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NEC Co-Player of the Week: Darin Smith, Jr., Central Connecticut
NEC Co-Player of the Week: Nick Jones, Wagner
NEC Rookie of the Week: Ashton Reynolds, Central Connecticut

Previous NEC Releases: November 24 | November 17 | November 10 | Preseason Poll Release
 
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Nick Jones, Wagner
Guard, Junior, 6-2, 170 lbs., Edgewood, MD/Parkville/Harcum
Jones racked up 35 points, six dimes and six rebounds to fuel Wagner to a dramatic 103-101 come-from-behind overtime win over Manhattan. Down the final stretch of the game, the junior guard took control and used a personal 7-0 run to help the Seahawks erase a five-point deficit with 1:11 left in the extra session and seal the victory. Delivering an old-fashioned three-point play to fuel the late rally, he knotted up the game at 101-all with a layup before putting an exclamation point on the comeback with a pair of free throws in the final seconds. Jones shot 11-of-17 from the field and was even better from three, converting on 5-of-7 attempts. With his performance, he became one of just four players in the nation with at least 35 points, six rebounds and six assists in a game. It also marked the fourth 35/6/6 game by an NEC player in the last 15 years. This is Jones’ first weekly award from the NEC.

Darin Smith, Jr., Central Connecticut
Forward, Sophomore, 6-7, 210 lbs., Springfield, MA/Vermont Academy/Springfield Central
Smith was the catalyst of a high-scoring Central Connecticut offense that averaged 115.0 points over a pair of games last week. The sophomore forward torched the nets to the tune of a 64.7 shooting percentage after he combined to go 22-of-34 from the floor. From three, he was just as impressive, turning in a 5-of-10 effort, while from the line, he was near perfect with a 13-of-14 clip. On the week, he averaged 31.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two Blue Devils’ wins. Smith went off in Monday’s thrilling 108-106 overtime win over in-state foe Sacred Heart. Knocking down 12-of-21 shots from the field, including a trio of three-pointers, the Springfield, MA native turned in an 11-of-12 effort from the free throw line to lead all scorers with a career-high 38 points. It marked the highest scoring game by an NEC player since Le Moyne’s Kaiyem Cleary poured in 43 against LIU on Jan. 27, 2024. In addition, the 38 points were the most by a Blue Devil since Kyle Vinales netted 42 at Wagner on Feb. 14, 2013. Smith followed that performance with his fourth 20-point outing of the season — and the third in as many games — after he netted 24 points in 21 minutes on an efficient 10-of-13 effort from the field in a 122-57 win over Johnson & Wales. This is Smith’s second NEC Player of the Week honor.


NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ashton Reynolds, Central Connecticut
Guard, Freshman, 6-4, 185 lbs., Brooklyn, NY/Williston Northampton/Transit Tech
Reynolds logged quality minutes on Sunday to lead Central Connecticut to a 122-57 win over Johnson and Wales. Turning in a sizzling 71.4 percent effort from the field on 5-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 clip in the second half, the Brooklyn product racked up 13 points in 14 minutes off the bench. In addition, Reynolds stuffed the stat sheet with five boards, three steals and an assist. This is his first career weekly award from the NEC.


NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
 
Max Frazier, CCSU (F, Jr)
Frazier made Detrick Gymnasium erupt when he hammered home a dunk with two seconds left to play in overtime to lead Central Connecticut to a thrilling 108-106 win over its in-state rival. Going 9-of-11 from the field for 24 points while adding five boards and four blocks, the junior forward, who shot 81.3 percent from the field on the week (13-of-16) averaged 17.0 points, 8.0 boards and 2.5 assists in a stretch that also included a 122-57 win over Johnson & Wales.
 
Darin Smith, Jr., CCSU (F, So)
Smith contributed 31.0 points to a Central Connecticut offense that eclipsed the 100-point mark twice last week. The sophomore forward shot 64.7 percent from the field (22-of-34) and dropped 38 points — the most by an NEC player this season — in the Blue Devils’ thrilling 108-106 win over in-state foe Sacred Heart on Monday. Smith was also pegged the NEC Co-Player of the Week. 
 
Shilo Jackson, LEM (F, Gr)
Jackson balled out for Le Moyne at the Lafayette Classic, a stretch that saw the Dolphins go 2-1 with a 76-63 win over the host-team Leopards, an 83-79 overtime win over Monmouth and a 96-85 defeat to Ball State. He averaged 18.0 points on 75.0 percent shooting from the field and had two monstrous outings of 21 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks against the Leopards and 21 points, 11 boards and four rejections against the Hawks.
 
Trent Mosquera, LEM (G, R-Jr)
Mosquera went off for a career-high 26 points, including 20 in the second half, behind six triples in a 96-85 setback to Ball State on Sunday. In three games at the Lafayette Classic, a stretch that saw the Dolphins go 2-1, the redshirt junior guard averaged 15.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
 
Malachi Davis, LIU (G, R-Sr)
Davis led all scorers with 18 points on Monday to guide LIU to a 75-61 road win at Missouri State. Dishing out four assists while adding two steals, the redshirt senior had an efficient outing behind 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including a 2-of-4 clip from distance. 
 
Skylar Wicks, SFU (G/F, R-Sr)
Wicks averaged 18.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in two games at the Coconut Hoops Royal Palm Division. Posting 16 points and seven boards against Belmont on Monday, the combo guard/forward followed that performance with a near double-double after dropping 21 points and nine rebounds on Wednesday against Troy.
 
Davante Hackett, STO (G, Jr)
Hackett averaged 14.0 points across a two-game stretch for Stonehill last week. Knocking down five three-pointers for 15 points off the bench on Wednesday against UMass Lowell, the junior guard netted 14 points and came one board shy of a double-double on Sunday against Quinnipiac.
 
Zavier Fitch, WAG (F, So)
Fitch contributed a double-double to Wagner’s 103-101 comeback win over Manhattan on Wednesday. The sophomore forward reached double figures in both points and rebounds for the first time this season after dropping 10 and 10, respectively.  
 
Nick Jones, WAG (G, Jr)
Jones took control in overtime to lead Wagner to a come-from-behind 103-101 win over Manhattan on Wednesday. Tallying a career-high 35 points while adding six boards and six assists, the junior guard scored the game’s final seven points to erase what was a five-point deficit and put the Seahawks in front for good. Jones also garnered NEC Co-Player of the Week distinction.


#NECMBB BY THE NUMBERS

4 - Wagner's Nick Jones is one of four players nationwide with at least 35 points, six rebounds and six points in a game this year as he turned the trick last week against Manhattan.

2 - Two teams eclipsed the 100-point mark against a Division I opponent last week: Central Connecticut vs. Sacred Heart and Wagner against Manhattan.

38 - Central Connecticut's Darin Smith, Jr. scored the most points in a DI non-conference win (38) Monday against Sacred Heart since Mount St. Mary's Junior Robinson had 39 against Loyola (MD) on Dec. 2, 2017.


2025-26 NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov. 10: Greg Gordon (LIU)
Nov. 17: Darin Smith, Jr. (Central Connecticut) & Malachi Davis (LIU) 
Nov. 24: Jay Rodgers (CCSU)
Dec. 1: Darin Smith, Jr. (Central Connecticut) & Nick Jones (Wagner)
Dec. 8: 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Nov. 10: David Jevtic (FDU)
Nov. 17: Elijah Parker (Central Connecticut)
Nov. 24: Tristan Burth (New Haven)
Dec. 1: Ashton Reynolds (Central Connecticut)
Dec. 8: