NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nigel Scantlebury, CCSU
6’0”, 170 lbs.
Jr., G, Rochester, NY/Greece Athena (Niagara County CC)
The first career honor for Scantlebury came on the heels of the strongest all-around week of his CCSU tenure. The junior point guard registered 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game in a Blue Devils split. Scantlebury posted an eye-opening 59.1 FG/66.7 3P/100.0 FT shooting split that included a 6-of-9 mark from downtown. The Rochester, NY native netted a career-high 25 points on 8-10 shooting from the floor, 3-3 from outside the arc and 6-6 from the line in a 73-67 home win over Holy Cross on Wednesday. In doing so, he became the first player in the country this season to shoot at least 80 percent from the field with at least eight makes, 100 percent from three-point range with at least three makes and finish perfect from the stripe with at least six makes. Scantlebury went on to post 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in a setback at UNH on Saturday. He ranks third in the NEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.59) and free throw percentage (.905), sixth in three-point accuracy (.500), seventh in assists (3.0), and 14th in scoring (12.0) and made three-pointers (1.7).

NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Andre Snoddy, CCSU
6’6”, 210 lbs.
Fr., G/F, Melville, NY/St. Anthony’s (St. Thomas More (CT))
Snoddy followed in the footsteps of teammates Jayden Brown and Joe Ostrowsky as NEC Rookie of the Week recipients during the first month of the 2021-22 season. The swingman out of Melville, NY contributed 7.5 ppg and 3.0 rpg over two starts in CCSU’s split. He shot 45.5 percent from the floor and was a perfect 5-5 from the line. Snoddy converted four of his five field goal attempts on his way to a career-high 11-point outing, and came up huge down the stretch to help the Blue Devils trip up Holy Cross, 73-67, and win their first home game of the season last Wednesday. His layup with 57 seconds remaining increased CCSU’s lead to 68-63, and after a Crusader bucket, he calmly sank a pair of free throws with 32 seconds on the clock to push the lead back to five points.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Nigel Scantlebury (CCSU, Jr, G)
Scantlebury comes off the best week of his CCSU career with 20.0 ppg on an efficient 59.1 percent shooting from the field, 66.7 percent from long distance - where he hit 6-9 shots - and a perfect 8-8 from the stripe. The junior point guard contributed 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.0 spg in a Blue Devil split. Scantlebury ranks in the NEC top-20 in six statistical categories.

John Square Jr. (FDU, So, F)
Square Jr. shot a scintillating 76.5 percent from the floor over two outings last week. He averaged 16.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg and 1.5 bpg. The soph scored a career-high 19 points on 8-11 shooting, blocked a personal-best two shots and matched a season-high with seven boards at Manhattan on Tuesday.

Isaac Kante (LIU, Gr, F)
Kante twice led LIU in scoring last week with 17 points apiece in a road swing to Delaware and Towson. He converted 54.5 percent of his shot attempts, pulled down 7.5 rpg, and added 2.5 apg and 1.0 spg. The grad student ranks third in the NEC with 8.3 rpg.

Jordan Minor (MC, Jr, F)
Minor delivered again for MC in Saturday’s tight loss to UMass Lowell. He posted his league-leading third double-double of the season with 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Thomas ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (13.9, sixth), rebounding (7.0, sixth) and FG accuracy (.500, ninth).

Jalen Benjamin (MSM, Jr, G)
Benjamin paced the Mount with 16.0 ppg and 3.5 apg in a 1-1 week. He drilled 5-8 (.625) from distance and was 11-12 (.917) from the line. He led all scorers with 21 points on just nine shots that included a 3-4 mark from three-point land in the Mount’s dramatic win over Howard on Tuesday. Benjamin ranks eighth in the NEC with 13.8 ppg, and is fourth in assists (3.7) and second in free throw shooting (.909).

Deandre Thomas (MSM, Sr, G)
Thomas has made a habit of beating the buzzer this season, and his triple at the horn on Tuesday gave the Mount a 72-70 win over Howard. The senior scored a season-high 15 points in the win. He came back to drill 4-7 from downtown and finish with 14 at Loyola (MD) on Saturday. For the week, Thomas recorded 14.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.0 spg and converted 7-15 (.467) from three-point range. He is shooting 43.3 percent from three on the year to rank ninth in the league.

Aaron Clarke (SHU, Sr, G)
Clarke wrapped SHU’s busy three-game week by dropping a career-high 24 points in a setback at Brown on Sunday. He made 3-6 shots from long range and 9-14 overall. Three days earlier, he finished with 19 points (4-5 3P), five assists and did not commit a turnover over 37 minutes as the Pios secured a 74-67 win at Lafayette. For the week, Clarke averaged 18.0 ppg, 3.7 apg, and shot 54.8 percent from the floor, 53.3 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the line.

Tyler Thomas (SHU, Jr, G)
The NEC’s leading point producer exceeded his season average with 20.7 ppg over three contests last week. He shot 48.1 percent, including 47.1 percent on 8-17 shooting from beyond the three-point stripe, and also chipped in with 2.0 spg. Thomas scored a season-high 29 points and pulled down seven boards in Tuesday’s game at NJIT. He is scoring at a 19.3 ppg clip on the year.

Ramiir Dixon-Conover (SFU, R-Sr, G)
Dixon-Conover was spectacular in SFU’s 93-67 drubbing of Bucknell on Wednesday with a career-high 23 points on 10-16 shooting. He also registered four rebounds, four assists and two steals. For the week, he put up 16.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.5 apg and 2.5 spg, and hit 51.9 percent of his shot attempts. RDC leads the NEC with 4.3 apg and ranks third with 2.2 spg.

Alex Morales (WC, Gr, G)
After missing three games, the reigning NEC Player of the Year didn’t miss a beat in his return on Saturday, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds - both game-highs - to go along with six assists and two steals as Wagner posted a 78-49 road win over America East preseason favorite Stony Brook. He hit 9-14 shots from the field.
 
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK FOUR

SEAHAWKS SOAR IN BATTLE OF LEAGUE FAVORITES
 
When building a non-conference resume, it’s all about statement wins...and if they come on the road, even better.
 
In jumping out to a 3-1 start, defending NEC regular season champion and preseason No. 1 Wagner has compiled two wins of note that have turned some heads in the mid-major world.
 
Back on November 13, the Seahawks served notice with a 58-44 victory at CAA power and perennial NCAA participant VCU. That win snapped the Rams’ 19-game non-conference win streak.
 
But any chance to build on that momentum was lost when Wagner was hit with a two and a half week COVID pause in which home games against Saint Peter’s and NJIT, and a road contest at Army were postponed.
 
After finally returning to the hardwood last Wednesday at #25 Seton Hall still missing their head coach and three top players (see next note), the Seahawks turned their attention to Saturday and a highly anticipated matchup at America East preseason favorite Stony Brook that aired on SNY.
 
When the dust settled, Wagner delivered a TKO, drilling the Seawolves, 78-49, at Island Federal Arena.
 
The clinical performance showcased the Green & White’s depth and ability to execute in all phases of the game.
 
After taking a 30-23 lead into the break, Wagner opened the second half on a 24-3 run to sent the game into extended garbage time with 13 minutes to play.
 
The superlatives speak for themselves.
 

• Wagner shot 71.4 percent in the second half, while limiting the Seawolves to 28.6 percent from the floor. For the game, the FG percentage disparity was 53.2 percent to 30.9 percent.
• The Seahawks averaged 1.15 PPP, while holding Stony Brook to 0.72 PPP in a dominant defensive effort.
• Wagner won the battle of the boards, 43-27.
• Wagner held a 42-18 advantage in points in the paint.

 
“We take great pride in defense and rebounding the ball, and we really wanted to make a statement with that tonight against a really good offensive team,” said Wagner head coach Bashir Mason after the game.“
 
The game featured the return of NEC Player of the Year Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/ Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)), who didn’t skip a beat after 21 day layoff in between games.
 
Morales paced all players with 19 points and nine rebounds, and added six assists and two steals, while making 9 of his 14 shot opportunities.
 
The Seahawks, who were without 2020-21 NEC Rookie of the Year DeLonnie Hunt (Upper Marlboro, MD/Rock Creek Christian), for a third straight game, saw freshman guard Javier Ezquerra (San Juan, Puerto Rico/IMG Academy) and junior guard Ashton Miller (Scotch Plains, NJ/Seton Hall Prep (Duquesne)) capably fill in. Ezquerra dished a career-high seven assists and Miller scored his first points in a Wagner uniform, finishing with eight on 4-5 shooting.
 
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 
Wagner, which played without Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/ Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)), Will Martinez (Bronx, NY/Wings Academy (Monroe College)) and DeLonnie Hunt (Upper Marlboro, MD/Rock Creek Christian), and was coached by Bobby Jordan in Bashir Mason’s absence in last Wednesday’s competitive setback at #25 Seton Hall, and was still without Hunt in Saturday’s win over Stony Brook, didn’t let the 18-day COVID pause derail its goals.
 
“I challenged my guys,” Mason noted in a postgame interview after defeating Stony Brook on Saturday. “Our mantra is toughness. We had a 10-day COVID pause and just a lot going on, but I challenged these guys to show the world tonight, show them their heart and that you can do anything you put your mind to against a really good team. My guys stepped up. I’m proud of them.”
 
SEAHAWKS MAKE IMPRESSIVE NET CHART DEBUT, CLIMB KENPOM RANKINGS
 
Wagner made a splash in the first official NET rankings announcement on December 6.
 
The Seahawks are ranked 23rd in the country, primarily based on a non-conference SOS that ranks 30th and a 1-1 Quad 1 record highlighted by a road win over No. 72 VCU.
 
Since its win over Stony Brook on Saturday, Wagner also moved up 22 spots to 133 in the KenPom rankings. It marked the highest ranking for an NEC team since the Seahawks reached 134 in February, 2018.
 
The last time an NEC team cracked the KenPom top-100 during the season was back in 2011-12 when Wagner reached as high as 69 and Robert Morris climbed to 76 in the rankings.
 
MR. BIG SHOT: MOUNT’S THOMAS STRIKES AGAIN
 
Sometimes it’s not about how many you make, it’s about when you make them.
 
Just ask Howard and Robert Morris fans, who have been subjected to buzzer-beating heroics this season courtesy of Mount St. Mary’s senior guard Deandre Thomas (Inglewood, CA/Milwood School (VA) (Samford)).
 
Just 11 days after he drilled a corner three at the buzzer in Moon Township to send the Mount’s game vs. RMU into OT - a game won by the Mountaineers - Thomas was back at it again on Tuesday, this time in the cozy confines of Knott Arena.
 
After Howard’s Tai Bibbs sank a go-ahead triple with 17 seconds to play, it all came down to one final sequence.
 
While senior forward Mezie Offurum (Germantown, MD/Germantown Prep (GWU)) dribbled down the clock, Thomas set himself up on the left wing.
 
Offurum made his move with four seconds to play, driving to his left into the lane, where he drew a double team and kicked it to a wide open Thomas, who buried a three-pointer at the horn right in front of the Mount bench.
 
The shot sent Knott Arena into a frenzy, with fans storming the court following the 72-70 win that snapped a two-game skid.
 
“Shoot it like you are going to make it every time,” said Thomas after the game. “It’s also good when you have teammates like [Jalen Benjamin], Mezie and coaches telling you to keep on shooting the ball so, when the time comes, you let it ride without thinking about it.”
 
Thomas, who transferred to the Mount last season from Samford, made his first start on Tuesday and finished with 15 points, three assists and two steals along with his game-winning shot.
 
Offurum, who also assisted on the big shot Thomas hit against Robert Morris, tallied 16 points, six rebounds and two assists, while junior guard Jalen Benjamin (Raleigh, NC/Meadowcreek (GA) (UAB)) led all scorers with 21 points on 5-9 shooting, and added four rebounds and five dimes.
 
“The ball found (Thomas) at the right time,” said Mount head coach Dan Engelstad. “He is clutch. He has put a lot of work into his game in the offseason, and he’s just prepared for that moment. It was a great play by Mezie to see it...they made the right basketball play.”
 
MARYLAND RIVALRY LIKE NO OTHER
 
When Mount St. Mary’s faced Loyola (MD) this past Saturday, it marked the 176th meeting between the longtime rivals in the most-played rivalry in the state of Maryland. Despite a 61-55 loss to the Greyhounds, the Mountaineers hold a 100-76 lead - including a 60-17 mark at home - in the “Catholic Clash” series that began in 1910. The Mount is 11-9 against Loyola since 2001.
 
One of the classic games between the two programs was a 99-93 overtime win for the Mountaineers in the championship game of the Mason-Dixon Conference Tournament on March 5, 1955. That was former head coach Jim Phelan’s first of 49 seasons spent as head coach at the Mount.
 
WARRIOR DÉJÀ VU?
 
When Merrimack shocked the world by winning the NEC regular season crown in its first year as a DI member back in 2019-20, the it was the Warriors’ swarming, opportunistic defense and commitment to protecting the ball on offense that keyed their success.
 
Sparked by the unmatched defensive instincts and wizardry of Juvaris Hayes, who led the nation with 3.9 steals per game, Merrimack paced the NEC in turnover margin (+5.6), defensive turnover rate (.259), and steals per game (9.9), and ranked second in least turnovers committed per game (11.8).
 
Fast forward to this season, and the similarities are starting to creep in.
 
The Warriors lead the NEC in turnover margin (+5.3), defensive turnover rate (.246, 17th nationally) and steals per game (9.8), and are coughing the ball up just 11.6 times per contest, also best on the circuit. Additionally, MC tops the NEC in defensive PPP (.985), scoring defense (58.1), blocks per game (5.2) and block rate (.135).
 
Senior guard Mikey Watkins (Roselle, NJ/Linden) paces the NEC with 2.6 steals per game and junior forward Jordan Minor (Kingston, MA/Brimmer & May) is second with 2.4 blocks per contest.
 
DIXON-CONOVER DELIVERS FOR FLASH
 
Saint Francis U senior guard Ramiir Dixon-Conover’s (Newark, NJ/South Kent (CT)) linear progression from serving as backup to a pair of Red Flash legends to NEC superstar in his own right has been remarkable to chronicle.
 
Dixon-Conover, who averaged 1.3 ppg and 4.0 ppg in his first two seasons coming off the bench in a lineup that included a pair of NEC Player of the Year winners in Keith Braxton and Isaiah Blackmon, blossomed in 2020-21 when he was named to the All-NEC third team after compiling 15.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.4 apg and 1.9 spg to rank among league leaders in all four categories.
 
The numbers may look similar this season with 13.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, a league-leading 4.3 apg and 2.2 spg, but a deeper look reveals how the crafty veteran has further elevated his game.
 
After posting a composite 1.24 assist-to-turnover ratio over his first three years, the Newark, NJ native has bumped that figure to 2.36 over his first six games of the 2021-22 campaign to rank second in the conference. Dixon-Conover has turned the ball over just 11 times in 181 minutes of play.
 
And it’s not just in trackable stats where Dixon-Conover has made a jump.
 
“He is a better leader,” said SFU head coach Rob Krimmel. “Leadership and trusting his teammates are two areas that he has grown tremendously. And it was hard for him and Myles (Thompson) last year as captains, as go to guys for the first time in the middle of a pandemic. He took those steps. Leadership, work ethic, trusting his teammates, all of those things that don’t show up that is where he has taken the biggest steps.”
 
Last Wednesday, Dixon-Conover scored a career-high 23 points as the Red Flash blew out Bucknell, 93-67, at the Stokes Center. He did not commit a turnover in 26 minutes, sank 10-16 shots from the floor and added four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
“I just took what the defense gave me,” said Dixon-Conover after the game. “This year being my last year I am staying focused on trying to get better each and every day. Give a shout out to Keith Braxton. I played with him for two years. I took a little from his game and see how he got position. There are a lot of little guards that guard me, and I just try and use my height to my advantage.”
 
For the week, RDC averaged 16.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.5 apg and 2.5 spg, and shot 14-27 (.519) from the floor.
 
SCANTLEBURY'S BIG NIGHT
 
CCSU junior guard Nigel Scantlebury (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena (Niagara County CC)) is starting to draw some attention with his play this season for a much improved Blue Devil squad.
 
Last Wednesday, he dropped a career-high 25 points on 8-10 shooting from the floor, 3-3 from outside the arc and 6-6 from the line in a 73-67 home win over Holy Cross.
 
The 25 points were the most scored by a CCSU player since Jamir Coleman scored 29 against St. Francis Brooklyn on February 29, 2020.
Scantlebury also became the first player in the country this season and just the 13th over the last 12 years to finish a game shooting 80 percent from the field with at least eight makes, 100 percent from three-point range with at least three makes and finish perfect from the stripe with at least six makes. Three of those on the list are current NBA players: Dillon Brooks (Oregon), Ben McLemore (Kansas) and Reggie Jackson (Boston College).
 
Nigel Scantlebury (CCSU) vs. Holy Cross - 12/1/21 - 25p, 8-10 FG, 3-3 3P, 6-6 FT
Stefan Kenic (Chattanooga) vs. Western Carolina - 2/17/21 - 29p, 8-10 FG, 7-7 3P, 6-6 FT
DeVante Jones (Coastal Carolina) vs. Troy - 1/22/21 - 30p, 9-11 FG, 4-4 3P, 8-8 FT
Jordan Whitfield (Campbell) vs. New Orleans - 12/9/20 - 26p, 8-10 FG, 3-3 3P, 7-7 FT
Marques Wilson (Lehigh) vs. Colgate - 2/14/18 - 28p, 9-10 FG, 3-3 3P, 7-7 FT
Robert Martin (Rice) vs. North Texas - 12/29/18 - 35p, 9-11 FG, 5-5 3P, 12-12 FT
Bogdan Bliznyuk (E. Washington) vs. Sacramento St. - 2/1/18 - 15-18 FG, 4-4 3P, 6-6 FT
Omega Harris (UTEP) vs. New Mexico - 12/2/17 - 9-11 FG, 4-4 3P, 6-6 FT
Eric Nottage (FIU) vs. UAB - 1/21/17 - 37p, 11-12 FG, 6-6 3P, 9-9 FT
Dillon Brooks (Oregon) vs. USC - 12/30/16 - 28p, 9-10 FG, 4-4 3P, 6-6 FT
Johnny Dee (San Diego) vs. Gonzaga - 1/23/14 - 26p, 8-10 FG, 3-3 3P, 7-7 FT
Ben McLemore (Kansas) vs. Iowa State - 1/9/13 - 33p, 10-12 FG, 6-6 3P, 7-7 FT
Reggie Jackson (BC) vs. Georgia Tech - 1/8/11 - 25p, 8-9 FG, 3-3 3P, 6-6 FT
 
NEC ANALYTICS ZONE WITH RYAN PETERS
 
Each week throughout the 2021-22 season, NEC Overtime! blogger and NEC on the Run podcast collaborator Ryan Peters (@pioneer_pride) will contribute a series of analytically based tidbits covering NEC hoops.
 
Armed with a bevy of frontcourt options, the Saint Francis U is thriving offensively by sticking to its strengths - finishing around the rim. Through the program’s first seven games of the 2021-22 campaign, 52 percent of the Red Flash’s takes have been at the rim, good for seventh nationally. Sophomore Josh Cohen (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) leads the charge down low with a 73.3 percent conversion rate on his near-the-rim 2s. Conversely, Saint Francis is 345th in DI when it comes to catch-and-shoot three-pointer frequency. They are attempting those rhythm threes with just 20 percent of their shots, according to Shot Quality.
 
In Wagner’s dismantling of Stony Brook on Saturday, the Seahawks registered a near perfect Game Score of 98 (out of 100) according to the analytics site Barttorvik.com. When Bashir Mason has had Wagner’s full roster at his disposal, the Seahawks are averaging a sensational Game Score of 92 in their three wins (vs. Hartford 84, at VCU 95, at Stony Brook 98). They’ve scored 1.08 points per possession in the three victories and have seen their KenPom ranking go from 192 to 133 after just four contests.
 
Despite Sacred Heart’s inconsistent non-conference performance through one month, Pioneers point guard Aaron Clarke (Parsippany, NJ/Pope John) is playing the best ball of his career, illustrating by a career best 117.7 KenPom offensive rating. An improvement in several facets from last season has been responsible for the efficiency bump, especially when taking Clarke’s effective field goal percentage (55.9 percent) and turnover rate (14.9 percent) into account. Sacred Heart’s defeat of Lafayette last Thursday was paced by Clarke’s 19-point, 5-assist and 0-turnover performance where he made all three of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts and one of two in his off-the-dribble long distance attempts.
 
With his 19 thefts thus far, St. Francis Brooklyn graduate student guard Michael Cubbage (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township (Marist)) is second only to Merrimack’s Malik Edmead (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) in steal rate among NEC players. Cubbage, a super senior who played for Marist last season, leads the Terriers with a 4.8 percent steal rate that’s 34th in the country. The dynamic guard has registered a steal in seven of St. Francis Brooklyn’s eight games and has at least one steal in 37-of-42 career contests.
 
Through Fairleigh Dickinson’s first seven games, sophomore John Square Jr. (North Bethesda, MD/St. John’s College) has proven to be the Knights most valuable player, per Barttorvik.com’s player value metric PORPAGATU!. The power forward’s value has been driven by his ability to finish near the rim (68 percent), offer second chance opportunities from his prowess on the glass (9.8 percent offensive rebounding rate) as well as his terrific free throw rate of 75 percent (24 FTA/32 FGA).
 
FLASH COMEBACK FALLS JUST SHORT
 
Faced with an 18-point first half deficit and 12-point hole with under five points to play at Ohio U on Saturday, Saint Francis U never blinked.
 
Utilizing a late 13-2 run, the Red Flash climbed back to within 76-75 on two Ramiir Dixon-Conover (Newark, NJ/South Kent (CT)) free throws with 11 seconds to play.
 
Trapping full court, sophomore guard Maxwell Land (Cincinnati, OH/Archbishop Moeller) - playing in his home state - came up with a steal to give SFU one final chance for the win against the Bobcats, who reached the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
After sophomore guard Ronell Giles Jr. (Brandywine, MD/Charles Herbert Flowers) missed a contested runner in traffic, redshirt sophomore forward Josh Cohen (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) outfought a handful of Ohio players for the offensive rebound, but his putback attempt from under the rim fell just short and the Bobcats escaped with the one-point victory.
 
The Red Flash shot 60.7 percent in the second half and were led by senior forward Myles Thompson’s (Camden, NJ/Camden) 19 points on 7-11 shooting. Giles Jr. finished with 12 points, five rebounds and a career-high seven assists.
 
“I’m proud of the effort the guys put forward tonight,” said SFU head coach Rob Krimmel after the game. “This group decided to pull for each other and play for each other and scratch and claw our way back into it. Certainly, proud of the effort and sometimes in the game of basketball you play hard enough, you play well enough to put you in position to win and you come up just a little bit short. We have been there a couple times this year when the ball didn’t bounce our way and we did what we needed to do down the stretch. It’s a game of inches. We left it all out there in the second half. I thought we had great energy from our bench. Its tough to come into a locker room like that because they all believed that we played well enough to win. There is going to be a lot of big things ahead for this group.”
 
STAT STUFFERS
 
Bryant graduate student forward Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South (New Mexico JC)) leads the NEC in blocks (3.4) and block percentage (10.31) by a wide margin, and ranks ninth and 40th, respectively, on a national basis in the two categories.
 
FDU sophomore forward John Square Jr. (North Bethesda, MD/St. John’s College) has made 17 of his last 23 shots from the field (.739) to lift his season field goal percentage to 65.6 percent, good for third in the NEC.
 
LIU redshirt senior forward Eral Penn (Brooklyn, NY/St. Francis Academy (MD)) set a new career-high in assists for the second straight game with six dimes at Delaware on Tuesday. He finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
 
Merrimack junior sharpshooter Mykel Derring (Boston, MA/Proctor Academy) is the NEC leader in effective (.638) and true (.640) shooting percentage, and is hitting at a 48.9 percent clip from three-point territory.
 
Mount St. Mary’s junior guard Jalen Benjamin (Raleigh, NC/Meadowcreek (GA) (UAB)) averaged a team-high 16.0 ppg, and hit 5-8 (.625) from distance and 11-12 (.917) from the line in the Mount’s split last week. He led all scorers with 21 points in the Mount’s 72-70 win over Howard on Tuesday. It was his third 20+ point outing of the year, which is tied for second in the NEC.
 
SFBK freshman guard Nick Folk (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) scored a career-high 11 points in 23 minutes against Hartford on Sunday.
 
SFU had five players average in double digits last week, as the quintet combined to shoot 52-98 (.531) from the field.
 
SFU redshirt sophomore forward Josh Cohen (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) leads the NEC in FG accuracy at 70.7 percent. He has shot at least 60 percent in every game this season.