The Central Connecticut State men's basketball team begins NEC play at LIU on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. in a matchup of the preseason league favorites. The Blue Devils will then host New Haven on Sunday afternoon. Tickets for CCSU home games are available here.
CCSU will be looking for its second straight win against the Sharks, while it will play New Haven for the first time since 1986.
CCSU Game Notes | Latest Media Coverage | HOME GAME TICKETS
at LIU NEC Front Row | Live Stats
vs. New Haven NEC Front Row | Live Stats
OPENING NOTES
• Central Connecticut opens NEC play at preseason favorite, LIU, on Jan. 2 before returning home to host New Haven for the first Division I meeting of the schools.
• Patrick Sellers is in his 5th season leading his alma mater. He has led CCSU to back-to-back NEC regular season crowns, along with, consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in the program's Division I history.
LOOSE BALLS ...
• Through 11 games, CCSU is committing 12.4 fouls per game, which ranks 2nd nationally. Last season, CCSU committed 11.3 fouls per game, setting an NEC mark and ranking 2nd nationally.
• Central has won 9 straight road games against NEC opponents, dating back to 2023-24.
• The Blue Devils lead the NEC in assists per game (16.4) and assist-turnover ratio (1.58).
Jay Rodgers is steering the ship for Central and ranks 7th nationally in assists per game (7.0) and 28th in assist-turnover ratio (3.7).
• Central has posted 20+ wins in consecutive seasons for the first time in its Division I history. The Blue Devils last accomplished the feat in 1982-83 (21-9) and 1983-84 (26-6).
• When scoring 70+ points under Patrick Sellers, CCSU is 47-14 (.770) overall. Central is 26-2 in such games dating back to Jan. 19, 2024.
• Since 2021-22, CCSU has won 8 straight 1-point games (Jan. 21, 2022, 67-68 loss at SFU).
• CCSU has won its NEC opener in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011-12.
• The Blue Devils will be looking to win its opener in 3 straight season since winning 4 straight from 2008-12.
• Central is 14-14 all-time in NEC openers.
• The Blue Devils' NEC opener will come following a 14-day layoff. It is the longest in-season break between games since the 2020-21 season when CCSU had a 21-day layoff (Dec. 16-Jan. 7) between games.
• Pre-COVID, Central's last comparable layoff was Dec. 8-22, 2004.
• The Blue Devils lost at #11 UConn (Dec. 22, 2004) and at Bryant (Jan. 7, 2021) following its previous extended breaks.
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Darin Smith, Jr. was named to the Lou Henson Award (Mid-Major Player of the Year) Watch List on Dec. 18.
• Smith is a 2x NEC Player of the Week, and was a USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 30.
• He scored a career-high 38 points against Sacred Heart - the most points by a Blue Devil since Feb. 14, 2013 (Kyle Vinales, 42).
• Smith posted the 11th-highest scoring game in the nation so far.
• He also had the game-winning layup at Boston College with 3.2 seconds to play, clincing CCSU's first win over a Power 5 foe.
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Jay Rodgers leads the NEC in assists per game (7.1) AND assist-turnover ratio (3.9). He has 5+ assists in 9 straight games.
• In 5 games from Nov.11-30 he had 35 assists-6 turnovers in 133 min.
• Rodgers was named NEC Player of the Week on Nov. 24 after a 15-point, 9-assist game in the win at Rutgers.
• Rodgers missed 52 games from Dec. 16, 2023 until his return in the opener after recovering from injury.
2025-26 NEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. LIU (unanimous)
2. CCSU
3. Stonehill
4. Mercyhurst
5. FDU
6. Chicago State
7. Saint Francis
8. Wagner
9. Le Moyne
10. New Haven
2025-26 Preseason All-NEC Men's Basketball Team
Bernie Blunt III, MU, Gr, G, 5-11, 180 lbs., Morgantown, PA/Peddie School (Edinboro/Quinnipiac)
Malachi Davis, LIU (unanimous), R-Sr, G, 6-4, 172 lbs., Scarborough, Canada/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona St.)
Jamal Fuller, LIU (unanimous), Gr, G/F, 6-5, 215 lbs., Toronto, Canada/Central Tech (Hill College/Academy of Art)
Hermann Koffi, STO, So, G, 6-4, 203 lbs., Quebec City, Quebec/Polyvalente de Thetford Mine
Darin Smith Jr., CCSU, So, F, 6-7, 210 lbs., Springfield, MA/Vermont Academy
