Conference

Julian Boyd, LIU Brooklyn

Boyd averaged a double-double in leading the NEC regular season champion Blackbirds to a pair of wins to close out the regular season. Long Island has won ten straight games entering the playoffs, due in part to the strong play of Boyd, who averaged 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and shot 65.2 percent from the field last week. In a 94-85 triumph over Bryant on Thursday, he tallied 20 points on 8-12 shooting, and added eight rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. He scored six straight points - including a pair of dunks - late in the contest to ice the game for the Blackbirds. Boyd went on to post his tenth double-double of the year with 17 points and 13 rebounds in LIU’s 86-72 win over Central Connecticut State on Saturday. He connected on 7-11 shots from the floor, and also contributed three assists, two blocks and three steals. Boyd, who hails from San Antonio, TX, leads a balanced LIU scoring attack with 13.1 ppg and is the NEC’s second-leading rebounder at 9.0 per game. He also ranks second in the league in double-doubles and field goal percentage (.532). This marks Boyd’s second Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week honor this season. The top-seeded Blackbirds open NEC Tournament play on Thursday, hosting #8 Saint Francis (PA).