Choice Hotels/NEC Co-Player of the Week
Shane Gibson, Sacred Heart
6-2, 180lbs
Jr., G, Killingly, CT/Killingly
Sacred Heart’s Shane Gibson continued to have the hot hand for head coach Dave Bike and his Pioneer squad. The now-three-time player of the week averaged 32.0 points per game and shot 63.6% from the field as SHU defeated Bryant in both games of the teams’ NEC Rivalry Week series and improved to 7-7 in conference play this season. The league’s leading scorer in conference play at 25.9 points per game, Gibson opened the week with a 30-point demonstration that saw him hit 10 of his 16 shots from the field, including five from downtown, as the Pioneers squeaked out a 79-77 victory over the Bulldogs at home. Along with breaking the 30-point plateau, he broke the SHU Division I single-season scoring record, surpassing Maurice Bailey’s mark of 542 (2003-04) by finishing the night with 564 points. After a short break, Gibson would pick up right where he left off on Saturday, this time supplying the Pioneers with 34 points in an 72-46 win over the Bulldogs. Entering the game seven minutes in, the Killingly, CT, product sparked a 37-9 run with 11 straight points before finishing the first half with 23 and his team up 34-20. For the game, he shot 11-for-17 from the field and 9-for-10 from the line. He also added four assists and three steals. Gibson leads the NEC and ranks fourth nationally in scoring at 22.1 ppg. He has scored 20 or more points in 12-of-14 league games and an NEC-best 18 times overall this season. Gibson also leads the conference with four 30+ point outings.
Choice Hotels/NEC Co-Player of the Week
Jamal Olasewere, LIU Brooklyn
6-7, 215lbs
Jr., F, Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook
LIU Brooklyn’s Jamal Olasewere averaged 26.5 points and 11 rebounds per game to earn a share of the Choice Hotels/NEC Player of the Week award as the Blackbirds came from behind twice to sweep St. Francis (NY) during NEC Rivalry Week. The preseason All-NEC selection and two-time player of the week posted his eighth double-double of the season with 21 points and a game-high 11 boards in the first installment of the series, an 86-77 decision in SFC’s home game at Madison Square Garden. He then followed that performance with a career-high 32-point outburst at home, lifting LIU Brooklyn past St. Francis (NY), 81-78, to give the Blackbirds their second straight Battle of Brooklyn trophy. In that game, the Silver Spring, MD native hit all of his field goal attempts, tying him with Vermont’s Luke Apfeld (December 23 vs. Towson) for the most made field goals without a miss in a game this season. He scored 23 in the first half, then converted a key three-point play with 44 seconds to play that tied the game at 77. Overall, he finished the week shooting 73% from the floor and 74% from the charity stripe. The NEC’s second-ranked scorer (20.4) and fifth-best rebounder (8.5) in conference play, Olasewere earned Lai-Lynch trophy for being named the Battle of Brooklyn Most Valuable Player as first place LIU improved its league record to 13-1 on the season.
Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week
Ousmane Drame, Quinnipiac
6-9, 240lbs
Fr., F, Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianapolis Prep)
Freshman forward Ousmane Drame gave his Quinnipiac Bobcats a much-needed boost in a two-game sweep of Central Connecticut during NEC Rivalry Week to earn his third Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week honor. The Boston, MA native averaged nine points, eight rebounds and two blocks as the Bobcats stretched their win streak to four and moved to 8-6 in the conference with just four games left to play in the regular season. In Wednesday’s game, Drame put on an 11-point, eight-rebound performance in a 28-point victory over the Blue Devils, prevailing 72-44. In a televised affair on Sunday, he capped the sweep with seven points, eight boards and three blocks in a 69-57 victory on the road. Overall, he shot 7-for-12 from the field (.583), and added three assists and a steal. Drame has averaged 10.4 rebounds over his last six games and now ranks eighth in the NEC with 7.3 per game.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
NEC Playoff Qualifiers
There are two weeks left in the regular season and four teams have already wrapped up spots in the eight-team NEC playoff field. LIU Brooklyn, Wagner and St. Francis (NY) and Robert Morris have guaranteed themselves a chance to play in March. RMU has now qualified for NEC Tournament play in each of the last nine seasons, while LIU has made the postseason five straight years. St. Francis (NY) and Wagner will be making their second consecutive playoff appearance.
Standings Breakdown
LIU Brooklyn had to rally late to best neighborhood rival St. Francis (NY) on Sunday, but in doing so maintained its one-game edge in the NEC standings over Wagner. The Blackbirds are now 13-1 in league play on the year, while the Seahawks, at 12-2, are in sole possession of second place. Should the two teams end the season deadlocked, the Blackbirds own the tiebreaker based on a series sweep over the Green & White. Both teams, however, are guaranteed to host an NEC quarterfinal game. LIU has now won five straight and Wagner has won six in a row. Similarly, each program is 14-1 in its last 15 contests.
St. Francis (NY) and Robert Morris are tied for third in the standings with 10-4 conference marks. After dropping two straight, the Colonials have rebounded to win their last three outings, while the Terriers were cooled off by LIU after stringing together five consecutive victories. The head-to-head edge between the two teams goes St. Francis (NY), which defeated RMU, 81-68, in their only meeting this season. The two teams have their eyes on a top-four seed - which would guarantee a home playoff game – and currently stand two games ahead of fifth place Quinnipiac.
Following a 2-5 start, Quinnipiac has gone 6-1 in NEC play to push its ledger to 8-6 on the year. The Bobcats, who need one more win to secure a berth in the postseason, are a game up on Central Connecticut, Monmouth and Sacred Heart, all tied for sixth place with 7-7 records. The three-team pack has the inside track on the final three NEC Tournament spots, holding a three-game edge over ninth place Mount St. Mary’s and Saint Francis (PA), both 4-10 on the season.
Fairleigh Dickinson (1-13 NEC) has been eliminated from playoff contention. Bryant is ineligible for the postseason until 2012-13.
3-For-20
With Wagner having already piled up 21 wins, and LIU Brooklyn and Robert Morris with 19 victories apiece, the NEC is on the cusp of having three 20-win teams in the same season for only the second time in league history. In 1995-96, Marist (22-7), Mount St. Mary’s (21-8) and Monmouth (20-10) all reached the 20-win plateau and went on to compete in the postseason. The Hawks won the NEC championship that year, while the Mount and Red Foxes earned NIT bids.
Wagner Quickest to 20
Wagner became the quickest team in NEC history to reach 20 wins with its 59-44 victory over Mount St. Mary’s on February 8th. The Seahawks, who are 21-4 on the year, eclipsed the record set a year ago by LIU Brooklyn, which hit the 20-win mark on February 12, 2011. The Seahawks are the sixth team in school history to win 20 games and the fourth in the Division I era (since 1976-77). Wagner is just two wins shy of matching the program record of 23 set in 2007-08. The Seahawks are also just one of 23 teams nationwide with 21+ wins.
Rivalry Week Wrapup
The third installment of NEC Rivalry Week was an odd one for sure. The week featured six pairs of teams (Long Island-St. Francis (NY), Fairleigh Dickinson-Monmouth, Robert Morris-Saint Francis (PA), CCSU-Quinnipiac, Bryant-Sacred Heart and Mount St. Mary’s-Wagner) squaring off in home-and-home contests. But in a strange quirk not likely to occur again anytime soon, all six series ended in sweeps.
The innovative concept of playing back-to-back contests against a local rival in a 48-hour span is the only one of its kind among the nation's 31 NCAA Division I conferences.
Here are some quick recaps on each of the series:
Battle of Brooklyn
Another instant classic. After LIU Brooklyn’s buzzer-beating win in the 2011 Battle of Brooklyn, the bar was set high for this year’s clash which matched two of the top teams in the NEC. After the Blackbirds finally managed some breathing roon on Sunday, taking a 70-62 lead over the Terriers with 6:14 to play, St. Francis responded with a 13-0 run over the next three minutes to build a five-point edge with under three minutes left on the clock. With the Terriers clinging to a one-point advantage, LIU junior forward Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) hit a turnaround jumper with 18 seconds remaining. St. Francis (NY) set up for a final shot, but turned the ball over with under two seconds to play and LIU escaped with an 81-78 victory. The Blackbirds’ Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) took home the Lai-Lynch trophy as the game's MVP after going 11-11 from the floor in a career-high 32-point outing. Four days earlier, the two teams had met in Madison Square Garden with first place at stake. LIU shot 57.1 percent from the field in the game to post an 86-77 triumphas both Boyd (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Olasewere (21 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles. St. Francis (NY) junior forward Akeem Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Susan S. McKinney) had two outstanding outings, averaging 23.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg. He scored a career-high 24 points in the game at MSG.
Key Stat: Olasewere, the Choice Hotels NEC Co-Player of the Week, compiled 26.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg and shot 73.1 percent from the floor.
Garden State Rivalry Series
Monmouth earned the Governor Codey Trophy for the second straight year with a sweep of Fairleigh Dickinson. The Hawks raced out to a 22-point first half lead in a televised game at the Rothman Center on Wednesday, then withstood a second half rally by the Knights to win, 75-62. It was a much tighter game in West Long Branch on Saturday as Monmouth was nursing a three-point lead with under 13 minutes to play when freshman Andrew Nicholas (Wrightsville, PA/Eastern York) started an 11-0 run with a three-pointer and layup en-route to an 82-68 victory.
Key Stat: Monmouth received a combined 69 points from its bench over the two games.
Keystone Clash
Robert Morris swept Saint Francis (PA) (78-74 and 70-56) for the fourth straight year and has now won nine straight against its Western Pennsylvania rivals. The Colonials fell behind by 11 in the first half on Wednesday in Loretto, but assumed control with a 10-0 run early in the second stanza. The Red Flash chipped away at a double digit deficit and pulled to within two on two occasions in the final minute, but two free throws apiece from Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) and Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School) iced the game. The Colonials forced 24 turnovers on Saturday with Williams scoring a game-high 18 points.
Key Stat: Wlliams hit 7-11 from three-point range and averaged 15.5 points in the two games
New England Knockout
It was the Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) show once again as the junior guard put on two memorable performances in Sacred Heart’s sweep of Bryant. The Choice Hotels NEC Co-Player of the Week averaged 32.0 points on 63.6 percent shooting from the floor. He also hit 8-16 from three-point range. The Pioneers had to hold off the hard-charging Bulldogs at home on Wednesday as Bryant nearly erased a 14-point second half deficit. After Bryant pulled to within one with 5:56 to play, Gibson scored eight points and Sacred Heart iced the game at the line for a 79-77 victory. The Pioneers had no such trouble on Saturday, winning in Smithfield by a 72-46 final score.
Key Stat: Sacred Heart shot a blazing 58.7 percent from the floor in the two games.
North-South Showdown
Mount St. Mary’s and Wagner, while not traditional rivals, had their own motivations heading into Rivalry Week. The Mount was fighting to secure an NEC playoff berth, while Wagner looked to keep pace with LIU Brooklyn in its quest for the regular season crown. It was the Seahawks who emerged victorious on both nights, posting a 59-44 win in Emmitsburg, before claiming a 74-58 victory back home at the Spiro Center. The Seahawks limited the Mount to a combined 37.1 percent shooting from the floor.
Key Stat: Wagner junior forward Jonathon Williams (Richmond, CA/Kennedy (City College of San Francisco)) averaged 16.5 points and shot 61.9 percent from the field over the two-game series.
Connecticut Collision
One of the NEC’s hottest teams, Quinnipiac took two from Constitution State rival Central Connecticut to extend its win streak to four and take over sole possession of fifth place. The Bobcats put on a defensive clinic on Wednesday, holding the Blue Devils to 26.8 percent shooting from the field in a 72-44 win in Hamden. Sunday brought a much more competitive game in New Britain, but once again, the Quinnipiac defense proved to be the difference, limiting CCSU to just two points over the final 10:24 as the Bobcats flipped a six point deficit into a 67-59 victory.
Key Stat: Quinnipiac freshman forward Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/John D. O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) averaged 16.0 ppg and 9.0 rpg, including a 15/10 double-double on Sunday.
NEC-TV Hits the Road
There are four games on the NEC-TV slate this week, starting with a tilt in Emmitsburg, MD on Thursday as Mount St. Mary's hosts Fairleigh Dickinson in a game to air live on Fox College Sports (FCS), MASN and ESPN3. Tip is at 7:00 pm. It will be a busy Saturday of NEC hoops with three games on tap, beginning with a Bryant-Saint Francis (PA) doubleheader in Loretto, PA. The men go off first at 11:30 am on MSG and FCS, followed by the women at 2:30 pm on FCS and ESPN3. The games will also air on a delay basis on Cox Sports (CT/RI) and Root Sports. Sacred Heart and St. Francis (NY) close out the day in Brooklyn with a 7:00 pm game on MSG. FCS will air the game on delay at 11:00 pm.
NEC-TV Announcing Assignments:
Feb. 16 - FDU at Mount St. Mary's - Dave Popkin (play-by-play), Terry O'Connor (color), Paul Dottino (sideline)
Feb. 18 - Sacred Heart at St. Francis (NY) - Paul Dottino (play-by-play), Joe DeSantis (color), John Schmeelk (sideline)
Feb. 18 - Bryant at Saint Francis (PA) (w) - Matt Harmon (play-by-play), Phyllis Mangina (color)
Feb. 18 - Bryant at Saint Francis (PA) (m) - Matt Harmon (play-by-play), Terry O'Connor (color)
Kings Of New York
Wagner sports the best record among the 23 New York Metropolitan area Division I teams this season. At 21-4, the Seahawks are ahead of Iona (20-6) and fellow NEC member LIU Brooklyn (19-7). Yale (16-6), Manhattan (18-9), Seton Hall (17-8) and Stony Brook (17-8) are also in the mix.
Reversal of Fortunes
Wagner’s 21-4 record is the reverse of its 4-21 record just two years ago. The Seahawks improved nine games last season, winning 13 times in Dan Hurley’s first season at the helm of the program, and have improved another eight games in 2011-12.
Perfection for LIU’s Jamal Olasewere
By making all 11 of his shots from the field in an 81-78 win over St. Francis (NY) on Sunday, LIU Brooklyn junior forward Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) became only the second NEC player in the last 15 years to make at least 10 field goals in a game without a miss. Former Sacred Heart center Kibwe Trim went a perfect 12-12 against Saint Francis (PA) on February 24, 2005. He also tied with Vermont’s Luke Apfeld (December 23 vs. Towson) for the most made field goals without a miss in a Division I game this season.
QU's Commitment To D
After a six-game January stretch in which Quinnipiac allowed an average of 75.2 ppg and fell to 2-5 in NEC play, the Bobcats have righted the ship and enter play this week having won four straight to improve to 8-6 in the conference. What sparked the turnaround? The Bobcats reinvented themselves as a defense first team, a fact supported by a quick glance at the numbers during their current four-game win streak. In that span, Quinnipiac has allowed a mere 49.8 ppg as teams have been successful on just 31.7 percent of their shot attempts, From three-point range, QU's opponents have hit 9-59 from outside the arc, a 15.3 percent success rate. As a result, the Bobcats have outscored their NEC rivals by 19.0 points per game over the four wins.
RMU Recordbreaker!
Robert Morris has now won 110 games since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign, breaking its own NEC record for victories over a five-year span. The Colonials had won 108 games from 2006 to 2011.
Another Day at the Office for SHU’s Shane Gibson
There’s no slowing down Sacred Heart junior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly). The Killingly, CT native put up a pair of 30-point games in the Pioneers’ Rivalry Week sweep of Bryant, and was duly rewarded with his third Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week award this season. Gibson, who averaged 32.0 ppg last week, leads the NEC and ranks fourth in the nation with 22.1 ppg. Gibson has dwarfed those numbers in NEC play, averaging 25.9 ppg. He has scored 20 or more points in 12-of-14 league games and an NEC-best 18 times overall this season. The 18 games of 20+ points is the most by an NEC player since Quinnipiac’s DeMario Anderson had 20 in 2007-08. Gibson also leads the conference with four 30+ point outings.
How does Gibson’s point production in conference play compare to recent NEC high scorers? Gibson currently maintains the highest single-season average since 1998-99 when Ray Minlend also netted 25.9 ppg against NEC rivals.
Top Scoring Averages in NEC Play (1998-12)
1. Shane Gibson (SHU) 25.9 2011-12
Ray Minlend (SFNY) 25.9 1998-99
3. Rob Monroe (QU) 23.9 2004-05
4. Darshan Luckey (SFPA) 23.4 2004-05
5. DeMario Anderson (QU) 23.3 2007-08
6. Darshan Luckey (SPFA) 23.1 2002-03
7. Antawn Dobie (LIU) 22.2 2001-02
8. Manny Ubilla (FDU) 21.9 2007-08
9. Jermaine Hall (WC) 21.6 2001-02
10.Ken Horton (CCSU) 21.4 2010-11
Here is a look at Gibson's NEC games this season:
Date Opponent Points 3PFG
Feb. 11 Bryant 34 3-7
Feb. 8 Bryant 30 5-9
Feb. 4 Fairleigh Dickinson 16 2-5
Feb. 2 Monmouth 22 3-6
Jan. 28 Mount St. Mary’s 41 6-13
Jan. 26 Wagner 20 1-7
Jan. 21 CCSU 26 2-5
Jan. 19 Quinnipiac 23 2-4
Jan. 14 Robert Morris 29 7-11
Jan. 12 Saint Francis (PA) 26 3-4
Jan. 7 St. Francis (NY) 15 1-8
Jan. 5 LIU Brooklyn 28 6-9
Dec. 3 CCSU 32 3-7
Dec. 1 Quinnipiac 21 3-5
25.9 ppg 47-100 (.470)
One for the Books: SHU's Shane Gibson Sets School Scoring Mark
By the time Sacred Heart's Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) career comes to a close next season, his name will be permanently etched in the school's career record book. The accolades have already begun for the junior guard, who last Wednesday broke the SHU Division I single season scoring mark. Needing eight points to surpass the record held by Maurice Bailey (542 in 2003-04), Gibson poured in 30 points. By week's end, he had upped his season total to 598 points with four games remaining in the regular season.
Future Stars
The 2011-12 season has featured a talented freshman class, many of whom will go on to become stars at their respective programs. Led by six-time Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School), the league should be in good hands over the next three years. Here are some of this year’s top first year performers who are eligible for All-Rookie honors. Players with asterisks next to a particular stat indicates a top-10 mark in the NEC.
Ben Altit (BRY): 4.6 ppg, 1.1 bpg
Malcolm McMillen (CCSU): 2.4 ppg, 4.0 apg*, 1.98 A/TO ratio*
Kyle Vinales (CCSU): 17.8 ppg*, 3.6 apg, 57 3PFG, .843 FT%*
Dion Nesmith (MU): 8.1 ppg, 29 3PFG
Andrew Nicholas (MU): 7.7 ppg, 23 3PFG
Austin Tillotson (MU): 5.9 ppg, 2.0 apg, 49.1 FG%
Kelvin Parker (MSM): 8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 34 3PFG
Ousmane Drame (QU): 6.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg*
Zaid Hearst (QU): 6.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 79.1 FT%
Lucky Jones (RMU): 8.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Steve Glowiak (SHU): 4.7 ppg, 22 3PFG
Phil Gaetano (SHU): 4.4 ppg, 4.3 apg*, 22 3PFG, 83.9 FT%
Jalen Cannon (SFNY): 7.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg*, 57.3 FG%
Brent Jones (SFNY): 7.3 ppg, 3.8 apg*, 1.3 spg*
Earl Brown (SFPA): 5.2 ppg, 48.9 3PFG%
Ollie Jackson (SFPA): 6.5 ppg, 35 3PFG
Stephon Whyatt (SFPA): 7.6 ppg, 2.4 apg, 28 3PFG
Mario Moody (WC): 3.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg, 51.1 FG%
The City Game
Let’s hear it for New York. The NEC’s three New York City based teams are tearing it up in league play this season with a combined 35-7 record against conference opposition. With six of those of those seven setbacks coming in head-to-head matchups among the three schools, an even more remarkable stat emerges:
St. Francis (NY) (10-0), Wagner (10-0) and LIU (9-1) are a combined 29-1 against the other eight teams in the NEC.
In no other season since the NEC was founded in 1981 have the three NYC schools approached this level of success within the conference.
Best Combined NEC Records – LIU, SFNY and WC (1981-present)
Year Combined Record LIU Brooklyn St. Francis (NY) Wagner
2011-12 35-7 (.833) 13-1 10-4 12-2
2000-01 39-21 (.650) 12-8 16-4 11-9
1997-98 31-17 (.646) 14-2 10-6 7-9
2002-03 30-24 (.556) 7-11 9-9 14-4
2001-02 33-27 (.550) 5-15 13-7 15-5
1998-99 33-27 (.550) 10-10 16-4 7-13
2004-05 29-25 (.537) 10-8 9-9 10-8
1996-97 29-25 (.537) 15-3 7-11 7-11
Brooklyn’s Finest
It should come as no surprise that LIU Brooklyn found a way to rally in the final minute for an 81-78 win over borough rival St. Francis (NY) on Sunday. The Blackbirds seemed to have found the magic formula for winning in the WRAC, with 22 straight home victories entering play this week. The streak is now the third-longest in the nation behind Kentucky and Harvard. 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 49
2. Harvard 25
3. LIU Brooklyn 22
Oral Roberts 22
The Road Taken
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.
Wagner has won eight straight on the road, and its 11 road triumphs is tied with Cleveland State for the most in the nation this season.
Robert Morris is now 10-5 on the year away from the Sewall Center. The ten road wins are tied for third in Division I.
Monmouth Movin' On Up
Working its way up the NEC standings in recent weeks has been Monmouth, which evened its league record at 7-7 with a sweep on FDU last week. The Hawks have won five of their last six games, including the team's first three-game road win streak since the 2005-06 season. During this hot spell, the Hawks have limited opponents to just 63.5 ppg and 38.5 percent shooting from the field. Over the past five seasons, Monmouth averaged six NEC wins, but have seven this season under first year head coach King Rice.
CCSU’s Ken Horton Now Ninth on NEC Career Scoring Chart
Central Connecticut State senior forward Ken Horton’s (Ossining, NY/Ossining) moved within six points of eighth place on the NEC’s career scoring last week. The 2010-11 NEC Player of the Year, Horton has now racked up 1,869 points in his star-stuffed career. The Ossining, NY native will next set his sights on former NEC rival Jeremy Chappell (1,875) from Robert Morris.
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. Ken Horton CCSU 1,869 2007-11
10. Joe Griffin LIU 1,830 1991-95
Not just a scorer, Horton has upped his career rebound total to 800, which ranks 16th in NEC history. He is one of four players in NEC history with 1,750 points and 800 rebounds over the course of his career.
NEC Career Rebounding Leaders
10. Durell Vinson WC 893 2003-08
11. Alan Tomidy MAR 838 1991-96
12. Freddie Burton LIU 836 1986-89
13. Nigel Wyatte WC 834 2000-04
14. Largest Agbejemisin WAG 829 1983-87
15. Rik Smits MAR 811 1984-88
16. Ken Horton CCSU 800 2007-11
Terrier Sharpshooter Stefan Perunicic Continues Rise Up NEC Career Three-Point List
St. Francis (NY) senior forward Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Srednja Turisticka Skola) leapfrogged a pair of sharpshooters to move into the seventh spot all-time in the NEC in career three-pointers last week. He passed Sacred Heart’s Ryan Litke and Wagner’s Dedrick Dye on Sunday and has now recorded 271 trifectas in his career. Perunicic leads all active NEC players in made three-pointers and is second in St. Francis history, 23 behind all-time Terrier great Angel Santana (1996-00).
Perunicic is shooting 42.7 percent from long range on the year, the fourth-best mark on the circuit. He also ranks third with 2.6 three-pointers made per game.
NEC Career Leaders - Three-Pointers Made
1. Tristan Blackwood CCSU 328 2004-08
2. Joey Mundweiler Wagner 312 2004-09
3. Chris McGuthrie Mount St. Mary’s 300 1993-96
4. Angel Santana St. Francis (NY) 294 1996-00
5. James Williams LIU Brooklyn 277 2003-07
6. Justin Chiera CCSU 274 2002-06
7. Stefan Perunicic St. Francis (NY) 271 2008-12
8. Ryan Litke Sacred Heart 270 2006-10
Dedrick Dye Wagner 270 1999-03
10. Landy Thompson Mount St. Mary’s 267 2002-06
LIU Brooklyn, Wagner Ranked in Mid-Major Poll
LIU Brooklyn and Wagner were both ranked in the February 6th edition of the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll. The Blackbirds were voted 23rd, with the Seahawks one spot behind in the 24th slot. Wagner has been ranked seven straight weeks, while the Blackbirds have been in the top-25 the last three weeks. The NEC is one of only seven 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 78th, while LIU Brooklyn ranks 98th and Robert Morris 113th.
Best of the Best: NEC National Leaders
A host of NEC players rank among national leaders (top-20) in various statistical categories, including CCSU senior guard Robby Ptacek (Bay Shore, NY/Blue Point), who leads the country in free throw shooting at 93.2 percent.
Name Category # Rank
Robby Ptacek (CCSU) FT% .932 1st
Shane Gibson (SHU) Scoring 22.1 4th
Scott Eatherton (SFPA) FG% .627 6th
Jason Brickman (LIU) Assists 6.6 8th
Shane Gibson (SHU) 3PFG% .443 13th
Latif Rivers (WC) FT% .890 13th
Ike Azotam (QU) Double-Doubles 12 19th
Jamal Olasewere (LIU) FG% .573 20th
Team Category # Rank
Quinnipiac Rebounds 44.0 2nd
Quinnipiac Rebound Margin +10.9 2nd
LIU Brooklyn Home Court Win Streak 22 3rd
LIU Brooklyn Scoring 80.1 8th
Wagner Won-Loss Percentage .840 10th
CCSU Free Throw Percentage .764 11th
Wagner Turnover Margin +3.9 13th
Wagner Win Streak 6 17th
Wagner Free Throw Percentage .755 20th
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 1,869 points. Quinnipiac senior guard James Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) is next with 1,621 and CCSU senior guard Robby Ptacek (Bayport, NY/Blue Point) has accumulated 1,452 points. This year, Sacred Heart junior guard Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) (1,346), LIU junior forward Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) (1,148), Wagner senior guard Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce) (1,152), LIU junior forward Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) (1,128), St. Francis (NY) senior forward Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Srednja Turisticka Skola) (1,126) and Robert Morris junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) (1,108) 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)) (977), Bryant sophomore forward Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)) (884) and Monmouth senior forward Mike Myers Keitt (Waterbury, CT/Fairfield Prep (Marianapolis Prep)) (883).
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 88.9 percent of his attempts over the course of his career, including an NCAA-best 93.2 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.
Leading Free Throw Shooters In NEC History (min. 200 makes)
Tristan Blackwood CCSU .891 237-266 2004-08
Robby Ptacek CCSU .889 375-422 2008-12
Mike Iuzzolino SFPA .879 350-398 1989-91
William Lewis MU .876 317-362 1998-92
Danny Basile MAR .871 298-342 1992-96
Terence Ward UMBC .863 309-358 1998-01
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 43 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 31. He has tallied eight games of 30+ points, also a league-leading mark and five more than any other NEC player.
Most Games - 20+ Points (active players)
Ken Horton, CCSU 43
Shane Gibson, SHU 31
Robby Ptacek, CCSU 26
James Johnson, QU 17
Alex Francis, BRY 13
Julian Boyd, LIU 12
Umar Shannon, SFPA 12
Velton Jones, RMU 11
Tyler Murray, WC 11
Latif Rivers, WC 9
Kyle Vinales, CCSU 9
Will Campbell, MU 8
Chris Martin, WC 8
Jamal Olasewere, LIU 7
Stefan Perunicic, SFNY 8
Ike Azotam, QU 7
Frankie Dobbs, BRY 6
Mike Myers-Keitt, MU 6
Jesse Steele, MU 6
Scott Eatherton, SFPA 5
Akeem Johnson, SFNY 5
Ben Mockford, SFNY 5
Julian Norfleet, MSM 5
Melquan Bolding, FDU 4
Russell Johnson, RMU 4
Most Games - 30+ Points (active players)
Ken Horton, CCSU 8
Shane Gibson, SHU 5
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 sophomore forward Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)) continued his hot play of late, averaging 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last week. He tallied his seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Sacred Heart on Saturday. Francis ranks sixth in the NEC in scoring (17.0 ppg) and seventh in rebounding (7.3 rpg).
- Central Connecticut freshman guard Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) scored 27 of his team’s 59 points in an eight-point loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday. He hit 9-18 shots from the floor.
- Fairleigh Dickinson graduate student forward George Goode (Raytown, MO/Raytown South (Louisville)) is averaging 14.9 ppg and 7.7 rpg, while shooting 53.9 percent from the field in NEC play. He has scored in double-digits in each of his last six games.
- Quinnipiac freshman forward Ousmane Drame (Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianapolis Prep)) has averaged 10.4 rebounds over his last six games. He ranks eighth in the NEC with 7.3 per game.
- Robert Morris sophomore guard Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School) hit 7-11 from downtown last week and averaged 15.5 points in a sweep of Saint Francis (PA).
- St. Francis (NY) sophomore guard Ben Mockford (Shoreham-by-Sea, England/Oak Hill Academy (VA)) averaged 17.0 ppg last week and hit six shots from three-point range. He leads the NEC with 2.84 treys per contest.
- St. Francis (NY) junior forward Akeem Johnson (Susan McKinney/Brooklyn, NY) enjoyed a terrific week as he averaged 23.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg while shooting 60.6 percent from the floor. He has reached double-figures in 10 of his last 12 contests and is second in the league in field goal percentage (.600).
- Saint Francis (PA) sophomore forward Scott Eatherton (Hershey, PA/Hershey) posted his sixth double-double of the season in conference play with 16 points and 12 boards against Robert Morris on Saturday. All six of Eatherton's double-doubles have come on the road this season.
Quotes of the Week
“We played awful defense in the first half and dug ourselves into a very deep hole. In the second half, we played much better defense and gave ourselves a chance. However, we have to make shots.” – FDU head coach Greg Vetrone, following a 75-62 setback to Monmouth on Wednesday
“That’s a shot I practice every day in practice. I don’t know if coach likes it. But it’s something we do everyday, just a little turnaround jump shot. I thought it was going to come off on the left side of the rim. Thank God pushed it in. It was falling off and it went in. I was happy it did.” – LIU Brooklyn junior forward Julian Boyd on his game-winning shot in Sunday’s 81-78 win over St. Francis (NY)
“I was in like another zone today. I knew what I had to do: Rebound, rebound, rebound. Go get the rebound and good things happen. ” - Monmouth junior forward Ed Waite on his first half performance in Monmouth’s 82-68 win over FDU on Saturday
"He's the senior mouthpiece, basically. If he tells these guys to walk back to Hamden right now, they'll do it, and none of them would put their bags on the bus." - Quinnipiac head coach Tom Moore, referencing the leadership qualities of senior guard James Johnnson after a 67-59 win at CCSU on Sunday
"If you're not in the tournament, you can't win the tournament. So obviously it's great to qualify for it. I think it's a good thing when our program has been there for nine years, and there's an expectation that you have to be in it, that there's no reason not to be in it. – Robert Morris head coach Andrew Toole on qualifying for the NEC Tournament with a win over Saint Francis (PA) on Saturday
"I definitely knew the Battle of Brooklyn, and the history of it. I definitely could see myself playing in it. I liked the crowd, I liked the intensity; everybody comes out to the game, and it's a great feeling." - St. Francis (NY) junior forward Akeem Johnson on learning about the Battle of Brooklyn rivlary with LIU prior to attending college
"Until they tell us that we're done playing this year, we're going to fight and we're going to coach and we're going to prepare and we're going to do all the things necessary to win." – Saint Francis (PA) head coach Don Friday on the Red Flash attempting to qualify for the postseason
“I like to think that one thing I can do is keep a team on edge. These are the dog days of the regular season, and it was good to be able get some kids some rest tonight. But we still want to keep winning games.” – Wagner head coach Dan Hurley after the Seahawks swept their home-and-home series with the Mount on Saturday
NEC By the Numbers
2 points allowed by Quinnipiac in the final 10:24 of the game against CCSU on Sunday. In that span, the Bobcats outscored the Blue Devils, 16-2, to post a 67-59 victory.
2 games last week against Fairleigh Dickinson in which Monmouth led from start to finish.
6 straight years Mount St. Mary's has qualified for the NEC Tournament, a streak that is in jeopardy with the Mountaineers three games back of eighth place with four to play.
14 double-digit victories, a league-high, for Wagner this season.
17 points, a career-high for Saint Francis (PA) freshman forward Earl Brown (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) against Robert Morris on Saturday. He hit 7-12 shots from the floor and added eight boards.
19 combined double-doubles this season for the LIU forward tandem of Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) (eleven) and Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) (eight).
20.5 ppg last week for Fairleigh Dickinson guard Melquan Bolding (Mount Vernon, NY/Bishop Stepinac (Duquesne)).
25 straight wins for Robert Morris when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
39th, the NEC career scoring rank for Quinnipiac senior guard James Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin). Johnson is also second among active NEC players with 1,621 points.
77.6 ppg scoring average over the last seven games for St. Francis (NY).
80.1 ppg for LIU Brooklyn this season, the eighth-best mark in the nation.
151 free throws made this season for Robert Morris junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic), tying the RMU single-season record originally established by Gabe Jackson in 1994-95. Jones leads all NEC players in made free throws this season.
501 career rebounds for Robert Morris junior forward Russell Johnson (Chester, PA/Chester). He became the 16th member of the RMU 500-rebound club and the first since former Colonial Jeremy Chappell (2005-09) turned the trick during the 2008-09 campaign.
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Bryant (2-24, 1-13 NEC, RPI: 339)
Last Week: Feb. 8 at Sacred Heart L, 79-77; Feb. 11 vs. Sacred Heart L, 72-46
This Week: Feb. 16 at Saint Francis (PA); Feb. 18 at Robert Morris
• Three Bulldogs averaged double-digit points over NEC Rivalry Week, led by 16 points per game from sophomore Alex Francis (Harlem, NY/Holderness Prep (NH)), who also averaged 8.0 rebounds per outing, chipped in six steals and shot 47.8 percent (11-23) from the floor - all team highs. Junior Frankie Dobbs (Berea, OH/St. Edward) average 12 points per game and dished out 11 assists while junior Raphael Jordan (Bel Air, MD/John Carroll) added 11.5 points per game on the week.
• Wednesday at Sacred Heart, Jordan paced four Bulldogs in double digits with 18 points as Bryant fell just shy of the come-from-behind win, dropping a two-point, 79-77 decision in Fairfield. Dobbs chipped in 17 points with a game-best seven rebounds as Bryant won the battle on the glass, 30-26.
• Saturday at home against the Pioneers, Francis recorded the game’s only double-double with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. The performance was his seventh double-double of the season and 15th of his young career.
• Francis is still on pace to pass the 500-point mark on the season and must average 14.8 points per game in the final four contests to achieve the mark. He is also just nine boards away from 200 on the year.
• The Bulldogs set off on their final road trip of the 2011-12 season this week and will play Robert Morris Thursday (7 pm) and Saint Francis (PA) Saturday (11:30 am) on MSG and Root Sports Pittsburgh.
Central Connecticut (10-14, 7-7 NEC, RPI: 262)
Last Week: Feb. 8 at Quinnipiac L, 72-44; Feb. 12 vs. Quinnipiac L, 67-59
This Week: Feb. 16 at Robert Morris; Feb. 18 at Saint Francis (Pa)
• The Blue Devils have lost four straight, and are now 10-14 overall and 7-7 in Northeast Conference play. They lost for only the third time at home this season on Sunday.
• In Sunday’s loss the Blue Devils led by six points, but scored only two points in the final 10 minutes. They hit only one of their final 20 field goals.
• Senior Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) posted his 800th career rebound in the loss on Sunday. He is one of only four players in league history to post 1,750 career points and 800 career rebounds. Horton moved to 1,869 career points, just six points shy of eighth place on the NEC’s all-time scoring list.
• The combination of Joe Efese (Spring Valley, NY/St. Joseph Regional) and Terrell Allen (Virginia Beach, VA/Cape Henry) combined to score 12 points and grab 16 rebounds in the loss on Sunday. The Blue Devils, who had been outrebounded by 19 at Quinnipiac on Wednesday, outrebounded the Bobcats 39-38 on Sunday.
• Senior Robby Ptacek (Bayport, NY/Blue Point) scored eight points on Sunday and now has 1452 for his career. He is 26 points shy of moving into the top-10 in school history.
• Freshman guard Kyle Vinales (Detroit, MI/Phelps School) got his first taste of the CCSU and Quinnipiac series this week, and averaged 17.5 points while hitting 12-of-13 free-throws and averaging three assists. In the loss to Quinnipiac on the road, Vinales scored eight points and had three assists as the Blue Devils lost on the road. He rebounded on Sunday in an eight-point home loss to the Bobcats. Vinales scored a game-high 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, while also posting three assists. He played 39 minutes. The 20 point output is the ninth of the year for the freshman, and it increased his scoring average to 17.8 points per game, good for second on the squad.
Fairleigh Dickinson (2-23, 1-13 NEC, RPI: 337)
Last Week: Feb. 8 vs. Monmouth L, 75-62; Feb. 11 at Monmouth L, 82-68
This Week: Feb. 16 at Mount St. Mary’s; Feb. 18 at Wagner
• Four Knights scored in double-figures in Wednesday’s night loss to Monmouth, which was televised on Fox College Sports. Junior Melquan Bolding (Mount Vernon, NY/Bishop Stepinac) came off the bench to lead the Knights with a game-high 17 points. Graduate student George Goode (Raytown, MO/Raytown South) added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and six rebounds. Junior Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, FL/Deerfield Beach) scored 12 points, dished out five assists and recorded two steals, while senior Briahn Smith (Detroit, MI/Madison) chipped in 11 points and three assists. Junior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
• The Knights limited to Monmouth to only 20 percent shooting (5-of-25) in the second half and only to five points over the first 10 minutes of the second half.
• The Knights tied a season best with seven blocks in the first loss to Monmouth.
• Bolding led all scorers with 24 points in the loss at Monmouth, while dishing out four assists. He shot 9-of-20 from the field. Goode added 16 points and three blocks and Smith tied his season high with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, tied his career high in rebounds with nine and career best in assists with four.
• The Knights shot 50.9 percent (28-of-55) for the game including 56.7 percent (17-of-30) in the first half.
• Goode is the only Knight to start all 25 games this season.
• Goode is averaging 15.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game and is shooting 55.2 percent (80-of-145) from the field, while facing number double and triple teams. He has scored in double-figures in 12 of the 13 contests including the last six. He is averaging 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in NEC play.
• Smith is averaging 11.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game over his last eight games as he has scored in double-figures in seven of those.
LIU Brooklyn (19-7, 13-1 NEC, RPI: 98)
Last Week: Feb. 8 at St. Francis (NY) (at Madison Square Garden) W, 86-77; Feb. 12 vs. St. Francis (NY) W, 81-78
This Week: Feb. 16 vs. Sacred Heart; Feb. 18 vs. Quinnipiac
• LIU Brooklyn earned a pair of Northeast Conference Rivalry Week wins over St. Francis (N.Y.), defeating the Terriers, 86-77, at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 8 before trumping them again four days later at the Wellness Center, 81-78. The Blackbirds have won five straight and 14 of their last 15.
• Dating back to last season LIU Brooklyn has won 22 consecutive home games. That streak is tied with Oral Roberts for the third-longest active one in the country behind Kentucky (49 games) and Harvard (25).
• LIU is second in the nation in both trips to the foul line (28.2 per game) and free throws made (20.7 per game). The Blackbirds have made 537 free throws, 137 more than the number of times their opponents have attempted a free throw (400).
• The Blackbirds average a conference-best 80.1 points per game, which ranks eighth in the country in the latest installment of the national rankings.
• Junior Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) turned in double-doubles in each of the Blackbirds wins. At the Garden, he racked up 17 points and 11 boards before tallying 20 points and 10 rebounds at the Wellness Center for his 11th double-double of the season.
• After turning in his eighth double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds at MSG, junior Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) amassed a career-high 32 points on a perfect 11-for-11 effort from the floor at the Wellness Center. The 6-foot-7 forward added seven rebounds en route to being named the most valuable player at the Battle of Brooklyn.
• LIU captured the Battle of Brooklyn crown for the second straight year and now leads the series 21-16.
Monmouth (9-18, 7-7 NEC, RPI: 267)
Last Week: Feb. 8 at Fairleigh Dickinson W, 75-62; Feb. 11 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson W, 82-68
This Week: Feb. 16 at Wagner; Feb. 18 at Mount St. Mary’s
• Monmouth is now 9-18 overall after having won five of six and six of eight games. The Hawks pulled even at 7-7 in the NEC after its NEC Rivalry Week sweep of FDU. Monmouth has swept the season series from FDU in each of the last two seasons.
• In the win on Wednesday, the Hawks set season-records for points scored in the first half (49) and halftime lead (20), en route to its third straight NEC road win.
• Monmouth’s three straight NEC road wins this season is the first such streak for the Hawks since the opening of the 2005-06 campaign.
• Monmouth is now 5-5 at home in the MAC, and holds a +0.6 scoring margin in those 10 games. MU’s road record is now 4-13, where the Hawks have a -17.4 scoring margin.
• Four Hawks scored in double-figures in the home win over FDU, marking just the third time this season Monmouth had at least four players notch double-digits in a game.
• Dion Nesmith (Union, NJ/Union (Northeastern)) had his seven-game double-digit scoring streak snapped in the home win on Saturday. Nesmith, who ranks second on the team in three-pointers made, has 10 double-digit scoring games to his credit in his first collegiate season.
• Junior Ed Waite (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pine crest) registered his 100th career steal on Wednesday, placing him 17th all-time at Monmouth, 35 steals away from breaking the top-10. All-time great Corey Albano ranks 16th with 101 steals.
• For the third time this season, and second game in a row, Monmouth led from start to finish. The three games in which Monmouth never trailed in this year were Fordham, and the two meetings with FDU.
• Over the past five seasons, Monmouth averaged six NEC wins in the year, while the Hawks have posted seven league wins this year under first year head coach King Rice.
Mount St. Mary's (6-19, 4-10 NEC, RPI: 279)
Last Week: Feb. 8 vs. Wagner L, 59-44; Feb. 11 at Wagner L, 74-57
This Week: Feb. 16 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson; Feb. 18 vs. Monmouth
• The Mount dropped both games in rivalry week to Wagner, falling 59-44 at home and 74-57 on the road.
• The Mount was held to 50.5 points in the two games, while hitting 37.1 percent from the field and 21.2 percent from three-point range.
• Julian Norfleet (Virginia Beach, VA/Landstown) led the Mount with 18 points in the first game of the home-and-home series before being held to nine points in the second game. He has scored in double figures in 12 of the past 14 games for the Mount.
• The Mount is three games out of the final playoff spot with four to play. The Mount has appeared in the NEC Tournament in each of the past six seasons.
• The Mount’s 10th conference loss on Saturday snapped a string of six consecutive seasons the Mount had posted a .500 or better record in conference play.
• Mount St. Mary’s rounds out its home schedule against Fairleigh Dickinson and Monmouth this week.
Quinnipiac (15-10, 8-6 NEC, RPI: 169)
Last Week: Feb. 8 vs. Central Connecticut W, 72-44; Feb. 12 at Central Connecticut W, 67-59
This Week: Feb. 16 vs. St. Francis (NY); Feb. 18 at LIU Brooklyn
• The Bobcats took two games from the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils this past week. QU defeated CCSU, 72-44, on Wednesday before taking a 67-59 triumph in New Britain on Sunday.
• Ike Azotam (Boston, MA/O’Bryant (Marianapolis Prep)) and James Johnson (Queens, NY/Bishop Loughlin) paced the Bobcats’ offense, averaging nearly 50 percent of the team’s points. Azotam averaged 16 points and nine rebounds while shooting at a 72 percent clip. Johnson averaged 17 points and four rebounds which included 8-of-15 (53%) from behind the arc. Ousmane Drame (Boston, MA/New Mission (Marianapolis Prep)) tossed in nine points per game to go along with eight rebounds and Jamee Jackson (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony) averaged eight points and seven rebounds per outing.
• Defense propelled the Bobcats to the two-game sweep, holding the Blue Devils to 31.1 percent shooting on the week. QU allowed 21.2 percent from long range and edged CCSU in field goal percentage, assists, blocks and rebounds.
• The Bobcats handed the Blue Devils their first loss of the week on Wednesday night. The story of the game was holding CCSU’s high-powered offense to just 26.8 percent from the floor. The trio of Ken Horton, Kyle Vinales and Ptacek combined for 29 points, about 30 points less than their season-average. Furthermore, when the Blue Devils missed shots, the Bobcats were right there to clean the glass. QU controlled the boards, 49-30, limiting Central to just nine offensive rebounds.
• Later in the week on Sunday, second-half defense was the key to the final result, as the Bobcats held the Blue Devils to just 29.3 percent in the final 20 minutes. CCSU converted on 22-of-63 attempts in the game (34.9 percent) compared to 25-of-53 (47.2 percent) from the Bobcats. QU went 7-of-13 from behind the arc and controlled the paint, 30-26.
• James Johnson crossed the 1,600 point plateau and moved ahead of Carl Miazaga for 11th on the all-time list.
• Quinnipiac is back in action on Thursday night against St. Francis (N.Y.) at the TD Bank Sports Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Bobcats head to the NEC’s top ranked team, LIU Brooklyn.
Robert Morris (19-8, 10-4 NEC, RPI: 113)
Last Week: Feb. 8 at Saint Francis (PA) W, 78-74; Feb. 11 vs. Saint Francis (PA) W, 70-56
This Week: Feb. 16 vs. Central Connecticut; Feb. 18 vs. Bryant
• Robert Morris swept its third straight “Rivalry Week” series from Saint Francis (PA) last week to stretch its winning streak to three games, earning a 78-74 victory at DeGol Arena in Loretto, Pa., before posting a 70-56 win at the Charles L. Sewall Center in Moon Township, PA.
• The longest running rivalry in school history, RMU now owns a 43-28 (.606) all-time record against Saint Francis (PA) … The Colonials have won nine straight and 14 of the last 15 meetings against the Red Flash … Robert Morris has won eight straight games at DeGol Arena in Loretto, PA, thanks to its 78-74 victory, Feb. 8, the longest winning streak on an opponent’s home court in school history.
• Thanks to RMU’s pair of victories last week, the Colonials have won 110 games since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign, breaking its own school record for a five-year span … Robert Morris had won 108 games from 2006 to 2011.
• Redshirt sophomore guard Coron Williams (Midlothian, VA/Christchurch School) led the Colonials in scoring last week, averaging 15.5 points in the sweep of Saint Francis (PA) while shooting 63.6 percent (7-for-11) from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line … Williams paced RMU in its home victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) with 18 points and added 13 points in the win in Loretto, PA.
* Sophomore forward Mike McFadden (Newark, NJ/Technology) averaged 12.5 points and shot 71.4 percent (10-for-14) from the field in RMU’s sweep over Saint Francis (PA), scoring a season-high 14 points to tie for team-high honors in the win at DeGol Arena while contributing 11 points and eight rebounds in the victory at the Sewall Center … McFadden is shooting 59.4 percent (41-for-69) from the field against NEC foes so far this season.
• Redshirt junior forward Russell Johnson (Chester, PA/Chester) returned to active duty after missing six of RMU’s previous seven games and averaged 8.0 points and a team-high 7.0 rebounds last week … Johnson finished with team-high totals in rebounds in both games against the Red Flash, and his eight in RMU’s home victory helped extend his career total to 501 … Johnson became the 16th member of the Robert Morris 500-rebound club and the first since former Colonial Jeremy Chappell (2005-09) turned the trick during the 2008-09 campaign.
• Johnson’s 10 points off the bench in RMU’s 70-56 win over Saint Francis (PA) at the Sewall Center marked the first time in eight home games this season he has reached double figures in scoring … Each of Johnson’s previous seven double-figure scoring games had come on the road.
• Redshirt junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) averaged 10.5 points and 8.5 assists per game last week, posting a season-high eight dimes in RMU’s win at DeGol Arena … Jones also tied a career high with five steals in RMU’s home victory at the Sewall Center
• Thanks to a 9-for-12 performance at the free-throw line against the Red Flash at the Sewall Center, Jones pushed his season total in free throws to 151, tying an RMU single-season record … Jones tied the mark that was originally established by former Colonial Gabe Jackson (1992-95) in 1994-95 … On his career Jones has converted 341 free throws, which ranks third all-time at Robert Morris and is just 47 shy of establishing a new Robert Morris career mark.
• Robert Morris finished with 41 assists in its two wins over Saint Francis (Pa.) last week, including a season-high 23 in its win at DeGol Arena … The Colonials shot a season-high 56 percent (28-for-50) from the field in their win in Loretto, Pa., their 25th straight win when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor and 31st straight win against NEC foes when turning the trick.
Sacred Heart (13-14, 7-7 NEC, RPI: 236)
Last Week: Feb. 8 vs. Bryant W, 79-77; Feb. 11 at Bryant W, 72-46
This Week: Feb. 16 at LIU Brooklyn; Feb. 18 at St. Francis (NY)
• The Pioneers and Bulldogs matched-up for the NEC’s third edition of “Rivalry Week”. SHU swept the series and is now 3-3 during NEC Rivalry Weeks. SHU took on in-state rival Quinnipiac during the past two seasons, splitting with the Bobcats in 2009-10 and dropping both meetings last year.
• The Pioneers shot a season-high 60.4% (29-48) in winning game one of the “New England Knockout” Wednesday night and came right back with a 56.8% (25-44) effort on Saturday, their two best shooting nights on the year and their two-best back-to-back shooting efforts as well. SHU is now 7-1 against Bryant since they made the move to Division I and joined the NEC.
• Junior Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT/Killingly) scored a combined 64 points in the wins, his 17th and 18th games this season scoring 20 or more points and his third and fourth times hitting for 30 or more this season.
• Gibson broke the SHU Division I single season scoring mark in the Wednesday’s win, needing just eight points coming in to set the mark. He has scored 598 points with at least four games left and moves past Maurice Bailey who posted 542 points during the 2003-04 campaign.
• Gibson continues to lead in the NEC scoring race, averaging 22.1 ppg. That figure also ranks him sixth in the nation.
• In 14 NEC games, Gibson is averaging 25.9 ppg, six points more than second-ranked Jamal Olaswere (19.5 ppg) of LIU Brooklyn.
• Freshman Phil Gaetano (Wallingford, CT/Sheehan (Choate Rosemary)) made all five shots he took against Bryant, finishing with a career-high 12 points. He added seven assists to his totals. Gaetano ranks third among NEC leaders, and first among league rookies in assists (117 - 4.33 pg).
• Junior Justin Swidowski (Cinnaminson, NJ/Holy Cross HS) scored 15 points against the Bulldogs on Wednesday, his highest point total since scoring 18 in a loss to St. Francis (NY). He made all five of his shots including two threes on Saturday for 12 points. Swidowski was hurt in the Saint Francis (PA) game and missed four games with a shoulder injury.
• The Pioneers have used 10 different starting line-ups this season, including a different batch of starters in each of the last six games. Many of Coach Bike’s changes were due to injuries to Swidowski, Evan Kelley (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) and Chris Evans (Stamford, CT/Stamford (Taft School)).
St. Francis (NY) (13-12, 10-4 NEC, RPI: 207)
Last Week: Feb. 8 vs. LIU Brooklyn (At Madison Square Garden) L, 86-77; Feb. 12 at LIU Brooklyn L, 81-78
This Week: Feb. 16 at Quinnipiac; Feb. 18 vs. Sacred Heart
• St. Francis (NY) dropped both of their rivalry week contests against LIU Brooklyn and are now tied with Robert Morris for fourth-place in the NEC standings with four games remaining in the regular-season.
• The Terriers held second-half leads in both contests against the Blackbirds but were unable to close out either contest. St. Francis has now dropped eight of their last nine meetings against LIU.
• Junior forward Akeem Johnson (Susan McKinney/Brooklyn, NY) enjoyed a terrific week as he averaged 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent (20-of-33) from the floor. Johnson poured in a career-high 24 points in the first game at Madison Square Garden last Wednesday and then came back with 23 at the Wellness Center on Sunday. Johnson has reached double-figures in 10 of his last 12 contests and is second in the league in field goal percentage (.600). He’s averaging 11.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on the season.
• Sophomore guard Ben Mockford (Shoreham-by-Sea, England/Oak Hill Academy (VA)) averaged 17.0 points last week and junior forward Travis Nichols (Brooklyn, NY/Food & Finance) added 10.0 points off the bench. Nichols, who has reached double-digits in five of his last six contests, scored 10 of his 12 points in the second-half in Sunday’s contest. Mockford is leading the NEC in 3-point field goals (2.84 pg.)
• St. Francis (NY) has averaged 77.6 points over their last seven contests and are now fourth in the NEC in scoring at 70.9 ppg.
• The Terriers will travel to Quinnipiac on Thursday evening and will then host Sacred Heart in their final regular-season home contest on Saturday, a game which will be televised on MSG Network.
Saint Francis (PA) (5-20, 4-10 NEC, RPI: 304)
Last Week: Feb. 8 vs. Robert Morris L, 78-74; Feb. 11 at Robert Morris L, 70-56
This Week: Feb. 16 vs. Bryant; Feb. 18 vs. Central Connecticut
• The Red Flash droppec both of their games against Robert Morris during the NEC’s Rivalry Week. It also stretched their winless streak against the Colonials to eight games.
• SFU returns home Thursday to host Bryant at DeGol Arena. It marks the start of the team’s last home stand of the season, concluding with CCSU on Saturday, Feb. 18.
• Scott Eatherton (Hershey, PA/Hershey) posted his sixth NEC road double-double Saturday against Robert Morris.
• Earl Brown (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) tallied a season-high 17 points against Robert Morris on Saturday. The rookie scored the Red Flash’s first six points of the game and the first five of the second half.
• The Red Flash posted a better shooting percentage than Robert Morris in both games on the weekend but recorded a season-high 24 turnovers.
Wagner (21-4, 12-2 NEC, RPI: 78)
Last Week: Feb. 8 at Mount St. Mary’s W, 59-44; Feb. 11 vs. Mount St. Mary’s W, 74-57
This Week: Feb. 16 vs. Monmouth; Feb. 18 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
• The Seahawks notched their 20th victory by a 59-44 score in the first match-up with the Mountaineers (2/8) before earning number 21 at home against MSM (2/11) 74-57. The 21-4 mark represents a dramatic turnaround for a program that started 4-21 just two years ago.
• For the Green & White, it marks the sixth time in the school’s 91-year history of intercollegiate basketball that Wagner won at least 20 games, including just the fourth time since moving to Division I in 1976-1977.
• The Seahawks also became the quickest team to reach 20 victories in NEC history, bettering last year’s LIU Brooklyn squad that notched #20 on February 11, 2011.
• With two more wins over the last four regular season games, Wagner will match the school-record for victories (23) in a season set by the 2007-2008 squad.
• The Seahawks also clinched a playoff berth and a First Round home game with their performance this past week. Additionally, the victory at the Mount was the Green & White’s school-record 11th true road win of the year, matching Cleveland State for the most in the NCAA this season.
• Wagner also improves to 12-2 away from home while its current nine-game winning streak away from the Spiro breaks the previous school record set during the 1978-1979 season. The 12 road/neutral wins are tied with Murray State and Cleveland State for the third-most in the nation.
• The 44 points allowed to the Mountaineers were the second-fewest yielded by the Seahawks this season and represent the lowest total scored by MSM in a conference game this season. The Green & White have also limited Quinnipiac (50), Sacred Heart (54) and St. Francis (NY) (50) to their lowest point totals of the year during NEC action.
• Wagner then recorded its 14th double-digit victory of the year against the Mountaineers on Saturday, February 11 by a 74-57 count as the Seahawks shot a blistering 53.2 percent from the floor.
• Junior Jonathon Williams (Richmond, CA/Kennedy (CC of San Francisco)) led the way for the Seahawks on the week, averaging a team-best 16.5 points per game while shooting 72.2 percent (13-18) from the floor.
• Senior Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce) also averaged 12.5 points per game while notching a combined 25 points on the week while moving past Oliver Featherston, Durell Vinson and Courtney Pritchard into 25th on the all-time Seahawk scoring list with 1,152 points.
• Classmate Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ/Apex Academies) matched Murray with 11 points, on the strength of three triples, and is now just 23 points away from becoming the 39th member of the Green & White 1,000-point club.
• Wagner improves to 21-1 when leading with five minutes to play, 18-0 when limiting the opposition to under 70 points and 15-1 when scoring at least 70.
• The Seahawks also improved to a perfect 7-0 when playing on Time Warner Cable and will broadcast its final two home regular season games on the TWC as well as the their First Round home playoff game.
• Murray continues to rank first on the all-time three-point conversion rankings at 44.0 percent (175-398) while his NEC-best mark of 51.3 percent(60-117) would also qualify as the top Wagner mark.