Redshirt junior Josh Cohen (Lincroft, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) and junior Maxwell Land (Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller), members of the Saint Francis men's basketball team, have been named Northeast Conference (NEC) Prime Performers for the week of February 13-19.
Cohen averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game to lead the Red Flash to its first road weekend sweep since 2016-17. The redshirt junior tallied 20 points and an NEC career-best 12 rebounds in a 72-64 win against St. Francis Brooklyn on Thursday. Cohen registered his 1,000th career point with 16:52 left in the first half. It was the third time this season and fourth time in his career Cohen has tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game. He then registered 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 93-82 victory against LIU on Saturday. Cohen posted 10 points in a 29-15 run to propel the Red Flash to a 20-point lead in the opening frame. The Lincroft, N.J., native, shot 47.8 percent from the floor (11-for-23) and 53.6 percent from the foul line (15-for-28).
Cohen has posted 18 games with at least 20 points this season including eight in NEC play. He has posted 20 points in three of his last four games and seven or more rebounds in 17 of his last 19 tilts with three double-doubles in that span.
Land averaged 18.5 points and 5.0 rebounds to lead the Red Flash to its first road weekend sweep since 2016-17. The junior posted 16 points and six rebounds at St. Francis Brooklyn. Land had four points in a decisive 15-4 run to break a 48-all tie and give the Red Flash the lead it would not relinquish. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native, then notched his second NEC career-high 21-point performance against LIU this season after notching the same total in the January 16 meeting in Loretto. Land registered 12 of his 21 points in the second half to help the squad maintain the lead wire-to-wire, while he also had the first basket of the game to hand the Loretto program the lead it would not relinquish from the start.
Land has registered double figures in 12 of the 14 NEC games and now has three 20-point games this season and seven in his career. He now has posted three 20-point games against LIU thanks to his first career 20-point game at LIU last season on January 8, 2022, and his two 21-point games against the Sharks.
Cohen leads the NEC in scoring (21.4 ppg.), field goal percentage (58.4), while ranking third in minutes played (33.52 pg.), fourth in offensive rebounds (2.56 rpg.), sixth in rebounding (8.1 rpg.) and sixth in defensive rebounds (5.59 rpg.) and 10th in blocked shots (0.78 bpg.). On the national stage, Cohen is eighth in made field goals (220), 10th in points (579),11th in scoring, 13th in made free throws (139), and 33rd in field goal percentage. Land ranks 12th in scoring (12.3 ppg.), eighth in defensive rebounds (4.58 rpg.), eighth in rebounding (5.7 rpg.) and ninth in minutes played (32.04).
The Red Flash has had a player earn a major award in 11 of the 15 weeks of the season. Cohen was named the NEC Player of the Week four times (November 21-27, December 5-12, January 2-8, February 6-12), while freshman Landon Moore (Bloomington, Ill./Western Reserve Academy) became one of six players in NEC history to take home the NEC Rookie of the Week award seven times (November 7-12 and November 13-19, December 12-18, December 19-25, December 26-January 1, January 2-8, January 9-16). Freshman Cam Gregory (Accokeek, Md./The Steward School [Va.]) was the top rookie for the week of November 28-December 4.
Cohen has been named an NEC Prime Performer for the 15th time this season (every week this season), while Moore has six honors, junior Maxwell Land (Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller) has four recognitions and junior Ronell Giles, Jr. (Brandywine, Md./Charles H. Flowers) has one Prime Performer to his credit.
Saint Francis returns to action in the final weekend of the regular season, starting on Thursday at home against FDU. Tipoff is 7 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN 3 and SNY. Prior to the game, the Red Flash will honor Cohen for his 1,000th career point.
