NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ty Flowers, LIU
6’9”, 200 lbs.
Gr., F, Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart (UMass)
Flowers took home NEC Player of the Week plaudits for the fourth time this season and what a week it was for the graduate student from Waterbury, CT. Flowers did it all in a 2-0 week for the Sharks, securing 30.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.0 blocks per game. He was an efficient 54.3 percent from the floor, and sank 11-23 (.478) from distance. Flowers dropped 32 points to earn Co-MVP honors in the Battle of Brooklyn on Thursday. As part of his fourth 30+ point game of the season, he hit 6-12 from deep, and added 12 rebounds to spark LIU to a 74-69 victory over SFBK. On Saturday, he rang up 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and six blocks in a signature 99-88 win over Bryant that snapped the Bulldogs’ nine-game win streak. Flowers is second in the NEC in scoring (20.0), fifth in rebounding (7.6), 11th in assists (2.9), tenth in steals (1.4), first in made 3P (3.2), seventh in 3P accuracy (.402) and third in blocks (1.8).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Anquan Hill, FDU
6’9”, 195 lbs.
Fr., F, Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll
Hill was spectacular last week for the Knights on his way to claiming his second NEC Rookie honor this season. He supplied FDU with 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 2.5 steals per game, while hitting 16-28 (.571) from the field in a split. Hill logged 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals vs. SFU on Thursday, then came back two days later to score a career-high 21 points on 9-14 shooting and grab eight rebounds in an 82-75 victory over Sacred Heart. Hill, a Philly native who has posted double-digit point totals in six of his last eight outings, has raised his scoring average from 3.5 ppg at the start of NEC play to 7.2 ppg. He ranks second among NEC freshman in scoring and rebounding (4.9).
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Peter Kiss (BRY, Sr, G)
Kiss extended his 30+ point game scoring streak to three and pushed his season total to six by averaging 33.5 ppg during a 1-1 week for the Bulldogs. The senior also snared 7.5 rpg and shot 19-21 (.905) from the line. Kiss scored a career-high 37 points on 12-24 shooting in Thursday’s victory at SHU. The New York City native leads the nation in scoring at 23.9 ppg and is averaging 27.2 ppg in league play. Kiss also ranks in the NEC top-10 in assists (3.3, 10th), free throw accuracy (.780, seventh), steals (1.6, eighth) and made 3P (1.7, eighth).
Charles Pride (BRY, Jr, G)
Fresh off his Lou Henson Player of the Week honor, Pride amassed 21.5 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 4.0 apg and 2.0 spg in a Bryant split. He recorded 34 points - his third straight game of 30+ points - on 11-17 shooting, and pulled down nine boards in Thursday’s 99-86 win at SHU. Pride ranks first in the NEC in rebounding (8.4), second in double-doubles (eight), third in scoring (17.8), and seventh in steals (1.6) and made 3P (1.8).
Anquan Hill (FDU, Fr, F)
Hill comes off the best week of his young career, supplying the Knights with 18.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 bpg and 2.5 spg while hitting 16-28 (.571) from the field. He scored a career-high 21 points on 9-14 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds to help spark the Knights to a 82-75 victory over SHU. Hill has raised his scoring average from 3.5 ppg at the start of NEC play to 7.2 ppg.
Ty Flowers (LIU, Gr, F)
Flowers was unstoppable again in a 2-0 week for the Sharks, chalking up 30.5 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 3.0 bpg. He was an efficient 54.3 percent from the floor, and sank 11-23 (.478) from distance. Flowers recorded his fourth 30+ point game of the season on Thursday with 32 points, including a 6-12 mark from deep, and added 12 rebounds to earn Co-MVP honors in the Battle of Brooklyn. On Saturday, he rang up 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and six blocks in a 99-88 win over Bryant. Flowers is second in the NEC in scoring (20.0), fifth in rebounding (7.6), 11th in assists (2.9), tenth in steals (1.4), first in made 3P (3.2), seventh in 3P accuracy (.402) and third in blocks (1.8).
Eral Penn (LIU, R-Sr, F)
Penn’s surge continued this past week with 24.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 2.0 bpg during LIU’s home sweep. He scored 24 on 9-16 shooting and was named Co-MVP of the Battle of Brooklyn on Thursday, then posted his sixth double-double of the year as part of a 24-point, 12-rebound effort in Saturday’s big win over Bryant. Penn is currently sixth in the NEC in scoring (16.5), and seventh in rebounding (7.5) and blocks (1.1).
Jordan Minor (MC, Jr, F)
Minor upped his double-double tally to a league-leading ten after two more in Merrimack’s split last week. The junior averaged 24.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg and 2.0 spg, while hitting at a 67.7 percent clip from the floor. He scored a career-high 28 points (12-18 FG) and had 11 rebounds vs. CCSU on Thursday, then went for 21 and 10 in Saturday’s OT win at Wagner that marked the first league setback for the Seahawks this season. Minor is eighth in the conference in scoring (14.6), third in rebounding (8.0), second in blocks (2.5), and ninth in steals (1.5) and field goal percentage (.514).
Aaron Clarke (SHU, Sr, G)
The veteran guard netted 21.0 ppg on 52.0 percent shooting to go along with 4.0 apg for the Pios last week. He finished with 21 points on 6-9 shooting and dished for five assists against Bryant on Thursday. Clarke is the NEC leader in assists (4.2) and FT percentage (.863), and ranks seventh in scoring (16.3).
Bryce Johnson (SHU, So, F)
Johnson shot a scorching 78.6 percent from the field and nearly averaged a double-double last week. He tallied 14.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.0 apg and 1.0 bpg, including a career-high 22-point outing at FDU on Saturday. He shot 8-9 and his 13 boards matched his season-best. Johnson averages 6.5 ppg and ranks 15th in the NEC with 6.1 rpg.
Michael Cubbage (SFBK, Gr, G)
Cubbage converted 8-11 shot opportunities, including 2-3 from long range, during a 23-point effort in Thursday’s Battle of Brooklyn at LIU. He added four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Cubbage paces the Terriers with 13.3 ppg, and is second in the league in steals (1.8).
Will Martinez (WC, Gr, G)
Martinez racked up a career-high 22 points against Merrimack on Saturday, and finished the week averaging 17.5 ppg on the strength of 57.1 percent shooting, to go along with 5.0 rpg in his customary sixth man role. Martinez contributes 12.2 ppg and 2.8 apg, and ranks 11th in the NEC in FG accuracy (.491) and fourth in FT shooting (.803).
Alex Morales (WC, Gr, G)
Morales came up huge in Thursday’s 69-57 win over Mount St. Mary’s on ESPNU with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a pair of blocks. In Wagner’s split, he averaged 17.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.0 bpg. Morales ranks in the NEC top-7 in scoring (17.8, fourth), rebounding (7.7, fourth), assists (3.7, fifth), steals (1.7, fifth), FG percentage (.524, seventh), FT percentage (.788, sixth) and A/TO ratio (1.5, seventh).
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK FOURTEEN
STREAKBUSTERS
After building 14 and nine game win streaks, respectively, it all changed in the span of one hour for Wagner and Bryant on Saturday.
Unbeaten Wagner carried a nation’s best 14-game win streak and 13-game NEC streak into its home game with Merrimack, but the Warriors slammed the breaks on any talk of an unbeaten league season for the Seahawks.
Trailing 58-54 with under 90 seconds to play, Merrimack scored the last four points of regulation on buckets by Jordan Minor (Kingston, MA/Brimmer & May) and Malik Edmead (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park), then withstood a final opportunity from the Seahawks that resulted in a steal by Edmead just before the buzzer.
The Warriors came out to play in the OT, hitting all seven of their shots while exploding for 22 points to nail down an 80-65 victory in a thriller at Spiro.
Minor (21 points), Ziggy Reid (Baltimore, MD/St. Paul’s School) (19) and Edmead (18) put up 58 points and were a combined 20-31 (.645) from the field.
Merrimack shot 56.3 percent for the game, held Wagner to 35.4 percent accuracy - including a 1-20 mark from distance - and had 12 steals.
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn...newly minted rivals LIU and Bryant were tangling in a high scoring affair at the Steinberg Center.
With a chance to draw even with Wagner in the standings, the Bulldogs reversed a 17-point first half deficit into a eight-point lead, but the Sharks took control with a 15-0 run midway through the second half - sparked by eight points from Isaac Kante (Brooklyn, NY/Paul Robeson (Hofstra)) - to take a 77-70 lead with 7:14 to play.
Bryant would get no closer than four points the rest of the way out as LIU secured a 99-88 victory that put an end to the Black & Gold’s nine-game run.
LIU’s “Big 3” each scored 24+ points and combined for 77 in total.
Ty Flowers (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart HS (UMass)) posted 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and six blocks. Eral Penn (Brooklyn, NY/St. Francis Academy (MD)) recorded 24 points and 12 boards, and Kante scored a career-high 24 points on 10-13 shooting. They are the only NEC trio to score 20+ points in the same game this season.
LIFE AT THE TOP
With both Wagner and Bryant falling on Saturday, there was no movement at the top of the charts.
Wagner (13-1 NEC) maintained its one game lead over Bryant (12-2) with four to play. The two teams meet on the final day of the regular season on February 26. The Seahawks won the first meeting between the two title contenders, 84-81 in OT, in Staten Island on January 6.
Despite LIU (8-6) and Mount St. Mary’s (8-6) winning on Saturday to gain one game on Bryant, the two programs are still four games behind the Bulldogs with four to go.
Wagner has clinched a top-two seed in the NEC Tournament and is guaranteed a semifinal home game with a quarterfinal win.
Bryant needs one more win or an LIU loss to clinch a top-two seed.
LIU is mathematically alive for a top-two seed, while the highest Mount can be seeded is No. 3.
LIU and Mount need two wins in their last four games to guarantee themselves a top-four seed and quarterfinal host duties.
STREAK FALLOUT
With both Wagner and Bryant falling for the first time in a long time, we present a streak-cap:
- Wagner’s loss ended the dream of the first unbeaten season in NEC history. The Seahawks do have the opportunity to match CCSU’s and Marist’s one-loss seasons back in 2001-02 and 1986-87, respectively.
- Wagner’s 13-0 start fell two short of the NEC standard set by 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.
- The last conference school to rattle off 13 straight NEC wins was LIU. The Sharks won 13 in a row in 2010-11, a stretch that included three NEC Tournament wins.
- As far as consecutive wins in a single-season goes, Wagner’s 13-game streak tied for fourth on the all-time list.
- Bryant joined the list below when it extended its win streak to nine last Thursday.
- The nine consecutive wins was the longest stretch for Bryant at the DI level.
NEC Teams With At Least 9 Straight NEC Wins Over Last 25 Years
Team Streak Year
CCSU 22* 2001-02
UMBC 15 1998-99
Robert Morris 14^ 2007-08
LIU 14& 1997-98
Wagner 13 2021-22
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
Bryant 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
BRYANT DYNAMIC DUO IN NEC PERSPECTIVE
So when it comes to the top scoring teammates in the NEC, one duo stands out from the rest.
The league’s premier point producing tandem is comprised of Bryant redshirt senior guard Peter Kiss (New York, NY/Notre Dame Prep (Rutgers/QU)) and junior guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Putnam Science (CT)). Kiss, who is the nation’s leading scorer, is putting up 23.9 ppg, while Pride ranks third with 17.8 ppg. Together, the pair is combining for 41.7 ppg, an astounding figure in a number of ways.
- If Kiss and Pride were to maintain that total, it would be the highest figure in NEC hoops since LIU’s Charles Jones (nation’s best 29.0 ppg) and Mike Campbell (19.7 ppg) combined to average 46.7 ppg in 1997-98.
- Kiss and Pride are currently the nation’s highest scoring tandem.
- The duo is averaging an astounding 47.9 ppg in league play, a figure that would rank as the highest NEC total in at least 25 years if sustained.
- Kiss has reached the 25-point mark in each of his last seven outings and nine of his last ten. His 37-point outing at SHU on Thursday was a career-high and the fourth-highest scoring output in Bryant’s DI program history. He leads the NEC with six games of 30+ points on the year, the most by a player since Quinnipiac’s Ron Monroe reeled off six back in 2004-05.
- Pride’s recent 110-point scoring tear was the most in a three-game NEC stretch since LIU’s Charles Jones went for 125 in a three-game binge back in 1997
Top-Scoring NEC Duos
School Player PPG Player PPG Total PPG
BRY Peter Kiss 23.9 Charles Pride 17.8 41.7
LIU Ty Flowers 20.0 Eral Penn 16.5 36.5
SHU Tyler Thomas 17.4 Aaron Clarke 16.3 33.7
WC Alex Morales 17.8 Will Martinez 12.2 30.0
SFBK Michael Cubbage 13.3 Patrick Emilien 12.8 26.1
MILESTONE ALERT - JOE GALLO
Congrats go out to Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo, who won his 100th career game at the helm of the Warriors.
And he did it in style with an 80-65 win over Wagner that marked the first conference loss for the Seahawks this season.
Gallo was named the 2019-20 NEC Coach of the Year after leading Merrimack to the NEC regular season title in the program’s first year in DI.
He has compiled a 100-69 record in six years in North Andover.
MILESTONE ALERT #2 - CHARLES PRIDE
As if we haven’t mentioned Bryant junior guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Liverpool (Putnam Science (CT)) enough, on Saturday he pulled down his 500th career rebound. In doing so, he became just the third player in Bryant’s DI history to reach 500 boards, joining Alex Francis (990 from 2010-14) and Dan Garvin (710 from 2013-17).
Pride is also approaching the 1,000-point mark, needing just 35 more points to become the seventh player during the DI era to hit the milestone.
The Syracuse, NY native joined Francis as the second Bryant DI player to accumulate 900 points and 500 rebounds.
THE WEEK AHEAD ON NEC-TV
The NEC-TV crew remains busy with a pair of games this week.
On Thursday, first place Wagner heads to Sacred Heart in a game to be carried on ESPN3 and SNY at 7:00 pm. Dave Popkin (PxP) and Joe DeSantis (color) have the call.
Two days later, it’s an ESPN+ exclusive from North Andover as Merrimack hosts Sacred Heart in a 3:00 pm tipoff. Paul Dottino (PxP) and Terry O’Connor (color) will bring you all the action.
The regular season men’s package wraps on February 24 with a national broadcast on CBSSN featuring the annual wildcard game. Popkin (PxP), DeSantis (color) and John Schmeelk (sideline) are in the booth.
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.
FLOWERS FTW
It was another one of those games for LIU grad student Ty Flowers (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart HS (UMass)).
In Saturday’s big win over Bryant, he racked up 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and six blocks in yet another stellar all-around performance.
How rare are those numbers?
Flowers is the only player nationally in the last 12 years to pull off at least 29p/12r/4a/6b in a game.
POINT PRODUCTION PICK UP
Entering the final two plus weeks of NEC regular season play, it seems like an opportune time to examine the players who have made the most significant strides in scoring compared to last season.
Top-5 Most Improved Scorers 2020-21 2021-22 Improvement
Peter Kiss (BRY) 16.6 23.9 +7.3
Nico Galette (SHU) 3.8 11.0 +7.2
Josh Cohen (SFU) 5.7 11.6 +5.9
Kyndall Davis (LIU) 3.9 9.0 +5.1
Larry Moreno (SFBK) 4.4 9.1 +4.7
Charles Pride (BRY) 13.7 17.8 +4.1
It’s a two-horse race at this point for the biggest scoring jumps between Bryant senior guard Peter Kiss (New York, NY/Notre Dame Prep (Rutgers/QU)) and SHU sophomore forward Nico Galette (Rahway, NJ/Rutgers Prep).
Kiss, who paces the NEC (and the nation, for that matter) with 23.9 ppg, has lifted his scoring average 7.3 ppg, while Galette has jumped 7.2 ppg to 11.0 ppg on the year.
KNIGHTS & ROOKS
If Saturday’s game is any indication, Greg Herenda has the chess pieces in place to ensure a bright future in Hackensack.
In piecing together an 82-75 win over Sacred Heart, first year FDU players accounted for 71 of the team’s points on the afternoon or 86.5 percent, and played 75.5 percent of the team’s minutes.
NEC Rookie of the Week Anquan Hill (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll) scored a career-high 21 points, Sebastian Lamaute (Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, Canada/Brébeuf) added a career-best 24 points and Oscar Berry (Melbourne, Australia/IMG Academy) tallied a personal best 16 points.
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.
LIU’s perimeter defense was excellent last week as it held St. Francis Brooklyn and Bryant to a paltry 13-of-62 (21.0 percent) from behind the arc in two victories. While some of that poor shooting may be attributed to luck, according to Shot Quality there were only 19 open looks out of those 62 attempts. That 31 percent open three rate is several points below the national DI average of 39 percent.
The FDU rookie trio of Anquan Hill (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll), Oscar Berry (Melbourne, Australia/IMG Academy) and Sebastian Lamaute (Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, Canada/Brébeuf) stepped up in a big way against Sacred Heart, scoring 61 of the Knights’ 82 points in Saturday’s victory. Not only did all three post career-highs in the game, they also were efficient. In the game, Hill (21 points, 8 rebounds) possessed a KenPom offensive rating of 119, Berry (16 points, 4-8 from 3) a 129 and Lamaute (24 points) a 117. Per Shot Quality, the trio had 21 good possessions versus just 12 bad possessions with respect to the quality of their shots.
Speaking of that Saturday contest at the Rothman Center, opposing Sacred Heart forward Bryce Johnson (Stockton, CA/St. Mary’s (Pomfret)) also posted a career-high 22 points on 8-9 shooting in defeat. The 22 points, which surpassed his previous career high by eight points, were achieved by converting 7-8 near the rim (five from drives to the rim, two from offensive rebound putbacks) and one from a catch-and-shoot three.
Despite competing in a game that featured 12 ties and 12 lead changes in the first 40 minutes, Merrimack never was considered the favorite (51 percent or higher) to win the game in regulation per KenPom’s “minimum win probability” metric. The closest they got was when they became a 48 percent favorite when possessing a 40-28 lead with just under 15 minutes left in the game. Merrimack’s unlikely triumph in the end was considered the 13th biggest upset in college basketball this season according to KenPom.
According to Shot Quality, Nigel Scantlebury (Rochester, NY/Greeca Athena (Niagara County CC)) is playing his best basketball of late, registering three of his best four shot quality rank scores in CCSU’s past three contests (2-1). Scantlebury, who’s dropped 57 points on a measly 27 shot attempts during the aforementioned stretch, has proven to be one of the NEC’s most versatile three-point shooters over the entirety of the season. His shot quality points per possession mark on catch-and-shoot 3s (1.26 SQ PPP) is in the 93rd percentile of college basketball, whereas his off-the-dribble 3P number of 1.14 SQ PPP is in the top 96th percentile.
STAT OF THE WEEK
The NEC is now the top-ranked conference in offensive rebound percentage in league play, with 31.3 percent of missed shots resulting in offensive boards.
DON’T TURN THE CHANNEL
How exciting has this season been thus far?
The NEC is now up to ninth out of 32 conferences nationwide in terms of close game percentage with 25.4 percent of contests decided by four points or less or in OT.
On the other end, the conference ranks 27th in terms of number blowouts, with just 7.9 percent of games decided by more than 19 points.
FIRST TIME’S THE CHARM FOR PRIDE & KISS
With Bryant junior guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Liverpool (Putnam Science (CT)) and senior guard Peter Kiss (New York, NY/Notre Dame Prep (Quinnipiac/Rutgers)) earning the last two Lou Henson National Player of the Week honors, it marked the first time in the history of the award that one school has had teammates win the award in back-to-back weeks.
PRIDE IN THE BOARDROOM
We recently asked Bryant junior guard Charles Pride (Syracuse, NY/Liverpool (Putnam Science (CT)) what the secret is to his rebounding prowess.
“Playing hard, I’m going to go every single time to the rim. When I see my teammates shoot, I believe it’s going to go in, but I’m still going to run to the glass in case it doesn’t. And I know that a lot of the time I have a smaller defender on me, so just to be physical, get in there and put pressure on the rim. I know that will help my team out. Second chance points help. Coach Martelli always tells us that rebounds win games.”
At 6’4”, Pride currently ranks first in the NEC in rebounding (8.4) and second in double-doubles (eight). Merrimack’s Jordan Minor leads the conference with ten double-doubles.
Pride has a chance to become the shortest player to lead the NEC in rebounding since 6’4” Obie Nwadike won back-to-back titles for CCSU in 2005-06 and 2006-07. The last player 6’4” or under to pace the league in double-doubles was LIU 6-footer Jason Brickman, who recorded 11 of the points/assists variety in 2013-14.
KRIMMEL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Let’s hear again from the NEC’s Quotemaster General...
Saint Francis U head coach Rob Krimmel following last Thursday’s 78-65 triumph at FDU.
“To win a college basketball game is difficult. To win a college basketball game on the road is difficult and to win a college basketball game on the road when you are shorthanded is difficult. We responded and did some good things offensively and I thought the first half our defense was fantastic. In the second half we were able to come out and get some momentum and extend that lead. They made a run and I told those guys its not easy when you are up big and the starting making shots, but to be able to regain our composure and win the way we did is certainly a credit to our guys.”
NUMBER CRUNCHING
Bryant grad student guard Adham Eleeda’s (Toronto, Ontario/Toronto Basketball Academy (Northern Kentucky)) last 104 shot opportunities have come from three-point range. Only nine of his 220 attempts this season (4.1 percent) have come from inside the arc. Eleeda leads the NEC and ranks 24th nationally with 3.08 triples per game.
It was a strong week for CCSU junior guard Nigel Scantlebury (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena), who registered 15.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.5 apg and shot 56.3 percent from the floor. He tallied 12 points and a career-high eight assists in Thursday’s 60-57 win at Merrimack. Scantlebury supplied seven points, four assists and a block during a 13-0 second half run to build a double-figure lead and hold off the Warriors.
CCSU limited Merrimack to 5-of-21 three-point shooting in its win on Thursday. It was the fewest three-pointers CCSU has allowed in an NEC game this season.
The CCSU defense has conceded 60 or fewer points in a game four times this season, its best single-season total since 2016-17.
FDU freshman guard Oscar Berry (Melbourne, Australia/IMG Academy) is now the league leader in three-point percentage. The Aussie native is hitting at a 46.9 percent clip from downtown on the year and has converted 48.6 percent of his three-point opportunities against NEC competition.
LIU received 94.2 percent of its scoring from its starters last week in its two wins.
LIU assisted on 41 of its 59 buckets in two games last week, a 69.5 percent rate. The Sharks rank first in the NEC and 16th nationally in assist rate at 61.1 percent.
Merrimack junior forward Jordan Minor (Kingston, MA/Brimmer & May) has averaged 12.0 rpg over his last six outings.
Merrimack now ranks first in the NEC in league play in effective field goal percentage at 51.4 percent.
Mount St. Mary’s freshman guard Jaylin Gibson (Evanston, IL/Legacy of Sports Sciences (TX)) tallied 13 points, six rebounds and four steals in the Mount’s 54-52 win at Saint Francis U on Saturday in his lone action of the week. Gibson scored all 13 of his points in the second half to help the Mount rally from an eight-point first half deficit. Gibson was 5-9 from the field and his four steals were a career-high.
Mount St. Mary’s senior forward Malik Jefferson (Hopewell, VA/Hopewell) collected 15 rebounds last week to give him a career total of 740, leaving him five shy of matching Michael Watson (745, 1991-95) for the most rebounds by a Mount player during the school’s DI era (since 1988-89).
Sacred Heart senior guard Aaron Clarke (Parsippany, NJ/Pope John) is looking to become the third Pioneer in eight years to lead the NEC in assists. The league leader with 4.2 per game, he would join Phil Gaetano (5.8 in 2014-15) and Cameron Parker (6.9 in 2018-19). Clarke, who also paces the conference in free throw percentage at 86.3 percent, could become the second player in NEC annals to finish first in both assists and FT accuracy the same season, joining LIU’s Jason Brickman, who in 2013-14 averaged 10.0 apg and shot 86.4 percent from the stripe.
St. Francis Brooklyn junior guard Larry Moreno (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn High School For Law & Technology) scored a career-high 23 points in the Terriers’ 67-50 win at CCSU on Saturday. He drained 7-11 from the field, including 3-6 from outside the arc.
Saint Francis U redshirt sophomore guard Brad McCabe (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) caught fire from deep last week, hitting 6-9 shots over two games, while averaging 13.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg. He scored a career-high 21 points, highlighted by a 5-6 mark from three-point territory in a 78-65 win at FDU on Thursday.
Saint Francis U redshirt sophomore forward Josh Cohen (Lincroft, NJ/CBA) averaged 13.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg, including 16 points and six rebounds against FDU. He added his third double-double in his last five games with 10 points and 10 rebounds vs. the Mount on Saturday.
Saint Francis U sophomore guard Maxwell Land (Cincinnati, OH/Archbishop Moeller) has posted double figures in a career-best five straight games and six of his last seven tilts. He is averaging 13.7 ppg in that stretch.
Wagner junior forward Ja’Mier Fletcher (Pittsburgh, PA/Steel Valley (First Love Christian Academy (VA))) is shooting 65.4 percent from the field in NEC play. Last week he gave the Seahawks a lift off the bench, hitting 6-8 shots while averaging 6.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
FLOWERS CHART CLIMB TRACKER
The weekly Ty Flowers (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart (UMass)) update sees the LIU star continuing his rise up the NEC scoring, rebounding and three-point lists.
Flowers Career Numbers at LIU
1,672 points, 849 rebounds, 263 assists, 237 3P, 147 steals, 165 blocks
Flowers Overall Career Numbers
1,821 points, 934 rebounds, 287 assists, 270 3P, 156 steals, 180 blocks
With 849 rebounds to his credit, Flowers moved up eight positions to No. 16 all-time in the conference.
NEC Career Rebounding Leaders
13. Greg Foster FDU 916 1982-84
14. Durell Vinson WC 893 2003-08
15. Brandon Peel CCSU 881 2012-16
16. Ty Flowers LIU 849 2018-22
16. Lucky Jones RMU 846 2011-15
17. Julian Boyd LIU 843 2008-13
18. Ken Horton CCSU 842 2007-12
19. Alan Tomidy MAR 838 1991-96
20. Freddie Burton LIU 836 1986-89
After scoring 61 points last week, Flowers not only cracked the top-50, but jumped 13 spots to 39th on the all-time scoring list. He is now just 59 points away from reaching the NEC top-25 and ranks ninth all-time at LIU.
NEC Career Scoring Leaders
25. Corsley Edwards CCSU 1,731 1998-02
26. James Johnson QU 1,729 2008-12
27. Jalen Cannon SFBK 1,720 2011-15
28. Jeremy Goode MSM 1,716 2006-10
29. James Williams LIU 1,710 2003-07
30. David Gately LOY 1,706 1983-87
31. Damari Riddick FDU 1,701 1984-88
32. Darshan Luckey SFU 1,699 2002-05
33. Jahlil Jenkins FDU 1,698 2017-21
34. Mike Morrison LOY 1,697 1985-89
35. Jaytornah Wisseh LIU 1,693 2006-10
36. Charles Smith RID 1,693 1993-96
37. Dyami Starks BRY 1,691 2012-15
38. Rob Monroe QU 1,685 2001-05
39. Ty Flowers LIU 1,672 2018-22
40. Jamie Latney FDU 1,666 1984-88
Flowers also vaulted into the NEC top-25 in made three-pointers following an 11-triple week.
NEC Career 3P Leaders
17. Ben Mockford SFBK 252 2011-14
18. John Hilvert SFU 247 1987-91
19. Jeremy Chappell RMU 243 2005-09
20. Julian Norfleet MSM 242 2010-14
21. Kyle Johnson LIU 240 2007-11
22. Danny Basile MAR 239 1992-96
23. Glenn Sanabria SFBK 238 2015-19
24. Ty Flowers LIU 237 2018-22
On January 22, 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.
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.
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 88 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.
NEC in NCAA STATS (TOP-25)
Name School Category Rank Value
Peter Kiss BRY Scoring 3rd 22.8
Hall Elisias BRY Blocks 9th 3.22
Ramiir Dixon-Conover SFU Steals 17th 2.3
Team Category Rank Value
Bryant Reb. 41.4 6th
Wagner W/L% .889 7th
Bryant Def. Reb. 28.6 14th
Wagner Scoring Margin +13.1 15th
LIU Assists 16.5 21st
Bryant Off. Reb. 12.8 23rd
Wagner 3P% Defense .295 24th