Men's Basketball Takes Four-Game Win Streak Into the Week
The Central Connecticut State men's basketball team takes a four-game win streak into this week's matchups. On Thursday, Central hosts Le Moyne in a matchup of teams tied for second in the NEC standings. The Blue Devils will then head to Chicago State on Saturday for their final road game of the regular season. Tickets for CCSU home games are available here.
CCSU has won the season's first meeting at Le Moyne and has won four straight meetings. Central has won the past three matchups against Chicago State, including the season's first meeting on Feb. 5.
CCSU Game Notes | Latest Media Coverage | HOME GAME TICKETS
vs. Le Moyne NEC Front Row | Live Stats
at Chicago State NEC Front Row | Live Stats
• Central Connecticut hosts Le Moyne on Thursday in a matchup of teams tied for 2nd in the NEC before heading to Chicago State for their final road contest of the regular season.
• 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.
• CCSU is 8-7 in road games this season and has won 29 road games over the past 3 seasons.
• Darin Smith, Jr. leads the NEC in foul shooting (.906) and has made 43 straight at the line dating back to his first attempt at Wagner on Jan. 29.
• Max Frazier has 48 dunks and is taking over 97% 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 53-15 (.779) overall. Central is 32-3 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).
• Among the Division I programs in Connecticut that ranks 1st; Quinnipiac (25), Yale (24), UConn (24), Fairfield (19), Sacred Heart (14).
• 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 (47.7 percent), three-point field goal percentage (37.8 percent) and free throw percentage (77.1 percent).
• The Blue Devils' shooting split is one that has not been seen in the NEC in quite time. In fact, CCSU is 1 of 2 teams to post at least a 47/37/77 split, with Monmouth (49.6/37.3/77.1) doing it almost 35 years ago.
• Central Connecticut is the first NEC team since Monmouth in 1990-91 to enjoy at least a 47/37/77 shooting split.
• As mentioned, CCSU leads the circuit in free throw shooting. Central was 16-for-17 at FDU, including 12-of-12 in the final 2:03 of the game.
• Darin Smith, Jr. was 13-of-13 and has made 43 straight foul shots.
• His 40-point game at New Haven was the first in the NEC this season and was CCSU's first since Kyle Vinales netted 42 against Wagner on Feb. 14, 2013, and the first by an NEC player since Le Moyne's Kaiyem Clearly had 43 against LIU in 2024.
• Smith became the first player in the NEC and the 22nd nationally to score 20+ points in a game 10 times this season with his 24-point outing against Le Moyne. He did so in just 15 games, the second-fastest NEC player to reach 10 20-point games since Junior Robinson (Mount St. Mary's) did it in 13 games in 2017-18.
• He had the game-winning layup at Boston College with 3.2 seconds to play, clinching CCSU's first win over a Power 5 foe.
• He was named to the Lou Henson Award (Mid-Major Player of the Year) Watch List on Dec. 18 and is the only 5x NEC Player of the Week. He is a 2x USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Player of the Week (11/30, 2/17)
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
