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NEC Player of the Week: Anna Niki Stamolamprou, RMU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Aja Boyd (LIU) & Kerstie Phills (WAG)
Previous NEC Releases: Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason Poll Release | Preseason All-NEC Release
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ANNA NIKI STAMOLAMPROU, ROBERT MORRIS
G, Sr., 5-9, Thessaloniki, Greece
WEEK 12 STATS: 2 games, 21.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 3.0 3FGM/g, .460 FG pct.
Stamolamprou paced the circuit in scoring while powering Robert Morris to a pair of NEC victories that moved the Colonials to within one game of first place. The Greek-born guard averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per contest and moved into second place on RMU’s all-time career scoring list in the process. Surpassing the milestone during Monday’s 70-68 road win over rival Saint Francis U, Stamolamprou victimized the first-place Red Flash to the tune of 27 points. She sank five three-pointers en-route to an 11-of-22 shooting clip, helping the Colonials avenge an earlier home loss to the Flash. Two days earlier, Stamolamprou spearheaded Robert Morris’ 50-44 triumph at Mount St. Mary’s. The senior tallied 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Stamolamprou, who has 1,623 career points to her credit, currently ranks third amongst NEC leaders in scoring average (16.1 ppg) this season.
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
AJA BOYD, LIU BROOKLYN
C, Fr., 6-2, Petersburg, VA/Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
WEEK 12 STATS: 2 games, 15.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, .571 FG pct.
Boyd continued her production in the post as the Blackbirds went up against the NEC’s Nutmeg State contingent. The 6-foot-2 center’s latest two-game stretch yielded 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest. She shot 57.1 percent from the floor over the course of the two road tilts. Notching her third double-double of the month (January), Boyd scored 16 points and secured 10 caroms to lead the Blackbirds past Central Connecticut on Monday. Two days earlier, she tallied 14 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes before fouling out against first-place Sacred Heart. She has scored in double figures during nine of her last 10 outings.
NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
KERSTIE PHILLS, WAGNER
G/F, Fr., 5-9, Charlotte, NC/Charlotte Christian
WEEK 12 STATS: 2 games, 17.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 35.0 mpg, .400 FG pct., 1.000 3FG pct.
The points continue to pile up for Phills. The rookie guard eclipsed the 15-point mark in both of Wagner’s games last week. With the Seahawks splitting a pair of road games, Phills averaged 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest. Nearly securing a double-double, the 5-foot-9 freshman produced 19 points and nien rebounds to lift the Seahawks over St. Francis Brooklyn on Monday night. Prior to leading Wagner to its first league win, Phills tallied 16 points and seven rebounds against first-place Saint Francis U. She has logged double-digit scoring totals in each of her last 11 games and leads all NEC rookies in scoring average (11.8 ppg).
QUOTABLE
CHARLIE BUSCAGLIA (ROBERT MORRIS), Head Coach
“Saint Francis is playing very well right now and we weren’t going to knock them down very easily. We had to withstand their runs and be really tough at the end of the game. The team really stepped up today and put a brick into the foundation.”
- after the Colonials topped Keystone State rival, and first-place occupant, Saint Francis U, 70-68, on the road (Jan. 30).
“Things didn’t come easy for us today. It was a very intense game for 40 minutes, but we were able to take control of it. We struggled to finish well today – we had a lot of opportunities to finish some good looks that we created – but those kind of days happen. The offensive rebounding and willingness to defend each possession really gave us an opportunity to win the game, and ultimately we were able to do that.”
- after the Colonials grinded out 50-44 road win over Mount St. Mary’s (Jan. 28)
PETE CINELLA (Fairleigh Dickinson), Head Coach
“We were trying to move the ball aroundn and got it to Amina [Markovic] and she got a good shot [from the right side]. Brianna [Thomas] then crashed hard, pulled down the ‘board and finished through contact. She has that kind of athletic ability to bounce right back up [after getting the rebound] and score.”
- on the dramatic game-winning basket in a 59-58 triumph over St. Francis Brooklyn (Jan. 28)
“[You] got to give Bryant credit for not giving up. We played some of our best basketball of the season in the first half. ... Tough shot by [Madelynn Comly] to tie the game [at 48-48]. We did not hit that big three to get the lead from four to seven. Our shots kept rattling out and [Bryant] kept coming at us.”
- after the Knights led for 37 minutes of an eventual 50-48 setback at Bryant (Jan. 30). After FDU tied it with 2.0 seconds to go, Kierra Palmer hit a buzzer-beater for the Bulldogs.
HANNAH KIMMEL (SACRED HEART), Senior
“Making the most of this is year is definitely the plan. The No.1 goal is to win the championship and go dancing [make the NCAA Tournament]. That’s our main goal. We got a taste last year, but hopefully this year we get it done. ”
- as quoted in the Hartford Courant in a feature story by Desmond Conner
TWEET SHEET
@CoachWhitMSM
(Jan 31) If u spend too much time looking in the rear view mirror, you’ll miss all the opportunities in front of you. Look ahead, out the windshield.
@CraigCD13
(Jan 30) What a night in #NECWBB as 1, 2, & 3 in the standings all go down with 4 & 5 getting big wins...things are getting interesting
@rmucrazies
(Jan 31) S/O @RMUWBasketball for a HUGE win last night over St. Francis! Your Colonials are within 1 game of first place in the NEC! #RetweetWorthy
@CoachTGardner
(Jan 30) Proud of our team Today. Great bounce back win. Road W’s are never easy. All about our toughness today. Brooklyn ??
@BryantUPrez
(Jan 30) 1st Nisre drains a winner, then tonight with 2.6 left Kiki drains one for the women’s win. Coach Burke wanted an exciting game 4 the fans??
@CraigCD13
(Jan 30) Congrats to Coach Jacobs & @WagnerWHoops on a hard earned & well deserved NEC W #1. The foundation is well in place for a promising future!
@PohlAdam
(Jan 30) Really happy for @CoachWhitMSM and Mount WBB tonight. Big come from behind win! Has his team fighting.
@CraigCD13
(Jan 30) How about the champs...won 3 straight + an 18-2 run to go into the locker room up 8 on the 1st place team...pretty good stuff
@NECsports
(Jan 28) Fantastic finish on @NECFrontRow. Brianna Thomas converts this second chance opportunity to give @FDUKnights the win over SFBK. #NECWBB
@NECsports
(Jan 28) Another fantastic #NECWBB finish. @CCSUBlueDevils Andi Lydon hits this long hook to give her 23 points and push CCSU to 7-2 on year.
@RidersWomen
(Jan 28) Latest signing @elivermore23 pours in 33 points in today’s victory in the @WBBLofficial Trophy! #OneTeam
@desmondconner
(Jan 27) #Sacred Heart’s Kimmel No Longer Slowed By Back-To-Back Torn ACLs
LIVE FROM THE MOUNT…
Coming from opposite ends of the NEC’s geographic footprint, Bryant and Mount St. Mary’s will collide in this week’s featured #NECWBB matchup on ESPN3.
The Mount, which lies at the NEC’s southern-most point, will host the affair in Emmitsburg, MD on Monday, February 6 at 7:00 pm ET.
Bryant, which sits at the NEC’s northern-most latitude, captured the season’s first meeting between these two teams by a 78-62 margin in Smithfield, RI on January 7.
The Bulldogs (5-5) and the Mountaineers (4-6) enter the week separated by one game in the league standings.