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2/28/2008
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The NEC men's basketball playoff picture began to come into focus on Thursday with Robert Morris earning the top seed in the tournament, while the battle for the final postseason spot has come down to Monmouth and Saint Francis (PA). Besides the Colonials, Wagner has locked up the #2 seed and will host #7 Long Island in the NEC quarterfinals, while #3 Sacred Heart will entertain #6 Central Connecticut State. Quinnipiac and Mount St. Mary's will meet in the quaterfinals as well, though it is yet to be determined which team will serve as host.
Robert Morris won its school record 12th straight game - the second longest streak in the nation - and clinched the top seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament with an 82-69 win at Sacred Heart. The Colonials, who clinched at least a share of their first NEC regular season crown since 1992, are also assured a spot in the Postseason NIT should they fail to win the league tournament. Both senior forward A.J. Jackson Monsessen, PA/Monessen) and junior guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest) both posted double-doubles for Robert Morris (24-6, 15-2 NEC), which won its ninth straight on the road and improved to 13-2 on the year away from home. Jackson finished with 22 points and 11 boards for his 25th career double-double, while Chappell added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sacred Heart (16-12, 13-4 NEC) is now assured of the #3 seed in the NEC tourney.
Wagner is locked into the #2 seed in the NEC Tournament following a 78-67 win over visiting Fairleigh Dickinson. The Seahawks matched a school record with their 21st win of the year. Junior swingman Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD/Towson Catholic) poured in a season-high 20 points, while senior forwards James Ulrich (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic) and Durell Vinson (Vineland, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep) recorded double-doubles for Wagner (21-7, 14-3 NEC). Ulrich tallied 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Vinson posted his league-leading 12th double-double of the season and 26th of his career with 11 points and 14 caroms. FDU (7-20, 3-14 NEC) was eliminated from the playoff race with the setback.
In perhaps the NEC's best finish of the year, visiting Quinnipiac stopped CCSU on senior guard DeMario Anderson's (Oxon Hill, MD/Oxon Hill (CCSU)) halfcourt shot as time expired in overtime. With the 76-73 win, Quinnipiac (15-13, 11-6 NEC) remained in the driver's seat for the #4 seed and the chance to host a quarterfinal game in the NEC Tournament. Anderson, the league's leading scorer, netted 28 points and snared seven rebounds on the evening. CCSU (13-15, 9-8 NEC) freshman forward Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) had evened the score at 73-73 with 2.5 seconds to play on a trifecta from the right wing before the Bobcats called a timeout to set up Anderson's heroics. A Quinnipiac win over Wagner or a Mount St. Mary's loss to Monmouth on Saturday would clinch the #4 seed for the Bobcats.
Monmouth stayed alive for an NEC Tournament berth with a 73-64 triumph over fellow playoff hopeful Saint Francis (PA) in West Long Branch. The Hawks shot a season-best 62.5 percent from the floor and had four players finish in double-digits, including junior guard Whitney Coleman (Salem, CT/East Lyme (St. Thomas More Prep)) and sophomore guard Yaniv Simpson (Kfar Saba, Israel/Maccabai Tel-Aviv), who had 20 points apiece. Monmouth (7-22, 4-13 NEC), which snapped an 11-game losing streak at home in conference play, can earn a playoff bid with a win over Mount St. Mary's or a Saint Francis loss to Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday. The Red Flash can qualify with a win, coupled with a Monmouth loss.
With an 83-68 road win, Long Island eliminated local rival St. Francis (NY) from the playoff contention behind sophomore guard Jaytornah Wisseh's (Brooklyn, NY/Banneker Acadamey) career-high 31 points. The Blackbirds, who will be seeded #7 in the NEC Tournament, recovered from a five-point halftime deficit and avenged a 67-64 loss to the Terriers last week. Wisseh scored 25 points in the second stanza as Long Island shot 57.1 percent from the floor and scored 57 points following intermission. St. Francis ended its year with a 7-22 mark, including 4-14 against NEC competition.
NEC Playoff Scenarios
• Robert Morris is the tournament's #1 seed (will host either Monmouth or Saint Francis (PA) in the quarterfinals).
• Wagner is the #2 seed (will host #7 Long Island in quarterfinals).
• Sacred Heart is the #3 seed (will host #6 CCSU in quarterfinals).
• If Quinnipiac beats Wagner or Mount St. Mary's loses to Monmouth, then Quinnipiac is the #4 seed and Mount St. Mary's is the #5 seed.
• If Quinnipiac loses to Wagner and Mount St. Mary's beats Monmouth, then Mount St. Mary's is the #4 seed and Quinnipiac is the #5 seed.
• In either case, Quinnipiac and Mount St. Mary's will play each other in the quarterfinals.
• CCSU is the #6 seed (will play at #3 Sacred Heart in quarterfinals).
• Long Island is the #7 seed (will play at #2 Wagner in quarterfinals).
• If Monmouth beats Mount St. Mary's or Saint Francis (PA) loses to FDU, then Monmouth is the #8 seed.
• If Monmouth loses to Mount St. Mary's and Saint Francis (PA) beats FDU, then Saint Francis (PA) is the #8 seed.
• St. Francis (NY) and Fairleigh Dickinson have been eliminated from playoff contention.
