It is almost at the halfway point of Northeast Conference men’s basketball schedule, and this week’s slate of games shows the continued parity, as six teams have an identical conference record. Out of the 10 teams, only two teams won both their contests.

One of those teams to do so was Robert Morris, improving to a 7-1 record, giving them a two-game lead in first place. The Colonials bested Sacred Heart by eight on Thursday, the largest margin of victory in a night of hotly contested games.

They then took down Wagner in a defensive slugfest, with neither team eclipsing 60 points. The Colonials have consistently been the best defensive team in the conference, the leaders in scoring defense and scoring margin.

The other big winner of the week was Fairleigh Dickinson. Previously sitting at 2-4, the two wins puts the Knights tied for third in the conference. They edged out a tough two-point win against Saint Francis (BKN) before dominating Bryant in Smithfield. They now sit at 4-4 and are in a six-way tie for third place.

On the other hand, one of the big losers of the week was Sacred Heart. The Pioneers entered the weekend with a 4-2 record but faced the tough Pennsylvania road trip against RMU and Saint Francis (PA) and were unable to come away with a win, falling to the Red Flash by just one point, nearly mounting a late comeback.

The Pioneers still sit in a comfortable position in the standings. The same cannot be said for Central Connecticut, who also lost both their contests, extending their losing streak to four games. The Blue Devils nearly broke the streak when they traveled to Bryant, but a last-second Bryant three doomed CCSU. They then returned home to be dominated by LIU Brooklyn, trailing by 30 at one point in the second half. The Blue Devils now sit at 2-6, two games out of a playoff spot and will have work to do to earn a spot in the conference tournament.

It was an up and down week, to say the least, for the defending champion Blackbirds of LIU. They traveled to Mount St. Mary’s who also sits at the basement of the conference, where they were shocked by the Mountaineers in a two-point loss. They rebounded when they dominated CCSU, but struggled in the last 10 minutes, allowing the Blue Devils to cut the lead from 30 to 13, though they still came away with the victory. Led by Player of the Year candidate Raiquan Clark, the Blackbird offense excels in fast-paced ball movement, spearheaded by point guard JaShaun Agosto, who is second in the league in assists.

As for next week’s slate, FDU can capitalize on their hot-streak when they host LIU and Robert Morris. The Knights can join the Colonials in separating themselves from the pack with two more signature wins. The Colonials could also extend their lead with a win against FDU or when they host in-state rival SFU.

CCSU and Mount will have the chance to climb back into contention with two home games apiece, possibly adding to the already crowded race for the tournament.