Long Island University dominates Robert Morris to Earn Back-to-Back NEC Championships

Long Island University star forward Jamal Olasewere entered the press conference room, with an understandably wide grin, telling the members of the media to ask his point guard Jason Brickman a question. “You need to make him talk,” Olasewere joked.

The shy point guard may be a reserved person off the court (a la Ryan Peters circa 1994), but on the court, Brickman’s assertive, fantastic play was a major reason why his teammates were sitting at the press conference table tonight with the Northeast Conference trophy by their side.

Olasewere certainly agreed.  “He’s the captain behind this ship.  He’s a coach on the floor.  And he controls the game, night in and night out.  He does his thing on the court, and without him we couldn’t have done this. He’s a great point guard.”

NEC Player of the Year and NEC Tournament MVP Julian Boyd was even more complimentary.  “I definitely wouldn’t have gotten Player of the Year without him (Brickman).  The way he distributes the ball on the court and still scores, it’s amazing.”  At the end, Boyd jokingly added, “I love the guy, but just for now.”

There’s certainly plenty to love if you’re a Blackbird’s player or fan.  Brickman’s 11 assists last night were a NEC finals record and his 29 assists were a NEC Tournament record.  The sophomore All-NEC Second Team selection was consistently driving by the Joneses of Robert Morris, Lucky and Velton, to create plays both on the fast break and in the half-court set.

In the first minute of the game, All-NEC First Team Selection Velton Jones hit the deck hard, after scoring the first points of the game on a contested layup defended by Boyd.  Jones stayed on the floor for 5 minutes before getting up gingerly under his own power.  It was a sign of the rough night ahead for Robert Morris.

Early on however, the Colonials got off to a fast start, thanks mainly to Coron Williams and Mike McFaddan, but a Blackbirds 13-0 and 20-5 run midway through the first half, led by Brickman’s playmaking of course, gave them a lead they would never relinquish.

In the second half, despite some attempts by Robert Morris to chip away at the deficit, LIU kept making big time plays to keep the lead at double digits.  One play in particular, nearly brought down the Wellness Recreation Athletic Center.

On another fast break, CJ Garner decided it was a good idea to hoist a more than half-court pass near the rim toward a driving Julian Boyd.  The perfectly placed pass was received by Boyd in mid-air, who then emphatically slammed it home, sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy.  Immediately after the dunk, Boyd pointed toward the front row, directing his attention to the most famous celebrity at this game, Spike Lee.

It was a fitting way to end a spectular night, and season, for Boyd.  The NEC Regular Season and Tournament MVP finished the game with his patented double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.  

So how did this dominant performance by LIU happen?  Robert Morris head coach Andy Toole explains. “We tried to play LIU basketball better than LIU.  We have to play the game in the 60s, that’s where we live.  We didn’t do a very good job in the start of the game, the game was played in their speed and style, and we weren’t very successful.”

The tempo, coupled with other factors, certainly led to the Colonial demise.  They were as follows:

1) The aforementioned inability of Robert Morris to contain Jason Brickman.  Brickman set the tempo early, with 6 points and 7 assists in the first half, despite having a defensive stud in Velton Jones guarding him much of the time. Brickman impressively finished with 18 points (8 for 8 at the free throw line), 11 assists, and 3 rebounds.

2) The inability of Robert Morris to hit open outside shots.  The Colonials had plenty of opportunities to get back into the game with the trifecta, but it wasn’t meant to be.  Robert Morris missed 21 of their 26 three-point attempts, led by a 0 for 6 three-point shooting performance by Jones.

3) LIU outscored Robert Morris at the free throw line, 31-14.  In the end, a bloated Robert Morris foul total was exasperated by an ill-fated comeback attempt, but make no mistake, 32 personal fouls against the NEC leader in free throw production, usually won’t lead to success.  The 32 fouls was a season high for Robert Morris.

In the end, the LIU students for a second straight year rushed the court, in celebration of another NEC Tournament Championship and a repeat appearance in the NCAA Tournament.  With any luck, the Blackbirds might be placed on the 15-line (c’mon tournament committee, have some love for the Blackbirds!), and draw a #2 seeded opponent like Michigan State, Duke or Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

For Robert Morris, an NIT bid is possible, but most likely not probable.  Instead, they may have to post $30K to play in the CIT or CBI, which should give Andy Toole’s players valuable experience heading into the 2012-2013 season.

And finally for this blogger, it was one remarkable experience for me, since I got to pretend that I was an important member of the media for a night.  Sure, my laptop was almost trampled when a LIU student jumped the press pass table to rush the court, but otherwise it was a night I would never forgot.  Hopefully, there are many more in my future.

Northeast Conference 1st Round Playoff Preview!

On Thursday evening, the Sacred Heart Pioneers return to the Northeast Conference postseason for the first time since losing to Mount St. Mary’s in the semifinals of the 2009 NEC tournament.  Their qualification into the postseason isn’t due to a major improvement from last year, in fact this season marks the third straight year of Sacred Heart having a losing conference record.  As a result, the Pioneers will find themselves in Brooklyn on Thursday night, taking on the defending NEC champions, the Long Island Blackbirds.  The same Long Island Blackbirds that have won 24 home games in a row at the WRAC.  Yay…

Before the playoff match-up, I decided to preview the elimination game, since Thursday may be the last time we get to witness Sacred Heart basketball before November (sorry but I don't think the NIT is calling Dave Bike).  I also briefly previewed and predicted the outcome of the other three NEC first round games.

NEC 1^st Round – #8 seeded Sacred Heart Pioneers (14-17, 8-10 NEC) at #1 seeded Long Island Blackbirds (22-8, 16-2 NEC)

Background:  The Blackbirds swept the season series, but had to earn each victory, with the latter game going to overtime after Shane Gibson hit back-to-back three-pointers late in regulation.  The NEC Player of the Year Julian Boyd and his front-court mate Jamal Olasewere have been dominant against the thin Pioneer front-court, combining for an average of 44 points and 22 rebounds per game.  The Sacred Heart duo of Shane Gibson and Justin Swidowski has been nearly as impressive in defeat, tallying an average of 49 points per game.  Swidowski has easily enjoyed his two best games of the season against LIU.

Keys to the Game:

1) Frontcourt Players Must Stay Out of Foul Trouble

Boyd, Olasewere, and Swidowski have all occasionally had issues staying on the court, due to foul trouble.  It would certainly behoove Sacred Heart to attack Boyd and Olasewere on the defensive end early, in the hope of putting either guy in foul trouble and forcing Jim Ferry to give valuable minutes to LIU back-up forward Kenny Onyechi.  Swidowski, on the other hand, has to log more than 28 minutes for the Pioneers to have a shot at pulling off the upset.  A couple of early fouls from Swidowski could place the Pioneers in a first half hole they’d have no chance to get out of, especially against a LIU team that scores an extraordinary 1.10 points per possession.

2) Get Significant Contributions from Secondary Players

Gibson, Olasewere, and Boyd should undoubtedly get their points.  How much production comes from each team’s supporting cast however, may very well swing the outcome of the game.  For Sacred Heart this season, a well-balanced scoring attack has been practically nonexistent, with no one from the Swidowski, Louis Montes, Evan Kelley, and Chris Evans group providing a consistent effort from game to game.  Someone from that group needs to produce to give Sacred Heart a fighting chance.  On the defensive end, the Pioneers need to contain the guards of LIU, specifically Michael Culpo and CJ Garner.  This season, the slashing Garner has torched the Pioneers for 38 points, to go along with 8 assists in both games. 

3) Defend the Perimeter

When Michael Culpo and Jason Brickman are hitting their three-point shots, LIU is damn near impossible to beat.  The statistics frankly don’t lie – LIU is 16-1 on the season when they shoot 36% or better from beyond the arc.  The guard heavy Pioneers also enjoy success when they’re efficient from long range, as they’re 12-6 when hitting more than 35% of their threes (and 2-11 when they don’t).  Perimeter defense should play a major role, but quite simply, the Pioneers probably need to make a bunch of long range bombs to stay competitive.

4) Protect the Basketball

Against NEC competition, the Blackbirds have done a much better job protecting the basketball.  Early in the season, they were plagued by turnovers.  Since then, Jason Brickman and company have taken care of the ball and it’s no coincidence that LIU is 15-1 when their turnover rate is less than 22% (the national average is approximately 20%).  Why do you think Monmouth was so successful in the season finale against LIU?  King Rice’s feisty bunch took the ball away from the Blackbirds 23 times in the game.  As for the Pioneers, it will be difficult to keep up with the highly efficient LIU attack if they turn over the ball more than 12 times on Thursday.

Prediction:  The loss to Monmouth in the season finale was just what the doctor ordered for Jim Ferry, as it gives his team a wake up call before they embark on their quest for a second straight NEC championship.  I think Sacred Heart hangs with LIU early, but by the middle of the second half, the Blackbirds will have a comfortable lead.  Gibson will leave Brooklyn firing, but it won’t be nearly enough.  Long Island 90, Sacred Heart 75.

NEC 1^st Round - #6 seeded Monmouth Hawks (12-19, 10-8 NEC) at #3 seeded Robert Morris Colonials (22-9, 13-5 NEC)

King Rice’s Monmouth Hawks were considered by some as the team no one wants to play in the tournament, but my guess is that Robert Morris head coach Andy Toole breathed a sign of relief when he learned his team would avoid Quinnipiac in the first round.  It was recently noted in John Templon’s NEC Tempo Free Primer that Monmouth has been a tad fortunate with their record, but I think their luck stops in Moon Township, PA.  Velton Jones and company grind out a hard fought victory in round one to give Andy Toole his 6th career NEC playoff victory in 7 tries.  Robert Morris 64, Monmouth 58.

NEC 1^st Round - #7 seeded Central Connecticut Blue Devils (13-15, 10-8 NEC) at #2 seeded Wagner Seahawks (24-5, 15-3 NEC)

Now that Ken Horton is back to playing like, well Ken Horton, the Blue Devils are a dangerous first round opponent.  Horton was held to a season low 7 points against Wagner in their first meeting, but he exploded for 22 points, 5 blocks, and 4 steals in their second contest.  The question is, how much was Wagner really trying in the meaningless season finale?  Whatever the answer, if Dan Hurley’s Seahawks play their patented pressure defensive, the offensively challenged Blue Devils will struggle mightily.  In fact, CCSU is 1-8 against NEC competition when scoring less than 1 point per possession.  My guess is NEC Defensive Player of the Year Kenneth Ortiz and company will give the Blue Devils fits.  Horton will get his points, but Vinales and Ptacek will each have bad shooting nights.  Wagner 71, Central Connecticut 62.

NEC 1^st Round - #5 seeded Quinnipiac Bobcats (17-12, 10-8 NEC) at #4 seeded St. Francis Terriers (15-14, 12-6 NEC)

These are two teams heading in different directions come tourney time.  Unfortunately for Glenn Braica’s Terriers, Stefan Perunicic and Travis Nichols are banged up and will be game-time decisions.  Even if they play, how much can they produce against a physical Quinnipiac team that has won 7 of their last 10 games?  The two things to focus on for the game is how well can St. Francis shoot it from behind the arc and will the Bobcats have their way on the boards.  My guess is that Tom Moore will have his guys focused solely on keeping rookie sensation Jalen Cannon away from the offensive glass.  Expect big games from NEC 2nd Teamers Ike Azotam and James Johnson in this down to the wire battle.  Quinnipiac 67, St. Francis 64.

You can follow Pioneer Pride on Twitter at @pioneer_pride

Who Will Win the Northeast Conference Player of the Year Award?

This was supposed to be an exciting final week in the Northeast Conference.  Playoff berths would be up for grabs, the regular season title would dramatically come down to the final two games, and small packed gyms all over the upper east coast would capture the excitement of teams attempting to improve their seeding before they begin their quest to qualify for the Big Dance.

Instead, LIU has practically locked up number #1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.  The top 4 seeds have all clinched that coveted first round home playoff game.  And seven teams have clinched a playoff spot, with the 8th (Sacred Heart) in very good shape to play on.  So, what exactly is there to talk about in the week before the NEC playoffs? 

Perhaps I can complain about Sacred Heart’s poor execution in late game situations? 

(Ehh, I've been there, done that.  You can go to this post, this post, this post, this post, this post, or this post to hear me whine about the Pioneers)

Or maybe I can drum up excitement on whether Mount St. Mary’s interim coach Matt Henry can motivate the Mountaineers to finish their season strong?

(Crickets chirping….)

No!  Rather, let’s have a debate over who should be the 2011-2012 Northeast Conference Player of the Year, shall we?

This season, 4 or 5 players have emerged as worthy candidates of the award.  In fact, when I spoke with a few NEC fans this past weekend, it was clear there wasn’t a unanimous choice among the group.  Just as amazing, 4 of my 5 finalists will be back for their senior season!  So for this post, I’ll present the case for each player and rank them as if I had a ballot.  Let’s begin!

5) Velton Jones, G, Robert Morris University

The Case:  The heart and soul of the Colonials, Jones leads the NEC in FTs made (166) and steals per game (1.9).  As the go-to-guy of the offense, Jones’ physical slash-to-the-hole style has been instrumental in helping out Robert Morris pull out several close victories.

The Argument:  Jones has struggled the past three weeks, averaging a pedestrian 11.1 points per game on 26.7% shooting.  For the year, Jones hasn't shot the ball particularly well, relying mainly on free throws and a high volume of shots for his points. 

The Verdict:  Even though Jones has had a fine season, his low shooting percentages prevent him from serious consideration for POY.  In fact, an argument can be made for Jason Brickman (7.0 apg, 44.1% 3PT%) or Ike Izotam (although there’s already 3 forwards) over Jones as a member of the NEC First Team. 

4) Ken Horton, F, Central Connecticut State

The Case:  The reigning NEC Player of the Year is having another fantastic season in New Britain, as he finds himself in the top 5 in points/game (17.8), rebounds/game (8.8), steals/game (1.9), and blocks/game (1.3).  His numbers are even more impressive when you consider the attention Horton receives from opposing front-courts, every single game.  And to add the cherry on top, he’s an excellent defender who doesn't take a play off when guarding the other team.

The Argument:  Most of his numbers are mildly down across the board from last season, and with the exception of a home win against Robert Morris earlier in the year, Horton doesn’t have a signature performance against an elite NEC team.  Lately, Horton's play has tailed off with a stat line of 7/6/1 in his past 4 contests.

The Verdict:  The stats suggest Horton may deserve his second straight POY crown, however his inconsistency and so-so performance versus the NEC elite likely cripple his chances to defend.  Given the performance of my top 3 players, it was a rather easy decision to exclude Horton from POY consideration.

(And now onto the real candidates...)

3) Jamal Olasewere, F, Long Island University

The Case:  Olasewere raised eyebrows recently with his dominant performance in the Battle of Brooklyn and against Sacred Heart, as he scored 80 points on 30 of 41 shooting with 29 rebounds in 3 games.  For the year, Olasewere sits in the top 5 in points per game (17.2), rebounds per game (7.6), field goal percentage (57.2%), steals per game (1.4), and blocks per game (1.1).  This despite playing a mere 26 minutes per contest!

The Argument:  He provides value defensively without a doubt, but he’s found himself in foul trouble a little too much.  His normalized statistics per 40 minutes are fantastic, but just imagine the damage he could do if he hacked opponents just a little less.  Because of being in foul trouble, there have been some games where Olasewere’s production was decent at best.

 The Verdict:  Boyd and Olasewere may be the best front-court duo on any mid-major roster this season, although their co-existence may in fact hinder Olasewere’s chance to win the POY award.  Well that and Olasewere’s inability to consistently stay on the floor for his team.

2) Julian Boyd, F, Long Island University

The Case:  More often than not, Boyd is simply unguardable in the NEC.  Like his teammate, Boyd can score in a variety of ways and hasn’t shied away from a big moment (see, St. Francis, NY at LIU).  As the focal point of LIU’s high octane offense, Boyd has averaged 17.2 points per game to go along with more than 9 boards per game.  He’s improved his scoring efficiency from last season, shooting an impressive 54% from the floor and 35% from beyond the arc.  He has range and an inside-the-paint presence, which makes him all the more valuable.

The Argument:  Although a beast on the low block, Boyd does have a couple of sub-par performances sprinkled into what was otherwise a spectacular season.  Boyd doesn’t do much on the defensive end of the floor and has been plagued occasionally with foul trouble, which certainly restricts his defensive value.  Most voters prefer to see their Player of the Year candidates excel on both ends of the floor, yet Boyd’s defensive impact probably doesn’t match the other candidates on this exclusive list.

The Verdict:  I feel Boyd falls just short, in large part due to his marginal contribution on defense.  Nonetheless, if someone debates hard for Boyd (or Olasewere for that matter) over my soon-to-be mentioned Player of the Year, I really can’t disagree.  Both forwards have had a fantastic year for an exciting Long Island University team.

1) Shane Gibson, G, Sacred Heart University

The Case:  The most prolific scorer in Pioneer history has been remarkable in his junior season.  He’s scored a NEC-leading 22.4 ppg and has produced double digit points every game this season, but those stats aren’t even the most impressive.  It’s his efficiency of scoring.  His effective field goal percentage (FG%), which combines all field goals from the floor with more weight applied to 3-point shots, is in the top 5 of the league.  Given the volume of shots Gibson attempts per night (with most of them from the perimeter), his effective FG% of 59.6% is unheard of for most players in the back-court.  In addition, Gibson is an above average defender with 1.6 steals per game, good enough for 4th best in the conference, and he rebounds the ball very well for a 6-foot-2 shooting guard.

The Argument:  As Sacred Heart's only reliable scoring option, Gibson has in some instances come up big (see games vs. LIU, CCSU, RMU) and sometimes failed to hit the game tying or winning shot (see games vs. Mount St. Mary’s, Yale).  In addition, some voters would prefer their Player of the Year coming from a more successful team that Sacred Heart.  Barring an incredible tournament run, the Pioneers aren’t expected to compete for the NEC title, whereas Boyd and Olasewere have a real opportunity to compete in the NCAAs in back-to-back years, no small feat for a small D1 school.

The Verdict:  Without Gibson, the Pioneers wouldn’t be in the playoffs, nor would they have more than 4 conference wins.  His efficiency has been remarkable given the defensive attention he faces every game, yet his offensive effort hasn’t prevented him from contributing big time on the defensive end as well.  He’s been consistent and has produced against most teams in the NEC, elite or not.  And with that, I would give the 2011-2012 Northeast Conference Player of the Year Award to Shane Gibson.

Do you agree or disagree?  In reality, it should come down to Gibson, Boyd, or Olasewere, in my opinion.  It will be fascinating when the award is announced next Tuesday on Twitter (by @NECSports).  Who will be the next Northeast Conference Player of the Year? 

You can follow Pioneer Pride on Twitter at @pioneer_pride

Pioneer Pride Mid-Season Northeast Conference Awards

The college basketball season is about two thirds complete, but I felt like generating the first ever Pioneer Pride mid-season men’s basketball awards for the Northeast Conference.  Besides, the conference season isn’t even halfway through.  In this post, I selected my NEC First, Second, and All-Rookie Teams along with Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, up to this point in the season.  Keep in mind that I placed a little more weight on a player’s performance in NEC games for these selections.  Enjoy…

Pioneer Pride NEC Midseason 1st Team

G- Shane Gibson, Sacred Heart
G- Velton Jones, Robert Morris
F- Jamal Olasewere, Long Island
F- Julian Boyd, Long Island
F- Ken Horton, Central Connecticut

Gibson, Olasewere, Boyd, and Horton are no-brainers, as all could be considered for NEC Player of the Year honors at season’s end.  The only difficult decision was between Velton Jones and Quinnipiac's James Johnson.  Jones, who is second in the conference in usage rate, means slightly more to his team offensively than Johnson, thus I gave him the nod.  Of all guards, Gibson leads the NEC in both points per game (20.7 ppg) and efficiency rating, according to BBState.com.  As a result, Gibson’s insertion bumped Wagner’s Tyler Murray to the Second Team.


Pioneer Pride NEC Midseason 2nd Team

G- James Johnson, Quinnipiac
G- Tyler Murray, Wagner
G- Jason Brickman, Long Island
F- Ike Azotam, Quinnipiac
F- Scott Eatherton, St. Francis (PA)

Despite leading the NEC in rebounding as a sophomore, Azotam falls to the Second Team due to the dominance of Boyd, Olasewere, and Horton.  I have nothing against Azotam; there were just too many elite players in the front-court to squeeze onto the First Team.  Point-guard Brickman gets a slight nod over Central’s Robby Ptacek and Wagner’s Latif Rivers, thanks to leading the league in assists, while shooting an incredibly efficient 48% from behind the arch (and an obscene 67% in eight NEC games).  Scott Eatherton was the biggest surprise of the list and should earn NEC Most Improved Player of the Year honors.  Averaging 15.2 ppg/7.3 rpg/1.2 bpg is an excellent improvement coming off a 2010-11 campaign in which he only played ten minutes per game as a freshman.

Pioneer Pride NEC Midseason All Rookie Team

G- Kyle Vinales, Central Connecticut
G- Phil Gaetano, Sacred Heart
F- Jalen Cannon, St. Francis (NY)
F- Ousmane Drame, Quinnipiac
F- Lucky Jones, Robert Morris

Vinales will be a mainstay on the NEC First or Second Team for his remaining three years.  In his rookie campaign, Vinales makes up part of CCSU’s three headed scoring monster – along with Horton and Ptacek – by scoring 18.6 points per game.  Cannon and Jones have been dominant on the glass for their respective clubs, while Drame has shown glimpses of defensive dominance in the paint.  The 5-foot-10 Gaetano edges out Mount St. Mary's forward Kelvin Parker, probably because I haven’t seen Parker play, while I’ve been impressed with Gaetano’s poise since taking over the starting point guard role from Evan Kelley.

Pioneer Pride NEC Midseason Coach of the Year

Dave Bike, Sacred Heart

This has to be the cherry on top of a wonderful 34 year coaching car………alright, sorry that was a joke.  I just wanted to rile up the Quinnipiac fans.  OK, my REAL Coach of the Year is…

Jim Ferry, Long Island

The hype machine promoting Dan Hurley wasn’t enough for me to select him as my Midseason Coach of the Year.  Not when Jim Ferry is coaching an undefeated 8-0 squad that convincingly defeated Hurley’s Seahawks twice.  Sure, Wagner has improved beyond our expectations this season, but Ferry’s LIU club hasn’t lost a conference game since January of last year.  While I expect a slip up or two before NEC tournament play begins, Long Island clearly has the best chance to represent the NEC in the big dance.  The eventual NEC champion must go through Brooklyn.

Pioneer Pride NEC Midseason Player of the Year

Ken Horton, Central Connecticut

I really wanted to give Shane Gibson the honor, but Horton has just been too dominant.  The 6-foot-6 reigning NEC Player of the Year – and future NBA player – does it all.  He scores (2nd in NEC with 20.4 ppg), rebounds (2nd with 9.5 rpg), shoots the three (31%) and defends (1st in NEC with 2.0 spg, 2nd in NEC with 1.5 bpg).  If this was NEC Most Valuable Player award, an argument could be made for Gibson, because without him the Pioneers would have a 2-6 conference record AT BEST (compared to 4-4 now).  But I’ll be objective and unbiased here – Ken Horton is the unquestionable winner and has a very good chance to repeat as NEC Player of the Year.

Do you disagree with anyone?  Did I omit someone worthy of consideration?  Please let me know!  And stay tuned for my Wagner/Sacred Heart preview tomorrow night.