NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ty Flowers, LIU
6’9”, 200 lbs.
Gr., F, Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart (UMass)
In picking up his second straight NEC Player of the Week honor and third of the season, Flowers did just about all you can ask for in a split for the Sharks. The Waterbury, CT product averaged 21.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 blocks, and shot 50.0 percent from the field and 46.2 percent on three-pointers, hitting 6-13 attempts. He hit a clutch three with three seconds to play that for a moment appeared to be the game-winner in LIU’s heartbreaking overtime loss to unbeaten Wagner on Friday, then came back to post his third 30-point scoring game of league play on Sunday at FDU. In that contest, he scored 16 points in a 5 1/2 minute span in the second half to spark a comeback, and finished with 15 boards. Flowers ranks second in the NEC in scoring (18.8), fifth in rebounding (7.3), 11th in assists (3.2), 11th in steals (1.5), fourth in blocks (1.6), first in made 3P (3.0) and ninth in 3P accuracy (.391). Last week he became the first DI player in at least 30 years to accumulate 1,500 points, 750 rebounds, 250 assists, 200 three-pointers, 150 blocks and 150 steals over the course of his career.
Alex Morales, Wagner
6’6”, 195 lbs.
Gr., G, Newark, NJ/Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)
Morales collected his NEC-best fourth NEC Player of the Week accolade following one of the great individual performances of the season as he willed the Seahawks to a 92-85 overtime win at LIU on Friday. He scored 12 of Wagner’s 17 points in the extra session on his way to a career-high 35 points to go along with 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals. For the week, Morales averaged 23.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 3.0 spg and shot 46.7 percent from the field in a road sweep that kept Wagner unbeaten in league play and extended its win streak to nine games. The grad student from Newark, NJ ranks in the NEC top-7 in scoring (17.3, fourth), rebounding (7.5, fourth), assists (3.8, third), steals (2.1, second), 3P percentage (.406, seventh), FG percentage (.556, sixth), FT percentage (.806, fourth) and A/TO ratio (1.5, fifth).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Anquan Hill, FDU
6’9”, 195 lbs.
Fr., F, Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll
It was a breakout week for Hill, who averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.5 apg and 1.0 bpg in a pair of starts for the Knights, who dropped two games by a combined six points. He shot 64.7 percent from the field and made 3-4 from three-point land. Hill established career-highs with 17 points and seven assists, and pulled down six boards in Friday’s 80-78 setback to St. Francis Brooklyn. He made 7-10 shots and drilled his first career triple. Two days later he tallied 12 points and a career-best 11 boards in his first career double-double effort against LIU. The Philly native hit 2-2 from downtown and blocked a pair of shots. Hill joined Ibrahim Wattara and Sébastien Lamaute as FDU recipients of the NEC Rookie of the Week award this season.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Charles Pride (BRY, Jr, G)
Pride averaged a double-double with 18.5 ppg and 12.0 rpg, and also pitched in with 4.0 apg and 1.5 spg over the course of a 2-0 weekend. He shot 56.5 percent from the floor and made 5-11 from distance. Pride piled up 19 points and season-high 16 boards in Friday’s win over Merrimack. He paces the NEC with six double-doubles, and is the league’s second-leading rebounder (8.1) and seventh-best scorer (15.7).
Peter Kiss (BRY, R-Sr, F)
Kiss continued to produce points at a torrid rate. Last week, he averaged 26.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg in a sweep for the Bulldogs. Kiss scored 27 at Merrimack and came back with a 25-point outing at home vs. SFBK. He has scored at least 25 points in 5 of his last six NEC games. Kiss paces the NEC and ranks sixth nationally with 21.9 ppg. He averages 24.7 ppg against conference rivals. Kiss also ranks in the NEC top-10 in assists (3.6, fifth), steals (1.8, sixth) and made three-pointers (1.7, eight).
Brandon Rush (FDU, Jr, G)
Rush broke out with 19.5 ppg, and chipped in with 4.0 rpg and 1.5 spg last week. He hit 6-13 (.462) from three-point territory. Rush converted 7-11 overall and 3-4 from downtown as part of an 18-point, 6-rebound effort in Friday’s two point loss to SFBK. Rush is eighth in the NEC with 14.4 ppg.
Ty Flowers (LIU, Gr, F)
Flowers delivered yet again for the Sharks with 21.5 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 3.0 bpg, while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent on three-pointers, hitting 6-13 in a 1-1 week. He exploded for 30 points and 15 rebounds in Sunday’s comeback win at FDU. The grad student ranks second in the NEC in scoring (18.8), fifth in rebounding (7.3), 11th in assists (3.2), 11th in steals (1.5), fourth in blocks (1.6), first in made three-pointers (3.0) and ninth in three-point accuracy (.391). Flowers averages 23.6 ppg against conference rivals.
Eral Penn (LIU, R-Sr, F)
Penn was a dominant force for LIU, supplying 23.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg and 3.5 spg in a split. He posted a pair of season-highs with 28 points and 14 rebounds in an OT loss to Wagner on Friday. Penn is sixth on the circuit in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (7.2).
Mezie Offurum (MSM, Sr, F)
Offurum keyed a Mount home sweep with 18.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg, while converting at a 56.5 percent clip from the field. He also made all eight of his free throw attempts. Offurum matched a career-high with 22 points in Friday’s big 98-59 victory over SHU. The senior averages 11.0 ppg on the year.
Aaron Clarke (SHU, Sr, G)
Clarke paced the Pioneers with 20.0 ppg and 6.0 apg in a pair of road outings. He registered a career-high 26 points on 10-19 shooting and matched a career-best with eight assists at SFU on Sunday. Clarke ranks fifth on the circuit with 16.7 ppg. He is the NEC’s leading FT shooter (.886), and sits second in assists (4.1) and third in A/TO ratio (2.03).
Patrick Emilien (SFBK, Gr, F)
Emilien just missed averaging a double-double, posting 16.0 ppg and 9.5 rpg in a Terrier split. He scored 15 in Friday’s two-point win at FDU, then picked up his fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 boards at Bryant on Sunday. Emilien averages 12.1 ppg and occupies the ninth spot in the conference with 6.6 rpg.
Myles Thompson (SFU, Sr, F)
Thompson comes off his best offensive week of the season after compiling 19.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 4.5 apg in two home wins for the Red Flash. He shot 53.3 percent from the field. Thompson contributed a season-high 21 points and added seven boards and three helpers as SFU edged CCSU, 68-67, on Friday. Thompson contributes 12.1 ppg and his 42.6 percent 3P accuracy is fifth in the league.
Elijah Ford (WC, Gr, G)
Ford hit perhaps the biggest shot of the season for Wagner on Friday, sinking an off balance, NBA range triple as time expired to send the game at LIU into overtime. Ford shot 66.7 percent from the field, and averaged 16.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 3.0 spg and 1.0 bpg in a 2-0 week for the first place Seahawks. He made 9-11 shots and scored a season-high 20 points in Sunday’s triumph at Merrimack. The grad student is shooting 67.2 percent against NEC rivals and 58.0 percent overall on the year to rank fifth in the league. He averages 13.3 ppg, and also rates fourth in the league in steals (1.9) and tenth in blocks (0.9).
Alex Morales (WC, Gr, G)
It was another stellar all-around week for Morales, who put up 23.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 3.0 spg and shot 46.7 percent from the field. Morales scored 12 of his career-high 35 points in OT on Friday to will the Seahawks to a 92-85 victory at LIU. Morales ranks in the NEC top-7 in scoring (17.3, fourth), rebounding (7.5, fourth), assists (3.8, third), steals (2.1, second), 3P percentage (.406, seventh), FG percentage (.556, sixth), FT percentage (.806, fourth) and A/TO ratio (1.5, fifth).
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK ELEVEN
STREAKING SEAHAWKS
PART 1...Entering this season there were just 18 teams over the last quarter century that managed to string together nine straight NEC wins in a season.
Add Wagner to that list...again.
With a weekend road sweep, the Seahawks are right at nine, the longest streak for the program since winning ten straight a season ago. It also represents the fifth longest current win streak in the nation.
The last school prior to Wagner to roll off nine straight victories was Merrimack in its inaugural NEC season in 2019-20.
CCSU holds the NEC record with 21 straight conference wins, including the programs’s second NEC title back in 2001-02.
NEC Teams With At Least 9 Straight NEC Wins Over Last 25 Years
Team Streak Year
CCSU 21* 2001-02
UMBC 15 1998-99
Robert Morris 14^ 2007-08
LIU 14& 1997-98
LIU 13* 2010-11
CCSU 12 2006-07
CCSU 12 1999-00
Mount St. Mary’s 11^ 2009-10
Wagner 10 2020-21
FDU 10 2005-06
St. Francis Brooklyn 10 2000-01
Wagner 9 2021-22
Merrimack 9 2019-20
St. Francis Brooklyn 9 2014-15
Wagner 9^ 2013-14
Wagner 9 2011-12
Robert Morris 9 2009-10
Robert Morris 9 2008-09
St. Francis Brooklyn 9 1999-00
^ Includes one NEC Tournament win
& Includes two NEC Tournament wins
* Includes three NEC Tournament wins
PART 2...Wagner’s 8-0 start in NEC play is the best in the league since LIU began the 2011-12 campaign with an 8-0 record en route to a 16-2 campaign.
Prior to that, you’d have to go back to the 1999-00 season when CCSU rattled off 12 straight wins to begin its conference slate and finished 15-3 as a precursor to winning the program’s first NEC Tournament title.
The NEC record for most consecutive wins to tipoff the conference season belongs to UMBC, which won 15 in a row in 1998-99 before dropping two of its last three games to settle for a 17-3 record.
No NEC team has ever completed the regular season with a perfect record. The only teams to finish with one loss are CCSU (19-1 in 2001-02) and Marist (15-1 in 1986-87).
ONE FOR THE AGES: WAGNER EDGES LIU IN CLIFFHANGER TO REMAIN UNBEATEN
NEC blogger Nelson Castillo said it perfectly.
Nelson Castillo @NelCastNY
Games like that makes you think Wagner is a team of destiny. Rogers only 3 of the season tied it. Ford’s heave sends it to overtime. When stuff like that happens, you have to think this is your year.
Just 15 days after a similarly improbable overtime win against Bryant, the Green & White pulled another rabbit out of the hat this past Friday against a red-hot LIU squad that had a playoff feel to it.
The stakes entering the game were high.
Wagner had won seven straight and was nursing a one-game lead in the standings over Bryant team playing its best ball of the year. And following an 0-2 start, LIU had ripped off four straight victories by an average margin of 14.8 ppg to move up to third in the standings.
It was an uphill battle for much of the night for the Seahawks.
LIU led by as much as eight points midway through the second half, and maintained a slim advantage throughout, setting up an absolutely wild finish to regulation.
Following two LIU free throws, Wagner trailed by three with 20 seconds to play. After converting just 2-17 from three-point range to that point, an unlikely candidate knotted the game at 72 apiece when redshirt senior Raekwon Rogers (Little Rock, AR/Little Rock Central) made his first triple of the season from the top of the key.
Now it was LIU’s turn.
Inbounding the ball with 10.2 seconds remaining, redshirt junior guard Tre Wood (Upper Marlboro, MD/St. John’s College (UMass)) sprinted up court and found grad student Ty Flowers (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart (UMass)) on a dribble handoff. Flowers spotted up from the right wing and drilled the go-ahead three-pointer with just 3.0 seconds showing on the clock for the apparent game-winner.
Faced with a win probability of just 5.5 percent, the Seahawks were undaunted.
Needing to go length of the court, graduate student guard Elijah Ford (Newark, NJ/Weequahic (Barton CC (KS)) caught the inbounds 75 feet from the hoop and raced up court. Meeting up with three Sharks approximately 28 feet from the hoop, he launched a contested three on the run that tickled the twines as the buzzer expired.
In the blink of an eye, we were playing free basketball.
Needing a spark, Wagner turned to its best player. He didn’t disappoint.
Reigning NEC Player of the Year Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)) scored 12 of Wagner’s 17 points in overtime - including back-to-back conventional three-point plays at one point - and the Seahawks finally put away a tenacious LIU squad with championship aspirations.
How much tension did this game bring?
It ranked 10th nationally on the “Excitement” scale, which measures how much the win probability changed over the course of a game.
When it was over, the numbers spoke volumes.
Wagner scored 92 points despite making just four three-pointers, missing 13 free throws and finishing with just four assists. The Seahawks were helped by shooting 54.2 percent from two-point range against the NEC’s stingiest field goal percentage defense in league play, while outscoring the Sharks 46-24 in the paint and registering a season-high 14 steals.
Morales had perhaps his quintessential game in an already star-studded career at Wagner. He finished with a career-high 35 points to go along with 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals.
On the other side, LIU’s redshirt senior Eral Penn (Brooklyn, NY/St. Francis Academy (MD)) recorded a pair of season-highs with 28 points and 14 rebounds. He hit a career-high five three-pointers in eight attempts, and added four steals and three blocks.
The two teams meet again on February 17 in Staten Island.
Bring on the fireworks.
FLOWERS MAKES HISTORY WHILE RISING UP NEC CHARTS
The weekly Ty Flowers (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart (UMass)) update sees the LIU star going where no man has gone before...well, for at least three decades.
On Friday, the graduate student from Waterbury, CT became the first DI player over the last 30 years to accumulate 1,500 points, 750 rebounds, 250 assists, 200 three-pointers, 150 blocks and 150 steals over the course of his career.
Flowers Career Numbers at LIU (as of 1/23)
1,552 points, 806 rebounds, 255 assists, 217 3P, 141 steals, 152 blocks
Flowers Overall Career Numbers (as of 1/23)
1,701 points, 891 rebounds, 279 assists, 250 3P, 150 steals, 167 blocks
Only two players have even come close to reaching these numbers over the 30-year time span.
Duke all-time great and NBA star Shane Battier finished 11 assists shy of meeting the criteria with 1,984 points, 887 rebounds, 246 3P, 239 assists, 266 steals & 254 blocks from 1997-2001
Tulane’s Jerald Honeycutt, himself a former NBA player, missed making the cut by seven triples, piling up 2,209 points, 870 rebounds, 193 3P, 419 assists, 235 steals and 163 blocks from 1993-97.
At the same time, Flowers continued his chart climb up a pair of NEC career statistical categories.
With 806 rebounds to his credit, Flowers cracked the top-25 all-time in the conference, and is within 32 boards of reaching the top-20.
NEC Career Rebounding Leaders
20. Freddie Burton LIU 836 1986-89
21. Nigel Wyatte WC 834 2000-04
22. Largest Agbejemisin WC 829 1983-87
23. Raiquan Clark LIU 828 2015-20
24. Rik Smits MAR 811 1984-88
25. Ty Flowers LIU 806 2018-22
And with 1,552 points, Flowers is now 64th on the all-time scoring list.
NEC Career Scoring Leaders
57. Izett Buchanan MAR 1,593 1989-91
58. Gordon Klaiber FDU 1,589 2002-06
59. Deon Hames RID 1,589 1992-96
60. Velton Jones RMU 1,588 2009-13
61. Mark Porter WC 1,577 2004-08
62. Bobby Hopson WC 1,568 1990-94
63. Danny Basile MAR 1,555 1991-96
64. Ty Flowers LIU 1,552 2018-22
Flowers has an opportunity to become the fifth player in the league history to be ranked in the career top-20 in both scoring and rebounding. Needing 208 points to reach the top-20 in scoring, he will look to join Saint Francis U’s Keith Braxton (2067, 7th in scoring; 1,145, 2nd in rebounding), Bryant’s Alex Francis (2085, 5th in scoring; 990, 6th in rebounding), CCSU’s Ken Horton (1,966, 7th in scoring; 842, 18th in rebounding) and LIU’s Jamal Olasewere (1,871, 13th in scoring; 963, 10th in rebounding) in an elite quintet.
KISS STRETCHES SCORING SPREE
On a scoring tear as of late, Bryant senior guard Peter Kiss (New York, NY/Notre Dame Prep (Rutgers/QU)) has raced his way up the national charts.
Kiss, the NEC’s leading point producer, is currently sixth in D1 with 21.9 ppg.
Over his last six outings, Kiss is averaging 26.8 ppg and has amassed five games of 25+ points.
In doing so, he became the first NEC player to score at least 25 points five times in a six game stretch since Saint Francis U’s Darshan Luckey went for at least 25 in six consecutive contests back in 2002-03.
If Kiss were to maintain his 21.9 scoring average, it would be the highest by an NEC player since Junior Robinson went for 22.0 ppg in 2017-18.
MOUNT LOCKING IT DOWN
A lockdown defense has been the impetus for the Mount’s three-game win streak that included a pair of wins over SHU and CCSU over the weekend in the team’s Knott Arena debut in NEC play.
The Mountaineers have held their last three opponents to just 53.0 ppg, 0.84 PPP and 37.3 percent shooting from the field.
The Mount now leads the conference in defensive efficiency (92.6) in NEC play.
Last season, the Mount paced the league in points allowed, defensive efficiency and opponent field goal percentage in its march to an NEC crown.
SFU FIREPOWER
After an 0-4 start, Saint Francis U has made its move.
The Red Flash have now won three-of-four following a sweep of CCSU and Sacred Heart at DeGol Arena last weekend.
SFU produced it’s two most efficient offensive performances of league play, averaging 1.10 PPP in a 68-67 win over the Blue Devils and an overall season-best 1.29 PPP as the Flash rolled past the Pios, 85-74. Likewise, SFU posted a 56.2 effective field goal percentage against CCSU and 60.3 percent vs. SHU.
Four players averaged in double digits, led by senior forward Myles Thompson (Camden, NJ/Camden), who pumped in 19.0 ppg. Redshirt sophomore Josh Cohen (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) hit 11-15 (.733) from the field in averaging 11.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg, while sophomore guard Maxwell Land (Cincinnati, OH/Archbishop Moeller) drained 6-11 (.545) from three-point range and averaged 14.5 ppg.
The Red Flash also posted a +9.0 rebound margin on the week.
MARQUEE MATCHUP: BRYANT & LIU TO TANGLE ON CBSSN
The NEC returns to the CBS Sports Network airwaves on Saturday, and it’s a good one.
Top contenders Bryant and LIU are set to do battle in a 2:00 pm matinee in what has the potential to be a high scoring affair between two teams that prefer a track meet and bombs away approach.
LIU (38.1 percent) and Bryant (36.3 percent) lead the league in shots in transition by a wide margin and are the top two teams in terms of their percentage of shots that are three-pointers with Bryant at 46.0 percent (28th nationally) and LIU at 42.7 percent (80th).
In league play, Bryant ranks second in the NEC in scoring (80.7) with LIU right behind in third (77.2).
Dave Popkin (PxP), Joe DeSantis (analyst) and John Schmeelk (sideline) are in the booth.
The 13-game men’s TV package includes a pair of linear telecasts on CBSSN and one on ESPNU. Seven regular season games will be broadcast on ESPN3/ESPN+ with two games also airing on SNY and one on MASN.
The NEC semifinals are set to be carried on SNY and ESPN3 on March 5, and the final on ESPN or ESPN2 on March 8.
FORD EARNS #NECBIGSHOT OF THE WEEK HONORS, ADDS TO CLUTCH RESUME
From year to year, we often see NEC Big Shots emerge.
Looking back, we had Mount’s Damian Chong Qui last season, SFBK’s Glenn Sanabria in 2018-19 and Bryant’s Shane McLaughlin back in 2015-16 to name just a few.
It appears we have another contender.
As summarized earlier, Wagner grad student Elijah Ford (Newark, NJ/Weequahic (Barton CC (KS)) hit the shot of the year thus far in NEC hoops, racing down the court to hit an off balance three-pointer to send Friday’s game with LIU to overtime, one in which the Seahawks would go on to win.
For Ford, his ability to come through when Wagner needs him most has been uncanny since the start of conference play.
It started back on January 6 in Wagner’s 84-81 comeback win over Bryant.
With the Seahawks trailing by two, his steal and dime to freshman Zaire Williams (Brooklyn, NY/Eagle Academy) with 29 seconds to play sent the game to overtime. In the extra session, Ford scored four straight points to make it a four-point game, then helped preserve the lead with a tremendous chasedown block with 34 seconds on the clock.
Nine days later, his rejection with 29 seconds to go helped thwart a late St. Francis Brooklyn rally as Wagner held on for an 81-76 win.
The legend only continued to grow following his game-tying triple on Friday.
One things for sure, there will be plenty more opportunities for “Boogie” to add to his burgeoning resume of clutch performances.
DID YOU KNOW?
With a 7-1 record, Bryant is off to its best start since joining the NEC back in 2009-10.
The Bulldogs have also won 11 straight NEC regular season home games dating back to the start of the 2020-21 conference campaign.
BEHIND THE BRYANT WIN STREAK
Red hot Bryant is known for its offensive exploits, but the Bulldogs have built a four-game win streak by holding their opponents in check.
Bryant has yielded just 62.3 ppg in the four wins with only one team (Merrimack) cracking 1.00 PPP.
The Bulldogs have also found success by not giving league rivals a chance to beat them from the line. Bryant ranks first in the league in defensive free throw rate (20.5), and during the four game streak held each opponent under 20 percent. Conversely, the Black & Gold rank second in league play in offensive FT rate (35.0).
WAGNER SOARS INTO TOP-25 & BEYOND IN MID-MAJOR POLLS
Like a hit record, Wagner continues to climb the charts.
For the first time in over five years, the Seahawks earned a spot on the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 rankings, entering the poll at No. 25 on January 11.
One week later on the heels of a seven-game win streak, Wagner rose another five spots to No. 20.
On Monday, the Seahawks jumped two more spots to No. 18.
Wagner is the first NEC team ranked in the poll since Bryant hit #25 on January 12, 2021. In Wagner’s previous appearance in the poll, the Seahawks reached #14 on November 14, 2016.
The last NEC team to end a year ranked was Robert Morris, which finished 25th in the final 2012-13 poll.
The Green & White also occupy the following spots in various ranking systems:.
- 79th in NCAA NET
- 108th in KenPom
- 121st in BartTorvik
STATS AMAZING NIGHT FOR MORALES
We covered the huge game for Wagner’s Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)) against LIU, but now we dig a bit deeper.
The graduate student’s final stat line left him in elite company.
Morales became the first player since 2018 and just the fourth player nationally over the last decade to finish with at least 35 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals in a game.
Most notably, he joined NBA star Ben Simmons on the list. The former LSU star amassed 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals against North Florida on December 2, 2015.
Of note, 2010-11 NEC Player of the Year Ken Horton of CCSU also met the unique criteria. Horton recorded 39 points, 13 boards, five assists and six steals vs. the Mount on February 23, 2012.
Cornell’s Matt Morgan finished with 38 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and four steals against Binghamton on November 6, 2018 to round out the list.
Morales was recently selected to the 41-player Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List. The Lou Henson award is presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major player and honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
He currently ranks in the NEC top-7 in scoring (17.3, fourth), rebounding (7.5, fourth), assists (3.8, third), steals (2.1, second), 3P percentage (.406, seventh), FG percentage (.556, sixth), FT percentage (.806, fourth) and A/TO ratio (1.5, fifth).
The Paterson, NJ native is the only player in the nation this season averaging at least 17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 2.0 spg. There has not been a single DI player in the last three decades to finish with 16.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg and also achieve 50/40/80 shooting splits.
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.
While it’s usually bombs away for Bryant’s offense as evident from their league leading 3PA/FGA ratio of 46.0 percent, the Bulldogs placed more of an onus on their interior play in two victories last weekend over Merrimack and St. Francis Brooklyn. Per Shot Quality, Bryant attempted a shot near-the-rim a collective 74 times and possessed a shot quality points per possession probability on those takes of 1.41, an elite number.
Speaking of Bryant, the Bulldogs’ Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Putnam Science (CT)) was rather efficient over the weekend, earning KenPom’s designation as the game’s MVP in the victories at Merrimack and versus St. Francis Brooklyn. According to Shot Quality, Pride had 17 “good possessions” against 0 “bad possessions” in the two triumphs. Against Merrimack in particular, none of Pride’s attempts included a mid-range jumper, as the junior made 2-of-4 on catch-and-shoot 3s, 2-of-3 on off-the-dribble threes, and 3-of-6 on near-the-rim attempts. For the season, Pride’s “3 and rim” rate is 95 percent.
Wagner at LIU certainly did not disappoint from a tension and intensity standpoint, as it was the 10th highest game in KenPom’s Excitement index for the 2021-22 season thus far. Even more remarkable, 25 percent of Wagner’s possessions and 34 percent of LIU’s possessions were considered transition opportunities, per Shot Quality. The Seahawks had 90 possessions for the contest, easily the highest possession game in Bashir Mason’s head coaching career.
With KenPom’s offensive rating as the barometer, six NEC players have demonstrated an above average to exceptional level of play as we approach the midway point to the conference season. Among players who have at least a 24 percent possession rate, Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/Mainland Regional (Prince George’s CC)) (121.6), Raekwon Rogers (Little Rock, AR/Little Rock Central (Henderson St.)) (120.3), Aaron Clarke (Parsippany, NJ/Pope John) (117.3), Ty Flowers (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart (UMass)) (111.9), Eral Penn (Brooklyn, NY/St. Francis Academy (MD)) (105.5) and Malik Edmead (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) (101.9) lead the pack in offensive rating.
The Mount St. Mary’s frontcourt grouping of Nana Opoku (Woodbridge, VA/Potomac), Malik Jefferson (Hopewell, VA/Hopewell) and Mezie Offurum (Germantown, MD/Germantown Prep) are as good as it gets around the rim this season for Dan Engelstad. The trio has combined to shoot 62.4 percent near the rim on 221 attempts, while registering 43 putbacks after securing an offensive rebound. Per BartTorvik.com, these Mountaineer veterans have flushed down a combined 36 dunks, with Opoku leading the charge at 22 jams.
KRIMMEL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Back with some more from the NEC’s Quotemaster General...
Saint Francis U head coach Rob Krimmel reflected on Friday’s 68-67 win over CCSU at DeGol Arena, one in which the Red Flash survived a buzzer-beating attempt by the Blue Devils.
“It’s a fine line between winning and losing, but that emotional gap is huge. We’ve had a couple times where we have been on the bad end of that, but these guys got the stop today. Being able to close a game out like that, is the first time we’ve been able to do that this year.”
BRYANT BLOCK BASH
With five rejections against SFBK on Sunday, Bryant graduate student forward Hall Elisias (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream (New Mexico JC)) now has six games this season with five or more blocks. Classmate Greg Calixte (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon (George Mason)) swatted a career-high five shots in Sunday’s game as well.
In doing so they became the first pair of teammates in the conference with at least five blocks apiece in the same game since FDU’s Gordon Klaiber and Andrea Crosariol both had five rejections on Janaury 23, 2006, exactly 16 years ago to the day.
NUMBER CRUNCHING
Bryant junior guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Putnam Science (CT)) became the 13th player in DI program history to score 800 career points. He also became just the fifth player in its DI annals to have 800+ points and 400+ rebounds in a career.
It was a terrific week for CCSU freshman guard Davonte Sweatman (Boston, MA/Lawrence Academy), who posted 13.0 ppg, 3.0 apg, 3.5 rpg and shot 12-19 (.632) for the Blue Devils. He led Central with 14 points off the bench in 27 minutes at SFU on Friday.
FDU’s offense was humming in Friday’s two point loss to SFBK with a season-high 1.19 PPP and 61.5 EFG percentage.
FDU made 10 three-pointers in each game last week, shooting 20-46 (.435) overall from distance.
LIU pulled down 33 offensive boards in two games last week. The Sharks rank second in the NEC in offensive rebound percentage (.344) in league play.
Merrimack sophomore guard Malik Edmead (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) caught fire from distance last week, hitting 6-8 from beyond the arc. He recorded a team-high 16.5 ppg and shot 59.1 percent overall. Edmead scored a season-high 19 points on 7-11 shooting in Friday’s setback to Bryant.
Merrimack junior forward Jordan Minor (Kingston, MA/Brimmer & May) posted his league-best sixth double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 caroms vs. Wagner on Sunday.
The Mount’s 39-point margin of victory in a 98-59 conquest of SHU on Friday was the largest in an NEC game since SHU downed SFBK, 92-52, on January 13, 2018.
Mount St. Mary’s hit at a 45.5 percent clip from deep last week, making 20-of-44 in two wins. The Mountaineers are shooting a league-best 42.9 percent as a team in NEC play.
Mount St. Mary’s scored 55 points in the first half against Sacred Heart on Friday, the fifth-best first half point total since the Mount moved to D1 in 1988-89.
The Mount was +35 on the boards over its two wins last weekend.
SHU graduate student Alex Watson (Marietta, GA/Allen Pope) recorded a career-high 22 points and hit a career-best five shots from long range (in eight attempts) at the Mount on Friday.
St. Francis Brooklyn junior guard Rob Higgins (Middletown, NJ/Middletown North) had a solid week with 14.5 ppg and 6.5 apg in a split. His eight dimes at Bryant on Sunday marked a career-high.
SFBK junior guard Tedrick Wilcox Jr. (Pawtucket, RI/William E. Tolman Senior) posted his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and a season-high 13 rebounds at Bryant on Saturday in a game that saw him go head-to-head with fellow Pawtucket native Erickson Bans (Pawtucket, RI/Shea) of Bryant.
SFU had 77 of its 85 points come from starters in Sunday’s win over Sacred Heart.
SFU senior guard Ramiir Dixon-Conover (Newark, NJ/South Kent (CT)) has moved up to 21st nationally in steals with 2.2 per game. He is the NEC leader as well.
SFU sophomore guard Maxwell Land (Cincinnati, OH/Archbishop Moeller) matched a career-high with 20 points against SHU on Sunday. He hit 3-5 from outside the arc.
Wagner freshman guard Zaire Williams (Brooklyn, NY/Eagle Academy) scored a career-high 16 points, including four three pointers, in a 71-57 win at Merrimack on Sunday.
NEC in NCAA STATS (TOP-25)
Name School Category Rank Value
Peter Kiss BRY Scoring 6th 21.9
Hall Elisias BRY Blocks 11th 3.18
Ramiir Dixon-Conover SFU Steals 21st 2.17
Elijah Ford WC FG% 22nd .580
Team Category Rank Value
Bryant Reb. 41.2 12th
Wagner W/L% .857 14th
Wagner FG% .490 15th
Wagner Steals 9.4 15th
Wagner Scoring Margin +14.3 15th
LIU Assists 16.8 20th
Wagner TO Forced 16.8 22nd
Bryant Off. Reb. 13.0 25th