OUTLOOK: The Northeast Conference is loaded with returning talent and that
should make for another intriguing campaign in 2009-10.
Quinnipiac is one of the favorites with talent from top-to-bottom, but it will
be pushed by Mount St. Mary's and Robert Morris, two of the more successful
programs in the NEC. Long Island is coming off a positive showing last season
and could challenge for the title, while Monmouth gained valuable experience
last year and will be one of the most improved teams. Central Connecticut
State, Sacred Heart and St. Francis-NY will need some breaks to finish in the
upper half, while both St. Francis-PA and Wagner are just hoping to return
back to the postseason. Bryant is still in a transition period and will not be
eligible for postseason play.
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Quinnipiac
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Quinnipiac, 2. Mount St. Mary's, 3. Robert
Morris, 4. Long Island, 5. Monmouth, 6. Central Connecticut State, 7. Sacred
Heart, 8. St. Francis-NY, 9. St. Francis-PA, 10. Wagner, 11. Fairleigh
Dickinson, 12. Bryant.
TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:
QUINNIPIAC - The Bobcats were decimated by injuries last season, often suiting
up just six or seven scholarship players, but they were still able to rack up
15 victories. Head coach Tom Moore certainly did a good job to keep his team
focused and now with a full and capable roster, Quinnipiac could be destined
to win its first NEC title in 2009-10. In the backcourt, the Bobcats return
the conference's leading scorer in 6-4 James Feldeine, who went from averaging
8.3 ppg in 2007-08 to 17.0 ppg last season. He also finished with 6.0 rpg,
earning the inaugural NEC Most Improved Player award. James Johnson will join
Feldeine at the perimeter and the 6-0 guard started every game as a freshman
last season and averaged 9.8 ppg and 4.1 apg. Another bonus to the backcourt
would be Evann Baker, that is if he is fully healed from a knee injury that
sidelined him last season. As a freshman in 2007-08, Baker averaged 10.9 ppg,
so his return would obviously be a nice addition. His brother, Jeremy Baker,
produced 10.3 ppg and 5.0 rpg in a reserve role for Quinnipiac last season and
he should once again provide a spark coming off the bench. In the frontcourt,
Justin Rutty emerged as a force during his sophomore campaign and nearly
averaged a double-double with 14.8 ppg and a league-best 9.8 rpg. The 6-7
forward ranked second nationally in offensive rebounds and figures to be a
dominant player once again. Jonathan Cruz, a 6-7 Rhode Island transfer, has
missed the last two seasons, but he is an inside-outside threat and is finally
ready to make an impact for the Bobcats.
MOUNT ST. MARY'S - The Mountaineers have enjoyed great success over the last
two seasons, winning a total of 38 games, capturing the 2008 NEC Tournament
title and appearing in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament last
season. Head coach Milan Brown now welcomes back three starters and some key
reserves from last year's club that lost by two points in the tourney finals,
making Mount St. Mary's a title contender. The backcourt will be among the
best in the league thanks to the return of Jeremy Goode and Jean Cajou. The
5-9 Goode led the Mountaineers in scoring (14.9 ppg) as well as assists (4.1
apg) last season and he has great quickness to run the floor. As for the 6-3
Cajou, he showed he could score as well, averaging 12.6 ppg, but he is an even
better defender and a big reason why the Mountaineers led the conference in
scoring defense (63.9 ppg). Up front, Kelly Beidler is set to return to his
regular role, while Shawn Atupem is primed for a starting spot. The 6-5
Beidler produced 10.9 ppg and 6.9 rpg as a starter a season ago, meanwhile,
the 6-7 Atupem contributed 9.6 ppg and 3.5 rpg coming off the bench.
ROBERT MORRIS - The Colonials have won 50 games in two seasons under head
coach Mike Rice, marking the best two-year stretch in NEC history.
Furthermore, RMU has won consecutive regular-season titles and it snapped a
17-year NEC Tournament draught by nipping Mount St. Mary's, 48-46, in the
finals last season. With three starters back from a group that has gone 31-5
in league play over the last two seasons, the Colonials should be in the thick
of the race once again, although they must replace the NEC Player of the Year
for the second year in a row. The team's top returnee is Rob Robinson, a 6-8
forward that averaged 11.2 ppg and 5.6 rpg in 2008-09 and has the potential to
take his game to another level. Dallas Green is a second starter in the
frontcourt and the 6-8 forward is more of a defensive presence than a scorer,
averaging only 6.6 ppg, although he did hit the game-winning shot in the
finals of the NEC Tournament. At the perimeter, Jimmy Langhurst and Mezie
Nwigwe are a pair of veterans that have performed consistently. The 5-11
Langhurst averaged 9.9 ppg and shot 42.3 percent from long range last season,
while the 6-4 Nwigwe chipped in 6.5 ppg off the bench. Gary Wallace (5.9 ppg)
was a key reserve at the point last season and proved capable when given the
opportunity.
LONG ISLAND - For the third season in a row, the Blackbirds improved on their
win total and they even finished 16-14 overall, representing their first
winning campaign since 1997-98. Head coach Jim Ferry even led LIU to a 12-6
league record (tied for second) and with four starters back, the Blackbirds
should be in the running for their first title since 1997. Highlighting the
returnees is Jaytornah Wisseh, a 6-1 guard that is an excellent playmaker and
scorer. Last season, Wisseh averaged 15.2 ppg and 4.4 apg, while converting on
80.2 percent of his free-throw attempts. Joining Wisseh at the perimeter is
6-3 Kyle Johnson, who averaged 13.8 ppg last season and made 68 three-point
buckets. David Hicks is a third returning starter to the backcourt and the 6-1
guard chipped in 8.3 ppg, while building a reputation as an elite defender.
Lucas Faggiano, an Argentinean native, was impressive as a rookie last season,
averaging 6.1 ppg and 3.0 apg off the bench, and he adds depth to an already
loaded backcourt. The frontcourt isn't nearly as deep, but Julian Boyd is an
emerging star. The 6-7 Boyd was voted the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2008-09
after posting 10.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg off the bench. He will now move into a
starting role alongside veteran Aurimas Adomaitis (4.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg).
MONMOUTH - The Hawks open a new 4,100-seat on-campus arena this year and it
couldn't have come at a better time, as Monmouth appears ready to compete once
again after a three-season decline. Head coach Dave Calloway fielded a young
roster last season, including three freshmen starters, and those players are
now the future of this program. Forwards Travis Taylor (12.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and
Michael Myers Keitt (8.9 ppg) and guard Will Campbell (9.1 ppg) accounted for
nearly half of Monmouth's scoring last season as freshmen and the trio should
only be better with more experience. The team will also receive boost from the
return of Whitney Coleman, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the
Hawks' opening game last season. The 6-3 guard led the team in scoring in
2007-08 and if fully healthy, he should be productive once again. James Hett
(4.1 ppg, 4.4 apg) and 6-9 center Dutch Gaitley (3.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) return as
starters, while guards Yaniv Simpson (7.7 ppg) and R.J. Rutledge (7.6 ppg)
give the team some depth off the bench. Rutgers transfer Justin Sofman is now
eligible after sitting out a year and could crack the starting rotation.
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE - The Blue Devils return five of their top six
scorers from a year ago and that should have them improved following just an
8-10 showing with the conference. Under head coach Howie Dickenman, CCSU has
qualified for the NEC Tournament in each of the last 11 campaigns, the longest
current streak in the league. The return of Ken Horton gives the program a
chance to continue that run, as the 6-6 forward is regarded as one of the top
players in the conference. Last season, Horton ranked third in the conference
in scoring (16.5 ppg) and he also pulled in 5.8 rpg and blocked 44 shots,
showing he could it all. David Simmons will join Horton in the frontcourt once
again and the 6-5 forward is a solid rebounder (5.2 ppg), but could use an
increase in scoring (6.8 ppg). At the perimeter, CCSU also welcomes back the
services of two starters in Shemik Thompson and Robby Ptacek. The 6-0 Thompson
averaged 11.5 ppg last season and he also ran the offense, dishing off 4.8
apg. He is also an elite defender, racking up 57 steals. As for Ptacek, he is
a 6-3 guard that made an impact as a freshman last season, notching 10.0 ppg
and shooting 87.8 percent at the foul line.
SACRED HEART - The Pioneers have established themselves at the Division I
level with three consecutive winning campaigns, including a 37-17 record
versus conference foes since 2006-07. Veteran head coach Dave Bike had Sacred
Heart running and gunning last season, averaging a league-best 73.5 ppg, and
three starters are now back to run the same attack. All three starters come
back along the perimeter and include Chauncey Hardy. The 6-0 Hardy netted 11.3
ppg, to go with a team-high 3.6 apg, and he also shot 42.7 percent from long
range. Corey Hassan joins Hardy after tallying 11.4 ppg last season and he was
terrific over the last 10 games, averaging 16.1 ppg during that stretch. Ryan
Litke is the last of the starters welcomed back after scoring 7.9 ppg, and
look for Shane Gibson (8.1 ppg) to see more time following a solid rookie
campaign. The frontcourt isn't nearly as talented or experienced and the group
needs to overcome the loss of the team's top two rebounders from a year ago.
Center Liam Potter sat out last season, but the seven-footer has the size to
make an impact on the glass in his return.
ST. FRANCIS-NY - The Terriers produced some quality wins last season,
including an upset of Robert Morris, but their season took a turn for the
worse after Kayode Ayeni went down with a torn ACL. Ayeni's absence left a big
hole in the frontcourt, but the 6-5 forward is now back, along with four other
starters, giving head coach Brian Nash an experienced team ready to bounce
back from a 10-20 overall finish last season. Ayeni averaged 13.3 pg and 8.5
rpg prior to the season-ending injury and his return should help the Terriers'
transition game and rebounding issues. Stefan Perunicic, as a freshman, helped
pick up some of the scoring for Ayeni last season, as the 6-7 forward averaged
10.8 ppg, while setting a NEC rookie record with 87 three-pointers. Herman
Wrice (4.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg) had 51 blocks and the 6-7 forward will once again
make his presence felt on defense. Nigel Byam (5.4 ppg) started alongside
Wrice a year ago and should see plenty of minutes this season as well. At the
perimeter, Ricky Cadell is the team's top option and the 6-2 guard emerged as
a big time factor last season, posting 15.3 ppg and shooting 40.0 percent from
beyond the arc.
ST. FRANCIS-PA - The Don Friday era got off to miserable start, as the Red
Flash went just 6-23 overall and 3-15 within the conference in 2008-09. This
year will serve as a stepping stone for the program, as Friday brought in 10
newcomers, including seven true freshmen, to help turn things around. St.
Francis, however, does return three starters and that should help ease the
transition of the newcomers. In the frontcourt is where all three starters
return, including Devin Sweetney. The 6-6 Sweeney is a en elite talent that is
impossible to defend and he showed that by averaging 16.3 ppg. He is also an
elite rebounder, grabbing 7.9 rpg on his way to seven double-doubles. Mislav
Jukic, a 6-7 forward, benefited from playing alongside Sweeney and broke
through with 10.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg last season. Kurt Hoffman is the last of the
returning starters and the 6-6 forward tallied 4.3 ppg and shot 49.5 percent
from the floor a year ago. The backcourt is the big issue for the Red Flash,
as no proven players return. That opens the door for freshman Umar Shannon,
Chris Johnson and Anthony Ervin to play significant time.
WAGNER - The Seahawks are in a rebuilding mode after losing their top four
scorers, who combined for 50 points per game in 2008-09. Veteran head coach
Mike Deane didn't leave the cupboard bare, though, as five players that
averaged at least 13 minutes per game are welcomed back. Chris Martin is one
of those players, as the 5-10 guard averaged 6.1 ppg as a freshman last season
and showed good range, hitting on 45.5 percent of his three-point attempts.
T.J. Czeski (2.6 ppg) and Tyler Murray (2.6 ppg) will also be in the mix at
the perimeter, along with freshmen Danny Mundweiler and Ryan Conrad. The
Hawks' frontcourt doesn't possess much experience either, but with six players
measuring in at 6-7 or better, it should be one of the biggest. Michael Orock,
a 6-7 forward, is the team's lone returning starter and he will be counted on
to do more after posting just 3.2 ppg last season.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON - The Knights underwent a change of leadership this
offseason, as long-time head coach Tom Green was fired in June. Green, FDU's
all-time winningest coach, took the program to the NCAA Tournament as recent
as 2005, but the Knights won just 15 games over the last two seasons, leading
to his dismissal. Stepping into his first head coaching gig is Greg Vetrone, a
former assistant at FDU, UC Irvine and UNLV. He inherits a veteran club that
needs to improve defensively after allowing 76.1 ppg last season. The team's
most noticeable returnee is Sean Baptiste, a 6-3 guard that can score in a
variety of ways. Last season, he ranked fourth in the league with an average
of 16.3 ppg and he posted five 30-point efforts. Baptiste is also a solid
rebounder and defender, notching 5.9 rpg and 47 steals, respectively. Fellow
guard Cameron Tyler is also a skilled player and the 6-0 senior led the
conference with 5.3 apg, while averaging 13.3 ppg. In the frontcourt, the
Knights have six players ranging from 6-7 to 7-2, so that should help them
sure things up defensively. Alvin Mofunanya (6-8) and Kamil Svrdlik (6-8) are
the team's two returning starters in the paint and they combined for 15.9 ppg
and 9.0 rpg last season. DeJuan Pursley should give the team a boost after
sitting out last season, as the 6-9 center is athletic and showed good promise
as a rookie in 2007-08.
BRYANT - In their first transition year from Division II to Division I, the
Bulldogs went 8-21, including 6-8 versus NEC schools. This year, Bryant will
have all its NEC games count towards the league standings, although the
program won't be eligible for the postseason until 2013. Head coach Tim
O'Shea, now in his second season, returns three starters that should help the
Bulldogs remain competitive. Cecil Gresham is the most noticeable of the
returnees and the 6-5 forward averaged a team-high 13.4 ppg and 4.7 rpg last
season. Nick Pontes will once again join Gresham in the frontcourt after
producing 7.7 ppg last season and Barry Latham (4.3 ppg) will add some depth.
At the perimeter, Chris Birrell will again be asked to run the offense and he
dished out 3.5 apg last season, while chipping in with 6.0 ppg. Adam Parzych
came on strong last season and averaged 6.0 ppg, so look for him to have an
expanded role this year.
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