Men's Basketball Faces Rutgers, Sacred Heart Heading into Thanksgiving
The Central Connecticut State men's basketball team wraps up a four-game road stretch on Friday before returning home on Monday night. Tickets for CCSU home games are available here. Monday's home game will be a "Blue Out" and fans are encouraged to wear blue to the game.
CCSU plays at Rutgers on Friday night before hosting Sacred Heart on Monday. The Blue Devils are 0-5 against Rutgers all-time, while leading the series against SHU, 38-36.
at Rutgers B1G+ | Live Stats
vs. Sacred Heart NECFrontRow | Live Stats
OPENING NOTES
• Central Connecticut will wrap up a 4-game road swing before playing at home on Monday.
• Patrick Sellers begins 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.
• Friday's game is a reunion of sorts as Sellers and RU's Steve Pikiell were assistants on CCSU's 2000 NCAA Tournament team. Pikiell also played with Sellers' brother, Rod, at UConn.
LOOSE BALLS ...
• Through 4 games, CCSU is committing 12.8 fouls per game, which ranks 5th nationally. Last season, CCSU committed 11.3 fouls per game, ranking 2nd nationally, setting an NEC mark.
• The Blue Devils ranked 2nd for the most road wins (12) in the country last season (UC Irvine, 14), but had their 9-game road win streak snapped with a loss at Quinnipiac.
• 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 44-13 (.772) overall. Central is 25-1 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).
• 14 straight games with a three-pointer.
• The Blue Devils were held without a three-pointer twice last season, marking just the 1st and 2nd times in 295 games.
• Central set a single-game program record with 18 three-pointers against Vermont State Johnson (11/11/24). CCSU was 18-of-36 (.500).
• CCSU has had 4 of its top 10 single-season three-point totals under coach Sellers. The '21-22 team made 235, 2nd all-time at CCSU.
• Darin Smith, Jr. was the Nov. 17 NEC co-Player of the Week. He averaged 16.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg shooting 50% from the field in 2 games.
• He scored 14 points in a monumental win at Boston College, including the game-winning layup with 3.2 seconds to play.
• Smith had a team-high 18 points at UMass, including 14 in the 2nd half when CCSU trimmed a 23-point deficit to just 5 in the final minute.
• Elijah Parker collected NEC Rookie of the Week honors on Nov. 17.
• He had 6.5 ppg, 3.0 spg and 2.0 rpg in 13.7 minutes. He shot 5-of-10 from the field on the week, but made his biggest contributions on defense. He had 5 steals at BC, including 3 in the second half.
• Central's win at Boston College was the program's first win over program currently aligned in one of "Power 4" conferences. CCSU is now 1-44 all-time against foes from the ACC, Big 12, Big 10 and SEC.
• The Blue Devils are 1-31 against the BIG EAST with a win at Providence (54-50) on Dec. 21, 1999. CCSU also has a loss against each of Oregon State and Washington State, formerly members of the Pac-12.
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
