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geewizNU Offline
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NU Hoops Previews
NU's writeup in Blue Ribbon Hoops Yearbook ...


NORTHEASTERN:

LOCATION: Boston, MA
CONFERENCE:Colonial
LAST SEASON: 23-10 (.697)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 14-4 (t-1st)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 5/0
NICKNAME: Huskies
COLORS: Red & Black
HOMECOURT:Matthews Arena (5,066)
COACH: Bill Coen (Hamilton ’83)
RECORD AT SCHOOL: 201-186 (12 years)
CAREER RECORD: 201-186 (12 years)
ASSISTANTS: Chris Markwood (Maine ’05) Brian McDonald (Northeastern ’10) Manny Adako (Northeastern ’10)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.): 11-23-18-15-23
RPI (LAST 5 YRS.): 219-91-114-140-58
2017-18 FINISH: Lost in CAA championship game.

Northeastern’s final game of 2017-18 should motivate every member of the program this season after the Huskies watched an NCAA tournament bid slip away in the North Charleston Coliseum. The Huskies led the College of Charleston—playing with the support of 6,000 fans, 10 miles from campus—by 17 early in the second half of the conference championship game. They maintained a five-point cushion in the final minute of regulation. But the Huskies fell victim to a questionable call and an untimely miscue and had no answer for the Cougars’ star guard Joe Chealey. When the night was done, Northeastern fell by seven points in overtime. While the loss stung, the Huskies receive a rare gift in this transient era of college basketball: : a second chance to chase the title with essentially the same personnel.


Northeastern returns its top seven players, including the the CAA’s most valuable player, and add a transfer who provides additional perimeter firepower. “It gave us hope and confidence going into this year that maybe that could be our reality,” Northeastern coach Bill Coen said. “And it also serves as a reminder of just how good you have to be to get into the tournament. You have to be good. You have to stay healthy, and you have to get lucky, and have all those three things to line up. The result of that game has given this returning group the resolve in the offseason to really work hard. ”Picked to finish sixth in the CAA in the preseason, the Huskies relied on defensive excellence, leading the conference in adjusted efficiency, to earn a share of the regular-season title.


Northeastern stymied opponents beyond the 3-point arc, holding them to 29.7 percent (third in the nation) and 4.8 made 3-pointers per game. On the other end, the Huskies gained an advantage by burying 9.2 3-pointers a night, hitting 38.9 percent in conference action while also converting 58.5 percent of 2-pointers. The lone offensive weakness was a turnover problem that bit the Huskies in the crushing title game loss—they committed 20 turnovers (28 percent of possessions) against Charleston. Coen didn’t dwell on the loss for very long. Still, he knows the pain lingers for some players. Going one step further will be on their minds all season.“Everything is worth going through if you learn from it,” Coen said. “My hope is they learn their effort matters, they can make a difference and the line between victory and defeat is very thin. Details make a difference.”

The return of 6-5 senior point guard Vasa Pusica (17.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, .504 FG, .427 3PT) puts the Huskies in excellent shape. Pusica, a native of Serbia, relished the big moments, pouring in 30 points in the CAA final, knocking down six 3-pointers. Against CAA foes, he played 90 percent of the minutes for Coen last season, posting a 33.5 percent rate in claiming first-team All-CAA honors.“He is a very confident player,” Coen said. “He senses the game, has a great feel. I don’t know if he was the best player in the league, but in my opinion he was the most valuable player. What we’ve asked, can he get 20 percent in better in certain areas—ball security, cut down on turnovers. If he can do that personally, it’s going to make us better on both sides of the ball.” His backcourt mate, 6-1 redshirt junior Donnell Gresham, Jr. (9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .431 3PT) also had a knack for taking and making big shots. One of four returning Huskies to make at least 49 3-pointers, Gresham needs to develop as a point guard this season, Coen said. “He has a great mental makeup, he’s unflappable,” Coen said. “I think the experience is going to help him. He’s had the luxury the last two years playing with T.J. [Williams] and Vasa—two really good primary ball handlers. He’s more of a combo guard who is a terrific shooter.”


Perhaps the most exciting player on the Northeastern roster, maybe even the CAA, is bouncy guard Shawn Occeus (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 spg). Given a chance to blossom last season, the 6-4 junior accepted the role of defending the opponent’s best perimeter scorer and was voted 2017-18 CAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the CAA in steals.“His upside is through the roof,” Coen said. “He bought into the role of being a defensive stopper. He needs to maintain that identity, neutralizing the other team’s best player. Transition defense, he still has to maintain that. He can be a better rebounder and more consistent with his shooting. He’s extremely driven and focused, all about it, all in.” Maxime Boursiquot (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .518 FG) a 6-5 junior forward from Canada, is the versatile glue guy often found on championship caliber teams. “We’re all excited with how he finished the year [double-figure scoring in all three CAA tournament games]. He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s got great length, he’s got a tremendous motor. He’s looking to make that next jump in his progression,” Coen said. “He’s played a lot for us and is becoming an upperclassman. He brings to our team that energy and effort every team needs. He’s really well liked by his teammates and has a great sense of humor. They respect his effort. He’s a tone-setter in that regard.”

Senior Anthony Green (6.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .716 FG) was nearly automatic inside, using his 6-10, 255-pound frame to shield defenders away from the basket. “He needs to be a rim protector but could be a multiple effort rebounder,” Coen said. “He’s really good rebounding within in his area and a decent offensive rebounder, but if he could get to the point where he rebounds at an elite level, it could be a game changer for us. Big men in college take time to evolve. He’s focusing on conditioning and hopefully can give us more offensive punch.” Tomas Murphy (6.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, .568 FG), a 6-8, 220-pound sophomore and the last in a long line of talented hoops-playing brothers, was only 3 of 14 on 3-pointers last season, but Coen thinks he’s capable of being much more productive from the outside. “We’re hoping the freshman-to-sophomore-year bump occurs for him,” Coen said. “He’s a little stronger, more prepared, has the ability to stretch the floor out to 3, has a good feel with his back to the basket, could become a better rebounder for us and I think that comes with strength. He’s on a great trajectory, poised to have a terrific season.”

After a four-game losing streak in late November, the wily veteran coach Coen juggled the starting lineup, sending talented Bolden Brace (7.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, .396 3PT) to the bench. Brace, a 6-6, 227-pound shooting specialist, flourished. He recorded a 122.5 offensive rating in CAA games and was voted Colonial Sixth Man of the Year. The junior collected a dozen games scoring in double figures. “He’s an elite teammate,” Coen said. “He’s a guy who is going to embrace what’s best for the team. I was proud of the way he accepted the role and grew into it, and really, really happy to see him recognized. He was really a starter.” Jordan Roland (6.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, .476 FG), a 6-1 redshirt junior, sat out last season after transferring from George Washington. He finished second in the A-10 in 3-point shooting at 41.7 percent in his final season with the Colonials and reached double figures in 10 games, scoring 27 points against UCF. “He gives us another potent scoring option, which you need in this league,” Coen said. “He and Vasa could be really good for us. He has quickness and ability to create his own shot, and he’s athletic I hope he can make that transition and be ready to contribute immediately. Senior Jeremy Miller (2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg) gives Northeastern depth in the frontcourt at 6-10 and 225 pounds. He recorded eight double-figure scoring games as a freshman, including a high of 23, but enters his senior season unsure of his role in the rotation.

Freshman Jason Strong played 31 minutes across 10 games and was able to redshirt due to injury. He’s a versatile, 6-8 power forward with a smooth outside shot. Myles Franklin (0.9 ppg), a 6-4 sophomore, may have to wait his turn in a backcourt stocked with veterans.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT A
BENCH/DEPTH A
FRONTCOURT -A
INTANGIBLES A

Northeastern faced the nation’s 13th-most difficult nonconference schedule last season, and the early months of 2018 feature games against Syracuse, St. Bonaventure and Alabama in the three-game Charleston Classic. “As always, my hope is it prepares us for CAA play, so we can play opponents with similar styles; we’ll be in hostile environments and it will help us to get better,” Coen said. “Those will be growth opportunities.”


BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Northeastern
2. College of Charleston
3. William & Mary
4. Hofstra
5. James Madison
6. UNC Wilmington
7. Delaware
8. Elon
9. Towson
10. Drexel

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Jarrell Brantley, SR, College of Charleston
F-Devontae Cacok, SR, UNC Wilmington
G-Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
G-Justin Wright-Foreman, SR, Hofstra
G-Vasa Pusica, SR, Northeastern

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Jeantal Cylla, JR, UNC Wilmington

2018-19 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
March 8-11, North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston, SC

2017-18 CHAMPIONS
College of Charleston (Regular season)
College of Charleston (Conference tournament

NCAA
College of Charleston

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2017-18 Conference RPI: 12th (of 32)
Conference RPI (last five years): 15-20-9-11-12

TOP BACKCOURTS
1.Hofstra
2. James Madison
3.Northeastern

TOP FRONTCOURTS
1.College of Charleston
2. William & Mary
3.UNC Wilmington
(This post was last modified: 09-26-2018 02:57 PM by geewizNU.)
09-26-2018 02:02 PM
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geewizNU Offline
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Location: New York, NY
Post: #2
RE: NU Hoops Previews
Mid-Major Madness lists NU as having the 3rd toughest non-conference schedule this season.

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2018/9/2...mb-montana
09-26-2018 03:17 PM
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SomebodyToLove Offline
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Post: #3
RE: NU Hoops Previews
(09-26-2018 03:17 PM)geewizNU Wrote:  Mid-Major Madness lists NU as having the 3rd toughest non-conference schedule this season.

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2018/9/2...mb-montana

Only VCU and Nevada with tougher schedules.

Really liking this. Kudos to the staff to get a schedule like this in what looks to be our deepest team in a while. Hoping this year turns out to be special.
09-26-2018 10:10 PM
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NUGUY Offline
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Post: #4
RE: NU Hoops Previews
(09-26-2018 02:02 PM)geewizNU Wrote:  NU's writeup in Blue Ribbon Hoops Yearbook ...


NORTHEASTERN:

LOCATION: Boston, MA
CONFERENCE:Colonial
LAST SEASON: 23-10 (.697)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 14-4 (t-1st)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 5/0
NICKNAME: Huskies
COLORS: Red & Black
HOMECOURT:Matthews Arena (5,066)
COACH: Bill Coen (Hamilton ’83)
RECORD AT SCHOOL: 201-186 (12 years)
CAREER RECORD: 201-186 (12 years)
ASSISTANTS: Chris Markwood (Maine ’05) Brian McDonald (Northeastern ’10) Manny Adako (Northeastern ’10)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.): 11-23-18-15-23
RPI (LAST 5 YRS.): 219-91-114-140-58
2017-18 FINISH: Lost in CAA championship game.

Northeastern’s final game of 2017-18 should motivate every member of the program this season after the Huskies watched an NCAA tournament bid slip away in the North Charleston Coliseum. The Huskies led the College of Charleston—playing with the support of 6,000 fans, 10 miles from campus—by 17 early in the second half of the conference championship game. They maintained a five-point cushion in the final minute of regulation. But the Huskies fell victim to a questionable call and an untimely miscue and had no answer for the Cougars’ star guard Joe Chealey. When the night was done, Northeastern fell by seven points in overtime. While the loss stung, the Huskies receive a rare gift in this transient era of college basketball: : a second chance to chase the title with essentially the same personnel.


Northeastern returns its top seven players, including the the CAA’s most valuable player, and add a transfer who provides additional perimeter firepower. “It gave us hope and confidence going into this year that maybe that could be our reality,” Northeastern coach Bill Coen said. “And it also serves as a reminder of just how good you have to be to get into the tournament. You have to be good. You have to stay healthy, and you have to get lucky, and have all those three things to line up. The result of that game has given this returning group the resolve in the offseason to really work hard. ”Picked to finish sixth in the CAA in the preseason, the Huskies relied on defensive excellence, leading the conference in adjusted efficiency, to earn a share of the regular-season title.


Northeastern stymied opponents beyond the 3-point arc, holding them to 29.7 percent (third in the nation) and 4.8 made 3-pointers per game. On the other end, the Huskies gained an advantage by burying 9.2 3-pointers a night, hitting 38.9 percent in conference action while also converting 58.5 percent of 2-pointers. The lone offensive weakness was a turnover problem that bit the Huskies in the crushing title game loss—they committed 20 turnovers (28 percent of possessions) against Charleston. Coen didn’t dwell on the loss for very long. Still, he knows the pain lingers for some players. Going one step further will be on their minds all season.“Everything is worth going through if you learn from it,” Coen said. “My hope is they learn their effort matters, they can make a difference and the line between victory and defeat is very thin. Details make a difference.”

The return of 6-5 senior point guard Vasa Pusica (17.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, .504 FG, .427 3PT) puts the Huskies in excellent shape. Pusica, a native of Serbia, relished the big moments, pouring in 30 points in the CAA final, knocking down six 3-pointers. Against CAA foes, he played 90 percent of the minutes for Coen last season, posting a 33.5 percent rate in claiming first-team All-CAA honors.“He is a very confident player,” Coen said. “He senses the game, has a great feel. I don’t know if he was the best player in the league, but in my opinion he was the most valuable player. What we’ve asked, can he get 20 percent in better in certain areas—ball security, cut down on turnovers. If he can do that personally, it’s going to make us better on both sides of the ball.” His backcourt mate, 6-1 redshirt junior Donnell Gresham, Jr. (9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .431 3PT) also had a knack for taking and making big shots. One of four returning Huskies to make at least 49 3-pointers, Gresham needs to develop as a point guard this season, Coen said. “He has a great mental makeup, he’s unflappable,” Coen said. “I think the experience is going to help him. He’s had the luxury the last two years playing with T.J. [Williams] and Vasa—two really good primary ball handlers. He’s more of a combo guard who is a terrific shooter.”


Perhaps the most exciting player on the Northeastern roster, maybe even the CAA, is bouncy guard Shawn Occeus (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 spg). Given a chance to blossom last season, the 6-4 junior accepted the role of defending the opponent’s best perimeter scorer and was voted 2017-18 CAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the CAA in steals.“His upside is through the roof,” Coen said. “He bought into the role of being a defensive stopper. He needs to maintain that identity, neutralizing the other team’s best player. Transition defense, he still has to maintain that. He can be a better rebounder and more consistent with his shooting. He’s extremely driven and focused, all about it, all in.” Maxime Boursiquot (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .518 FG) a 6-5 junior forward from Canada, is the versatile glue guy often found on championship caliber teams. “We’re all excited with how he finished the year [double-figure scoring in all three CAA tournament games]. He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s got great length, he’s got a tremendous motor. He’s looking to make that next jump in his progression,” Coen said. “He’s played a lot for us and is becoming an upperclassman. He brings to our team that energy and effort every team needs. He’s really well liked by his teammates and has a great sense of humor. They respect his effort. He’s a tone-setter in that regard.”

Senior Anthony Green (6.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .716 FG) was nearly automatic inside, using his 6-10, 255-pound frame to shield defenders away from the basket. “He needs to be a rim protector but could be a multiple effort rebounder,” Coen said. “He’s really good rebounding within in his area and a decent offensive rebounder, but if he could get to the point where he rebounds at an elite level, it could be a game changer for us. Big men in college take time to evolve. He’s focusing on conditioning and hopefully can give us more offensive punch.” Tomas Murphy (6.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, .568 FG), a 6-8, 220-pound sophomore and the last in a long line of talented hoops-playing brothers, was only 3 of 14 on 3-pointers last season, but Coen thinks he’s capable of being much more productive from the outside. “We’re hoping the freshman-to-sophomore-year bump occurs for him,” Coen said. “He’s a little stronger, more prepared, has the ability to stretch the floor out to 3, has a good feel with his back to the basket, could become a better rebounder for us and I think that comes with strength. He’s on a great trajectory, poised to have a terrific season.”

After a four-game losing streak in late November, the wily veteran coach Coen juggled the starting lineup, sending talented Bolden Brace (7.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, .396 3PT) to the bench. Brace, a 6-6, 227-pound shooting specialist, flourished. He recorded a 122.5 offensive rating in CAA games and was voted Colonial Sixth Man of the Year. The junior collected a dozen games scoring in double figures. “He’s an elite teammate,” Coen said. “He’s a guy who is going to embrace what’s best for the team. I was proud of the way he accepted the role and grew into it, and really, really happy to see him recognized. He was really a starter.” Jordan Roland (6.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, .476 FG), a 6-1 redshirt junior, sat out last season after transferring from George Washington. He finished second in the A-10 in 3-point shooting at 41.7 percent in his final season with the Colonials and reached double figures in 10 games, scoring 27 points against UCF. “He gives us another potent scoring option, which you need in this league,” Coen said. “He and Vasa could be really good for us. He has quickness and ability to create his own shot, and he’s athletic I hope he can make that transition and be ready to contribute immediately. Senior Jeremy Miller (2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg) gives Northeastern depth in the frontcourt at 6-10 and 225 pounds. He recorded eight double-figure scoring games as a freshman, including a high of 23, but enters his senior season unsure of his role in the rotation.

Freshman Jason Strong played 31 minutes across 10 games and was able to redshirt due to injury. He’s a versatile, 6-8 power forward with a smooth outside shot. Myles Franklin (0.9 ppg), a 6-4 sophomore, may have to wait his turn in a backcourt stocked with veterans.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT A
BENCH/DEPTH A
FRONTCOURT -A
INTANGIBLES A

Northeastern faced the nation’s 13th-most difficult nonconference schedule last season, and the early months of 2018 feature games against Syracuse, St. Bonaventure and Alabama in the three-game Charleston Classic. “As always, my hope is it prepares us for CAA play, so we can play opponents with similar styles; we’ll be in hostile environments and it will help us to get better,” Coen said. “Those will be growth opportunities.”


BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Northeastern
2. College of Charleston
3. William & Mary
4. Hofstra
5. James Madison
6. UNC Wilmington
7. Delaware
8. Elon
9. Towson
10. Drexel

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Jarrell Brantley, SR, College of Charleston
F-Devontae Cacok, SR, UNC Wilmington
G-Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
G-Justin Wright-Foreman, SR, Hofstra
G-Vasa Pusica, SR, Northeastern

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Jeantal Cylla, JR, UNC Wilmington

2018-19 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
March 8-11, North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston, SC

2017-18 CHAMPIONS
College of Charleston (Regular season)
College of Charleston (Conference tournament

NCAA
College of Charleston

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2017-18 Conference RPI: 12th (of 32)
Conference RPI (last five years): 15-20-9-11-12

TOP BACKCOURTS
1.Hofstra
2. James Madison
3.Northeastern

TOP FRONTCOURTS
1.College of Charleston
2. William & Mary
3.UNC Wilmington

Why do they pick UNCW so low?
09-27-2018 06:51 PM
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geewizNU Offline
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Posts: 3,005
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I Root For: Northeastern
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Post: #5
RE: NU Hoops Previews
(09-27-2018 06:51 PM)NUGUY Wrote:  
(09-26-2018 02:02 PM)geewizNU Wrote:  NU's writeup in Blue Ribbon Hoops Yearbook ...


NORTHEASTERN:

LOCATION: Boston, MA
CONFERENCE:Colonial
LAST SEASON: 23-10 (.697)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 14-4 (t-1st)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 5/0
NICKNAME: Huskies
COLORS: Red & Black
HOMECOURT:Matthews Arena (5,066)
COACH: Bill Coen (Hamilton ’83)
RECORD AT SCHOOL: 201-186 (12 years)
CAREER RECORD: 201-186 (12 years)
ASSISTANTS: Chris Markwood (Maine ’05) Brian McDonald (Northeastern ’10) Manny Adako (Northeastern ’10)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.): 11-23-18-15-23
RPI (LAST 5 YRS.): 219-91-114-140-58
2017-18 FINISH: Lost in CAA championship game.

Northeastern’s final game of 2017-18 should motivate every member of the program this season after the Huskies watched an NCAA tournament bid slip away in the North Charleston Coliseum. The Huskies led the College of Charleston—playing with the support of 6,000 fans, 10 miles from campus—by 17 early in the second half of the conference championship game. They maintained a five-point cushion in the final minute of regulation. But the Huskies fell victim to a questionable call and an untimely miscue and had no answer for the Cougars’ star guard Joe Chealey. When the night was done, Northeastern fell by seven points in overtime. While the loss stung, the Huskies receive a rare gift in this transient era of college basketball: : a second chance to chase the title with essentially the same personnel.


Northeastern returns its top seven players, including the the CAA’s most valuable player, and add a transfer who provides additional perimeter firepower. “It gave us hope and confidence going into this year that maybe that could be our reality,” Northeastern coach Bill Coen said. “And it also serves as a reminder of just how good you have to be to get into the tournament. You have to be good. You have to stay healthy, and you have to get lucky, and have all those three things to line up. The result of that game has given this returning group the resolve in the offseason to really work hard. ”Picked to finish sixth in the CAA in the preseason, the Huskies relied on defensive excellence, leading the conference in adjusted efficiency, to earn a share of the regular-season title.


Northeastern stymied opponents beyond the 3-point arc, holding them to 29.7 percent (third in the nation) and 4.8 made 3-pointers per game. On the other end, the Huskies gained an advantage by burying 9.2 3-pointers a night, hitting 38.9 percent in conference action while also converting 58.5 percent of 2-pointers. The lone offensive weakness was a turnover problem that bit the Huskies in the crushing title game loss—they committed 20 turnovers (28 percent of possessions) against Charleston. Coen didn’t dwell on the loss for very long. Still, he knows the pain lingers for some players. Going one step further will be on their minds all season.“Everything is worth going through if you learn from it,” Coen said. “My hope is they learn their effort matters, they can make a difference and the line between victory and defeat is very thin. Details make a difference.”

The return of 6-5 senior point guard Vasa Pusica (17.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, .504 FG, .427 3PT) puts the Huskies in excellent shape. Pusica, a native of Serbia, relished the big moments, pouring in 30 points in the CAA final, knocking down six 3-pointers. Against CAA foes, he played 90 percent of the minutes for Coen last season, posting a 33.5 percent rate in claiming first-team All-CAA honors.“He is a very confident player,” Coen said. “He senses the game, has a great feel. I don’t know if he was the best player in the league, but in my opinion he was the most valuable player. What we’ve asked, can he get 20 percent in better in certain areas—ball security, cut down on turnovers. If he can do that personally, it’s going to make us better on both sides of the ball.” His backcourt mate, 6-1 redshirt junior Donnell Gresham, Jr. (9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .431 3PT) also had a knack for taking and making big shots. One of four returning Huskies to make at least 49 3-pointers, Gresham needs to develop as a point guard this season, Coen said. “He has a great mental makeup, he’s unflappable,” Coen said. “I think the experience is going to help him. He’s had the luxury the last two years playing with T.J. [Williams] and Vasa—two really good primary ball handlers. He’s more of a combo guard who is a terrific shooter.”


Perhaps the most exciting player on the Northeastern roster, maybe even the CAA, is bouncy guard Shawn Occeus (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 spg). Given a chance to blossom last season, the 6-4 junior accepted the role of defending the opponent’s best perimeter scorer and was voted 2017-18 CAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the CAA in steals.“His upside is through the roof,” Coen said. “He bought into the role of being a defensive stopper. He needs to maintain that identity, neutralizing the other team’s best player. Transition defense, he still has to maintain that. He can be a better rebounder and more consistent with his shooting. He’s extremely driven and focused, all about it, all in.” Maxime Boursiquot (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .518 FG) a 6-5 junior forward from Canada, is the versatile glue guy often found on championship caliber teams. “We’re all excited with how he finished the year [double-figure scoring in all three CAA tournament games]. He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s got great length, he’s got a tremendous motor. He’s looking to make that next jump in his progression,” Coen said. “He’s played a lot for us and is becoming an upperclassman. He brings to our team that energy and effort every team needs. He’s really well liked by his teammates and has a great sense of humor. They respect his effort. He’s a tone-setter in that regard.”

Senior Anthony Green (6.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .716 FG) was nearly automatic inside, using his 6-10, 255-pound frame to shield defenders away from the basket. “He needs to be a rim protector but could be a multiple effort rebounder,” Coen said. “He’s really good rebounding within in his area and a decent offensive rebounder, but if he could get to the point where he rebounds at an elite level, it could be a game changer for us. Big men in college take time to evolve. He’s focusing on conditioning and hopefully can give us more offensive punch.” Tomas Murphy (6.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, .568 FG), a 6-8, 220-pound sophomore and the last in a long line of talented hoops-playing brothers, was only 3 of 14 on 3-pointers last season, but Coen thinks he’s capable of being much more productive from the outside. “We’re hoping the freshman-to-sophomore-year bump occurs for him,” Coen said. “He’s a little stronger, more prepared, has the ability to stretch the floor out to 3, has a good feel with his back to the basket, could become a better rebounder for us and I think that comes with strength. He’s on a great trajectory, poised to have a terrific season.”

After a four-game losing streak in late November, the wily veteran coach Coen juggled the starting lineup, sending talented Bolden Brace (7.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, .396 3PT) to the bench. Brace, a 6-6, 227-pound shooting specialist, flourished. He recorded a 122.5 offensive rating in CAA games and was voted Colonial Sixth Man of the Year. The junior collected a dozen games scoring in double figures. “He’s an elite teammate,” Coen said. “He’s a guy who is going to embrace what’s best for the team. I was proud of the way he accepted the role and grew into it, and really, really happy to see him recognized. He was really a starter.” Jordan Roland (6.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, .476 FG), a 6-1 redshirt junior, sat out last season after transferring from George Washington. He finished second in the A-10 in 3-point shooting at 41.7 percent in his final season with the Colonials and reached double figures in 10 games, scoring 27 points against UCF. “He gives us another potent scoring option, which you need in this league,” Coen said. “He and Vasa could be really good for us. He has quickness and ability to create his own shot, and he’s athletic I hope he can make that transition and be ready to contribute immediately. Senior Jeremy Miller (2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg) gives Northeastern depth in the frontcourt at 6-10 and 225 pounds. He recorded eight double-figure scoring games as a freshman, including a high of 23, but enters his senior season unsure of his role in the rotation.

Freshman Jason Strong played 31 minutes across 10 games and was able to redshirt due to injury. He’s a versatile, 6-8 power forward with a smooth outside shot. Myles Franklin (0.9 ppg), a 6-4 sophomore, may have to wait his turn in a backcourt stocked with veterans.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT A
BENCH/DEPTH A
FRONTCOURT -A
INTANGIBLES A

Northeastern faced the nation’s 13th-most difficult nonconference schedule last season, and the early months of 2018 feature games against Syracuse, St. Bonaventure and Alabama in the three-game Charleston Classic. “As always, my hope is it prepares us for CAA play, so we can play opponents with similar styles; we’ll be in hostile environments and it will help us to get better,” Coen said. “Those will be growth opportunities.”


BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Northeastern
2. College of Charleston
3. William & Mary
4. Hofstra
5. James Madison
6. UNC Wilmington
7. Delaware
8. Elon
9. Towson
10. Drexel

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Jarrell Brantley, SR, College of Charleston
F-Devontae Cacok, SR, UNC Wilmington
G-Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
G-Justin Wright-Foreman, SR, Hofstra
G-Vasa Pusica, SR, Northeastern

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Jeantal Cylla, JR, UNC Wilmington

2018-19 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
March 8-11, North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston, SC

2017-18 CHAMPIONS
College of Charleston (Regular season)
College of Charleston (Conference tournament

NCAA
College of Charleston

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2017-18 Conference RPI: 12th (of 32)
Conference RPI (last five years): 15-20-9-11-12

TOP BACKCOURTS
1.Hofstra
2. James Madison
3.Northeastern

TOP FRONTCOURTS
1.College of Charleston
2. William & Mary
3.UNC Wilmington

Why do they pick UNCW so low?

Yeah I’m not sure about JMU over UNCW. Also not sure W&M is ahead of Hofstra ...but it’s close.
09-27-2018 06:58 PM
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