Choice Hotels/NEC Player of the Week
Shane Gibson, Sacred Heart
6-2, 180lbs
R-Jr., G, Killingly, CT/Killingly
Sacred Heart’s Shane Gibson can’t miss right now. The NEC’s leading scorer averaged 30.5 points last week to boost his league-leading average to 21.6 points and earn his second Choice Hotels/NEC Player of the Week honor of the season. He also contributed 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field. The Killingly, CT native scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds in a 73-54 loss to Wagner on Thursday, before putting on a performance for the ages in a double-overtime thriller against Mount St. Mary’s two days later. Gibson became the first SHU player to score 40 points in a game since 1993 when he went off for a career and NEC single-game season-high 41 in an 81-80 overtime setback to the Mountaineers. It was evident he was going to have a big day from the get-go, scoring 10 of his team’s first 12 points in the first eight minutes en-route to a 15-point first half. He then dropped 20 more in the second half, including a game-tying trey, his sixth of the contest, with just 25 seconds left to cap off a furious comeback after trailing by seven with under two minutes left on the clock. The 41 points marked the most points by a Pioneer in the Division I-era and tied for the fourth highest scoring game in the nation this season. Gibson extended his streak of games with at least 20 points to six and has now scored 20 or more points in 11 of his last 12 outings. He ranks fourth in the nation in scoring and is averaging 26.1 points during NEC play.
Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week
Ousmane Drame, Quinnipiac
6-9, 240lbs
Fr., F, Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianapolis Prep)
Ousmane Drame averaged 8.5 points and 12 rebounds as Quinnipiac went 1-1 on the week, earning himself his second Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week honor of the season. Drame was a driving force in his team’s comeback win over Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday, matching a career-high with 13 points and pulling down a career-best 15 boards in the 69-66 overtime victory. The Boston, MA product made the game’s key play in OT with an offensive rebound and putback to give the Bobcats a three-point edge with 19 seconds remaining. He also added two assists and a steal while shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from the line. Drame then continued to clean the glass in a 51-50 setback to Wagner, grabbing nine boards, including seven off the offensive glass. Drame ranks tenth overall in the NEC and second among league freshman with 7.0 rebounds per game despite playing just 18.5 minutes per contest.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
New York, New YorkHeading into the final month of play, LIU Brooklyn remains in the driver’s seat in the race for the NEC regular season crown, but breathing down its neck are not one, but two local rivals. Call it a New York hoops renaissance if you will, but the Big Apple could be buzzing coming NEC Tournament time in March.
Consider this fact: LIU Brooklyn, St. Francis (NY) and Wagner are now a combined 25-5 against NEC competition.
LIU had its nine game win streak and 18-game NEC win streak snapped last week (see note below), dropping its first league game at Robert Morris, 75-66, on Thursday. The Blackbirds bounced back in style with a 97-76 win over Saint Francis (PA) two days later and enters play this week with a 9-1 mark, one game ahead of 8-2 St. Francis (NY) and Wagner.
St. Francis (NY) is firing on all cylinders (see note below) after wins at Saint Francis (PA) (75-65) and fellow NEC contender Robert Morris (81-68) last week. Wagner continued its winning ways on the road (see note below) as well, winning two in Connecticut last week. The Seahawks grounded Sacred Heart, 73-54, on Thursday, then edged Quinnipiac, 51-50, two days later.
Right behind at 7-3 in league play are Central Connecticut and Robert Morris, both tied for fourth place. With the higher seed hosting all games in the NEC playoffs, the race for a top-four seed in the eight-team tourney should be one of more interesting storylines to follow throughout February
There is also a bottleneck in sixth place, with no less than four teams - Monmouth, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and Saint Francis (PA) - all tied at 4-6.
LIU Brooklyn Falls Short of NEC Record Win Streak, Home Streak Still Alive
LIU Brooklyn fell two games shy of matching the NEC mark for consecutive victories when it had its 18-game NEC win streak snapped in a 75-66 loss at Robert Morris last week. Central Connecticut State, which won 20 straight from 2001-03, will hold on to its record for the foreseeable future.
The Blackbirds will look to extend another impressive streak this week when they return home to the WRAC to take on Bryant and Central Connecticut. LIU has won 19 straight at home, the sixth longest unbeaten string in the nation at this time. LIU was last tripped up at the WRAC on December 8, 2010 in an 88-82 setback to Iona.
Nation's Longest Home Win Streaks
1. Kentucky 47
2. Ohio State 38
3. North Carolina 30
4. Harvard 23
5. Oral Roberts 20
6. LIU Brooklyn 19
Hoops Resurgence in Brooklyn Heights
NEC coaches certainly didn’t anticipate it and even the most diehard fans in Brooklyn Heights couldn't have forecast it, but after an 8-2 start in NEC play, St. Francis (NY) has made believers out of everyone. Picked 11th in the NEC preseason coaches poll, the Terriers crossed the halfway point of the conference schedule tied for second place in the league standings with Wagner, just one game behind local rival LIU Brooklyn. St. Francis (NY) has won seven of its last eight outings and is off to its best start in the NEC
since beginning the 2000-01 campaign with a 12-1 mark. At 11-10 overall, this is the latest the Terriers have been over the .500 mark since the 2003-04 season.
Last week, St. Francis (NY) earned its first western Pennsylvania sweep since the 1997-98 season. The Terriers began the trip by beating Saint Francis (PA), 75-65, behind 22 points from junior forward Akeem Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Susan S. McKinney). Two days later, SFC secured its best win of the season, knocking off NEC power Robert Morris, 81-68. Sophomore guard Brent Jones (Brooklyn, NY/Bedford Academy) led the way with 19 points. The Terriers had lost five straight at Saint Francis (PA) and three in a row at Robert Morris.
Winning on the Road – No Problem for Wagner, Robert Morris
Winning on the road is not an easy task, but over the last two years, a trio of NEC programs have excelled in that regard. In 2010-11, LIU Brooklyn led the nation with 13 road wins en-route to a 27-6 record. This season, it is Wagner and Robert Morris that have found the magic formula away from home.
With victories at Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac last week, Wagner extended its road win streak to seven and boosted its season total 10 road wins against just two defeats. The 10 road triumphs are the most in the nation this season and match the school’s DI record. Similarly, the eight straight wins away from home (includes one neutral site win over Air Force) is the longest streak for the Seahawks since the 1978-79 season.
Robert Morris has won four of its last five road outings and is now 8-4 on the year away from the Sewall Center. The eight road wins are tied for sixth in Division I.
Speaking of winning on the road…
Home Court Mastery? Not So Much
While playing at home carries many advantages, a 10-year study of records in league play indicate the home court edge in the NEC may not be as significant as most believe. Since the start of the 2002 season, home teams have won 59.2 percent of the games during the NEC portion of the schedule. Over the last five seasons, that number dwindles to 56.1 percent. Over the first 60 games of the 2011-12 conference season, home teams have won just 51.7 percent of the contests with a 31-29 record. Compare this to the national average of 72.4 percent. Last week alone, road teams posted a 9-3 record. LIU Brooklyn (4-0) is the lone NEC program with a perfect record at home in league play this season.
10-Year Study: Home Records In NEC Play
2011-12: 31-29 .517
2010-11: 63-45 .583
2009-10: 67-41 .620
2008-09: 60-39 .606
2007-08: 45-54 .455
2006-07: 57-42 .576
2005-06: 63-36 .636
2004-05: 60-39 .606
2003-04: 64-35 .646
2002-03: 69-39 .639
Totals 579-399 .592
Seahawk Stops
Wagner has won 10 of its last 11 games and is 17-4 on the year, thanks in part to a suffocating defense that was on full display last week. The Seahawks held Sacred Heart (54) and Quinnipiac (50) to season-low scoring outputs in a pair of victories. In NEC play, Wagner leads the league in field goal percentage defense (.389) and ranks second in scoring defense (62.8 ppg). The Green & White are 13-0 when holding opponents under the 70-point mark this season and have yielded 61 or fewer points in five of their six outings.
Career Performance for SHU’s Shane Gibson
As a pure scorer, Sacred Heart junior guard
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) has few equals.
The NEC’s leading point producer was at his absolute best on Saturday in an 81-80 double overtime setback to Mount St. Mary’s.
The
Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week native dropped an NEC single-game season-high 41 points, a figure that also ties him for fourth in the nation this season.
He hit 16-28 from the field and finished 6-13 from three-point range.
The 41 points established a school Division I record and were the most in an NEC game since Bryant’s
Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)) scored 43 against LIU Brooklyn on February 24, 2011.
In fact, it was just the 12
th time an NEC player has reached the 40-point mark since the year 2000.
It was also the first 40-point game by a Sacred Heart player since Darren Robinson tallied 47 against New Haven on February 17, 1993.
NEC 40+ Point Performances Since 2000
Shane Gibson (SHU) vs. MSM 41 1/28/12
Alex Francis (BRY) vs. LIU 43 2/24/11
Tristan Blackwood (CCSU) vs. RMU 40 2/22/07
Rob Monroe (QU) vs. SHU 40 2/3/05
Rob Monroe (QU) vs. Longwood 41 1/2/05
Antawn Dobie (LIU) vs. SFNY 53 2/22/03
Maurice Carter (RMU) vs. E. Michigan 42 11/26/02
James Felton (FDU) vs. LIU 43 2/23/02
Rahsaan Johnson (MU) vs. Princeton 40 12/8/01
Rahsaan Johnson (MU) vs. SFNY 43 2/4/01
Rahsaan Johnson (MU) vs. SFNY 40 3/3/00
Steven Howard (SFNY) vs. UMBC 40 2/12/00
More Gibson!
Shane Gibson’s (Killingly, CT/Killingly) 41-point explosion for Sacred Heart against Mount St. Mary’s lifted his league-leading scoring average to 21.6 ppg, a figure that also ranks him fourth in the nation.
Gibson has scored 20 or more points in six straight and 11 of his last 12 games, averaging 24.9 ppg in that span.
In ten NEC games, Gibson is averaging 26.1 ppg, nearly six points more than second-ranked
Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) (20.5 ppg) of LIU Brooklyn.
In addition to his scoring numbers, Gibson also ranks fourth in the NEC in made trifectas (2.7 per game) and three-point percentage (.436). On Saturday, his three-pointer against the Mount with 19 seconds left sent the game to overtime, but the Pioneers would eventual fall, 81-80, in double OT.
RMU Claims Title Game Rematch on NEC-TV
The 2011 NEC championship game between LIU Brooklyn and Robert Morris was a classic, and the much anticipated rematch last Thursday in Moon Township certainly lived up to the advanced billing. In front of a packed house at the Sewall Center, the Colonials were able to exact a small bit of revenge for last year's title game setback, this time using a swarming defensive effort to down the Blackbirds, 75-66. LIU, which had its nine-game win streak and 18-game win streak against NEC competition snapped, was held to its lowest scoring output in a league game since beating Fairleigh Dickinson, 63-61, in the NEC Tournament quarterfinals on March 4, 2010. RMU junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) had a terrific all-around performance, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds and seven assists as the Colonials led from wire-to-wire, and withstood a late LIU rally that trimmed a 15-point lead down to five with 2:36 to play.
NEC-TV Keeps 'em Coming...
NEC-TV has been on a roll of late, and this week brings yet another heavyweight matchup when contenders Robert Morris and Wagner meet at the Spiro Center in Staten Island on Thursday at 7:00 pm. MSG and Root Sports Pittsburgh are set to carry the game live. Dave Popkin (play-by-play), Tim Capstraw (color) and Matt Harmon (sideline) have the call. They will be joined by former Monmouth head coach Dave Calloway, who will be sitting in with the duo at times and lending a coaches' perspective to the proceedings.
Next up...NEC Rivalry Week with four games airing in five days from February 8-12. Rivalry Week tips off on February 8th with the Garden State Rivalry Series as Fairleigh Dickinson hosts Monmouth on FCS and ESPN3, and follows with an MSG tripleheader on February 12th. Leading off the day will be the Connecticut Collision as Quinnipiac visits Central Connecticut State at noon, followed by a Battle of Brooklyn doubleheader pitting Long Island and St. Francis (NY) at the WRAC in Brooklyn. The women tip at 2:00 pm and the men at 4:30 pm.
Upcoming Announcer Assignments
Feb. 2 - Robert Morris at Wagner - Dave Popkin (play-by-play), Tim Capstraw (color), Matt Harmon (sideline), Dave Calloway
Feb. 8 - Monmouth at FDU - Paul Dottino (play-by-play), Terry O'Connor (color)
Feb. 12 - Quinnipiac at CCSU - Paul Dottino (play-by-play), Terry O'Connor (color)
Feb. 12 - St. Francis (NY) at LIU (w) - Joey Wahler (play-by-play), Pam Roecker (color), John Schmeelk (sideline)
Feb. 12 - St. Francis (NY) at LIU (m) - Dave Popkin (play-by-play), Tim Capstraw (color), John Schmeelk (sideline)
NEC Month-By-Month Leaders
With January coming to a close, here are the leaders in various statistical categories on a month-by-month basis for the 2011-12 season. Interestingly, LIU Brooklyn sophomore guard Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) led the NEC in three categories (assists, free throw percentage and three-point percentage) and Sacred Heart junior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) paced the circuit in a pair of categories this past month.
November December January
Scoring Kyle Vinales, CCSU (24.0) Ken Horton, CCSU (23.3) Shane Gibson, SHU (26.0)
Rebounding Ike Azotam, QU (11.6) Ken Horton, CCSU (11.0) Julian Boyd, LIU (9.6)
Scott Eatherton, SFPA (9.6)
Assists Jason Brickman, LIU (5.2) Jason Brickman, LIU (7.1) Jason Brickman, LIU (6.4)
Frankie Dobbs, BRY (5.2)
*FG% Scott Eatherton, SFPA (.771)Kinu Rochford, FDU (.697) Akeem Johnson, SFNY (.634)
*3PFG% Tyler Murray, WC (.640) Corey Maynard, BRY (.529) Jason Brickman, LIU (.593)
*FT% Coron Williams, RMU (.941) Robby Ptacek, CCSU (.968) Jason Brickman, LIU (.920)
3PFG Kyle Vinales, CCSU (3.0/g) Ben Mockford, SFNY (3.1/g) Shane Gibson, SHU (3.3/g)
Ben Mockford, SFNY (3.0/g)
James Johnson, QU (3.0/g)
Steals Kenneth Ortiz, WC (2.3) Ken Horton, CCSU (3.2) Velton Jones, RMU (2.6)
Blocks Danny Thompson, MSM (2.4) Naofall Folahan, WC (2.0) Naofall Folahan, WC (2.1)
* Minimums: FG - 3.0/game, FT - 2.0/game, 3PFG - 2.0/game
Soaring Starts For Blackbirds
The term "shot out of a cannon" can certainly be attributed to LIU Brooklyn, which has come flying out of the gate in recent weeks and forced its opponents to play catch-up from the start. In seven of their last eight games, the Blackbirds have enjoyed early leads ranging from six points to 16 points.
Narrowing it down, over the first five minutes of the last eight games, LIU has outscored opponents by a combined 106-59, an average margin of 5.8 points.
CCSU’s Ken Horton Set to Break Into NEC Top-10 in Career Scoring
Central Connecticut State senior forward
Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) continued his march up the NEC career scoring chart last week and now needs just one point to become the league's 10th all-time point producer.
With 1,809 points to his credit, Horton will pass Saint Francis (PA)'s Jeff Hamilton (1,810 points from 1981-85) with his next bucket.
CCSU's all-time leading scorer, Horton can also set his sights on LIU's Joe Griffin (1,830) and former NEC rival Jeremy Chappell (1,875).
Should Horton maintain his 20 ppg scoring rate, he would crack the 2,000-point mark if the Blue Devils were to reach the NEC semifinals.
NEC Career Scoring Leaders
1. Terrance Bailey WAG 2,591 1983-87
2. Joe Anderson SFPA 2,301 1987-91
3. Chris McGuthrie MSM 2,297 1993-96
4. Jermaine Hall WAG 2,278 1999-03
5. Myron Walker RMC 1,965 1990-94
6. Rik Smits MAR 1,945 1984-88
7. Desi Wilson FDU 1,902 1988-91
8. Jeremy Chappell RMU 1,875 2005-09
9. Joe Griffin LIU 1,830 1991-95
10. Jeff Hamilton SFPA 1,810 1981-85
11. Ken Horton CCSU 1,809 2007-11
Terrier Sharpshooter Stefan Perunicic Vaults Into NEC Top-10 in Three-Pointers
St. Francis (NY) senior forward
Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Srednja Turisticka Skola) entered the NEC top-10 in career three-pointers last week when he hit the 265
th trifecta of his career on Saturday in an 81-68 win over Robert Morris.
He is tied with the Mount’s Kevin Booth, who played from 1989-93.
Perunicic leads all active NEC players in made three-pointers and is second in St. Francis history, 29 behind all-time Terrier great Angel Santana (1996-00). Perunicic is shooting 43.6 percent from long range on the year.
He leads the NEC with 2.8 three-pointers made per game.
Brickman Shooting For Historical Double
LIU Brooklyn sophomore point guard Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) has become such a dual threat this season, that he is threatening to become the first player in NEC history to lead the Conference in both assists and three-point percentage. He paces the circuit (and ranks 11th nationally) with 6.3 apg, comfortably ahead of Bryant junior guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/Saint Edward), who dishes for 4.7 apg. Brickman's hot shooting of late has vaulted him to second in the NEC in three-point accuracy at 45.3 percent. He trails Wagner senior guard Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce), who has hit an astounding 53.1 percent of his long range attempts. Over the last six games, Brickman has made 15-24 or 62.5 percent of his three-point shots.
Close Calls For Quinnipiac
The difference between victory and defeat is often razor thin. Nobody knows this better than Tom Moore and his Quinnipiac team. A year after losing NEC rebound king Justin Rutty to graduation, the Bobcats are 4-6 in NEC play, but their last five losses have come by a combined 12 points and their last two victories have been overtime affairs. Last week, Quinnipiac beat Mount St. Mary’s in OT, 69-66, then dropped a 51-50 decision to Wagner two days later. Including non-league action, Quinnipiac has played 14 straight games that have been decided by 10 points or less, posting an 8-6 record in those outings. In games with a five-point margin or less, the Bobcats are 4-7.
Quinnipiac’s NEC Games in 2012 (w/ margin of victory/defeat)
Jan. 5 St. Francis (NY) 73, Quinnipiac 72 -1
Jan. 7 LIU Brooklyn 79, Quinnipiac 75 -4
Jan. 12 Quinnipiac 78, Robert Morris 76 +2
Jan. 14 Saint Francis (PA) 74, Quinnipiac 71 -3
Jan. 19 Sacred Heart 78, Quinnipiac 75 -3
Jan. 21 Quinnipiac 78, Bryant 71 (OT) +7
Jan. 26 Quinnipiac 69, MSM 66 (OT) +3
Jan. 28 Wagner 51, Quinnipiac 50 -1
LIU Brooklyn Joins Wagner in Mid-Major Poll
LIU Brooklyn debuted at #21 in the January 23rd edition of the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll. The Blackbirds join Wagner, which sits at #24 and has been ranked five straight weeks. The NEC is one of only six conferences with multiple teams ranked.
NEC’s RPI Leaders
The NEC currently sports three teams ranked in the top-120 in the RPI. Wagner is currently 81st, while LIU Brooklyn ranks 104th and Robert Morris 111th.
Hawks Soar on Road
Monmouth jumped back into the NEC playoff hunt last week by sweeping a road swing for the first time since January, 2006.
The Hawks were able to grind out a 58-56 overtime win at Central Connecticut on Thursday, then stopped Bryant, 78-68, on Saturday.
In posting its first win at CCSU since February 26, 2009, the Hawks tied a season-best with 11 three-pointers.
Sophomore guard
Dion Nesmith (Union, NJ/Union (Northeastern)) hit a game-tying three-pointer with 20 seconds to play and senior forward
Mike Myers-Keitt (Waterbury, CT/Fairfield Prep (Marianpolis Prep)) drained a pair of shots from the charity stripe for the game-winning points with 14 seconds left in OT.
In the win over Bryant, junior guard
Jesse Steele (Milford, NJ/Oak Hill Academy (Army)) posted his sixth career 20-point game, finishing with a team-high 22 points.
Now 4-6 in NEC play, the Hawks find themselves in a four-way tie for sixth place along with Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and Saint Francis (PA).
RMU's January Jump
Robert Morris finished the month of January with a record of 6-3 (.667), improving the program to 37-9 (.804) during the first month of the year over the last five seasons.
QU’s Rebound Patrol
It was another big week for Quinnipiac’s stellar rebounding tandem of sophomore forward
Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/John D. O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) and freshman forward
Ousmane Drame (Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianpolis Prep)).
Azotam averaged a double-double with 17.5 points and 11.0 rebounds, while Drame contributed 8.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game to capture
Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week accolades.
Drame’s big game was on Thursday when he matched a career-high with 13 points and pulled down a career-best 15 caroms in a 69-66 overtime win over Mount St. Mary’s. His key offensive board and putback gave the Bobcats a three-point edge with 19 seconds remaining in OT.
Azotam posted his league-best tenth double-double with 15 points and 13 boards on Saturday in a 51-50 setback to Wagner.
Quinnipiac leads the NEC and is the second ranked team in the country in rebound margin at +10.4 per game.
Azotam is the league’s top ranked glass sweeper at 9.8 per game, while Drame ranks tenth overall and second among NEC freshman with 7.0 per game despite playing just 18.5 minutes per contest.
FDU Back in Win Column
Fairleigh Dickinson’s 66-63 win at Bryant on Thursday was a welcome one for the program. The victory snapped a program-record 16-game losing streak and a nine-game NEC losing skid dating back to last season. FDU also had dropped 12 in a row on the road. The Knights were led by junior guard Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, FL/Deerfield Beach), who tied his career-high with 25 points and grabbed six boards. His two free throws with six seconds left on the clock gave FDU a three-point lead and the Knights withstood a Bryant three-point attempt at the buzzer.
Clutch Performances for Mount’s Parker
Mount St. Mary’s freshman guard Kelvin Parker (York, PA/William Penn) had ice in his veins last week. In the Mount's 69-66 overtime loss at Quinnipiac on Thursday, he had 16 points, including a clutch bucket with 2.4 seconds remaining to send the game to OT.
Two days later against Sacred Heart, he hit two three-pointers, and added a steal and an assist in an 8-0 run that snapped a 60-60 tie and gave the Mountaineers an eight-point lead with under two minutes to play in regulation.
While the Pioneers would send the game into extra time, Mount St. Mary’s would walk away with an 81-80 double overtime victory.
Parker finished with 11 points.
CCSU's Ken Horton Leads NEC Active Scorers; Wagner's Chris Martin Next to Join 1,000-Point Club?
There are 178 players in NEC history who have reached the 1,000-point plateau since the league began sponsoring basketball in 1981. CCSU senior forward
Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) is the leading active scorer with 1,809 points. Quinnipiac senior guard
James Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) is next with 1,574 and CCSU senior guard
Robby Ptacek (Bayport, NY/Blue Point) has accumulated 1,388 points.
This year, Sacred Heart junior guard
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) (1,244), Wagner senior guard
Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce) (1,112), St. Francis (NY) senior forward
Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Srednja Turisticka Skola) (1,104), LIU junior forward
Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) (1,101), Robert Morris junior guard
Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) (1,068) and LIU junior forward
Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) (1,062) have also made it to 1,000 points.
The next line of players closing in on 1,000 this season include Wagner senior guard
Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township (Apex Academies)) (953) and Monmouth senior forward
Mike Myers Keitt (Waterbury, CT/Fairfield Prep (Marianapolis Prep)) (865).
CCSU's Ptacek: Best Ever At The Line?
Central Connecticut State senior guard
Robby Ptacek's (Bay Shore, NY/Blue Point) near perfection at the charity stripe is not a one-year phenomenon.
In fact, Ptacek has a chance to close out his career as the top-ranked free throw shooter in the history of the conference.
The Bay Shore, NY native has hit 88.5 percent of his attempts over the course of his career, including an NCAA-best 92.4 percent this season.
The only player in league annals with a higher percentage is former CCSU star Tristan Blackwood, who shot 89.1 percent from the line from 2004-08.
CCSU’s Horton Leads 20/30 Pack
In the "stellar games" category, no NEC player is even close to Central Connecticut senior forward Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining).
Horton has racked up 42 games of 20+ points over the course of his career, with his next closest competitor in the NEC being Sacred Heart’s
Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) with 27.
He has also tallied eight games of 30+ points, also a league-leading mark and five more than any other NEC player.
This season alone, Horton has put up three 30-point outings.
Most Games - 20+ Points (active players)
Ken Horton, CCSU 42
Shane Gibson, SHU 28
Robby Ptacek, CCSU 24
James Johnson, QU 16
Alex Francis, BRY 12
Umar Shannon, SFPA 12
Julian Boyd, LIU 11
Velton Jones, RMU 11
Tyler Murray, WC 11
Will Campbell, MU 8
Chris Martin, WC 8
Stefan Perunicic, SFNY 8
Latif Rivers, WC 8
Kyle Vinales, CCSU 8
Ike Azotam, QU 6
Frankie Dobbs, BRY 6
Mike Myers-Keitt, MU 6
Jamal Olasewere, LIU 6
Jesse Steele, MU 6
Scott Eatherton, SFPA 5
Russell Johnson, RMU 4
Most Games - 30+ Points (active players)
Ken Horton, CCSU 8
Shane Gibson, SHU 3
Alex Francis, BRY 2
Velton Jones, RMU 2
Robby Ptacek, CCSU 2
Ike Azotam, QU 1
Melquan Bolding, FDU 1
Julian Boyd, LIU 1
James Johnson, QU 1
Chris Martin, WC 1
Jamal Olasewere, LIU 1
Latif Rivers, WC 1
Umar Shannon, SFPA 1
Kyle Vinales, CCSU 1
High-Fives
- Bryant junior guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/Saint Edward) averaged 22.5 points, 4.5 assists and hit eight three-pointers last week. He had 22 against Fairleigh Dickinson and 23 versus Monmouth.
- Monmouth junior guard
Jesse Steele (Milford, NJ/Oak Hill Academy (Army)) averaged 17.0 points, 4.5 assists and hit seven three pointers in wins over CCSU and Bryant last week.
- Mount St. Mary’s sophomore guard Julian Norfleet (Virginia Beach, VA/Landstown) averaged 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last week. He had 22 points and five boards in an overtime loss at Quinnipiac on Thursday.
- Robert Morris junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) averaged 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals in RMU’s split last week.
He has reached the 20-point threshold in four straight games and in five of his last six contests, averaging 23.5 ppg over that span.
- St. Francis (NY) junior forward
Akeem Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Susan S. McKinney) matched his career-high with 22 points and snared a game-high nine rebounds in the Terriers' 75-65 win at Saint Francis (PA) on Thursday.
- Saint Francis (PA) freshman guard
Ollie Jackson (Dallas, TX/Pinkston) scored a career-high 24 points on Saturday against LIU Brooklyn.
He hit 7-14 from the floor, including 4-9 from outside the arc, and was 9-9 at the line.
- Wagner senior guard
Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce) hit 7-9 from three-point range in a 73-54 win at Sacred Heart on Thursday.
The seven treys tied him for the second-most by an NEC player this season and matches the third-best single-game output in school annals.
- Wagner junior guard
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi)) pulled down a key offensive rebound and followed with the game-winning free throw with 4.6 seconds to play in a 51-50 win over Quinnipiac on Saturday.
Did You Know?
LIU Brooklyn ranks second in the nation in both trips to the foul line and free throws converted, trailing only New Mexico State in both categories.
The Blackbirds average 20.1 free throws per game and 27.7 free throw attempts per contest.
Quotes of the Week
“Lonnie Robinson was phenomenal tonight. We stuck together as a team when it could have been very easy for us to collapse. We were without (Melquan) Bolding and (Lonnie) Hayes and found a way to win. It is nice to finally get back into the win column.” – FDU head coach Greg Vetrone, after the Knights posted a 66-63 win – their first in NEC play this season – on Thursday
"I wouldn't call it revenge. This year we just wanted to come and not make the same mistake twice.” – LIU Brooklyn junior forward Julian Boyd after the Blackbirds beat Saint Francis (PA), 97-76, in Loretto on Saturday.
LIU had fallen to the Red Flash, 86-71, in DeGol Arena a year ago.
“I am so proud of our kids tonight. Their defensive effort was incredible. Mike (Myers-Keitt) stepped up and hit some big time free throws, and Ed (Waite) made the free throws before Mike. Red [Andrew Nicholas] gets to the basket and makes some tough shots. It was a total team effort tonight. Jesse (Steele) played well. Will (Campbell) made some big shots for us. I’m just proud of our kids who continue to fight. I’m happy we got this win at Central, because not many teams are going to win in here.” - Monmouth head coach King Rice following the Hawks' 58-56 overtime win at CCSU on Thursday
“I only had 11 minutes at half to give them a spanking, a pep talk and everything. I had to talk quick and be a parent but I had to get them to understand that we weren’t going to get 15 points in the first minute. I told them to see where we were at the 10-minute mark.” – Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore, on the halftime speech he gave his team when the Bobcats trailed Mount St. Mary’s, 43-28, on Thursday.
The Bobcats came back to win in overtime, 69-66.
"Long Island is a pretty good basketball team and if we didn't play with the intensity that we played with, we might have lost. We knew this was a big game, and we played with composure." - Robert Morris junior guard Velton Jones after the Colonials beat league-leader LIU Brooklyn, 75-66, on Thursday
"I hate losing, it's an awful feeling. It ruins your whole night. That's why I play so hard, to avoid this feeling." – Sacred Heart’s Shane Gibson, after scoring 41 points in an 81-80 double overtime loss to Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday
"I got pride, and I got feelings, too. This is a haul, and it can be a struggle at times. But what keeps me going is the belief that we're getting better and we're going in the right direction." – Saint Francis (PA) head coach Don Friday, following a 97-74 loss to first place LIU Brooklyn on Saturday
You don’t win on the road without defending people. We came on this trip worrying about getting swept by two good teams, and hoping to gain a split. To get a sweep is a great statement.” – Wagner head coach Dan Hurley on his team’s road sweep of Sacred Heart (73-54) and Quinnipiac (51-50) last week
NEC By the Numbers
2 largest crowds of the season for CCSU last week.
The Blue Devils drew 2,147 against Monmouth on Thursday and 2,412 versus FDU on Saturday.
2 starters from Saint Francis (PA)’s opening day lineup against VCU were active on Saturday against LIU Brooklyn.
As a result, the Red Flash are starting four underclassmen.
4.8 rebounds per game, a team-leading figure for 6’0” Wagner junior guard
Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi)).
5 overtime games contested in the last two weeks of NEC play, including two each for Monmouth, Mount St. Mary’s and Quinnipiac.
7.7 rebounds per game for St. Francis (NY) forward
Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Allen), the top mark among NEC freshman and sixth overall in the conference.
8-3 mark for Wagner in games decided by 10 points or less.
10 made three-pointers in each game of St. Francis (NY)’s road sweep of Saint Francis (PA) and Robert Morris last week.
The Terriers lead the NEC in made trifectas with 8.1 per game.
12 assists, a career-high, for LIU Brooklyn sophomore guard
Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) in Saturday’s 97-74 win over Saint Francis (PA)
12 straight double-figure scoring games for St. Francis (NY) senior forward
Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Srednja Turisticka Skola).
15 point halftime deficit erased by Quinnipiac in a 69-66 overtime win over Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday.
16 second half points – including a 3-3 mark from beyond the arc - for St. Francis (NY)
sophomore guard Brent Jones (Brooklyn, NY/Bedford Academy), as the Terriers rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to beat Robert Morris, 81-68, on Saturday. Jones finished with a career-high 19 points on the evening.
25th career double-double for LIU Brooklyn junior forward
Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft), who finished with 25 points and 12 boards in a setback at Robert Morris on Thursday.
46th on the NEC career scoring list, Quinnipiac senior guard
James Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) has amassed 1,574 points in his four years in Hamden.
60 percent shooting from three-point range for Wagner (15-25) in wins over Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac last week.
81 points for Mount St. Mary’s in a one-point victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday marked the most points scored by the Mount in a game this season and the most scored by a Mount team under second-year head coach Robert Burke.
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Bryant (2-20, 1-9 NEC, RPI: 340)
Last Week: Jan. 23 vs. Brown L, 67-60; Jan. 26 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson L, 66-63; Jan. 28 vs. Monmouth, 78-68
This Week: Feb. 2 at LIU Brooklyn; Feb. 4 at St. Francis (NY)
• Junior guard Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/St. Edward) recorded back-to-back 20+-point outings despite the Bulldogs’ 0-2 week, scoring 22 points Thursday against FDU and a game-high 23 Saturday against Monmouth to average 22.5 points per game on the week. Dobbs went 13-for-15 from the line in the efforts, 40 percent from the floor and 42.1 percent from long range while dishing out a team-leading nine assists.
• Saturday against the Hawks, Bryant shot a season-high 86.2 percent from the charity stripe, going 25-for-29 from the line. Four Bulldogs were perfect from the line, including an 8-for-8 mark from sophomore Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)) and a career-high nine from Dobbs.
• Francis averaged 17.5 points per game on the week, shooting an impressive 61.1 percent from the floor, 84.6 percent (11-13) from the line and a perfect 2-for-2 clip from 3-point range. Francis scored 19 points against Monmouth Saturday with 16 against the Knights Thursday
• Redshirt-freshman Troy Robinson (Roslindale, MA/Brimmer & May) led the team with 13 rebounds on the week, tying his career high with a game-best seven boards Saturday after collecting a team-best six Thursday.
Central Connecticut (10-10, 7-3 NEC, RPI: 251)
Last Week: Jan. 26 vs. Monmouth L, 58-56 (OT); Jan. 28 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson W, 69-62
This Week: Feb. 2 at St. Francis (NY); Feb. 4 at LIU Brooklyn
• The Blue Devils went 1-1 at home last week with an overtime loss to Monmouth on Thursday night and a 69-62 win on Saturday vs. Fairleigh Dickinson.
• Central saw its two largest crowds of the year last week, with over 2,100 on Thursday night and over 2,400 on Saturday.
• On Saturday the Blue Devils welcomed back over 65 alums to the game, honoring them at halftime with former coach Bill Detrick and former Athletics Director Bill Moore in attendance.
• Central will play four of its next five games on the road, where it is just 2-7 this season.
• The Blue Devils were 25-of-28 from the free-throw line in the win at home on Saturday, including 8-of-8 from freshman Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) and 8-of-10 from senior Robby Ptacek.
• Senior Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) moved over 1,800 career points in the game on Saturday, finishing with 1,808, just two points shy of the 10th spot on the NEC’s all-time scoring list.
• Senior Robby Ptacek’s (Bayport, NY/Blue Point) 21 points on Saturday give him 1,388 for his career, moving into 12th place all-time for the Blue Devils. He hit his first eight free-throws before missing a pair to end the game. He is 97-of-105 from the line this season, good for 92.4 percent.
• Senior David Simmons (Syracuse, NY/Henninger) had 10 points, three rebounds and four steals in a season-high 35 minutes of action on Saturday in the win over FDU. Simmons was 4-of-4 from the field in the game, and has now made 31-of-38 from the field on the season.
Fairleigh Dickinson (2-19, 1-9 NEC, RPI: 333)
Last Week: Jan. 26 at Bryant W, 66-63; Jan. 28 at Central Connecticut L, 69-62
This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Quinnipiac; Feb. 4 vs. Sacred Heart
• FDU snapped a program-record 16-game losing streak with its win over Bryant. It also snapped a nine-game NEC losing streak and a 12-game road winless streak dating back to the final day of last season.
• Junior Lonnie Hayes (Deerfield Beach, FL/Deerfield Beach) played all 40 minutes in both games against Bryant and Central Connecticut State. He tied his career-high with 25 points and grabbed six rebounds, while knocking down a career-best nine free throws on 11 attempts in the win over Bryant. He then scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out a career-high seven assists in the loss to CCSU.
• Senior Briahn Smith (Detroit, MI/Madison) scored 12 points in the win over Bryant as he tied a career high with four three-pointers, including a three that put the Knights up for good, and grabbed a season-high seven rebounds. In the loss to CCSU, he scored 12 more points and grabbed five rebounds.
• Graduate Student George Goode (Raytown, MO/Raytown South) scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and swatted two shots in the win over Bryant. He then scored a team-high 17 points, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and picked up two more blocks in the loss to CCSU.
• Sophomore Mathias Seilund (Dragoer, Denmark/Falkonergaardens Gymnasium) scored 11 points as he knocked down a career-high three trey balls including back-to-back during a 14-0 first half run against CCSU that gave the Knights a 24-20 lead. He scored eight points during the run. His third three of the game tied the score at 38 in the second half.
• Junior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds in the loss to CCSU
• The Knights had a season-high four players score in double-figures in the loss to CCSU.
• The Knights had their best shooting performance for a week as they connected on 46.8 percent (44-of-94) of their shots from the field, while dishing out 26 assists on their 44 made field goals.
• The Knights tied a season-low with 45 field goal attempts in the win over Bryant.
• The Knights played without their leading scorer Melquan Bolding (Mt. Vernon, NY/BishopStepinac) last week as he was suspended for two games for violation of team rules.
• FDU has lost a program-record 16 games in a row.
LIU Brooklyn (15-7, 9-1 NEC, RPI: 104)
Last Week: Jan. 26 at Robert Morris L, 75-66; Jan. 28 at Saint Francis (PA) W, 97-76
This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Bryant; Feb. 4 vs. Central Connecticut
• LIU Brooklyn split a pair of games on its trip through Western Pennsylvania. The Blackbirds suffered a 75-66 defeat at Robert Morris on Jan. 26 before responding in a big way with a 97-76 win at Saint Francis (PA) on Jan. 28.
• The Robert Morris loss snapped a pair of streaks for the Blackbirds. LIU had won 18 consecutive Northeast Conference games dating back to last season, two shy of the league record. That streak stretched to 21 if you included the NEC Tournament. After dropping the conference opener last season, LIU had gone 24-1 in NEC regular-season contests. The loss also halted a nine-game winning streak for the Blackbirds.
• Dating back to last season LIU Brooklyn has won 19 consecutive home games. That streak is the sixth-longest active one in the country behind Kentucky (47 games), Ohio State (37), North Carolina (29, Harvard (23) and Oral Roberts (20).
• Junior Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/Willam H. Taft) turned in game highs of 25 points and 12 rebounds against the Colonials. The double-double was his ninth of the season and 25th career.
• The Blackbirds shot a season-high 95 percent at the free-throw line at Robert Morris, hitting 19 of 20 attempts.
• In the 97-76 win at Saint Francis (PA), junior Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) registered his seventh double-double of the season (17th career) with game highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds.
• Sophomore Jason Brickman (San Antonio, TX/Clark) handed out a career-high 12 assists against the Red Flash, besting his previous best of 11, set on three occasions.
• LIU ranks in the top two in the nation in both trips to the foul line and free throws converted, trailing only New Mexico State in both categories. The Blackbirds average 20.1 free throws per game to place second in the country. Their 27.7 field-goal attempts per contest also rank second.
Monmouth (6-17, 4-6 NEC, RPI: 266)
Last Week: Jan. 26 at Central Connecticut W, 58-56 (OT); Jan. 28 at Bryant W, 78-68
This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Sacred Heart; Feb. 4 vs. Quinnipiac
• Monmouth won both ends of an NEC weekend road set for the first time since January of 2006, when the Hawks defeated Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac on the road - spanning over five years.
• Monmouth is now 5-1 all-time against Bryant, winning the last five meetings.
• Dion Nesmith (Union, NJ/Union (Northeastern)), who now ranks third on the team in scoring (8.0 ppg) in just his first season of college basketball, has scored in double-figures in each of the last four games, which included a career-high 22 points against Robert Morris.
• MU’s opponents have attempted 128 more free throws than the Hawks, leading to a 118 point differential from the charity stripe.
• Monmouth tied a season-best with 11 made three-pointers at CCSU on Thursday night, its first win in Detrick Gym since February of 2009.
• The Hawks now have eight players averaging 6.0 ppg or more.
• Saturday’s victory marked the 250th NEC win in Monmouth history.
Mount St. Mary's (5-16, 3-7 NEC, RPI: 288)
Last Week: Jan. 26 at Quinnipiac L, 69-66 (OT); Jan. 29 at Sacred Heart W, 81-80 (2 OT)
This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Saint Francis (PA); Feb. 4 vs. Robert Morris
• The Mount went 1-1 this week, splitting a pair of overtime road games.
• On Saturday, the Mount outlasted Sacred Heart, 81-80, in double overtime. It was the Mount’s first multiple-overtime game since a 78-76 quadruple-overtime win at LIU Brooklyn on Jan. 4, 2007.
• The Mount lost at Quinnipiac, 69-66, in overtime on Thursday night despite 22 points from sophomore Julian Norfleet (Virginia Beach, VA/Landstown).
• In the Sacred Heart game, Josh Castellanos (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian Prep) had a career high 19 points, including the game-winning free throws with 6.8 seconds left in the second overtime. Danny Thompson (Springdale, MD/C.H. Flowers) then blocked Shane Gibson’s three-point attempt from the right corner and the tip didn’t fall, and the Mount earned the victory.
• The Mount had five players scored in double figures at Sacred Heart with Castellanos (19), Norfleet (16), Danny Thompson (13), Kelvin Parker (York, PA/William Penn) (11) and Raven Barber (Edgewood, MD/Paul VI (VA)) (10). It is the second time this year the Mount has had five players reach double figures in a game. The other was against LIU Brooklyn on Dec. 3.
• The 81 points in the double-overtime win at Sacred Heart marked the most points scored by the Mount in a game this season and the most points scored by a Mount team under second-year head coach Robert Burke.
• The last time the Mount played consecutive overtime games was 2003-04 when the Mountaineers had three consecutive overtime games.
Quinnipiac (11-10, 4-6 NEC, RPI: 195)
Last Week: Jan. 26 vs. Mount St. Mary’s W, 69-66 (OT); Jan. 28 vs. Wagner L, 51-50
This Week: Feb. 2 at Fairleigh Dickinson; Feb. 4 at Monmouth
• The Bobcats went 1-1 in two home games last week; defeating Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday night, 69-66, in overtime before suffering a tough loss to Wagner, 51-50, on Saturday afternoon.
• The front court due of Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) and Ousmane Drame (Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianapolis Prep)) paced the Bobcats throughout the week. Azotam averaged 17.5 points and 11 rebounds, while Drame tossed in 8.5 points and grabbed 12 rebounds per game.
• On Thursday night, the Bobcats erased a 15-point halftime deficit to force overtime against the Mountaineers. Quinnipiac controlled the added five minutes from the tip, outscoring the Mountaineers 8-5 in overtime, behind four points from Azotam, two from Dave Johnson (Jackson, NJ/St. Mark’s (MA)) and the final two from Drame. The 6-foot-9 freshman snatched an offensive rebound with 19 seconds left and calmly laid the ball up and through for a three-point lead. MSM’s Julian Norfleet’s fade-away three in the waning seconds was off target, leaving the Bobcats with a much-needed triumph on Lender Court.
• The Bobcats recorded 26 second-chance points on 21 offensive rebounds compared to just nine and 14 from the Mountaineers. In addition, Quinnipiac held MSM to 36 percent shooting in the second half, a figure that has typically been much higher over the past few games.
• On Saturday afternoon, a late free-throw sent the Seahawks over the Bobcats with a one-point triumph. For the game, Wagner outshot Quinnipiac 44.2 percent to 28.8 percent from the floor, 80 percent to 16.7 percent from behind the arc and 81.8 percent to 71.4 percent from the free-throw line.
• Despite being among the nation’s best in turnover margin though, QU totaled only eight compared to 14 from the Seahawks. The Bobcats controlled the glass, 40-31, and turned 21 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points. Quinnipiac also owned the paint, 32-26.
• Quinnipiac returns to action next weekend with a trip to New Jersey. The Bobcats head to Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday before taking on Monmouth on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. for both games.
Robert Morris (16-7, 7-3 NEC, RPI: 111)
Last Week: Jan. 26 vs. LIU Brooklyn W, 75-66; Jan. 28 vs. St. Francis (NY) L, 81-68
This Week: Feb. 2 at Wagner; Feb. 4 at Mount St. Mary’s
• Robert Morris split a pair of games last week at the Charles L. Sewall Center, running its winning streak to a season-high four games with a 75-66 victory over LIU Brooklyn (1/26/12) before having that streak snapped with an 81-68 loss to St. Francis (NY) (1/28/12).
• Robert Morris finished the month of January with a record of 6-3 (.667), improving the program to 37-9 (.804) during the month over the last five seasons.
• Redshirt junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) averaged 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals in RMU’s split last week … Jones scored a team-high 23 points in the win over LIU and paced the Colonials with 21 against the Terriers.
• Jones has reached the 20-point threshold in four straight games and in five of his last six contests, averaging 23.5 points per game over that span … RMU’s active leading scorer with 1,068 points, Jones ranks 16th all-time in school history in scoring.
• Jones, who finished 18-for-24 (75 percent) at the charity stripe in RMU’s two games last week, is 10 free-throw attempts shy of establishing a new single-season record in the category … The school record of 185 is held by former Colonial Gabe Jackson (1992-95), who turned the trick in 1994-95.
• Likewise, Jones is also just 19 free throws made short of breaking the single-season record of 151 that is held Jackson during the 1994-95 campaign.
• Jones is one of five Colonials to convert at least 300 free throws on his career and enters this week’s action with 323 conversions at the chalk, which ranks third all-time at Robert Morris, trailing only former Colonial Maurice Carter (2001-05), who finished with 349, and all-time leading scorer Myron Walker (1990-94), who converted 386 career free throws.
• Redshirt sophomore guard Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School) averaged 14.0 points in RMU’s split last week, scoring 13 in the win over LIU before supplying 15 against St. Francis (NY).
• RMU’s top two scorers, Velton Jones and Coron Williams, combined to hit just 10 of their 40 attempts (25 percent) from the floor in the loss to St. Francis (NY).
• Over the last seven games, a stretch in which Robert Morris is 4-3, opponents have shot 47.4 percent (161-for-340) from the field, including 45 percent (54-for-120) from long range.
• Freshman Lucky Jones (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony) contributed 10 points in RMU’s victory over LIU Brooklyn but struggled from the free-throw line, hitting just three of his eight attempts (37.5 percent) … Jones entered the week coming off a streak of 19 straight free throws made but saw his season free-throw percentage drop to 79.2 percent (61-for-77).
• Robert Morris finished with 20 offensive rebounds against St. Francis (N.Y.), the fourth time this season the Colonials have reached the 20-carom plateau on the season … RMU is 1-3 (.333) when grabbing at least 20 offensive caroms in a game this season.
• The Colonials open a three-game road swing with a pair of games this week, visiting Staten Island, N.Y., Thursday, Feb. 2, for a 7:00 p.m. tip against Wagner at the Spiro Sports Center … RMU will also visit Mount St. Mary’s (Feb. 4) and in-state rival Saint Francis (PA) (Feb. 8) before returning home to host the Red Flash to conclude the NEC’s “Rivalry Week” Saturday, Feb. 11.
Sacred Heart (10-13, 4-6 NEC, RPI: 233)
Last Week: Jan. 26 vs. Wagner L, 73-54; Jan. 28 vs. Mount St. Mary’s L, 81-80 (2 OT)
This Week: Feb. 2 at Monmouth; Feb. 4 at Fairleigh Dickinson
• Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) became the first Pioneer on the Division I level to score 40 points in a game and the first since 1993. Gibson made a career-high 16-of-28 on the way to a career-best 41 points in the double overtime loss to Mount St. Mary’s. Gibson produced the first 40-point game by a Pioneer during the program’s Division I tenure and the first since Darrin Robinson dropped 47 on New Haven on Feburay 17, 1993.
• With 20 against Wagner and 41 against the Mount, Gibson has hit for 20 or more in six-straight and 11 of his last 12 games.
• He sits atop the NEC scoring race averaging 21.6 ppg. In 10 NEC games, Gibson is averaging 26.1 ppg, six points more then the next player.
• SHU played their second overtime game this season and their first double overtime game since a 100-92 loss at Wagner on 2/14/08.
• The Pioneers erased a 12-point second half deficit and with a three from Gibson with 25 seconds left forced overtime against the Mount. SHU held a four point lead in the second overtime but could not hold on for the win.
• The Pioneers scored a season-low 54 points in their lose to Wagner Thursday night. It was the only meeting between SHU and Wagner this season.
• Junior Nick Greenbacker (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) scored a season-high 14 points with seven rebounds and a career-high four blocks against Wagner.
• Sophomore Evan Kelley (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) scored 10 points off the bench vs. Wagner, his first double digit effort since a 12-point night at Boston College.
• SHU’s three-for-20 shooting night from three on Thursday was their worst night from behind the arc in NEC play this season. They did go two-for-13 from three in the loss at Richmond.
• Junior center Justin Swidowski (Cinnaminson, NJ/Holy Cross HS) returned to the court after missing four-straight games with a shoulder injury. Swidowski came off the bench to play 26 minutes vs. the Mount and scored 10 points with five rebounds and two blocks. While SHU got Swidowski back, they were without the services of sophomore Chris Evans for the first time the season. Evans sat out the Mount game (knee).
St. Francis (NY) (11-10, 8-2 NEC, RPI: 200)
Last Week: Jan. 26 at Saint Francis (PA) W, 75-65; Jan. 28 at Robert Morris W, 81-68
This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Central Connecticut; Feb. 4 vs. Bryant
• St. Francis (NY) swept the St. Francis (PA) and Robert Morris road trip last week for the first time since 1998. The Terriers had lost five straight in Loretto and three straight in Moon Township.
• The Terriers have won seven of their last eight contests and are off to their best start in the NEC since the 2000-2001 campaign.
• At 11-10, this is the latest the Terriers have been over the .500 mark since the 2003-04 season.
• Senior forward Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Dimitrije Tucovic High School) moved into the NEC’s top-ten list with 265 career 3-point field goals. He needs 29 more to surpass Angel Santana, who is tops on the Terriers’ all-time charts with 294 treys. Perunicic, who had reached double-figures in scoring in 12 straight prior to the Robert Morris game, leads game circuit in 3-pointers per game (2.76).
• Sophomore point guard Brent Jones (Brooklyn, NY/Bedford Academy) has started the last four contests at the point and delivered a career-high 19 points at Robert Morris. He’s tied for 10th in the NEC in steals (1.24 pg.) and has averaged 11.3 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds over the last eight games.
• Junior forward Akeem Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Susan S. McKinney) tied his career-high with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting at St. Francis (PA). Johnson also hit 8-of-9 from the line and grabbed a team-high nine boards. Johnson is second in the league in field goal percentage (.581) and is 27th in scoring (10.3 ppg.) and 16th in rebounding (5.2 pg.).
• Freshman forward Jalen Cannon (Allentown, PA/William Alllen) recorded his 5th double-double of the season at Robert Morris with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Cannon is 6th in the league in boarding at 7.7 per game. He’s also second in the league in field goal percentage (.635) in conference games.
• Junior forward Travis Nichols (Brooklyn, NY/Food & Finance) gave the Terriers a huge lift with 16 points in 22 minutes off the bench at Robert Morris. Nichols went 5-of-7 from the floor and drained 3-of-5 treys. He also added 11 points at St. Francis (PA)in 15 minutes of action.
• The Terriers 10-game streak of outrebounding their opponent came to a hault at Robert Morris. St. Francis has won the battle in 15 of 21 contests this season.
• The Terriers have hit a NEC-high 47 percent from the floor in conference games and have been above 50 percent in four of their 10 contests.
• St. Francis hit 10 treys against St. Francis (PA) and Robert Morris and have now reached double-digits in 3’s seven different times his season. They lead the league with 8.1 per game.
• St. Francis will host Central Connecticut State and Bryant this week at the Pope Physical Education Center.
Saint Francis (PA) (5-16, 4-6 NEC, RPI: 308)
Last Week: Jan. 26 vs. St. Francis (NY) L, 75-65; Jan. 28 vs. LIU Brooklyn L, 97-76
This Week: Feb. 2 at Mount St. Mary’s; Feb. 4 at Wagner
• Against LIU Brooklyn, Ollie Jackson (Dallas, TX/Pinkston) led all scorers in the first half with 15 points. Prior to Saturday, the SFU freshman had not tallied more than 12 in conference play. Jackson finished the game with a career-high 24, the rookie also did it on 7-of-14 shooting from the field.
• Saint Francis took advantage of LIU’s 19 turnovers turning them into 28 points. The Red Flash also limited their turnovers to just nine and allowed the Blackbirds just nine points on those mistakes.
• Saturday was the first time the Red Flash surrendered 90 or more points since LIU posted 90 against the Flash in the first round of the NEC tournament a season ago.
• Anthony Ervin (Chesterfied, VA/Fork Union Military Acadamy) posted a career-high 27 points for the Flash against Saint Francis (NY) and did it on 10-of-19 shooting.
• Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) posted a season-high 14 points agianst SFNY and did it with his best shooting night as a member of the Red Flash going 4-of-5 from the floor.
• The Red Flash did not have starting forward Jon Taylor (Bowie, MD/Montgomery College-Germantown), who missed the game due to an injury to his hand. From their starting line up in the season opener against VCU only two of the starters were active Saturday.
Wagner (17-4, 8-2 NEC, RPI: 81)
Last Week: Jan. 26 at Sacred Heart W, 73-54; Jan. 28 at Quinnipiac W, 51-50
This Week: Feb. 2 vs. Robert Morris; Feb. 4 vs. Saint Francis (PA)
• Wagner defeated Sacred Heart (1/26) 73-54 and Quinnipiac (1/28) 51-50 on the week and have won 10 of its last 11 games while improving to 17-4 and the 8-2 in the Northeast Conference (NEC).
• The Seahawks limited the Pioneers and the Bobcats to a combined 4-of-26 from long range while converting on 15-of-26 from deep.
• Wagner’s defense forced both opponents into season-low totals for points.
• The Seahawks have now won a school-record matching and NCAA-leading 10 road victories and are 11-2 away from the Spiro Sports Center this season.
• Wagner appeared in the CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top-25 poll for the fifth-straight week, checking in at #24.
• The Seahawks also improved to 13-0 when holding the opposition to under 70 points, 12-1 when scoring at least 70 points and 17-1 when leading with five minutes to play.
• The Green & White also are now 8-3 in games decided by 10 points or less and finish up January with an impressive 7-1 record.
• Sophomore Kenneth Ortiz’s (Newark, NJ/Science Park (Southern Mississippi)) game-winning free throw with 4.6 seconds remaining marked his second game-winning shot of the year.
• After halftime, Wagner has its 10 NEC opponents into just 19.7 percent (12-61) shooting from long range in the second half, compared to converting 38.0 percent (35-92) on offense.
• In just one of the Seahawks 10 NEC games has the opposition shot better than 40.0 percent on three-point attempts.
• Head coach Dan Hurley won his 30th career game against Quinnipiac in just his 51st game with the Green & White. He is the second-fastest coach to 30 wins in school history and the quickest in the Division I era (since 1976-1977).
• Wagner’s eight-straight victories away from home match the school-record last recorded during the 1978-1979 season.
• Senior Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce) led the team on the week, averaging 15.0 points per game while shooting 80.0 percent (8-10) from long range. He is currently 29th in school history in scoring (1,102) and continues to rank first on all-time three-point percentage (.441) list.
• The Seahawks 51 points mark the lowest scored in a victory since notching 51 in a 51-48 victory at Robert Morris on February 6, 1993.
• The Green & White will next host Robert Morris on Thursday, February 2 in a game that will be broadcast on MSG before playing Saint Francis (PA) on Saturday, February 4. Wagner is 8-2 in television games this year.