticut; Jan. 19 at Bryant
• Wagner began the week with an 86-75 win over LIU Brooklyn while snapping the Blackbirds’ 31-game winning streak at the Wellness, Athletic & Recreation Center (WRAC).
• The Seahawks converted on 9-of-10 from long range in breaking the previous record of 88.9 percent (8-of-9) set by Marist against St. Francis Brooklyn on February 21, 1991.
• Leading the charge was junior
Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ/Avon Old Farms (CT)) with a game-high 20 points, fueled by 4-for-4 shooting from long range. The Green & White has now 10-straight games when the Garden State native notches at least 20 points.
• Rivers, who has 11 career 20-point games, now has 930 career points and is just 70 short of becoming the 40th member of the Wagner 1,000-point club.
• Junior
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi)) also recorded his third career double-double against LIU Brooklyn with a personal-best 11 assists to go along with 19 points. Over his last five games he past posted a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio while averaging 16.0 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore
Mario Moody (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) matched Ortiz with a career-high 19 points and a game-high nine rebounds against the Blackbirds.
• Moody then paced Wagner in scoring for the first time in his career with 15 points against St. Francis Brooklyn. Since entering the starting line-up five games ago, he is averaging 13.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
• Freshman
Dwaun Anderson (Suttons Bay, MI/Suttons Bay (Michigan State)) checked in at No. 6 on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top-10 plays for the second time this season with a thunderous putback slam dunk against the Terriers.
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Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin/Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA)) blocked four shots on the week and now has 128 for his career. He is now seven behind Miladin Mutavdzic for second place on the all-time Wagner rankings.