Category: NEC

Big Apple Buckets 2015-16 NEC Awards and All-Conference Teams

Before we embark on what promises to be a fascinating conference tournament this week, we here at Big Apple Buckets would like to present our NEC awards and all-conference teams. Continue reading “Big Apple Buckets 2015-16 NEC Awards and All-Conference Teams” →

Sacred Heart 88, St. Francis U. 78: Pioneers Have Come A Long Way

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – We’ve reached the portion of the season where everything comes down to how you perform in conference tournaments, but before we get too crazy, it’s a good time to recognize those teams who had great regular seasons that may sadly get soon forgotten, no?

Sacred Heart came into the 2015-16 with high hopes, largely because Cane Broome was now a sophomore and, well, Cane Broome was on the team. But one player, even a Cane Broome does not make a team, a lesson the Pioneers should have learned in the non-conference season when they finished with 10 straight losses after a season-opening win.

Continue reading “Sacred Heart 88, St. Francis U. 78: Pioneers Have Come A Long Way” →

Robert Morris 73, Sacred Heart 63: No Quit In Toole And Colonials

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Andy Toole didn’t look like a coach whose team was 9-20 Thursday night at the Pitt Center. And he certainly didn’t have the look of someone who was leading his team to their first losing record in more than a decade.

Toole and Robert Morris have a resume second to none in the NEC in the past few seasons. The Colonials have won 20 games in four straight seasons, posted a 65-23 conference record under their current coach, and won a postseason game (two NIT and one NCAA) contest in each of the last three campaigns.

Continue reading “Robert Morris 73, Sacred Heart 63: No Quit In Toole And Colonials” →

NEC Recap, February 25 – Jockeying For Playoff Positioning

Just because the NEC tournament teams have all clinched doesn’t mean the final week of the regular season won’t be exciting! Everyone was jockeying for position coming into tonight, so it’s time to break down the action in a league where the home team has a losing record (39-41) in NEC play. Continue reading “NEC Recap, February 25 – Jockeying For Playoff Positioning” →

Howie Dickenman Not Going Out Winner, But An NEC Legend

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – We all know that “nice guys finish last”, and the nicest guy in the NEC will likely finish his career at the bottom of the conference standings, although with three games to go, Howie Dickenman’s squad is playing its best basketball. Thursday night, his Central Connecticut squad led the entire second half in a 76-72 win over Mount St. Mary’s at Detrick Gym.

Dickenman made official Thursday following the game what was already common knowledge thanks to sources and social media, his 20th season in charge of CCSU basketball would be the 69-year-old’s final one. It was typical Dickenman that he was slightly annoyed that word of his retirement leaked out before he could make it official, technology and social media are not really his thing.

Continue reading “Howie Dickenman Not Going Out Winner, But An NEC Legend” →

Junior Robinson: The Underrated Engine That Drives Mount St. Mary’s

On Tuesday alongside Martin Hermannsson, Junior Robinson earned the first NEC Player of the Week award of his collegiate career, and deservedly so. The 5’5 sophomore was excellent in two pivotal home wins over Sacred Heart and Saint Francis University last week, averaging 23.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 3.5 apg while shooting 48.3% from the floor. Continue reading “Junior Robinson: The Underrated Engine That Drives Mount St. Mary’s” →

Hermannsson, LIU Brooklyn Hitting Stride As NEC Tourney Looms

BROOKLYN – LIU Brooklyn has passed the eye test as NEC contenders pretty much all season long, but alas that only works in multi-bid conferences when you’re canvasing for an at-large handout from the NCAA Selection Committee.

In one-bid leagues, it’s just the cold, hard, facts, ma’am, and the bottom line is the Blackbirds looked about as far from being NEC contenders as the local weathermen were in their forecasts back on Jan. 23, when LIU and St. Francis Brooklyn played on despite travel bans and two feet of snow outside.

Continue reading “Hermannsson, LIU Brooklyn Hitting Stride As NEC Tourney Looms” →