10-01-2019, 03:56 PM
NU's writeup in Blue Ribbon Hoops Yearbook ...
NORTHEASTERN:
LOCATION: Boston, MA
CONFERENCE: Colonial Athletic Association
LAST SEASON: 23-11 (.676)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 14-4 (2nd)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 2/3
NICKNAME: Huskies
COLORS: Red & Black
HOMECOURT: Matthews Arena (5,066)
COACH: Bill Coen (Hamilton ’83)
RECORD AT SCHOOL: 224-197 (13 years)
CAREER RECORD: 224-197 (13 years)
ASSISTANTS: Chris Markwood (Maine ’05) Brian McDonald (Northeastern ’10) Manny Adako (Northeastern ’10)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.): 23-18-15-23-23
KENPOM RATING (LAST 5 YRS.): 117-132-159-96-89
2018-19 FINISH: Lost in NCAA first round.
Throughout a successful 13-year run at Northeastern, coach Bill Coen has always had on his roster a point guard he could trust. The elite lineage of All-Conference floor leaders began with program legend Matt Janning, included CAA Player of the Year T.J. Williams and led to Vasa Puscia, who manned the position in All-CAA fashion the last two seasons, hitting clutch shots, throwing precise passes and earning MVP of the HUskies league tournament title run last March.
Coen and Huskies enter this season facing a question at the point after the most obvious candidate, two-year starter Donnell Gresham, graduated and transferred to Georgia for his final season.
"We've been so, so fortunate to have terrific point guards," Coen said. "As a coach, you can't get a better feeling than that when the ball is in the hands of someone who is that capable and so in sync with the staff."
Coen downplayed the obvious unknown in what's otherwise a proven, veteran rotation. He's been down this road before, plugging the next talented player into the hole created by the departure of one of the CAA's best players.
"It's kind of the next man up mentality," he says.
Tyson Walker, a 3-star prospect out of Westbury, NY., could be the frontrunner. If so, he'll be the Husky's first freshman point guard since Janning in Coen's debut season. The 6-0 speedster played for four years at powerful Christ the King High School program and spent a prep year at the New Hampton School in New Hampshire. "So far in (preseason) workouts he's been terrific," Coen says.
Myles Franklin (1.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg) is an older, steady hand. The 6-4 junior from California has been turnover-prone during his brief stints in his first two seasons, though. He averaged 10 minutes per game last season. "We'll be slightly different experience-wise at that position, but the standards are standards and hopefully those guys will raise their play," Coen says.
Jordan Roland (14,6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.1 spg, .402 3PT, .903 FT), 6-1, had an outstanding first season in 2018-19, setting the school record with 99 3-pointers, and returns seeking a sensational senior campaign at shooting guard. Among CAA who used at least 20 percent of their team's possessions, Roland led the conference with a 121.3 offensive rating, per KenPom.
That's remarkable when you consider three conference players signed NBA contracts after last season. Roland was All-CAA third-team, becoming the latest transfer (George Washington was his first school) to improve their skills and earn honors in their first season at Northeastern, joining Puscia and Scott Eatherton. "That sit out year is really, really important," Coen says. "We put a lot of time and effort in our transfers in getting them ready. Jordan totally bought into that and we knew we had someone could be special". As a proven gunner, Roland spent the offseason aiming to upgrade his ability to create off the dribble and become and a better defender.
Every coach craves a player like Bolden Brace (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) who can help a team win in multiple ways, as he showed in a dominant near triple-double performance (10 points, 10 boards, nine assists) against Hofstra in the CAA title game, shredding the Pride's zone from the inside with pinpoint passes and intelligent decisions. The 2018 CAA Sixth Man of the Year, Brace, a 6-6, 225-pound wing, started every game last season. "I can't say enough positive things about Bolden Brace," Coen says. From his first-team effort to his unselfishness to his skill set to his toughness to his competitiveness. On a day-to-day basis, you see his approach and the impact he has on each and every game and how he magnifies certain situations." Often a supporting actor last season, Bolden might need to be more aggressive in the scoring column. He's capable, dropping 40 points on Elon in his freshman season and recording seven games of 15 points or more last season.
Maxime Boursiquot might be the forgotten piece after missing last season because of injury. Still, he started 32 games in 2017-18, averaging 6.3 points and 3.8 rebounds, and thrived during the Huskies' run to the CAA championship game. The 6-5 forward from Canada shot 51 percent and is the tough, versatile player opponents expect to see in a Northeastern uniform. "He's a fourth-year junior and physically and mentally, he's ready to take that next step," Coen says. Boursiquot was second in the CAA in steal percentage in 2017-18 in conference games and also top 20 in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, per KenPom.
Another player the Huskies need to grow into a more prominent role is Tomas Murphy (8.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg). The 6-8, 230-pound forward played 19 minutes per game and started eight times as a sophomore. Known for his versatility, he hit 13 of 28 3-pointers (.464) on the season and covered 54 percent of 2-pointers vs. the CAA. "He has a diverse skill set, can really score inside and out and his opportunity is meeting his preparation at the ideal time," Coen says.
Northeastern should have a healthy bench.
Jason Strong(3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg) had some solid outings as a redshirt freshman, such as a sharp nine-point effort against UNCW in the CAA quarterfinals. The 6-8, 217-pound sophomore played 9.6 minutes a game and should fight for more.
Shaquille Walters, a 6-6 junior, has recovered from wrist surgery that ended his 2018-19 season after 10 games. He's athletic and sharp on defense.
Greg Eboigbodin(2.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg in 2018-18) is eligible this season after transferring from Illinois, where he appeared in 30 games and shot 67 percent (24 of 37) against the Big 10. The 6-9, 235-pound native of Nigeria, a redshirt sophomore, give Northeastern a physical, large presence in the post. "His size, athleticism and aggressiveness have been impressive," says Coen. "He can rebound above the rim and run the floor. When he's at the top of his game, he's going to be a factor for us."
Guilien Smith, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth, is 1 6-1 guard who battled injuries last year but averaged 12 points as a sophomore, hitting 37 percent from 3 against Division 1 opponents. The former Massachusetts prep Player of the Year could fill in at point guard in a pinch but is most comfortable playing off the ball.
Quirin Emanga is a 6-5, 215-pounder physical freshman wing from Germany who could evolve into Northeastern's defensive stopper before his eligibility expires.
Vito Cubrilo is a 6-4, 194-pound freshman from Croatia who fits Northeastern's style of play and may remind fans of Puscia at some point. Connor Braun(14.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg) is a skilled 6-9 freshman combo forward out of Valley Christian in Arizona who isn't likely to be a huge factor on the floor this season.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT B
BENCH/DEPTH A-
FRONTCOURT A-
INTANGIBLES B
Puscia was the Huskies unquestioned leader the last two seasons. It may take a minute to sort out that role on this team, although Brace appears to be a natural candidate. If Walker can take care of the ball and make open shots, the Huskies should contend for the CAA title. If he struggles, expect Coen to figure out a fresh plan that keeps the Huskies in title contention. He's now the dean of conference coaches by a wide margin and has built Northeastern into a program respected by fellow coaches, opposing fans and members of the national media. Northeastern has averaged 11.4 conference victories in the last five seasons and managed to maintain a veteran nucleus during the most recent run.
Pairing an older team and a wise coach is a proven formula for success in college basketball. Brian Mull
BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Northeastern
2. College of Charleston
3. Delaware
4. Hofstra
5. Towson
6. James Madison
7. Drexel
8. UNC Wilmington
9. William & Mary
10. Elon
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Nathan Knight, SR, William & Mary
F-Eli Pemberton, SR, Hofstra
G-Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
G-Ryan Allen, JR, Delaware
G-Matt Lewis, JR, James Madison
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Nate Darling, JR, Delaware
2019-20 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
March 7-10, Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington, DC
2018-19 CHAMPIONS
Hofstra (Regular season)
Northeastern (Conference tournament)
NCAA
Northeastern
NIT
Hofstra
TOP BACKCOURTS
1.Delaware
2. Hofstra
3. James Madison
TOP FRONTCOURTS
1. Northeastern
2. William & Mary
3. Towson
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2018-19 KenPom Rating: 2nd (of 32)
KenPom Rating (last five years): 18-10-12-15-22
NORTHEASTERN:
LOCATION: Boston, MA
CONFERENCE: Colonial Athletic Association
LAST SEASON: 23-11 (.676)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 14-4 (2nd)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 2/3
NICKNAME: Huskies
COLORS: Red & Black
HOMECOURT: Matthews Arena (5,066)
COACH: Bill Coen (Hamilton ’83)
RECORD AT SCHOOL: 224-197 (13 years)
CAREER RECORD: 224-197 (13 years)
ASSISTANTS: Chris Markwood (Maine ’05) Brian McDonald (Northeastern ’10) Manny Adako (Northeastern ’10)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.): 23-18-15-23-23
KENPOM RATING (LAST 5 YRS.): 117-132-159-96-89
2018-19 FINISH: Lost in NCAA first round.
Throughout a successful 13-year run at Northeastern, coach Bill Coen has always had on his roster a point guard he could trust. The elite lineage of All-Conference floor leaders began with program legend Matt Janning, included CAA Player of the Year T.J. Williams and led to Vasa Puscia, who manned the position in All-CAA fashion the last two seasons, hitting clutch shots, throwing precise passes and earning MVP of the HUskies league tournament title run last March.
Coen and Huskies enter this season facing a question at the point after the most obvious candidate, two-year starter Donnell Gresham, graduated and transferred to Georgia for his final season.
"We've been so, so fortunate to have terrific point guards," Coen said. "As a coach, you can't get a better feeling than that when the ball is in the hands of someone who is that capable and so in sync with the staff."
Coen downplayed the obvious unknown in what's otherwise a proven, veteran rotation. He's been down this road before, plugging the next talented player into the hole created by the departure of one of the CAA's best players.
"It's kind of the next man up mentality," he says.
Tyson Walker, a 3-star prospect out of Westbury, NY., could be the frontrunner. If so, he'll be the Husky's first freshman point guard since Janning in Coen's debut season. The 6-0 speedster played for four years at powerful Christ the King High School program and spent a prep year at the New Hampton School in New Hampshire. "So far in (preseason) workouts he's been terrific," Coen says.
Myles Franklin (1.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg) is an older, steady hand. The 6-4 junior from California has been turnover-prone during his brief stints in his first two seasons, though. He averaged 10 minutes per game last season. "We'll be slightly different experience-wise at that position, but the standards are standards and hopefully those guys will raise their play," Coen says.
Jordan Roland (14,6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.1 spg, .402 3PT, .903 FT), 6-1, had an outstanding first season in 2018-19, setting the school record with 99 3-pointers, and returns seeking a sensational senior campaign at shooting guard. Among CAA who used at least 20 percent of their team's possessions, Roland led the conference with a 121.3 offensive rating, per KenPom.
That's remarkable when you consider three conference players signed NBA contracts after last season. Roland was All-CAA third-team, becoming the latest transfer (George Washington was his first school) to improve their skills and earn honors in their first season at Northeastern, joining Puscia and Scott Eatherton. "That sit out year is really, really important," Coen says. "We put a lot of time and effort in our transfers in getting them ready. Jordan totally bought into that and we knew we had someone could be special". As a proven gunner, Roland spent the offseason aiming to upgrade his ability to create off the dribble and become and a better defender.
Every coach craves a player like Bolden Brace (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) who can help a team win in multiple ways, as he showed in a dominant near triple-double performance (10 points, 10 boards, nine assists) against Hofstra in the CAA title game, shredding the Pride's zone from the inside with pinpoint passes and intelligent decisions. The 2018 CAA Sixth Man of the Year, Brace, a 6-6, 225-pound wing, started every game last season. "I can't say enough positive things about Bolden Brace," Coen says. From his first-team effort to his unselfishness to his skill set to his toughness to his competitiveness. On a day-to-day basis, you see his approach and the impact he has on each and every game and how he magnifies certain situations." Often a supporting actor last season, Bolden might need to be more aggressive in the scoring column. He's capable, dropping 40 points on Elon in his freshman season and recording seven games of 15 points or more last season.
Maxime Boursiquot might be the forgotten piece after missing last season because of injury. Still, he started 32 games in 2017-18, averaging 6.3 points and 3.8 rebounds, and thrived during the Huskies' run to the CAA championship game. The 6-5 forward from Canada shot 51 percent and is the tough, versatile player opponents expect to see in a Northeastern uniform. "He's a fourth-year junior and physically and mentally, he's ready to take that next step," Coen says. Boursiquot was second in the CAA in steal percentage in 2017-18 in conference games and also top 20 in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, per KenPom.
Another player the Huskies need to grow into a more prominent role is Tomas Murphy (8.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg). The 6-8, 230-pound forward played 19 minutes per game and started eight times as a sophomore. Known for his versatility, he hit 13 of 28 3-pointers (.464) on the season and covered 54 percent of 2-pointers vs. the CAA. "He has a diverse skill set, can really score inside and out and his opportunity is meeting his preparation at the ideal time," Coen says.
Northeastern should have a healthy bench.
Jason Strong(3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg) had some solid outings as a redshirt freshman, such as a sharp nine-point effort against UNCW in the CAA quarterfinals. The 6-8, 217-pound sophomore played 9.6 minutes a game and should fight for more.
Shaquille Walters, a 6-6 junior, has recovered from wrist surgery that ended his 2018-19 season after 10 games. He's athletic and sharp on defense.
Greg Eboigbodin(2.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg in 2018-18) is eligible this season after transferring from Illinois, where he appeared in 30 games and shot 67 percent (24 of 37) against the Big 10. The 6-9, 235-pound native of Nigeria, a redshirt sophomore, give Northeastern a physical, large presence in the post. "His size, athleticism and aggressiveness have been impressive," says Coen. "He can rebound above the rim and run the floor. When he's at the top of his game, he's going to be a factor for us."
Guilien Smith, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth, is 1 6-1 guard who battled injuries last year but averaged 12 points as a sophomore, hitting 37 percent from 3 against Division 1 opponents. The former Massachusetts prep Player of the Year could fill in at point guard in a pinch but is most comfortable playing off the ball.
Quirin Emanga is a 6-5, 215-pounder physical freshman wing from Germany who could evolve into Northeastern's defensive stopper before his eligibility expires.
Vito Cubrilo is a 6-4, 194-pound freshman from Croatia who fits Northeastern's style of play and may remind fans of Puscia at some point. Connor Braun(14.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg) is a skilled 6-9 freshman combo forward out of Valley Christian in Arizona who isn't likely to be a huge factor on the floor this season.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT B
BENCH/DEPTH A-
FRONTCOURT A-
INTANGIBLES B
Puscia was the Huskies unquestioned leader the last two seasons. It may take a minute to sort out that role on this team, although Brace appears to be a natural candidate. If Walker can take care of the ball and make open shots, the Huskies should contend for the CAA title. If he struggles, expect Coen to figure out a fresh plan that keeps the Huskies in title contention. He's now the dean of conference coaches by a wide margin and has built Northeastern into a program respected by fellow coaches, opposing fans and members of the national media. Northeastern has averaged 11.4 conference victories in the last five seasons and managed to maintain a veteran nucleus during the most recent run.
Pairing an older team and a wise coach is a proven formula for success in college basketball. Brian Mull
BLUE RIBBON FORECAST
1. Northeastern
2. College of Charleston
3. Delaware
4. Hofstra
5. Towson
6. James Madison
7. Drexel
8. UNC Wilmington
9. William & Mary
10. Elon
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
F-Nathan Knight, SR, William & Mary
F-Eli Pemberton, SR, Hofstra
G-Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
G-Ryan Allen, JR, Delaware
G-Matt Lewis, JR, James Madison
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Grant Riller, JR, College of Charleston
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Nate Darling, JR, Delaware
2019-20 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
March 7-10, Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington, DC
2018-19 CHAMPIONS
Hofstra (Regular season)
Northeastern (Conference tournament)
NCAA
Northeastern
NIT
Hofstra
TOP BACKCOURTS
1.Delaware
2. Hofstra
3. James Madison
TOP FRONTCOURTS
1. Northeastern
2. William & Mary
3. Towson
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2018-19 KenPom Rating: 2nd (of 32)
KenPom Rating (last five years): 18-10-12-15-22