NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Delonnie Hunt, Wagner
6’0”, 170 lbs.
Jr., G, Upper Marlboro, MD/Rock Creek Christian
Hunt took home his first career NEC Player of the Week award following a superb effort in Wagner’s 58-51 win at Delaware State on Tuesday. He scored 14 of his season-high 22 points in the second half, including the go-ahead layup with 1:41 to play and two free throws with 19 seconds remaining that made it a two-possession game. He hit 4-6 from downtown, snared a career-high eight rebounds, and added two assists and two steals. In Wagner’s 2-0 week, he averaged 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and shot 55.6 percent from outside the arc. Hunt, the 2020-21 NEC Rookie of the Year, paces the Seahawks with 11.8 ppg and 3.2 apg on the season, and is the NEC leader with a 2.69 assist-to-turnover ratio.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Landon Moore, Saint Francis U
6’3”, 200 lbs.
Fr., G, Bloomington, IL/Western Reserve Academy
Moore added to his burgeoning resume, winning his second straight and fourth overall NEC Rookie of the Week award of the season. The Bloomington, IL native scored 16 points on 7-13 shooting overall and 2-5 from distance in Wednesday’s 77-66 setback at former NEC rival Robert Morris. He added three rebounds and a pair of steals. Moore is the NEC freshman leader in scoring (12.1), free throw percentage (.811), made three-pointers (1.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.30), and is second in assists (3.5). Overall, he ranks in the conference top-10 in assists, free throw accuracy and A/TO ratio.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Jay Rodgers (CCSU, Jr, G)
Rodgers extended his double-digit scoring streak to five games with 14 against Army and a team-high 18 at Saint Joseph’s last week. He averaged 16.0 ppg, 3.0 rebounds and made 6-14 (.429) from three-point range. Rodgers has produced 17.5 ppg over his last four contests to lift his season average to 8.8 ppg.
Ansley Almonor (FDU, So, F)
Almonor recorded his ninth double-figure scoring effort of the season - he had three all of last year - in Thursday’s setback to Queens (NC). He finished with 17 points, six caroms and splashed 3-6 from downtown. Almonor has now improved his scoring average exactly 10.0 ppg from last season from 3.5 ppg to 13.5 ppg, which ranks ninth in the NEC.
Demetre Roberts (FDU, Gr, G)
Roberts notched his NEC-best seventh 20+ outing of the year with a game-high 21 points against Queens (NC) on Thursday. He went 9-15 from the floor, and chipped in with five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Roberts is third on the circuit in scoring (16.8), second in assists (3.7), fourth in made 3P (2.1) and seventh in FT percentage (.767).
Jacob Johnson (LIU, R-So, G)
Johnson sank 9-12 from the floor and had three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in a career-high 22 point showing in LIU’s win over Purchase on Thursday. He’s averaging 11.8 ppg on the season, good for second on the Sharks.
Nico Galette (SHU, Jr, F)
Galette contributed 11.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.5 bpg and 1.5 spg in a split for the Pioneers. His finger roll with 29 seconds to play ended an 8-0 Holy Cross run and gave SHU a three-point lead in its eventual 66-62 win last Thursday. Galette is fifth in the conference in scoring (15.4), rebounding (6.9) and steals (1.9), and ranks third in blocks (1.3).
Josh Cohen (SFU, R-Jr, F)
Cohen continued his amazing stretch with 28 points and a career-high 14 rebounds at Robert Morris on Wednesday. He converted 11-19 field goal attempts. Over his last three outings, Cohen has averaged 32.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg and hit at a 63.8 percent clip from the field. Cohen ranks first in the NEC in scoring (22.5), field goal shooting (.638) and double-doubles (three), and sits second with 8.3 rpg.
Larry Moreno (SFBK, Sr, G)
Moreno made 7-13 shots on his way to a season-high 20 points against Medgar Evers on Thursday. His five steals were also a career-high. Moreno is averaging 10.4 ppg and is ninth in the league with a 38.5 percent mark from long range.
Landon Moore (SFU, Fr, G)
Moore hit 7-13 overall, 2-5 from three-point range and finished with 16 points in Wednesday’s game at RMU. He added three rebounds and a pair of steals Moore is the NEC leader among conference freshmen in scoring (12.1), free throw percentage (.811), made three-pointers (1.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3), and ranks second in assists (3.5).
Brandon Brown (WC, Sr, G)
Brown tied for the league lead with his third double-double of the season, logging 15 points and 13 rebounds - both season-highs - in Tuesday’s 58-51 road victory at Delaware State. Brown’s bucket with 51 seconds made it a three point game. He stole the ball on the ensuing possession and then hit a pair of insurance free throws with eight ticks on the clock. For the week, he tallied 13.0 ppg on 61.5 percent shooting, and added 8.5 rpg, 2.0 apg and 3.0 spg. The senior paces the NEC with 8.4 rpg.
Delonnie Hunt (WC, Jr, G)
Hunt averaged 17.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.5 spg in a solid all-around week for the former NEC Rookie of the Year. He shot 48.0 percent and made 5-9 (.556) from deep. Hunt scored a season-high 22 points, pulled down a career-high eight boards and made 4-6 3P in Tuesday’s 58-51 win at Delaware State. He scored the go-ahead layup with 1:41 to play and sank a pair of free throws with 19 seconds on the clock to put the game out of reach. Hunt paces the Seahawks with 11.8 ppg and 3.2 apg.
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK 7
Here’s all you need to know from the seventh week of the 2022-23 season...
PRESS RESET...#NECNEWYEAR IS HERE
After 46 days going toe-to-toe with the other 31, we’ve reached the #NECNewYear, a celebration of NEC hoops that will last 69 days until the coronation of the 42nd NEC men’s basketball champion on March 7th.
The sprint to the finish begins on Thursday.
Before we take a look at what lies ahead, let’s hit the rewind button and reflect back at a time when NEC coaches transformed into pundits and took a stab at projecting the final 2022-23 standings:
NEC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Merrimack (6)
2. Sacred Heart (2)
3. Saint Francis U
4. Wagner (1)
5. St. Francis Brooklyn
6. (tie) CCSU
FDU
8. LIU
9. Stonehill
While these predictions are great for social media debate, there has been little-to-no direct correlation over the last three-plus decades between the preseason poll results and the eventual tourney champion.
Conducted annually, the coaches have only managed to correctly forecast the eventual NEC Tournament champion two times in the last 23 years. Over the last 35 years, the coaches have proven inaccurate on 31 occasions or 89 percent of the time.
A year ago, preseason number one Wagner came close, finishing second in the regular season before taking runner-up honors in the NEC Tournament.
Going two years back, FDU was the coaches’ pick, but finished eighth in the regular season, marking the fourth time in six years the NEC favorite finished fifth or lower in the standings. In fact, the last time the coaches made an accurate forecast was way back in 2013 when they selected LIU to win it all.
Conversely, being relegated to the bottom half of the poll isn’t necessarily a death sentence.
Three years ago, eventual NEC champion Robert Morris was predicted to finish fifth. In 2018, LIU was picked sixth and won it all. How about the 2016-17 season when FDU took home the trophy after being tabbed ninth in the then ten-team league. In 2014, Mount St. Mary’s captured the title despite being picked sixth in the preseason.
With the coaches’ picks in mind, let’s take a look at a handful of teams that have taken the first steps in attempting to exceed expectations.
Wagner didn’t seem to miss a beat despite losing four All-NEC players to graduation. Picked fourth, the Seahawks knocked off Temple, 76-73, on opening night to give Donald Copeland a memorable first win as head coach. The win was reminiscent of Wagner’s season-opening win a year ago, a eye-catching 58-44 conquest of perennial NCAA participant VCU.
The Seahawks head into NEC play on a three-game win streak and with a 7-4 overall mark that also includes a 16-point win over Fairfield.
In search of its first conference title since 2003, Wagner jumps into NEC play as the league’s highest rated team in both the NET and KenPom rankings.
Sporting one of the youngest squads in the country, FDU could be a team in the same mold as a number of the aforementioned NEC champions who were not projected to be title contenders yet went on to hoist the trophy come March.
Picked sixth by the coaches, the Knights served notice in its first game under the leadership of Tobin Anderson, nearly picking off Illinois-Chicago on the road in its opener, falling in OT. Less than a month later, the Knights drilled Saint Joseph’s, 97-80, in Philadelphia.
Elevating from the D2 ranks, it’s not surprising that NEC newcomer Stonehill was slotted ninth in the poll, but like their former NE10 counterpart Merrimack - which won the NEC regular season in the first year of its NCAA transition back in 2019-20 - the Skyahwks have designs on moving up the ladder sooner than later. Stonehill won its first DI game at Army on November 12, and also picked up a neutral site win over Holy Cross and a win at Binghamton, the latter two coming courtesy of buzzer-beating heroics from senior guard Josh Mack (Winchester, VA/Saint Maria Goretti).
Chosen fifth in the preseason, St. Francis Brooklyn has won four of its last six heading into the conference season and is 3-1 at the ARC since moving to its temporary home at Pratt a month ago.
As far as the top third of the poll goes, preseason favorite Merrimack, along with Sacred Heart and Saint Francis U, were all hit by key injuries during non-league play, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see this trio all playing their best ball come February. And don’t forget the star power these teams bring. Merrimack’s Jordan Minor (Kingston, MA/Brimmer and May) (16.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Sacred Heart’s Nico Galette (Rahway, NJ/Rutgers Prep) (15.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Saint Francis U’s Josh Cohen (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) (22.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg). are elite, game-changing bigs who were all Preseason All-NEC selections.
Picked sixth, CCSU started slowly, but started to gain steam in mid-December with a home win over Dartmouth and road dub at Manhattan.
Tackling the 21st-toughest non-conference slate in the country and beset by injuries, LIU struggled in non-league play, but the youthful Sharks saw a number of underclassmen develop into productive contributors and the team could surprise under first-year head coach Rod Strickland.
The truly wide open nature of the NEC this season will bring the talk of parity to the forefront.
KenPom has pegged Wagner as the eventual regular season champion at 11-5, but only two games separate projected second place Sacred Heart (nine wins) with eighth place Merrimack (seven wins). In between are five teams tied at 8-8 on the year.
If that’s the case, look for the NEC tiebreakers to get quite a workout come late February.
However, if history has any say in the matter, there will be one or more teams that eventually separate from the pack. The NEC regular season champion has won at least 14 games in 15 of the last 18 years. Only in 2015-16 (Wagner, 13 wins), 2018-19 (FDU and SFU, 12 wins) and 2020-21 (Wagner, 13 wins) was the magic number less than 14. However, it’s important to remember that the conference slate is down to 16 games this season after playing an 18-game schedule since 2014-15.
If there’s one thing that parity brings, it’s competitive games night-in and night-out and a high level of intrigue as teams battle not only for the regular season crown, but for the right to host postseason games.
As a reminder, Merrimack is eligible for the NEC Tournament this March, with Stonehill gaining eligibility in 2024-25 in the third year of its NCAA DI reclassification. If a reclassifying institution wins the NEC Tournament, the tournament runner-up will advance to the NCAA Tournament as the league’s automatic qualifier.
Looking ahead to the #NECNewYear, the most intriguing games of the week may come courtesy of Merrimack’s road swing to FDU and Wagner, which will showcase the Warriors’ own unique system against two completely contrasting styles over a 48-hour period.
Opening Weekend NEC Slate
Thur., Dec. 29 Stonehill at Sacred Heart, 2 pm
Merrimack at FDU, 7 pm
CCSU at Saint Francis U, 7 pm
Wagner at LIU, 7 pm
Thur., Dec. 31 SFBK at CCSU, 1 pm
Sacred Heart at LIU, 1 pm
Merrimack at Wagner, 1 pm
Stonehill at Saint Francis U, 4 pm
All games can be viewed free of charge on NEC Front Row or via the NEC on the Run series of streaming and mobile apps.
So, as the New Year approaches, we reboot.
Let the journey to madness begin.
SFBK’S HIGGINS EARNS ADMISSION TO NEC MILLENNIUM CLUB
St. Francis Brooklyn senior guard Rob Higgins (Middletown, NJ/Middletown North) has plenty to celebrate during the holiday season.
Last Thursday, the preseason All-NEC became the 34th player in SFBK history and 246th in NEC annals to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career.
The big moment came appropriately on a three-pointer midway through the first half. With 10 points against Medgar Evers, the sharpshooting Higgins heads into conference play with 1,007 over his four-year run in Brooklyn.
Merrimack senior forward Jordan Minor (Kingston, MA/Brimmer and May) is next up to reach the millennium mark, having racked up 994 points during his time in North Andover.
Minor will become the first Warrior to reach the 1K mark completely at the DI level.
He will also earn distinction as the 88th player in league annals to reach the 1,000-point, 500-rebound plateau. The Kingston, MA native ranks 91st in NEC history with 590 boards.
Saint Francis U senior forward Myles Thompson (Camden, NY/Camden) (948) and Merrimack senior swingman Ziggy Reid (Baltimore, MD/St. Paul’s School) (899) are next in line to reach 1,000 points following Higgins and Minor.
MOORE MOVIN’ UP ROOKIE LADDER
Only 34 players in the history of the conference have won four NEC Rookie of the Week awards in a season.
Not only is Saint Francis U freshman guard Landon Moore (Bloomington, IL/Western Reserve Academy) already a four-time winner, he accomplished it within the first seven weeks of his young career.
That immediately got us thinking where it places him historically.
Moore is in fact just the second rookie in league history to be honored four times prior to the start of the new year. Only CCSU’s Kyle Vinales was previously able to accomplish the feat, earning the award on five occasions in November and December on his way to collecting a record-tying eight awards during the 2011-12 season.
Halfway to the NEC record, Moore joined Saint Francis U’s Darshan Luckey (eight) and Keith Braxton (seven) as the lone Red Flash student-athletes with more than four NEC Rookie of the Week accolades to their credit.
Here is the list of the all-time NEC Rookie of the Week leaders (minimum of five).
8x Winners
Kyle Vinales (CCSU, 2011-12)
Darshan Luckey (SFU, 2002-03)
Charles Smith (RID, 1993-94)
Alex Blackwell (MU, 1989-90)
7x Winners
Keith Braxton (SFU, 2016-17)
6x Winners
Julian Boyd (LIU, 2008-09)
Alex Francis (BRY, 2010-11)
Latif Rivers (WC, 2010-11)
Marcquise Reed (RMU, 2014-15)
Vado Morse (MSM, 2018-19)
Andre Snoddy (CCSU, 2021-22)
5x Winners
Shivaughn Wiggins (MSM, 2012-13)
Jeremy Chappell (RMU, 2005-06)
Peter Mulligan (UMBC, 2000-01)
Desi Wilson (FDU, 1988-89)
Cane Broome (SHU, 2014-15)
Quincy McKnight (SHU, 2015-16)
Marcel Pettway (BRY, 2015-16)
THE BOOK OF COHEN
We enjoy adding to Saint Francis U redshirt junior forward Josh Cohen’s (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) list of superlatives, so here’s another go of it.
- Cohen has now scored in double-digits in 20 straight games dating back to last season.
- He has scored 20+ points six times this year and on nine occasions during the double-digit scoring streak that dates back to February 5, 2022.
- Cohen is the first SFU player to register three straight games of 20 points or more since Keith Braxton turned the trick in the 2019-20 season.
- He has shot at least 50 percent from the field in every game this season.
- Cohen’s 13 games this season of shooting at least 50 percent from the floor ties him for third nationally.
- Cohen is the NEC leader in both field goal (113) and free throws (67) made.
- He is first in the NEC and up to sixth nationally with 22.5 ppg.
- Cohen (22.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg) is aiming to become the first NEC player in 28 years to average at least 22.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg. LIU’s Joe Griffin was the last to do it back in 1994-95 with 25.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg.
- Cohen is second nationally in offensive rating among high usage players at 128.1. He trails only 7’4” Purdue center Zach Edey (128.4), a 2021-22 Honorable Mention All-American.
NEC NUGGETS
CCSU junior guard Jay Rodgers (Pickerington, OH/Cochise College) has turned the ball over just three times over 80 minutes the last three games. During that span he has a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Fresh off winning his first NEC Player of the Week award, CCSU junior guard Kellen Amos (Houston, TX/St. John XXIII College Prep (Binghamton)) tied for game scoring honors against Army West Point on Tuesday with 18 points. He averaged 13.0 ppg on the week.
CCSU senior guard Nigel Scantlebury (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena (Niagara County CC)) set new career-bests with nine dimes and four steals at Saint Joseph’s on Thursday. His solid all-around line last week included 8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.5 apg and 3.5 spg.
FDU junior forward Sean Moore (Columbus, OH/Reynoldsburg (St. Thomas Aquinas)) scored a season-high 13 points vs. Queens (NC) on Thursday. He went 6-10 from the field.
LIU sophomore Marko Maletic (London, Ontario/Saunders Secondary School (Lararmie County CC)) has averaged 25.0 points over his last three games, while hitting 12-28 (.429) from outside the arc. He ranks second in the league with 17.6 ppg and is the runaway conference leader with 3.36 triples per contest, which leaves him 14th nationally.
LIU freshman guard R.J. Greene (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) established career-highs with seven rebounds and nine assists, to go along with 12 points and three steals in a fine all-around performance against Purchase on Thursday.
LIU freshman forward/center C.J. Delancy (Jonesboro, AR/Valley View) posted his first career double-double, compiling 10 points and 12 boards - both career-highs - in a victory against Purchase.
Sacred Heart grad student guard Raheem Solomon (Hartford, CT/Sacred Heart HS (Niagara)) has averaged 15.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg over his last four contests.
Sacred Heart senior guard Joey Reilly (Cromwell, CT/East Catholic (Holy Cross)) drilled 4-6 from beyond the arc in a 15-point night at Saint Joseph’s last Monday.
In his first game of the season, St. Francis Brooklyn sophomore forward Max Egner (Woodside, NY/Brewster Academy) secured his second career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds vs. Medgar Evers. In that same contest, redshirt freshman guard Di’Andre Howell South (Paterson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) put up a career-high 16 points.
Saint Francis U freshman guard Landon Moore (Bloomington, IL/Western Reserve Academy) has posted eight double-digit games and reached 15 points on five occasions.
Saint Francis U junior guard Ronell Giles (Brandywine, MD/Charles Herbert Flowers) hit 3-6 shots from deep and totaled a season-high 12 points in 22 minutes at Robert Morris on Wednesday.
Stonehill amassed a season-high 14 steals and forced a season-best 18 turnovers at Valparaiso last Wednesday.
Wagner sophomore guard Javier Ezquerra (San Juan, Puerto Rico/IMG Academy) flirted with a triple-double against Gwynedd Mercy on Thursday, compiling 12 points, along with career-highs in rebounds (seven) and assists (nine).
NEC IN NATIONAL LEADERS (TOP-25)
Team Category Rank Value
SFBK Blocks/gm 25th 5.2
WC Fewest TO/gm 19th 10.5
Individual Category Rank Value
Josh Cohen, SFU FG% 16th .638
Josh Cohen, SFU Scoring 6th 22.5
Marko Maletic, LIU 3P/gm 14th 3.36