Men's Basketball Looks to Take Win Streak on the Road
The Central Connecticut State men's basketball team takes a short trip to play New Haven on ESPN+ on Thursday before heading to FDU on Saturday. The Blue Devils have won back-to-back games for the first time since winning four straight from Jan. 4-17.. Tickets for CCSU home games are available here.
CCSU has won the season's first meeting with New Haven to run its win streak to three in the series. FDU downed CCSU in the meetings first matchup and leads the all-time series, 31-29.
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• 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.
• The Blue Devils lead the NEC in assists per game (14.6) and assist-turnover ratio (1.4). Jay Rodgers is steering the ship for Central and ranks 5th nationally in assists per game (7.3).
• Darin Smith, Jr. has won a league-high 4 NEC Player of the Week honors.
• Max Frazier has 45 dunks and is taking over 98% of his shots in the paint.
• 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 52-15 (.776) overall. Central is 31-3 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).
• 32 straight games with a three-pointer.
• The Blue Devils are hitting treys at a 37.6% clip which paces the NEC and ranks 26th nationally.
• 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.
• Central Connecticut has shot 60.0 percent or better in a game five times this season, and in those contests, the Blue Devils are a perfect 5-0. The five 60.0 percent or better performances are tied with three other squads — High Point, Michigan and Utah State — for the most in the nation.
• Central Connecticut enters the week as the league's top-shooting team across the board, ranking first in field goal percentage (47.6 percent), three-point field goal percentage (37.6 percent) and free throw percentage (76.6 percent).
• The Blue Devils' shooting split is one that has not been seen in the NEC in quite time. In fact, just three other squads in conference annals have posted at least a 47/37/76 split, with Monmouth (50.0/37.2/76.1) being the last to do so in 1991-92.
• Central Connecticut is the first NEC team since Monmouth in 1991-92 to enjoy at least a 47/37/76 shooting split.
• Max Frazier is posting a team-best 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and has 8 blocked shots, while shooting 25-of-34 (.735) over the last 4 games.
• Frazier, who shoots just 61% at the foul line on the year, is also converting 77% (17-of-22) at the stripe in the past four games.
• The junior forward has double-figures in each game, including a 21-point outing on 7-of-8 shooting (7-of-10 free throws) against Wagner.
• In his first season as a starter he is posting 12.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg and shooting .656 from the field in 27.0 minutes per game.
• Melo Sanchez is he NEC's top three-point marksman in all games and is making 2.0 treys per game at a .455 clip (1st in NEC).
• He had a personal-best at CCSU with 20 points in the Blue Devils win at Saint Francis U, connecting on 3-of-6 three-pointers.
• Since NEC play began, he has made three's at a nearly 50.0% clip (25-51, .494) and has 7 games of 2+ three-pointers.
• Sanchez ranked 7th in NCAA D-II at Hawai'i Pacific in 2022-23 after shooting .461 from the three-point arc.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
