Men's Basketball Takes Win Streak to Game at Merrimack

The two hottest teams in the Northeast Conference will meet when Central Connecticut men's basketball team travels to Merrimack on Thursday. The game will stream live, and for free, on NECFrontRow.

February 23, 2023

The two hottest teams in the Northeast Conference will meet when Central Connecticut men's basketball team travels to Merrimack on Thursday. The game will stream live, and for free, on NECFrontRow.

OPENING NOTES

• Central Connecticut will look to continue its win streak when it plays its final regular-season road contest at first-place Merrimack on Thursday.

• The Blue Devils have their longest win streak since 2018 with 4 in a row.

• CCSU closes the regular season against Sacred Heart on Saturday.

SETTING THE TABLE

• Central has won three straight games by 5 points or fewer. The Blue Devils had opened the season 0-6 in games decided by 5 points or fewer

• Nigel Scantlebury is #1 in the Northeast Conference, converting .880 at the foul line. He has gone 18-18 at the foul line in the last 3 games, including going 8-8 in the final 5:00 and OT.

• CCSU's primary ball-handlers (N. Scantlebury, J. Rodgers, J. Ostrowsky, D. Sweatman) have combined for 134 assists and just 74 turnovers in NEC play. Rodgers ranks 2nd in assist-turnover ratio (2.3) in NEC play. He has 43 assists and just 19 turnovers in 377 minutes.

• In Northeast Conference play, Andre Snoddy is grabbing a league-best 10.7 rpg, while also scoring 9.9 ppg on 45.7% shooting. In NEC play he has 8 games with 10+ rebounds.

• Jayden Brown has averaged 26.7 minutes per game off the bench in the last 3 games. He has scored 9.0 ppg, including 12 against Stonehill, while grabbing 4.7 rpg. He posted a career-high 4 blocked shots and 3 blocked shots at FDU.

• Kellen Amos is scoring 14.6 ppg in conference play, which is the highest mark for a Blue Devil since Tyler Kohl in 2018-19 (18.1 ppg). In NEC games he is also among the league leaders in 3fg per game (6th, 2.1), 3fg% (11th, .363), FG% (14th, .442).

NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL VIDEO SERIES (BRACKETING)
•    Week 1 (October 17): How the committee prepares for the season with metrics, data and conference reporting. (Men's Basketball)
•    Week 2 (October 24): Selections. (Men's Basketball)
•    Week 3 (October 31): Seeding. (Men's Basketball)
•    Week 4 (November 7): Bracketing. (Men's Basketball)

NCAA WEEKLY WHISTLE (YOUTUBE)