Sacred Heart Finishes Off St. Francis to Win First Two NEC Games

I don't ever remember saying this about any of my favorite sports teams, but four wins and nine losses has never looked so damn good. Especially when you throw in that perfect 2-0 NEC record!

It seems ridiculous to celebrate after a team has won merely 31% of their games, but after one of the worst non-conference seasons I have ever witnessed as a Sacred Heart alum, I needed this. Any of the 500 fans who showed up at the Pitt Center yesterday needed this. The Pioneers have righted the ship by sweeping their two game home-stand against the Brooklyn schools to open the conference season. So everything is OK now, right?

Well, not exactly.

Sure, I'm a glass half-empty guy when talking about my Pioneers, yet these are two games that SHU desperately needed to win, which they did by the slimmest of margins. The two victories gave SHU a share of first place along with Wagner and Bryant (who could have guessed that?), but I'm far from celebrating this momentous occasion.

(Seriously Ryan, stop being a freaking baby. Just be happy they have a share of the first place lead. It could be worse. You could be a fan of Robert Morris, who's coach just called his team a bunch of wimpy, noncompetitive boys after two home losses to Bryant and CCSU.)

OK. OK. I'll humor you this time. After all, I should oblige. Especially after Mount St. Mary's head coach Jamion Christian congratulated me on SHU's win after HIS OWN press conference last night (he was in a good mood after their solid win over Monmouth).

Just let it be known that the Pioneers were fortunate to be only down five at halftime of their home showdown with St. Francis Brooklyn. The Terrier big men missed a number of easy putbacks and shots inside the paint (which included a comical two minute sequence from St. Francis center Matt Milk, poor guy), and luckily SHU took advantage by closing the first stanza on an 8-0 run. It should have been a much bigger deficit.

In second half, however, the Pioneers played like the title contending team I had originally envisioned. For the first time all season, Justin Swidowski played an absolutely dominating five minutes of basketball, registering 12 points on only five shots. He did his damage from both inside and out, and was the spark that kept in the Pioneers in the game throughout the second half. After his three-point play (the good old fashion way) capped off a 12-1 run to tie the game at 47, it was an entirely whole new game.

Despite the second half surge though, SHU still couldn't get over the hump. Anytime the Pioneers had an opportunity to seize control of the game, there was St. Francis power forward - and future All-NEC first teamer - Jalen Cannon doing damage in the paint. The shorthanded Pioneers frontcourt, sans Femi Akinpetide (personal issue) and Tevin Falzon (academic issue), were no match for the bulky sophomore, as he once again impressed with an array of smooth post moves and an uncanny ability to grab rebounds on both sides of the floor. Cannon finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds.

(Quick side note: The SHU radio announcer said this about Cannon during the game, "Jalen Cannon is becoming one of the better players in the NEC." That certainly is the understatement of the year!)

Luckily for the Pioneers, a player who has already earned All-NEC first team honors in Shane Gibson played like a star yesterday. It was vintage Gibson (28 points on 17 shots), as he scored the final four points of the contest to will his team to victory. Rather than hoisting up a contested 25 footer in SHU's final possession, Gibson wisely drove past his man and was fouled by Akeem Johnson as he attempted the game winning layup. Gibson then calmly swished both free throws with five seconds left to give the Pioneers their first lead since they were up 3-0.

SHU, of course, held on and will now embark on an arduous four game road trip. The first week keeps the Pioneers in Connecticut for critical in-state battles with CCSU and Quinnipiac. The second leg finds Dave Bike and company in Western PA to face St. Francis (PA) and an angry and winless (in the NEC anyway) Robert Morris club.

Anything less than a split of those four games will be disappointing, but given the wild wild NEC (sorry I had to steal that phrase from Colonial Corner writer Andrew Chiappazzi), you never know what is going to happen. Yet with the wide openness of the conference, SHU has a chance. If Shane Gibson can consistently return into that dynamic player from a season ago, if Justin Swidowski is finally back full healthy from his shoulder surgery, and if role players like point guard Phil Gaetano continue to produce (19 assists versus five turnovers, four of six from three-point range in both conference games so far), then who the hell knows what this team can do.

I'm not celebrating the 4-9 Pioneers yet, but I'd be lying to you if I said there wasn't a fist pump ... or twenty in the Peters' household last night.

Until next time...

Ryan Peters covers Sacred Heart men's basketball for Pioneer Pride and Big Apple Buckets. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @pioneer_pride

The 2011-2012 Northeast Conference End of Season Recap - Part 2

For Part 1 of the NEC Season Recap, go here.

6.  Monmouth Hawks, 12-20 (10-8 NEC) 

For more than half of the season, the Monmouth Hawks looked like the same old mediocre team, as they stumbled out to a 3-16 and 1-5 conference record.  At that point however, first year head coach King Rice's effect on the roster began to take hold, as the Hawks finished the season improbably winning 9 of their final 13 contests.  The late season surge was thanks to playing inspired defense and using a well balanced scoring attack, led by diminutive junior guard Jesse Steele.  Now, the future looks brighter for the Rice's kids, especially with the impressive recruiting haul coming in for the 2012-13 season.  With that said, I would be cautious to project an improvement from 10 conference victories, but make no mistake, NEC teams can no longer expect an easy victory when they play the Monmouth Hawks.

5.  Quinnipiac Bobcats, 18-14 (10-8 NEC)

It was another season of controlling the boards for Quinnipiac, as they finished 2nd in the nation in rebounding percentage.  Ousmane Drame showed glimpses of how dominating he and front-court mate Ike Azotam could be when each is playing at a high level.  When the defensive intensity was there for Tom Moore’s squad, the Bobcats could certainly get by most nights with a victory.  But when they squared off against the offensively powered NEC elite, specifically Wagner and LIU, the Bobcats simply couldn’t match their opponent's offensive output.  Losing All-NEC 2nd Teamer James Johnson won’t help, so the big question heading into next season is how much will the rest of the team, mainly Zaid Hearst, Nate Gause, and Jamee Jackson pick up the scoring slack?  Quinnipiac has been close the last couple of years, but offensive efficiency still impedes their ability to secure their first ever NCAA tournament bid.

4.  St. Francis (NY) Terriers 16-15 (12-6 NEC)

If you take out the first 5 games and the last 3 games of the Terrier’s season, it was a fantastic run for the team that called Pope Education Center home.  Unfortunately, the entire season counts and injuries depleted Glenn Braica’s roster just enough to be ousted in the first round of the NEC tourney by Quinnipiac.  Even with the early round exit, Braica rightfully earned NEC Coach of the Year honors, as he did a masterful job squeezing 12 conference wins out of a no-name roster that lost starting guard Dre Calloway to a shoulder injury.  Looking ahead, the nucleus of Ben Mockford, Travis Nichols, Brent Jones and Jalen Cannon should give NEC teams a battle every single night.  Given how competitive the conference has become however, projecting St. Francis to match their 12 conference wins next season may be a tad bullish.

3.  Robert Morris Colonials, 26-11 (13-5 NEC)
With much of the hype on Wagner and Long Island throughout the season, all the Colonials did was quietly compile a 13-5 conference record en route to a #3 seed in the NEC tourney.  From there, Velton Jones and company essentially ended Dan Hurley's career at Wagner with a grinding, defensively inspired semifinal victory.  In the end, Andy Toole's team fell just short in the finals, but it was another impressive effort nonetheless.  Robert Morris has now averaged more than 14 NEC victories in each of the past 5 seasons, and with a roster that only graduates Lawrence Bridges, the Colonials will once again be part of the NEC elite moving forward.

2.  Wagner Seahawks, 25-6 (15-3 NEC)

The media darlings of the Northeast Conference did everything this season except win the NEC regular season and postseason championship, and it dearly cost them.  25 wins, 12 of which were on the road, and a non-conference record of 9-2, just wasn’t enough to warrant a NIT invite.  Perhaps as a result (although I’m guessing $4 million dollars played a slightly larger role), the Hurley brothers left to coach the University of Rhode Island.  Hurley’s departure however, didn’t scare off the top notch recruits coming to Wagner next season, as both Eric Fanning and Dwuan Anderson have allegedly remain committed to Seahawk basketball.  Pair them with NEC Defensive Player of the Year Kenneth Ortiz, All-NEC 2nd Teamer Latif Rivers and young big men Mario Moody and Naofall Folahan and you have a scary good lineup.  The transaction next season won’t be seamless, especially with the departure of the underrated Tyler Murray, but Wagner should again compete for the NEC title, as long as the youngest coach in college basketball Bashir Mason can pick up where Dan Hurley left off.

1.  Long Island University Blackbirds, 25-9 (16-2 NEC)

It was another remarkable season for Jim Ferry’s Blackbirds, as LIU dominated their NEC opponents by averaging 1.10 points per offensive possession.  As great as NEC Player of the Year Julian Boyd and All-NEC 1st Teamer Jamal Olasewere were in the front-court, it was super sophomore Jason Brickman that catalyzed the mastery of LIU’s offense.  Brickman was fifth in the nation with 7.3 assists per game and he -- along with back-court mate Michael Culpo -- shot 38.4% from behind the arc.  Throw in slasher C.J. Garner, and you have an offensive juggernaut that ultimately pushed LIU to their second straight NCAA tournament.  There’s little chance of regression since the Blackbirds only lose Culpo to graduation with the core of Boyd, Olasewere, and Brickman still in tact.  Sure, the Blackbird’s 26 game home winning streak will probably be snapped at some point next season, but the back-to-back NEC champions still have one last run in them before the roster is turned over.

You can follow Pioneer Pride for Sacred Heart and Northeast Conference men's basketball updates on Twitter at @pioneer_pride

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

Four Excellent Candidates Fight for the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year

For the final installment of my Northeast Conference regular season awards, I delve into the Coach of the Year debate.  Like the Player and Rookie of the Year races, this vote is completely unpredictable.  In any given year, my top 4 coaches could all be the favorite to win the award, but this season has been unusual to say the least.  Below, I examine each candidate and attempt to make sense of which man deserves the 2011-2012 Northeast Conference Coach of the Year.

3b. Jim Ferry, Long Island University

The Case:  All Jim Ferry has done is lead the Blackbirds to back-to-back regular season NEC championships.  This feat was accomplished in dominant fashion, with the Blackbirds winning 16 of their 18 NEC games this season.  Under Ferry's watch, the LIU Blackbirds have become one of the most efficient offenses in the history of the NEC.

The Argument:  John Templon, in one of his latest posts, stated it perfectly when he wrote that Ferry was “a victim of expectations.”  Ferry’s squad was picked in the preseason to win it all, so their place at the top of the standings comes as no surprise.  Anything less than first place with LIU’s talent, may be categorized as an abject failure.

The Verdict:  Perhaps unfairly so, this season’s lofty expectations will prevent Ferry from earning another Jim Phelan Coach of the Year award, especially in a season where there are multiple candidates worthy of the distinction.

3a. King Rice, Monmouth University

The Case:  The rookie head coach has improbably led his Hawks to a 10-8 NEC record in his first season, despite inheriting a team that hasn't finished with a winning conference record since the 2005-2006 season.  Picked 10th in the Coaches Preseason Poll, Monmouth has greatly exceeded expectations by defeating NEC playoff teams LIU, Sacred Heart, St. Francis (NY) and CCSU, while battling Wagner and Robert Morris in closely contested battles at home.

The Argument:  I’m really digging here, but Monmouth has been a tad fortunate in several of their wins.  After stunning Sacred Heart in a terrific come-from-behind victory, King Rice admitted his team got a little lucky.  And Monmouth’s last two regular season victories came when one team was banged up considerably (St. Francis, NY) and another was just playing out the regular season after locking up a #1 seed (LIU).

The Verdict:  Rice has done a phenomenal job in his first season and has the Hawks moving in the right direction.  But given the seasonal accomplishments of the two coaches I’m about to discuss, I feel Rice falls just short of serious consideration for the Coach of the Year honors.

2. Dan Hurley, Wagner College

The Case:  Where do I start?  Dan Hurley led Wagner to 24 wins, a single season school record.  Wagner’s 12 road victories are tied for first in the country (with mid-major power Murray State) this season.  His Seahawks impressed in the non-conference portion of their schedule, with victories over Pittsburgh, Air Force, and Santa Clara to get them the national recognition that no NEC team has ever experienced.  Even if Wagner falls short of winning the postseason championship, Hurley’s Seahawks are still a virtual lock to qualify for the NIT tournament.  What a season it has been for the Green and White in Staten Island.

The Argument:  Like Jim Ferry, Hurley may be a victim of expectations.  Picked 4th in the preseason poll, Wagner was expected to compete for a NEC title given the talent on the roster.  It seems a bit unfair since Hurley did in fact recruit guys like Kenneth Ortiz, Latif Rivers, and Mario Moody, but their conference success comes with little surprise.

The Verdict:  It’s an agonizing decision, but the final coach I will discuss moves just ahead of Hurley, despite Wagner's terrific achievements.  I certainly wouldn’t be shocked if the NEC made Hurley a Co-Coach of the Year, because Hurley and this next coach would each have a legitimate gripe should they finish 2nd in the ballot.

1. Glenn Braica, St. Francis College

The Case:  Second year head coach Glenn Braica led St. Francis to a surprising 5th place finish last season, however the expectations were significantly lower heading into the 2011-2012 campaign.  The Terriers lost their two leading scorers to graduation and then point-guard and team leader Dre Calloway to a shoulder injury.  That situation seems dire, right?  Well all Braica did was better his conference record from last season, by getting his team to buy into a team first mentality while competing hard defensively and on the glass.  In spite of not having a player finish in the NEC top 20 in scoring, Braica willed his team to a 12-6 conference record and a first round home game in the conference tournament.

The Argument:  There really isn’t an argument against Braica, other than stating that Hurley’s record and accomplishments were simply better.  In fact, it’s difficult to come up with a solid argument for any of these coaches.  That's what makes this vote so difficult.

The Verdict:  Given the low expectations, and Braica’s ability to coach his team to victory in several close games, I would vote for Glenn Braica as my 2011-2012 Coach of the Year.

Do you agree or disagree?  And in case you missed it, go here for my NEC Player of the Year and here for my NEC Rookie of the Year selections.

You can follow Pioneer Pride on Twitter at @pioneer_pride

Pioneer Pride's Debut Behind the Mic - A Halftime Show Interview

I attended a Northeast Conference doubleheader this past Saturday, with both games taking place in Brooklyn.  The second game of the doubleheader, Sacred Heart vs. St. Francis, was the game I was most anxious about, for two reasons.  Reason number one was obviously because Sacred Heart needed a win to possibly clinch that ever-elusive (well at least for the last 2 years) NEC tournament berth.  The second reason, however, was a unique and unexpected opportunity - I was invited to be the guest on the halftime show for the St. Francis broadcast.  Jaden Daly, one of the excellent play-by-play announcers for St. Francis, graciously extended the invitation to me a few weeks ago, and I excitedly accepted.  I was somewhat nervous beforehand, but Jaden did a fantastic job making the interview very comfortable.  By the way, Jaden also runs an terrific college basketball blog, Daly Dose of Hoops, which I recommend.

You can find the broadcast of the game and my interview right here.  Here are the instructions to access it once you get to the page:
1) On the right side of the page, click on the red tab "On Demand"
2) Once you do that, a number of games will pop up.  The top game of the list should be labeled "St. Francis Men's Basketball vs. Sacred Heart, Sat, Feb 18th".  Click on the "Watch" button in that box.
3) Now the game should load on the left side of the page.  Skip ahead to the 1 hour, 2 minute, 20 second mark.  The interview will begin shortly after that.

NOTE: On my computer, the broadcast was interrupted by "buffering" at the 1:05:54 mark, so if it freezes at that point, you may have to skip slightly ahead (like at 1:06:22) to hear the remainder of the interview.

I'm curious to hear everyone's opinion on my performance.  Overall, I'd give myself a "C+".  I stumbled out of the gate, said "um" and "so" a little too much, and was a little vague on certain points.  But I was much smoother on my last 2 answers of the interview (my nervousness was gone by that point) and I had an absolute blast doing it!  I certainly wouldn't hesitate to do another interview next season.

Oh, and if you're a Sacred Heart fan who's a glutton for torture, skip ahead to the 1 hour, 56 minute mark.  There you'll capture the final 48 seconds of the game and get to see Sacred Heart lose another heartbreaker in the process.  I will now bang my head continuously against the coffee table...

A Historical Comparison for the Cinderella Story of the NEC - The St. Francis Terriers

I needed to pull myself away from Twitter after reading about 1,567 tweets on Jeremy Lin and Linsanity (I'm guilty of tweeting about it as well).  So let's talk about the Cinderella story of the Northeast Conference, shall we?

Until January, most fans would have handed the Northeast Coach of the Year award to Dan Hurley, a coach who has shocked everyone by leading Wagner to a 21-4 record.  Although most people may still agree with that assessment, St. Francis Terrier coach Glenn Braica certainly deserves to be part of the Coach of the Year discussion.  His Terriers have been the surprise of the NEC, and the only team in the top 4 that no one had suspected would be there.  As the year has progressed and the more I watch this team, it reminds me of a squad that catalyzed my passion as an over-the-top small D1 college basketball fan.  That team was the 2006-2007 Sacred Heart Pioneers.

Below, I compare the two squads and explain why I feel they have a lot in common.  I realize this exercise is somewhat silly, however this allows me to discuss the "glory days" of Sacred Heart basketball, instead of recapping their latest excruciating loss to LIU.

1. Greatly Exceeding Preseason Expectations

Picked 11^th in the NEC Coaches Preseason Poll, it was obvious to most coaches that the Terriers wouldn’t recover from the graduation of their two leading scorers, Akeem Bennett and Ricky Cadell.  After all, who would pick up the slack when there wasn’t another scorer from the incumbent roster averaging more than 9 points per game?  Five years early, NEC coaches asked themselves the same question about Dave Bike's Pioneers, who had lost All-NEC 1st Teamer Kibwe Trim to graduation.  Sacred Heart got a little more respect in their preseason poll (selected 8th), however the motive was clear – they would not be considered among the NEC elite at season’s end.  The Pioneers finished the NEC regular season with an unexpected 12-6 mark, while the Terriers this season are well on their way toward 12-14 conference wins and a home playoff game in the first round of the NEC tournament.  Not bad for originally being selected to finish behind St. Francis (PA) and Bryant.

(Let that last sentence sit with you for a second….)

2. A Well-Balanced Scoring Attack

You know, Sacred Heart wasn't always a mediocre team who had one elite scorer like Corey Hassan or Shane Gibson (I wish I could put you on my lap right now for added effect).  In fact, the 2006-07 Pioneers were a well-balance scoring machine consisting of seven regulars who averaged between 8.4 – 13.3 points per game.  St. Francis doesn’t go as deep this year, but they still have six players scoring between 7.3 and 12.1 points per game.  Stefon Purunicic, Ben Mockford, Akeem Johnson, Travis Nicholas, and Brett Jones have all led the Terriers in points in different games.  It certainly makes the Terriers difficult to defend late in games, because opposing defenses just can't focus on one guy.

3. The One Senior Leader

Although he’s struggled as of late, Stefan Perunicic was instrumental in getting St. Francis off to a fast start in the NEC.  In his first eight NEC contests, six of them Terrier victories, Perunicic shot a ridiculous 28 for 51 (55%) from behind the arc.  The lone senior is playing a pivotal role in St. Francis’ resurgence much like All-NEC 1st Teamer Jerrid Frye did for the Pioneers five years earlier.  Frye, the grizzled veteran of Bike’s squad, led Sacred Heart with 13.3 points per game to go along with 5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.  Both Perunicic and Frye have played an important role in the maturation of a team making the next step toward the NEC elite.

4. Living and Dying by the Outside Shot

Here a stat for you – when St. Francis makes less than 33% of their 3-pointers, they have a record of 2-9.  When they shoot better than 33%? 12-3. Talk about a one-dimensional offense!  Sacred Heart wasn’t as dependent on the perimeter jumper in 2006-07, yet they still relied on sharpshooters Drew Shubik, Luke Granato, Ryan Litke, and Chaucey Hardy for instant offense a good amount of the time. 

(Side note: upon seeing this stat, it's clear that St. Francis should prefer the #4 seed at season's end, as opposed to the #3 seed.  That way, they would avoid Wagner, the likely #2 seed, in the semifinals and take on LIU instead.  Wagner is a lousy matchup for the Terriers, because the Seahawks can neutralize St. Francis' lethal 3-point shooting with their pressure defense.)

In the 2007 NEC Tournament, Sacred Heart was literally 3 minutes away from their first ever NCAA Tournament berth.  Up 10 with 3 minutes left in the championship game, the Central Connecticut Blue Devils found a way to pull off the unlikely victory (and start a series of brutal losses I had trouble getting over as a fan).  Will St. Francis go as far as the Pioneers had in 2007?  Even if the Terriers fail to make the championship game this season, one thing is clear.  The future is bright for the underdogs from Brooklyn.

The State of the Northeast Conference With Two Weeks Left

With only four regular season games remaining for each Northeast Conference team, it’s an excellent time to break down the standings and look ahead to the final matchups.  Below I laid out the current NEC standings in tiers, went over the tiebreakers, and outlined the likelihood of each team’s potential playoff seed.  For simplicity, I removed both Bryant and Fairleigh Dickinson from the bottom of the standings, since neither will be playing postseason basketball in two weeks.

RANK/TEAM                         CONF W-L                     KEY GAMES LEFT

1) LIU                                           13-1                            vs. QU, SHU, at MU

2) Wagner                                     12-2                             vs. MU

- LIU owns tiebreaker based on head-to-head record (2-0)

With their sweep over Brooklyn rival St. Francis, LIU is in good shape to capture the regular season title and that coveted home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.  Only two more challenging games remain, both of which are at the WRAC.  Even if LIU splits that set, Wagner still needs to win out and hope for LIU to get upset by Monmouth or FDU.  That scenario seems unlikely.

3) St. Francis (NY)                      10-4                              at QU, MU, vs. SHU

4) Robert Morris                          10-4                              vs. CCSU, at SHU, QU

- St. Francis owns tiebreaker based on head-to-head record (1-0)

A month ago, Glenn Braica’s Terriers validated their legitimacy with a convincing upset win against an inconsistent Robert Morris squad.  Now, barring a collapse from either team and an improbable end-of-season sweep from Quinnipiac, both teams will host a playoff game in the first round.  Should either advance, they’ll certainly serve as a dangerous opponent for LIU or Wagner in the semifinals.

5) Quinnipiac                                8-6                              at LIU, vs. SFNY, SFPA, RMU

6) Monmouth                                7-7                              at Wag, MSM, vs. LIU, SFNY

7) Central Connecticut                  7-7                              at RMU, SFPA, vs. Wag, MSM

8) Sacred Heart                             7-7                              at LIU, SFNY, vs. RMU, SFPA

- Monmouth owns tiebreaker based on head-to-head-to-head records (MU 2-0, CCSU 1-2, SHU 1-2)

- CCSU own tiebreaker on SHU based on better common record vs. Robert Morris (CCSU 1-0, SHU 0-1)

Quinnipiac is quickly turning into the lower seeded opponent no one wants to play in the NEC tournament.  As noted in Big Apple Buckets, Quinnipiac’s improved defense has sparked a 6-1 record in their past seven games.  Monmouth will have difficultly holding the #6 seed, thanks to their difficult end of season schedule.  Their only saving grace may be that the schedules of CCSU and Sacred Heart are equally as difficult.  CCSU is fortunate there’s significant space between the 8th and 9th teams in the standings, because Howie Dickerman’s Blue Devils are heading the wrong direction, mainly due to their offensive inefficiency.  Once considered to be a NEC title contender, CCSU is presently looking at a difficult first round road showdown against LIU or Wagner.  That’s not what Dickerman envisioned for this roster in the preseason.

9) Mount St. Mary’s                       4-10                              at CCSU, vs. MU  

10) St. Francis (PA)                        4-10                              vs. CCSU, at QU, SHU

- Mount St. Mary’s owns tiebreaker based on head-to-head record (1-0)

If you believe in miracles, then perhaps you think these teams have a fighting chance to sneak into the top 8 at season’s end.  St. Francis’s playoff starts on Thursday night, with a date at home against the aforementioned Blue Devils.  A win and their faint hopes are still alive, yet a loss extinguishes that dream.  Mount St. Mary’s is equally as desperate, and it’s very unlikely the Mountaineers will experience an offensive resurgence to catapult them into the NEC tournament.  They do conclude the season with an easy stretch of games, but significant help is still needed from above to grab that #8 seed.  I wouldn't bet on that.

All in all, the playoff qualifiers and regular season champion is close to being decided, but these final two weeks will certainly create some excellent first round match-ups in the NEC tournament.

Pioneer Pride Quick Hits 2 - Fun Conference Stats

I'm fresh off my Hawaiian vacation and ready to go all-in on college basketball for the next two and a half months.  I'm not sure if my wife is ready, but I'll worry about that later.  I spent last Saturday sick in my Maui condo from a stomach bug, listening to St. Francis light up Sacred Heart for 99 points.  That didn't make me feel much better!  But it gave me an opportunity to study the NEC over the break and provide you with my second edition of the Pioneer Pride Quick Hits.  In here, I posted some interesting facts regarding the NEC.

- As a frustrated Sacred Heart fan, the national coverage over the Hurley brothers is starting to get a little nauseating.  First an Andy Katz article and now Jim Halley of USA Today.  Well I'm here to throw a little cold water on the fire, so take a look at these numbers.  Since infamously losing to Wagner in late December, Pittsburgh and Santa Clara have combined to lose nine straight games!  Both teams remain winless in their respective conference divisions and have seen their RPI drop substantially as a result.  Because of their opponent’s nosedive, Wagner’s RPI (now at 78) has continued to dip - despite their current seven game winning streak - so much so that a NIT bid isn’t a guarantee should the Seahawks fail to win the NEC regular season or postseason championship.  Yes, road victories over Big East and West Coast Conference squads are certainly worthy of praise, but perhaps these teams weren’t as good as we originally thought.  I may need to revise my NEC greatest victories list in the future.

- The surprise of the NEC thus far has been the performance of the Terriers of St. Francis New York, who were picked 11th in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll.  Stefan Perunicic and Ben Mockford have been hot in conference play, totaling more than 6 three-pointers per game.  Freshman Jalen Cannon has been productive in his new starting role, averaging 11 points and 9 boards in his past five contests.  So do the Terriers belong in the top tier of the NEC elite?  Not so fast.  If you toss their blowout loss to Wagner aside, St. Francis has five victories over opponents with a combined NEC record of 7-23.  Sure, St. Francis has taken care of business, but they have yet to square off against CCSU, LIU, or Robert Morris.  The remaining schedule still isn’t too challenging, but I view them as no better than a five seed come NEC tournament time.  Even John Templon of www.nycbuckets.com recently highlighted how lucky St. Francis has been.  Let’s see how they respond against Wagner on Thursday.

- Last month, the Northeast Conference announced the creation of a marketing grant intended to improve game attendance for its institutions.  An eligible grant of $4,000 will be awarded to each of the twelve schools, and in return the school will set up a program designed to draw more fans to their home games.  So far, the NEC’s investment in Sacred Heart has proven to be as prudent as purchasing Italian government bonds.  With more than half of the season complete, Sacred Heart is averaging a pathetic 550 fans per home game, good for dead last in the NEC.  In contrast, the Quinnipiac Bobcats have drawn a NEC leading 1,863 fans per game – I’m sure in large part thanks to their state-of-the-art TD Banknorth Sports Arena.  The attendance numbers should improve for SHU in the coming weeks with school back in session, but I’m guessing that this whole “Heart Attack” student spirit club promotion will be an epic fail.  Much like the Green Bay Packers.  But look at the bright side, if you are one of the few to attend a game at the Pitt, your odds of winning a giveaway are excellent!

- The NEC season is only a third of the way through, but I'm starting to get excited about Fairleigh Dickenson's quest to infamy!  No conference team has ever finished with zero or one conference win at season's end in nearly twenty years, unless you count Bryant's 2009-10 season (which I don't since they're not even tournament eligible until next season).  There's still a long way to go and lots of inferior basketball to be played, but for the moment FDU is 0-6 and has the second worst scoring offense in NEC history (57.8 ppg).  On the flip side, LIU has a chance to become the first NEC team to average at least 86 points per game in NEC play, since the 1997-98 LIU Blackbirds scored an amazing 94.7 points per game.

First Annual Pioneer Pride Northeast Conference Predictions

With the non-conference schedule complete for all Northeast Conference teams, now is a perfect opportunity to post my NEC Season Predictions.  I bet you won’t find these anywhere else!  I rank all of the teams in tiers, provide a brief summary, and attempt to predict each team’s final record and playoff destination.  This is my first year in covering the NEC, so I’d love to read your comments if you agree or disagree with my predictions in any way.  And now, without further ado…

Get Your Shoes Ready, Because You May Be Going to the Big Dance!

1) Robert Morris (16-2 regular season, NEC Semifinalist, NIT bound)

Andy Toole’s Colonials, fresh off an unusual upset over Ohio University in which they committed 31 turnovers and 24 personal fouls, head back into conference play in very good shape.  The unbalanced schedule is kind to them, as they only play Wagner, LIU, and Central Connecticut once this season.  They can defend, rebound, and go nine deep, especially with the recent addition of 6-foot-8 forward Mike McFadden.  I think they’ll quietly snap up the number one seed, only to be upset in the conference semis.

2) Wagner (15-3 regular season, NEC Tournament Champion, NCAA 14 seed)

I’m not sure who has been more loved in the New York area lately – Dan Hurley or Victor Cruz.  Hurley and his Wagner Seahawks have been the talk of the town since their upset victories over Pitt and Santa Clara, even though their early loss to LIU may eventually prevent them from earning the NEC regular season title.  Nonetheless, Wagner’s guards Kenneth Ortiz, Latif Rivers, and Tyler Murray are very efficient and are complimented with a strong low-block presence in 6-foot-11 Neofall Folahan, who leads the NEC with 2 rejections per game.  I think they’ll represent the NEC in the NCAA tourney (as do most people), but at the very worst, they’ll be NIT bound should they fall to LIU or Robert Morris along the way.

Don’t Count Them Out, They Could Be Dangerous

3) Long Island University (13-5 regular season, NEC Semifinalist, CBI/CIT bound)

The high-flying Blackbirds are the most proficient offense in the NEC, averaging a staggering 77 points per game.  They have efficient players that can excel both in the half court and in transition, especially when point guard Jason Brickman dishes the rock without turning it over.  LIU’s big man, Julian Boyd, has been a beast of late, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds in the past 6 games.  So what is preventing them from going all the way?  They allow as many points as they score per game (77 ppg) and they turn the ball over way too much, with a turnover margin of minus-4.  If they can defend and protect the ball just a little, then perhaps they’ll successfully defend their NEC title and return to the dance.

4) Quinnipiac University (11-7 regular season, NEC First Round)

In their current 5 game winning streak, Tom Moore’s Bobcats have been playing inspired ball on the glass (what else is new) and on the defensive end.  Their young front court depth has been impressive and if Ousmane Drame continues to progress, he’ll be a force to reckon with in the paint.  Throw in leading NEC rebounder Ike Azotam, Jamee Jackson, and freshman Marquis Barnett, and the Bobcats have possibly the deepest front-court around.  For now though, Quinnipiac simply needs to shoot the ball better.  Senior James Johnson can’t do all of the scoring by himself.

5) Central Connecticut State (11-7 regular season, NEC Finalist)

The Blue Devils have slumped of late by losing five straight, but I’m not counting out their scoring trio of Ken Horton, Kyle Vinales, and Robby Ptacek.  Sure, Howie Dickerman’s club has absolutely no depth to speak of, but together the three stars are averaging a mind numbing 59.7 points per game and make up 77.2% of the team’s scoring.  If all three are healthy and firing on all cylinders come playoff time, the Miami Heat of the NEC (ok, maybe that’s a little stretch) will be a very tough out.

6) Sacred Heart University (10-8 regular season, NEC First Round)

I reluctantly placed my Pioneers at the bottom of this tier, even though I’m skeptical that Dave Bike’s roster can make a run at the conference.  They’ve got the star guard (Shane Gibson) and low-block scorer (Justin Swidowski), but as I explained before, they need contributions elsewhere to have a chance.  I can certainly see an upset win or two over a top tier team, but I’m not sure if they can sustain a high level over several games, due to the inconsistency of Evan Kelley, Chris Evans, and Louis Montes and the mostly nonathletic front-court.

Could Make a Little Noise, But Won’t Factor In the Postseason

7) St. Francis, NY (9-9 regular season, NEC First Round)

The Terriers, after a difficult start, have righted the ship to go 4-5 in their last 9 games.  You'll find them in the middle of the NEC statistically in most categories, as they have a balanced attacked with nine players registering double digits in points per 40 minutes.  They don't seem to have that one go-to-guy however, so it remains to be seen how they will succeed in close games.  One key to their success is freshman forward Jalen Cannon (averaging an impressive 7.2 rebounds per game), as his continued improvement should help determine the Terriers fate.

8) St. Francis, PA (7-11 regular season, NEC First Round)

The Red Flash back-court suffered two critical blows to their season within a month.  First of all, leading scorer Umar Shannon was lost for the year due to a ACL injury.  Then a month later, leading assist man Chris Johnson was kicked off the team for violating team rules.  That is worse luck than this poor sap! (FYI - skip ahead to the 0:40 second mark)  Don’t be fooled by the Red Flash’s 2-0 NEC record, since they beat Monmouth and FDU at home.  The schedule gets more difficult in a hurry with matchups against CCSU, Sacred Heart, and Quinnipiac in 3 of the next 4 games.

It’s Gonna Be a Really Long Season

9) Mount St. Marys (6-12 regular season, fails to qualify for NEC tournament)

Mount St. Mary’s has defended well the past 5 games, yet only have one win to show for it, thanks to a woeful effort on the offensive side of the ball.  Currently, there are in the bottom 15% of the nation in scoring, rebounds and shooting percentage.  Despite these hideous stats, one fourth of the league is even more hideous, so the Mount’s respectable defense should give them a few conference wins to build on for next season.

10) Monmouth University (4-12 regular season, fails to qualify for NEC tournament)

Since getting bashed by St. Francis (PA) and Robert Morris, Monmouth has played better basketball of late, which certainly isn’t saying much.  When your team is dead last in the NEC in scoring margin (minus-20), effective field goal percentage, and effective field goal percentage defense, bad things are going to happen.  5-foot-8 junior guard Jesse Steele and 6-foot-6 freshman guard Andrew Nicholas have been the lone bright spots for the Hawks.  (And now I’m done saying nice things about the bottom feeders of the NEC.  Moving along…)

11) Fairleigh Dickenson (3-15 regular season, fails to qualify for NEC tournament)

What is there really to say?  Picked last in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson have played two games so far – yes two games – where they didn’t lose by double digits.  The roster, filled with mostly juniors and seniors, has quite frankly no future, both a year from now and three years from now.

12) Bryant University (3-15 regular season, ineligible for NEC tournament)

After flirting with conference respectability last season, Bryant University is back to their familiar  position as a cellar dweller.  They’ve been punished in their past 11 games, falling by an average of 17 points per game.  At this point, call it a moral victory if the Bulldogs can half their win total from last year.  Or win a game on the road.