The 2016–17 NEC men's basketball season began with practices in October 2016, followed by the start of the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play started in late December and concluded in February 2017. Mount St. Mary's clinched the regular season NEC championship with a win over St. Francis Brooklyn on February 25, 2017, marking their first NEC regular season crown in 21 years. LIU Brooklyn finished in second place in the regular season.