Warning: I think I write the following two sentences every year at this time.) I love the NEC. I’m not sure why, but I do. And, now we get a pretty decent 8-team tournament from a 12-team regular season. And, it is usually a pretty intriguing tournament. And, this year is EASILY the most intriguing of all. This field is completely wide open and it wouldn’t be shocking to see all hell break loose, especially on the heels of one of the more bizarre days in any conference all year occurring on the NEC’s final regular season day. The top 4 teams – who had seemed to separate themselves a little from the rest of the league – all lost…convincingly. First-place LIU lost by 28 to 6th-place Monmouth. Second-place Wagner lost by 17 to 7th-place CCSU. At least 3rd-place Robert Morris had a close one on the road to a decent team (Quinnipiac). While 4th-place St. Francis (NY) lost to a Farleigh Dickinson team that didn’t even qualify for the NEC tournament after a 3-26 season. This bizarre ending to the regular season adds even more intrigue to pretty wide open field of really good teams. And, with Stri and his recent domination of this conference out this year, this title is wide open for the taking.
Championship Picks
10 for #1 Long Island
7 for #2 Wagner (Alexi, Dave, Gross, Lohse, Lynch, RSmith, Scoot)
1 for #3 Robert Morris (RDoc)
Biggest Upset
QF – #8 Sacred Heart (Gross)
SF – #6 Monmouth (J)
Previous CTC Titles
2011 – Scoot/Stri
2010 – Lil Lohse
2009 – Bry*/Stri*
2008 – Stri
#1 Long Island vs. #8 Sacred Heart
The Blackbirds have dominated this conference recently and did it again this year, though they did lose a game this time around (after going 21-0 including the conference tournament last year). In their regular season finale against Monmouth they were absolutely plastered by 28 points. So, with that taste still left in their mouth, they have to take on a pretty hot Sacred Heart team in the quarters. Gross went for the long ball here, picking Sacred Heart in what would be a massive upset. Most of the field has LIU winning this tournament.
#2 Wagner vs. #7 C. Connecticut St.
The last team Danny Hurley and company wanted to see end up as the 7-seed was CCSU. Not only did the Blue Devils hammer Hurley’s team on Saturday by 17, but they are one of the more talented teams in the conference that just fell on some hard times in the middle of the season and ended up 7th. This incredible turnaround that Hurley has brought to Staten Island could hit a bit of a snag if they don’t come to play tonight. J and Teddy went for the big upset here with CCSU. Neither of them have the Blue Devils going to the finals. Just about everyone that doesn’t have LIU winning the tournament has Wagner.
#3 Robert Morris vs. #6 Monmouth
Lost in the great seasons that LIU and Wagner have put in is the fact that Robert Morris won another 22 games this year, including wins over James Madison, LaSalle, and Duquesne (a few of the only teams that will play the Colonials). Monmouth, who was absolutely dreadful for the first half of the year, enters this game red-hot, including back-to-back wins over #4 St. Francis and #1 LIU, the latter by a shocking 28-point margin. Monmouth seems to be a live ‘dog here, as 7 people (Doogan, Gersh, J, Lohse, Lynch, RSmith, Teddy) went with Hawks here in an upset. RDoc is the biggest RMC fan, as he is the only one that has them winning this tournament. Lil Lohse, Mac, Primm, and Rikey all have the Colonials making the finals.
#4 St. Francis (NY) vs. #5 Quinnipiac
In a crazy NEC season, it is quite clear what the most surprising development has been – the St. Francis Terriers. A team that is always on the brink of even making the NEC tournament, the Terriers were picked for 10th-place this year in the preseason (one spot ahead of Monmouth, actually). And, they looked the part in the non-conference, as they entered conference play at 3-8 against some bad competition. But, they started hot and rode that streak to a 12-6 conference record and a first-round home game. Their reward is a date with #5 Quinnipiac, who is one of the more talented teams in the conference, who is also playing some of their best ball of the season right now. Speaking of live ‘dogs, Quinnipiac might be the livest we have seen thus far in the CTC. Only 4 people have picked the favored Terriers here (Gross, RDoc, RSmith, Stri). Everyone else has QU in the upset. Teddy and Dave have the Bobcats making the finals.
I almost never leave a response, however i did a few searching and
wound up here CTC Day Four: What A Year in the NEC | Broad Street Believers.
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Thanks