MAAC Tournament Recap

MAAC Tournament Notebook

MAAC Madness
Just how whack was the MAAC? Quite whack, if do say so myself. Let’s just put it this way…a 7th seed with a 16-18 record beat a 4th seed for the conference crown. Start up the Apocalypse machine. Yes, Siena became the first MAAC team with a sub-.500 record to advance to the big dance. Behind Dwayne Archbold’s 30 points, the Saints topped Niagara at Albany’s Pepsi Center, 91-77. Archbold had a combined 111 points throughout the tournament. Siena’s unlikely sojourn to the MAAC title included a play-in game victory over St. Peter’s and upsets of 2nd seed Marist and 6th seed Fairfield.

With their low RPI and losing record, chances are the Saints will have to partake of another play-in game as the dubious 64th or 65th team in the NCAA tournament. Winthrop, here we come!

More MAAC Tourney Mayhem
In addition to Siena’s quashing of Marist, two of the other top 3 seeds fell early. In quarterfinal action on Saturday, March 2, top-seed Rider fell to Canisius, the 8th seed, 85-84, and 3rd-seed Manhattan was surprised by Fairfield, a 6-seed, 81-73.

Honor! Honor!
Rider’s Don Harnum impressed his fellow colleagues enough to win the 2001-02 Spalding MAAC Coach of the Year award. Harnum, who was elected by his peers, skippered the Broncs to a 13-5 conference record (17-10 overall), and a share of the regular season conference title with Marist.

Postseason Possibilities
The MAAC will be represented in the tournament by the best worst team in the conference, 16-18 Siena. Did Siena’s win kill any postseason participation for the rest of the league? It’s quite possible. The top three regular season teams, Rider, Marist and Manhattan each had 20 wins or less, and that’s not gonna cut it for an NCAA, at-large bid. Rider and Marist, on account of being the MAAC regular season champs, might squeak in with an NIT bid, but they are 17-11 and 19-9 respectively. Those win totals might be enough, but a lot depends on who gets shut out of the field of 65.

Manhattan, even though they finished third in the conference and showed poorly in their tournament, might be NIT-bound. They have the toughest schedule among the three MAAC leaders and as well as 20 wins on their resume.

Notes on Army-Navy

The Safest (If Not Silliest) Game of the Week

by Adam Shandler

My friends and I had a pleasant drive up the Palisades Parkway to West Point. We were cruising – no flying – until we got to the first checkpoint. We encountered our first stoppage. “DoD stickered cars to left, non-stickered cars to the right,” read the sign, accompanied by an armed sentry at the gate. We steered into the appropriate corrale and assumed that that would be the extent of USMA’s post-9/11 security upgrade. Nope. In line another ten minutes at a new checkpoint, we watched as burly camouflaged men with M-16s checked cars in both hood and trunk for suspicious materials. Then came our turn, and we were excited. Yes, we were being detained, and we were thrilled about it.

My buds and I entered Christl Arena just as the National Anthem was being sung. The color guard was in full regalia, holding high the banner of our country, as well as the totems of the state of New York and the four major branches of military service. Everyone — cadets, midshipmen, officals, scoreboard operator – stood rock-still. Other than the Star Spangled Banner itself, you couldn’t even hear a whistle from a stuffed-up nostril in the last seat of the last row. It was the first time in a long time that I did not hear some beer-swigging yahoo in the bleachers make a cymbal-crashing sound after “rockets red glare” and “bombs bursting in air”.

The patriotism, the security, the pomp and circumstance – we expected all that from an Army-Navy sporting event. Every year, I try to make a point of watching the annual football game, played at a neutral sight. Each school’s units march out in block formation and athletic alums are paraded out to further complement the rich but mystical rivalry between the two acadamies. However, there were some things that I did not expect from Army-Navy basketball; things that I saw that afternoon that completely contradicted the sanctity of arguably the greatest rivalry in college sports.

Upon walking into the gymnasium, my friends and I were greeted by Army’s mascot, a torked-off looking mule with a long neck and pleather hooves for hands. I got my picture taken with him as a souvenir of my visit. Then, after finding my place along press row, I met the acquaintance of Army Man, West Point’s unofficial superhero, and took a picture with him. I asked Army Man, who is built like The Rock and carries a small black billy club, his secret identity. In true superhero fashion, he did not reveal it. Okay, two mascots. One traditional, one…not-so-much. Made sense. Even at West Point, you’ve gotta keep with the changin’ times.

My mascot safari did not end there.

During a time out, I turned back and looked up into the stands. There was a massive sea of cadet gray, accented by rows and rows of short-cropped heads. Then I did a double take. I saw a pig. I swear I did. A big, fat, pink, smiling pig. Then I panned down another row. This time I saw an eagle. Then a frog. Then Elvis. Taz. Snoopy. A Spartan soldier. Larry Storch’s character on F-Troop. They were dotted throughout the auditorium like characters waiting to be found in a Where’s Waldo puzzle. I was confused…but still entertained.

Turns out, this little muppet convention makes more sense than it sounds. From what I learned from the F-Troop guy, each company at USMA has its own mascot – much in the same way fraternities and sororities use characters to represent themselves at civilian colleges. But at Army, those characters jump right off the t-shirts and into the stands at Christl.

At halftime, all 22-or-so mascots faced off in a special basketball game. It looked more like a rugby match at Sesame Place. I don’t remember what the final score was. I think it was a 2-2 tie. It should have been 4-2, but the gorilla tackled the Roman soldier after receiving a pass from Goofy. No intentional foul was called, and that got D company all in a huff.

The real, and less colorful game, was won by Army, 73-63. Chris Spatola had 15 points, 5 rebounds, to punctuate an admirable career as one of West Point’s more reliable point guards. Chris’s brother, J.P., a sopomore, had 19 points, 6 assists. With the victory, the Cadets were awarded the Alumni Trophy, a brilliant piece of hardware given to the winner of one of the season’s Army-Navy b-ball games. The “trophy game” is designated at the beginning of the season.

Razzing between the schools, another time-honored tradition, was in full effect on gameday. But when the smoke cleared and the mascots removed their heads, the two venerable alma maters were played. After 40 minutes of bitter feuding on the court, that mutual respect between the two schools had been restored. I don’t even know the title of my college alma mater. At West Point and Annapolis, the cadets and mids know the titles, the lyrics, the composers, the time signatures and the dates the tunes were penned. And they do it with pride. There is nothing like an Army-Navy postgame.

Even the frog had tears in his eyes.

Ivy League Notebook

Ivy League Notebook

Donald Rumsfeld should have a clandestine meeting with Yale coach James Jones. Not that Jones should be leading a black ops team into Kandahar, but his Elis have somehow, someway, climbed into first place in the Ivy League, vitrually unnoticed. Impossible, you say? Go ‘head, check out the standings. I’ll wait. Hey, I’m with you. I picked Yale to finish middle-of-the-pack at best. But Yale has slayed dragons in this topsy-turvy college hoops season to get to where they are.

All I can say is, “It figures.” Defending champ Princeton scheduled Cal, St. Joe’s, Maryland and Kansas, but the beef-up hasn’t really helped the Tigers. They lost to all those impressive programs, plus GW, Penn and the mighty Yalies. (They also fell to Florida International at the beginning of the season, a team often mistaken for a preseason exhibition team.)

Then there’s Penn. The Quakers might be the only team in the history of this league to win 20 games, not win the conference and not make the NCAA’s. Their victories over local bullies Temple, St. Joes’, Villanova and LaSalle are mere morning crust on the eyes of the Quakers puzzling season.

Brown returned the pre-season player of the year in Earl Hunt, as well as inside he-man Alaviaa Nuualiitia, and were poised to make their most prolific run in Glenn Miller’s 3 -year stint as coach. The Bears are currently sitting in fourth place at 6-4 (Ivy) and probably won’t even get a sniff for the NIT.

Harvard has been the warm and fuzzy story this season. The Crimson, who haven’t made it to the dance since the dawn of nuclear power, scored big with early wins over Penn and Brown this year. But the Boys from Cambridge gave a few back to the softies of the league and are currently wincing at the syringe of a 3-game losing streak.

At 17-7 overall and 9-1 in the Ivy, Yale has capitalized on the rest of the league’s undoing. They have no top 25 opponents on their schedule but no pushovers either. They have beaten comparable competition but have not dipped under the .500 mark since November 24. Yale has been steady – not dynamic – but steady, and this year, that’s enough to win a conference with no post-season tournament.

Yale offers no single player that can make a game his own. There are no players on the roster that grace the Top 5 Ivy scoring list and only 4 times has a Yale player scored above 20 points this season. Junior guard Ime Archibong netted a season-high 23…and that was in a loss to Colgate on December 3. What the Elis lack in scoring, however, they make up in rebounding. They are slaugthering Ivy foes with an average of 37 rebounds a game, 4 more than Harvard and 5 more than Brown; two teams that had gotten bigger and stronger in 2001-02. Yale’s Paul Vitelli leads the league in indvidual boards, at 8 a pop.

But Yale shouldn’t be punching their dance card just yet. Jones’s club faces two big tests on the weekend of February 22. On Friday, it’s a showdown at Princeton. The Tigers are only a game out of first, so the Jadwin will be jumpin’. That game could very well decide the Ivy title. Saturday, it’s down to Philly to face Penn, another team desperate for wins and hopeful that they can somehow slide to the top.

Yale beat both Princeton and Penn the weekend of February 7. Those were top secret wins in the circles of NCAA basketball. You probably never heard about them.

Coach Jones, how would your team like a field trip to Central Asia? It’ll be…educational. Oh, and bring that Vitelli kid.

Metro Atlantic Notebook

Metro-Atlantic Notebook

Man-hurt-an
What happened to the Jaspers? The team from Riverdale was 6-2 in the MAAC and in first place. Now, after losses to Canisius (Feb. 8) and Niagara (Feb. 10), Manhattan is tied for second in the conference with the Purple Eagles. Normally one of the more prolific scoring point guards, Mugsy Green has see-sawed in his last five games with 3 games of 5 points or less. On the upnote, guard Luis Flores is peaking and is second in the league in scoring at 20 points per game. He’s been the Jaspers leading scorer in each of the last five games and scored a career-high 33 points against St. Peter’s on Jan. 30.

Marist-Rider, Both in First…Coincidence?
We think not, but both of these teams took eerily similar routes to achieving the top spot in the conference. Rider (10-3, MAAC) is on a 7-game tear, including wins over the Jaspers, ever-pesky Fairfield and Niagara. Marist, also 10-3, has won 7 of their last 8, beat Niagara, split with Manhattan and also knocked off Fairfield. Yes, the similarities are startling…and you never see these two teams in the same room together. Except, of course, when they play each other. Okay, so much for my conspiracy theory. Now about this Area 51 place…

King Solomon
Iona’s Solomon Brown was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week, significant because his performance against Manhattan led to the Jaspers’ jilt to second place. Brown, a guard from LA, was all over the stat sheet, scoring 10 points and recording 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. Brown is fourth on the MAAC’s assist leaders list with 3.71 per game.

Upcoming Must See Games
Marist at Fairfield on Valentine’s Day. Marist looks to hold on to at least a share of the MAAC lead, and Fairfield always plays up to their opponents. Point guard matchup is one of the best this year: The finesse and precision dishing of Marist’s Sean Kennedy and the streetball quickness of the Stag’s Tyqwuan Goode.

Also keep your eye on Manhattan-Rider on the 15th. With a win, Manhattan can climb back into first and Coach Bobby Gonzalez will howl with demonic laughter. Or at least cheer a lot. The Broncs won the first game 72-68 in the Bronx.

Patriot League Notebook

Patriot League Notebook

If It’s Not Patrick Doctor, Than Who?
Yes, believe it or not, a player from American U. other than Patrick Doctor was named Patriot League Player of the Week. Junior guard Glenn Stokes had 22 points and 6 steals against Navy and upstaged everyone (including the national anthem singer) with a solo 14-point run. Stokes followed up the display with a 20-point night against Colgate, helping the Eagles sweep the Red Raiders this season.

‘Doctoring’ the Record Books
Center Patrick Doctor is 101 points and 76 rebounds from AU Basketball immortality. If he can accomplish both goals, he will become only the fourth player in school history to rank in the top-ten in both categories. With five regular season games left, the Patriot Tournament and a possible trip to the NCAA’s, Doctor is likely to scale both heights.

Nate the Great
Is anyone else in the Patriot League a rookie this year? Or is Holy Cross’s Nate Lufkin just that good? Lufkin, the freshman Center out of Austin, Texas, has won the conference’s rookie of the year award for five straight weeks, seven overall. Lufkin had his best game ever with a 13-point, 8-rebound affair against Bucknell. Thanks to Nate’s efforts, HC now has sole possession of second place. Lufkin is enjoying these honors so much, he’s thinking about being a rookie again next year.

The Road to Upper Marlboro
For the first time in recent Patriot League history, the conference will be holding all of its tournament games, except the championship, at one neutral site. The Showplace Arena, a 5,800-seat venue in suburban Washington, DC, will host both the Men’s and Women’s tournaments, March 1-3. The men’s championship game will be played on Friday, March 8, at the home court of the highest remaining seed. The two women’s contenders will play for the title on March 6th. Those who closely follow this fine conference might suggest that the tournament was moved closer to DC to appease newest member American. Ya think?!?!?!?!?!?

Must-See Game
American at Lafayette, on February 9th. The Leopards are looking to claw their way back to second place and can do so with an upset of the Patriot-leading Eagles. Lafayette has won 2 of their last 3, but one of those losses was a critical 76-70 flub against Holy Cross. The loss flushed the Leopards to a third-place tie with Bucknell.

Leaders:
Scoring: Chris Spatola, Army, 17.5 ppg (season-high 28 at Lehigh, February 2nd)
Rebounding: Boakai Lalugba, Bucknell, 7.3 rpg
Assists: Jave Meade, Holy Cross, 5.0 apg

Ivy League Notebook

Ivy League Notebook

Your Big 5 Champion is . . .Penn?
With all the basketball powerhouses in Philly, it’s hard to believe that the Penn Quakers are the Big 5 Champ. You can look it up, but Fran Dunphy’s team bested LaSalle, Villanova, Temple, Drexel (unofficial member of the Fivesome) and St. Joseph’s (the two teams played twice, splitting the series). Harder to believe is that, with all these impressive victories, Penn is only 2-2 in the Ivy, with losses to Harvard and Columbia. Even if Penn doesn’t win the Ivy (currently, the Quakers are in 5th place), they make a strong case for an at-large bid for the tourney. They are on pace for 20 wins (15-5 at this writing), and the aforementioned Big 5 victories – as well as a tradition of excellence – should get them a nod.

Princeton Stands Alone
The Princeton Tigers, at 4-0 in the conference, are sitting alone in first place. This has to frustrate teams like Yale, Brown and Harvard, who have played two more games than John Thompson III’s club and are trying to make up some ground in the short Ivy season. Princeton recently thwarted Columbia, 49-41, and unleashed fury against Cornell, 60-38. Forward Ray Robins scored 28 points versus the Big Red.

Harvard. The Ivy’s Jekyll and Hyde
The Crimson pulled another give-and-take over the weekend of February 1st. They shocked fellow title-contender Brown on the 1st, 89-81, then fell to second-pace Yale on the 2nd, 66-57. Harvard was up 38-22 at the half but surrendered 44 points to their own 19 in the second. At 4-2, The Cambridge Crusaders own a 3rd place tie with Brown.

Leaders
Scoring: Earl Hunt, Brown, 20.5 ppg
Rebounding: Paul Vitelli, Yale, 8.2 rpg
Assists: Elliott Prasse-Freeman, Harvard, 5.6 apg
Blocks: Chris Wiedemann, Columbai, 2.1 bpg
Steals: Andrew Gellert, Harvard, 2.6 apg

Colonized!

Colonized! The Four New CAA Teams.

by Adam Shandler

Remember the later years of Diff’rent Strokes when Arnold and Willis got an adopted brother Sammy? He was the annoying, snot-nosed son of Mr. Drummond’s love interest (played one year by Dixie Carter, and the second season by Mary Ann Mobley. Like no one would notice! Sorry, I must exercise restraint.) Anyway, at first, Arnold and Willis gave little Sammy a hard time, but then they embraced him as brother. Remember that? Do ya? Why is it just me that remembers Sammy?

Now, for the 80′s Nostalgia-challenged, I get to my point.

This year, the Colonial Athletic Association said goodbye to two teams (American, now leading the Patriot, and Richmond, the Spiders bolting for the crowded Atlantic 10). But the CAA also welcomed four new schools – all from the now anemic America East.

The tale goes something like this: Two years ago, Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra and Towson, the four most southern schools in the A-East, announced intentions of escaping the league in the 2002-03 season. But the A-East athletic directors were getting tired of watching Hofstra, Drexel and Delaware dominate the league and asked these fine institutions to “not let the door hit them on the way out” a year early. (And take your stinkin’ Towson, too!)

It’s a little more than halfway through the first season of the new-look CAA. So how are the four newbies doin’? Are the incumbent Willis and Arnold’s of the league treating their Sammies like equals, or are they slappin’ them around like the obnoxious, red-headed brats they are? (Now it’s all making sense, right?)

The following is a team-by-team breakdown of the CAA’s newest additions as of the end of January.

Delaware:
Overall: 8-11
CAA Record: 4-5
Versus former A-East rivals that are now members of the CAA: 1-2

The Blue Hens are having it tough in their new home. UD just dropped two convincing decisions to old A-East mates Towson, the league cellar-dweller, and equally mediocre Hofstra. Delaware did defeat CAA contenders Drexel, George Mason and favorite UNC-Wilmington. Don’t let their 8-11 overall mark fool you. The Hens did not shy away from the bullies of NCAA ball. UD may have lost each of these games, but Penn, St. Joe’s and Butler all graced their schedule.

Problems: No senior leadership. The loss of Ajmal Basit has hurt, and Dave Henderson’s team needs a dominant interior force to replace him. Sophomore forward Sean Knitter might become that player in a year.

Upcoming Challenges: Rematches against UNC-Wilmington, George Mason, and Drexel. The Hens close out the season at home against arch-nemesis Hofstra.

Drexel:
Overall: 10-9
CAA Record: 7-3
Versus former A-East rivals that are now members of the CAA: 1-2

Drexel is easily the team making the best adjustment to CAA life. The second place Dragons are a mere game behind UNC-Wilmington, in a conference that has, conceivably, four possible champions. And just to prove they’re for real, Bruiser Flint and company whacked George Mason, 100-69, on January 26th. The jury is still out on Drexel. February is going to be killer, with two match-ups against UNC-Wilmington and rematches with George Mason and Delaware.

What’s been working? Drexel rebounds, important in a conference not brimming with size. They have the CAA’s leading rebounder in Robert Battle (8.7 per game), with Eric Schmeider not far behind him at 7.1 per game. It doesn’t hurt that Schmeider is the league’s assist leader either, at 5.5 per game. A very unselfish and mature ballclub.

Upcoming challenges: As alluded to before, the Dragons have yet to face first-place UNC-Wilmington. Those games could very well decide the top seed in the CAA tournament. The two teams will go at it twice in a span of 14 days.

Hofstra:
Overall: 9-11
CAA Record: 4-5
Versus former A-East rivals that are now members of the CAA: 1-2

Hofstra is easily the biggest surprise out of the four new CAA members – but not in a good way. The Dutchmen’s problems started long before conference play started. After early wins against Kent State and Illinois State, the two-time America East champ went down to South Florida for a holiday tournament and hit rock bottom against Illinois-Chicago and Bucknell. Until last week’s victory against Delaware, Hofstra was dangling its feet precariously close to the embers of last place. The team from Hempstead is currently in sixth in the CAA, but only 2-5 against the top half of the league.

Problems: So young, with a new head coach. An icky combination, but let’s remember, Jay Wright was in a similar situation when he first took the helm at Hempstead. Wright righted the ship in only five seasons, but Tom Pecora should rebound sooner. Junior 2-guard Rick Apodaca (17.1 points/game) needs to find a consistent backcourt partner. The Pride are carrying three point guards, but freshman Woody Souffrant, with two games over 10 assists, seems to be hitting his stride. Upfront, power freshman Kenny Adeleke must continue to mature, but he’s already ahead of the game. Junior Lars Grubler, pegged as this year’s most improved player, has disappointed, showing up only every couple of games.

Upcoming challenges: Starting February 2nd, Hofstra faces UNC-Wilmington, VCU and George Mason, in that order.

Towson:
Overall: 6-12
CAA Record: 2-7
Versus former A-East rivals that are now members of the CAA: 2-0

I’d have to give them the nod for “Team Most Likely Reconsidering Their Conference Transfer.” The Tigers rank at the bottom in the CAA in all but one major category. Tamir-gate may have served as a distraction, but it would be cop-out to blame all of Towson’s woes on Mr. Goodman. First-year coach Michael Hunt is governing a team that has lost four of its last five and is averaging a paltry 57.2 points per game (Towson squeaked out a ghastly 37 against UNC-Wilmington on December 30th).

Problems: Everything. Towson is just being outplayed, up and down the board. Senior swingman Sam Sutton is the only one scoring – at a 12.5 points-per-game clip. He’s the only one scoring in double digits. The bright side? Ironically, Towson bested old A-East pals Delaware and Drexel once each this season.

Upcoming challenges: Hofstra, Old Domin . . .aw heck, the whole rest of the season.

There’s plenty of season left. Look for Hofstra to make a late-season push just before the CAA Tourney. Drexel might slip with the might of their schedule fast approaching. Delaware will probably finish just above .500, but will not shock anyone in the conference tournament. Towson looks to next year.

Colonial Notebook

Colonial Notebook

Ten ‘Wild and Crazy’ Teams
It’s the stuff of Steve Martin-Dan Akroyd Saturday Night Live skits – which is what the CAA has become this year. At this point, the league champ is anybody’s guess, especially when teams like Towson (1-5) beat conference contenders Delaware and Drexel, then lose to Old Dominion. Or take VCU, who knocked off Delaware, ODU and George Mason but couldn’t put it together against struggling Hofstra and William and Mary. UNC-Wilmington sits atop the CAA at 6-1 (11-6 overall), but George Mason (5-2), which got thumped by VCU on Jan. 23, is nipping at the Seahawks – er, talons.

And Speaking of VCU
Rams sophomore guard Domonic Jones is the CAA player of the week. The 6’1 Jones scored a career best 24 points in a win over Delaware then slightly eclipsed that mark in a victory against ODU. Jones punished the Monarchs with a 25-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist night in the overtime win. He added 59.3 percent shooting from the field just to make it look pretty. All of Richmond hopes Jones can keep up this pace. The Rams face top-squad UNC-Wilmington this Saturday, January 26th.

Best of the Newbies
Thus far, Drexel appears to be making the smoothest transition out of the four teams that came over from the America East this summer. The Dragons are 5-3 in the conference and in third place, a game behind George Mason. A lot of Drexel’s success can be attributed to the play of center Robert Battle, who is coming off a big week. Battle averaged 20 points in two games last week and recorded two double-doubles. On January 23rd, Battle scored another 20 in a ten-point win over Hofstra, to go along with his 12 rebounds. He is 7th in the NCAA in blocks at 3.7 per game.

As mentioned in the opening blurb, logic seems to skip over this league. Drexel has one of the smaller lineups in the CAA, yet they lead the league in offensive rebounding. Says head coach Bruiser Flint, “. . . we shoot a lot of long shots and we run down a lot of long rebounds.” Now if that only worked at UMass.

Shameless Plug: Next week, I’ll be serving up a status report of the four new CAA teams (or old America East teams as many like to call them). We’ll break down Drexel, Hofstra, Delaware and Towson to find out what’s been going on . . .or off.

Fans of Fanning, This Goes Out To You
James Madison’s David Fanning continues to lead the conference in scoring at 23.3 points per game. He ranks 33rd in the NCAA, Division I scorers.

Patriot League Notebook

Patriot League Notebook

The American Way
Here’s a plan for all you losing programs out there. Switch your conference affiliation – preferably to one that has competition you can beat. After getting smacked around in the Colonial for years (they finished 7-20 last season), the American Eagles find themselves atop the Patriot League with a 4-1 conference record, 10-8 overall. The DC-school’s proudest moment came on December 22nd, when Jeff Jones’ program upset Florida State (which, by the way, beat Duke, you RPI’ers!), the first time a Pat League team ever beat an ACC opponent. Patrick Doctor (enter medicine or house call joke here) is a big reason for the Eagles’ success. He is averaging a little over 12 points a game (leads team) and brings down 5.5 rebounds a game. American travels to Holy Cross for a 3 PM contest on Saturday, January 26th.

Tight for Two
There is a four-team logjam for second place. Lafayette, Army, Navy and Bucknell all have 3-2 conference records, but sadly, none of these teams has over a .500 overall record. Lafayette and Army are both even at 9-9. Things should loosen up a little bit this weekend, when Army travels to Navy on January 26th.

Foyle Forever
The Colgate athletic department has just announced it will retire forward Adonal Foyle’s number before the Red Raiders’ February 9th game against Holy Cross. Foyle, currently starring in the frontcourt with the Golden State Warriors, is only the fourth player in Colgate history to have his uniform number retired. While at Hamilton, he became the second leading scorer in school history with 1,776 points and the leading rebounder with 1,103. And let’s not forget his blocked shots milestone of 492, which still leads the NCAA to this day. Now if only Foyle stayed for a full four years . . .

Jeanpierre! Il un bon homme!
Navy’s junior guard Jason Jeanpierre was named the Patriot League Player of the Week. This marks the second straight week that a Navy guard has been bestowed with the honor (Jehiel Lewis won it last week). The guard from Clifton Park, NY helped lead the Middies in overtime victories against Lehigh (19 points, 5 rebs, 4 steals) and Colgate (24 points, 7 assists).

Holy Cross’s Nate Lufkin took home the Rookie of the Week award for the third straight week and fifth time this season.

The Leaders of the Pat (Vroom! Vroom!)
Scoring: Chris Spatola, Army; 17.1 points per game, 13.6 in Patriot League play.
Rebounding: Boakai Lalugba, Bucknell (great name to say on a long, dull rainy day) 7.8 rebounds per game, had 15 against Cornell on 11/26.
Assists: Tie, Chris Spatola, Army and Holy Cross’s Jave Meade with 5.2 assists per game.

The Quickening

Marist-Manhattan II: Out-Foxed? Not again.

by Adam Shandler

On January 22nd, it was Bobby Gonzalez bobble-head doll night at Manhattan’s Draddy Gymnasium. But Coach Gonzalez and his Jaspers almost bobbled another one to Marist in the re-match of a game played on January 12th.

Marist took the first contest, 58-56, in a game where Rick Smith scored 15 points and collected 8 rebounds. Can’t say we’re surprised that Marist (12-6, 6-3) is competitive. The MAAC pundits knew that the Red Foxes were going to be contenders, but we gave them little preseason confidence what with their 4-guard offense. (I’m not kidding when I say that.)

Manhattan blazed out to a 12-4 lead in the first five minutes of the game and led by eight at the half. Marist’s free throw shooting (9-12 in the first half) was the only thing keeping Dave Magarity’s club even close. The 14-3 Jaspers killed Marist off the boards (again, that 4-guard alignment) and took advantage of the Red Foxes’ flat-footedness on offense. Marist guard Sean Kennedy, the MAAC assist leader (7.1 per game) looked more like Ted Kennedy in the opening half and off-guard hot-hand Rick Smith got into foul trouble early. Without Smith on the floor to get open to create shots, Kennedy looked lost, and he spilled five turnovers before the break.

The second half was a complete turnaround for Marist. Smith, who finished with 17 points, started cooking and led a mid-half run that eventually got the Foxes a seven point lead. 6-7 “power” guard Nick Eppeheimer hit two big threes in the run and Kennedy was able to not only rotate the ball around a little more, but contribute to the scoring as well, hitting a huge “and-1″ that gave the Foxes their largest lead of the game.

But Manhattan recovered with just over three minutes to go, dipping into the Mojo Bag that got them the lead in the first place. They dumped the ball down low to bruising sophomore forward Jason Benton, who will most likely go down as an unsung hero in this game. He had only seven points, but he, and forward Dave Holmes (10 points, 10 rebounds) had a size and presence that Marist did not, and both players were clearly remarkable factors in this game.

And let’s not forget about ol’ Mugsy. Manhattan point guard Mugsy Green: Clark Kent in the first half, SuperMugs in the second. He finished with 18 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds in 40 minutes of play, and while he led all scorers, even he knows that a stat line like that won’t get the job done every time. I say with the utmost sincerity that this was a quiet night for him. He was adequate, but not as spectacular as in previous games. If the wealth can be spread in the future like it was during this game, Mugsy will be just fine with adequate.

Manhattan won 67-62, sealed by Luis Flores’ 3-of-4 foul shooting in the closing seconds.

Metro Atlantic Notebook

Metro Atlantic Notebook

Port-able
Rider’s Mario Porter is leading the MAAC in scoring at 21.1 points per game. Porter is also the league rebounding leader with 8.6 per game. The senior forward from Irvington, NJ, and his Bronc teammates, recently came off a 72-68 upset of Manhattan in Riverdale. Porter scored 21 points and hauled in 7 boards in the win. Rider next faces Niagara on January 24th.

For Pete’s Sake!
On January 21st, lowly St. Peter’s (2-14) notched their first MAAC victory of the season with a 71-62 upset (for lack of a better word) of 5-11 Canisius. Corien John scored 19 points and Devin Thompson highlighted the rebound column with 15.

Player of the Week
For the second time this season, the MAAC has selected Marist point guard Sean Kennedy as its player of the week. Marist tallied two MAAC victories last week, thanks in part to Kennedy’s 10 points, 9 assists and nine rebounds in a 96-80 win over Iona and a 20 point, 12 assist night in a triumph against Niagara. Kennedy began this week with an 11 point, 7 assist performance in a loss to Manhattan. He the conference’s assist leader with 7.1 per game.

You Gotta Love This Gai . . .Johnson too.
Freshmen Deng Gai (Fairfield) and Jerry Johnson (Rider) were named co-rookies of the week. Gai blocked a conference seasonal high 8 shots in a win against Rider and scored 17 points in a slapping of Loyola. Johnson averaged 14.3 points and 2.3 steals for the Broncs last week. His red-letter moment came in a 72-68 victory over Manhattan when he scored 5 of his 18 points in the last 7 seconds of the game.

Remaining Must See Games This Week
Iona will see if their recovery is for real against Manhattan on January 25th. The game is in New Rochelle, NY. Marist will host Fairfield on the 26th. A good one if you like point guard matchups. Conference assist leader Sean Kennedy versus the Stags’ micro machine Tyqwuan Goode.

The “Other” Crimson Tide

Harvard: That “Other” Crimson Tide

by Adam Shandler

I am writing this article on the Brooklyn Bridge-bound 6 Train. The rider sitting to my left has generously turned the volume up on his Discman, loud enough so that the other riders might enjoy the latest Jay-Z album.

Ahh, gone are the days when we as commuters selfishly hoarded our musical interests. Now, by simply purchasing a $1.50 MetroCard, I can sample the musical stylings of any of a number of current chart-toppers.

Word of warning: Since my neighbor’s music is loud enough to erode what small amount of concentration I have, I apologize in advance if any of Mr. Z’s lyrics pervade this piece.

Now let’s H-to-the-Izzo of my article . . . and I don’t mean Tom.

Harvard University has always been equated with excellence on so many different levels. I know that when I think of the pinnacle of academic prestige, Harvard is the first school that comes to mind (after DeVry). Yet, there is one area in the excellence department that has eluded the Cambridge, Mass.-school. That is basketball.

2001-02 may be the year that the Crimson not only win their first league title, but return to their first NCAA tournament since 1946.

Yes, I’m talking about basketball here. Not crew or trivia bowl, or even football, which had a solid season in the playoff-restricted Ivy. Frank Sullivan’s team is, as of January 16th, 10-6 and 3-1 in the Ivy League. Very few of their wins will make the underdog-lover go “wow”, but the last two games might at least raise some interest.

On Friday, January 11th, Harvard lost a heartbreaking two-point squeaker to league favorite, Princeton 50-48. It was an unspectacular shooting night for the Crimson (37 percent), but hustle, and a combined 28 points from both point guard Patrick Harvey and junior forward Sam Winter earned Harvard Hoops some respect.

Battling Princeton for forty minutes, only to come up two points short, would have exhausted most teams. But Harvard didn’t have time to think about it. The next night, they hosted the Ivy League’s other juggernaut, Penn. And beat them.

Both teams scored exactly the same number of points after each half (33 and 31, respectively) but Harvard had a little more juice in overtime, outscoring the Quakers 14-11 for a 78-75 victory. It didn’t hurt that hot-shooting Andy Toole of Penn fouled out. Harvey and Winter came up big again, only this time their efforts were not in vain. Harvey scored a career high 28 that night, 7 in the extra session. With this output, the Chicagoan captured Ivy League Player of the Week honors.

It doesn’t get much easier for Harvard in this early Ivy season (the league really didn’t get its engine running until January 11th). The Crimson have faced both preseason favorites at least once and next face Brown and Yale – the two teams that have earned the top spots in the conference by actually playing the games. Tongue in cheek, I know, but let’s face it: Champions aren’t made in the preseason abstracts of sportswriters.

The Brown and Yale games aren’t until February 1 and 2, another loveable quirk about this league. Games are not only played primarily on the weekends, but in between long stretches of days filled by book-cramming and paper-writing. This is, after all, college basketball.

While Harvard technically isn’t the best team in the Ivy League (Brown, Princeton and Yale, each at 2-0 in the conference, are considered better than the 3-1 Crimson), their postseason prospects seem to be developing. Remember, there’s no postseason conference tournament in the Ivy; the top team at the end of the regular season receives the automatic bid to the dance. That could be the double-edged sword Harvard cuts itself on. If they stay consistent, knock off Brown, Princeton and Yale at least once each, and don’t fall victim to any major upsets, the Crimson could squeak out their first Ivy title in the new century. If not, they fall back into that bottomless pit known as “aside from Penn and Princeton.”

Unsolicited Commentary:
• I keep harping on the academic side of college basketball, so I should probably back that up. Did you know that Harvard’s senior center Tim Coleman is an ordained Eucharist Minister? Did you know that junior guard Elliott Prasse-Freeman spent two spring breaks building houses for the homeless in Mexico (while you were watching young co-eds getting sloshed on MTV)? Did you know that seven-footer Brian Sigafoos mentors 8-10 year olds at the Mission Hill after-school mentoring program? No? Now you do.

• Saturday January 19th pits Brown against Yale in a battle of two of the top three teams in the conference. I give the nod to the Bears. Even with a flu bug last week, Earl Hunt registered double digits and freshman Jason Forte, despite his youth, knows how to lead a come-from-behind charge. Just ask Columbia.

Ivy League Notebook

Ivy League Notebook

As A Whole: According to IvyLeagueSports.com, the Ivy men’s basketball teams are on pace to break a record for collective regular season, non-conference wins. As of Friday, December 28, the league had compiled 43 wins and, if all goes well, is on its way to 59 for the season. That will shatter the mark of 50 set in 1996-97. There are 30 total non-conference games remaining in 2001-02.

In a related side note, fellow Hoopville columnist Lon Samuelson is on pace to break a record for attending the most college games without paying.

Late Bloomers: Unlike most D-I conferences that have either already started or will start conference play on Jan. 3, the Ivy doesn’t really get going till around January 11. The fact that the league is only comprised of eight teams might have something to do with that. Less teams means more time to get all of those Patriot and Northeastern teams on the schedule. As of December 30th, only one Ivy contest had transpired: Harvard-Dartmouth (Dec. 15), with the Crimson coming out the winner. The two teams square off again in a rematch on Jan. 5 in Hanover, NH.

The Hunt For Red-Hot December:
Brown’s Earl Hunt is the Ivy’s leading scorer by a landslide. His 23.6 average far outpaces second-best Ugonna Onyekwe of Penn (19.4). Hunt, the preseason player of the year, is also fourth in the league in rebounding (6.6) and ninth in field goal percentage at just under 48 percent. Hunt is not a one-man show, however. Teammate Alai Nuualiitia has lived up to expectations as one of the league’s best rebounders and shot blockers and has exceeded expectations as one of the league’s best all-around players. As of December 30th, Brown was 5-2, with wins over in-state rivals Rhode Island and Providence.

On January 12, Brown hosts Columbia. No, the game won’t be on ESPN but you’ll see two of the more exciting players in the conference go at it: Earl Hunt and Columbia’s Craig Austin.

Beginning January 2nd, the Bears have consecutive games against Army, Navy, Coast Guard Academy, the Taliban*, the Iraqi Republican Army* and the Michigan Militia*.

(*Writer’s embellishment, in case you haven’t guessed.)

Metro Atlantic Notebook

Metro Atlantic Notebook

Da King a’New Yawk: Manhattan Head Coach Bobby Gonzalez is certainly earning that 2-year contract extension awarded last year. The Jaspers are 9-1 and champions of the recent Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival. After out-dueling Fordham in the first round game, Manhattan bumped Iona 69-58 in an all-MAAC final. This is was the first of what could be three previews of the MAAC championship. Not only are the Jaspers tops in the conference (as of 12/29), but they are also the best team in the New York area. They have now knocked off the likes of Fordham, Hofstra, Iona, St. John’s, Long Island and St. Peter’s. Hunter College-School of Social Work has not yet accepted the Jaspers challenge. Stay tuned.

And Speaking of Iona: It’s Alive! Yes, the Gaels have risen from the grave. Since starting out the 2001-02 campaign 0-6, Jeff Ruland’s club has won five out of the last seven, including a 73-70 win against Seton Hall in the first round of the Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival. The Gaels are 2-1 in the MAAC and are starting to look like the team picked to repeat as conference champs. They’ve gotten a lift from Junior Guard Courtney Fields, who has been averaging 13.6 points in his last 6 games.

Foxxy!: While Manhattan and Iona try to rip each other’s throats out, Marist will be creeping up on them. The Red Foxes (I’ve never seen one any other color) are 7-3 going into New Year’s and just lost to a gutsy and surprisingly good LaSalle team 70-64. Every night sees a different hero on this club. If it’s not well-rounded point guard Sean Kennedy (13.6 points and 5.7 assists per game) it’s the other guard Rick Smith (11.7 points per game), the MAAC’s Player of the Week. Look for Marist to steal a game or two from Iona and/or Manhattan this year.

Colonial Notebook

Colonial Notebook

Ram Tough – So Far: The Colonial has hosted a few early intra-conference games, and even though we have not reached the thick of conference play, one thing is certainly for sure. Uncertainty.

Yes, as I look into my crystal ball (actually a souvenir snow globe of South of the Border I got when I was ten), I see that the only thing predictable about the Colonial is its unpredictability.

Virginia Commonwealth, a team that had superb potential coming into this season, was supposed to be good, but with its better-than-average schedule, few believed the Rams would be 9-3 going into January. Mack McCarthy’s club has the best overall record in the conference but not the best conference record. That honor, thus far, goes to Drexel, another puzzlement in this wee season.

Feeling Right At Home: Drexel got trounced by Marist and Rider, got clipped by Lafayette and Penn, but showed basketball brilliance against conference foes James Madison and Hofstra. In what was supposed to be a year for Bruiser Flint and the Dragons are getting their collective feet wet in the CAA and so far the conference waters are just fine. If the 4-6 (overall) team from Philly is looking for more comfort in conference play, then they’ll be happy to know that after a 12/29 bout with Niagara, their schedule features nothing but Colonial action till 2/23. Junior Center Robert Battle is leading the league in rebounding with 8.7 a game.

It’s Lonely At The Top: Good news and bad news for James Madison. David Fanning is at the top of the Colonial scoring list with a healthy 21 points per game average. The bad news is, he is the only Duke in the top 25 in conference scoring. (You can’t have everything.) He’s been the leading scorer in each of JMU’s (5-3) eight games and recently scored a season high 25 against winless Morgan State team. The Dukes face Cornell on 12/28 before heading up to Newark to face Delaware on January 3rd.

The Second Coming? Not quite.: Highly touted rookie point guard Woody Souffrant of Hofstra had 10 assists in a December 23rd loss to Drexel. That’s the first time since January of 2000 that a Dutchman player has had 10 or more assists in a single game. Speedy Claxton, now with the Sixers, dished out 12 in a game against Northeastern almost two years ago. Tom Pecora’s 5-5 squad hopes to snap a 3-game losing streak when they challenge Illinois-Chicago in the first round of the USF shootout in Tampa. Hofstra would like to avenge a late November loss to host South Florida in the championship game.

The First One’s The Hardest:
Conference favorite UNC-Wilmington won their first CAA battle of the year, but it wasn’t easy. Huzzahs and kudos should still be doled out, however, as the Seahawks needed only 20 minutes to come out with a 71-67 win against Old Dominion in Norfolk. The Seahawks did much damage from beyond the arc hitting 7-of-15 from 3-point range in the second half. The second half surge was led by Brett Blizzard, who scored 16 of his 21, and Craig Callahan, who netted 15 of 17 points. Though only 5-5, UNCW leads all CAA members with a Sagarin ranking of 73.

The Hot Commonwealth

The Commonwealth vs. the CAA
Making A Case For The Red-Hot Rams

by Adam Shandler

So being a fan of the JRR Tolkien trilogy Lord of the Rings, I just had to get me one of those light-up promotional goblets being offered at Burger King. My quest to the nearest BK took me ten blocks away – a mere stroll compared to the harrowing journey of the Fellowship to Mount Doom.

I got to the counter and made my request to the gregarious button-puncher on the other side.

“Just the glass,” I said, like the would-be ruler about to usurp the throne. My hand was at the hilt of my wallet, ready to brandish the $1.99.

“You need to buy a value meal of some kind,” retorted the guardian of the register.

The knave!

My strict diet of Swedish fish and Slurpees prohibits me from eating whoppers and deep-fried chicken-style products. But I really wanted that glass. It was a must-have for Frodo geeks like myself. I found the King of Burger’s rules to be constrictive, but, in an effort to be the better man in this quarrel, I relented. I spent an extra $4.25 on the Whopper Value Meal (the sentry at the register had the gall to ask me if I wanted my meal upgraded in size. Hah! I spit in his direction!), and walked out.

Upon exiting the Kingdom, I spotted a homeless man and approached him. (Hmmph! Some kingdom. Can’t even tend to its own loyal subjects.)

“Here you go,” I said to the poor fellow, handing him the greasy bag. “Happy Holidays.”

The man hesitated, as most have-nots do when accepting give-aways from the haves, but finally accepted my feast. He opened up the bag and examined the contents, knitting his eyebrows all the while. After brief self-deliberation, he cocked his head my way and gave me a begrudged look.

“Hey,” he said. “Isn’t this meal supposed to come with a Lord of the Rings cup?”

So let it be known that New York’s homeless are the most consumer-conscious in all of this great land of ours.

Oh, the hoops, the hoops! Of course.

The Virginia Commonwealth Rams are winning a lot of games early in the season. That’s not the traditional M.O. for mid-level, mid-major teams. At this writing, Mack McCarthy’s club is 9-2 (15th in the mid-major poll) and granted, while VCU isn’t making major headlines with their wins, the college hoops community better take notice.

Scattered among victories to softies like Gardner Webb, Prairie View, Towson and North Carolina A&T are solid, confidence-building conquests over Rutgers, Richmond, UAB and a couple of tough, close losses to Tulane and Northwestern. Their next greatest challenge probably comes on January 9th when the Rams visit Hofstra. That’s when Colonial play really gets rolling and we’ll see if VCU is the same team in ’02 that they were in late ’01.

Virginia Commonwealth has what few teams in this conference, or any other in mid-major play, have. Balance. And lots of it. Kind of unusual for a team that returned only two of its starters. But those returnees are experienced and they have the incentive of overcoming a few mediocre years in recent history. The Rams have three players averaging in double figures, one of them – Antoine Willie (CAA Player of the Week – December 10th) has only played in six games. Willie Taylor, a 6-5 swingman, (20.3 points per game and 39.1 from 3-point range) has not had a scoring output below 13 points thus far, and he’s even making contributions in rebounding (5.3 per).

Many Colonial teams do not have a big man that can match up with the fluidity of 6-11 Russian center L.F. Lickcholitov (no wonder they give you 300 points on your SATs just for spelling your name right!) He’s averaging just under 9 ppg but we all know he’s not there to score. He boards like a crazy person (anything less than 7 is an off-night) and defensively, there is no better center in the conference. L.F. tallied 8 blocks in the loss to Tulane.

Are the Rams destined for the NCAA tourney this year after a few NIT-guaranteed seasons? Only the committee can make that verdict. Their schedule is nothing to snicker at (maybe chortle, but not snicker). They have done the deed of scheduling (and winning) games against C-USA, Big East, Big 10 and Atlantic 10 opponents. But the Colonial, with the induction of Hofstra and Delaware from the A-East, is tougher this year, and there are four teams that could easily vie for the conference title.

Starting off 9 and 2 certainly doesn’t hurt though.

We’re adjourned till March.

Unsolicited Commentary:

My two cents about the Tamir Goodman issue. His father Karl says New York is where his kid should be, but Karl – bubala – it has to be a New York team that not only accommodates your son’s religious beliefs (forsaking games played on Friday and Saturday nights) but also feels that he’s still a good ballplayer. I suggest he lay a little lower than he has been in the last two years but do it in Division I style. Albany and Binghamton, newly of the America East Conference, have huge Jewish student populations and will support Tamir both socially and on the field of play. Look into them, Karl. My fiance went to Albany – she’ll be happy to get you an application.

[Ed. Note - Several years ago, Hofstra changed their team name from the Flying Dutchmen to the Pride. Certain alums just can't accept change. Like Adam, for instance.]

Hofstra had high hopes for upsetting St. John’s for the second year in a row. Well, the Dutchmen fell 89-75 but sophomore guard Joel Suarez proved his point guard maturity. He netted 20 points, a career high, while three of Tom Pecora’s recruiting gems also performed well: Wendell Gibson (12), Chris McRae (9) and Woody Souffrant (8) all had their season highs in scoring.

UNC-Wilmington, the preseason favorite to win the CAA, is struggling in the early going. The Seahawks fell to 4-5 after tight losses to Bowling Green (84-83) and always-pesky College of Charleston 60-58. Brett Blizzard is averaging just over 19 points per game and has scored 20 or more points in five games.

Mid-Majors Keeping up with the Big Boys

A Perfect Example of the Changing State of D-I Hoops

by Adam Shandler

The Hoopville holiday party was a blast!

Actually, since we’re all scattered all over the country, it had to be a virtual holiday party, but we had fun nonetheless.

Managing Editor Andrew Flynn rented out only the most primo chat room on AOL and catered it with virtual meals, a virtual bar and virtual entertainment. We had lots of laughs. I told some virtual jokes like (and stop me if you’ve heard this one) the one about the Memphis basketball player who received his diploma. Don Weinstein “LOL’d” so hard his “L” key nearly malfunctioned. Everything was cool until I spilled my vodka-tonic all over my keyboard and was asked to leave.

Can’t wait for the virtual Hoopville barbecue this summer!

What’s that? You clicked here for a basketball article? I can do that.

In another of its series of undersold basketball events, Madison Square Garden hosted the MAAC challenge on Saturday, December 8.

And the MAAC did challenge.

0-4 Fairfield faced a struggling Depaul team in the opener. It’s an early-season tradition for teams like Depaul to schedule the Fairfields of the world to pad their win totals and restore confidence. But the Demons, even though they escaped with a 94-90 win, should’ve taken nothing positive away from this win. Depaul edged a supposedly weaker team, from a supposedly weaker conference, that was more aggressive than they were and came within one possession of ruining the Demons’ trip to New York.

Depaul led by two at the half and then extended their lead to 81-73 in the beginning of the second half, but the Stags would not be denied “the challenge.” Fairfield put together a 12-4 run, tied it up at 85 with just over 2 minutes left and then a couple of turnovers did them in with 1:21 to go. It wasn’t a lack of talent that let the Fairfield victory slip away. It was both a lack of experience and depth. And those quirks will work themselves out once MAAC play begins – and opponents like Depaul will help them do it. You see Depaul-Fairfield is not just a tune-up for Depaul. It’s one for Fairfield as well.

What went wrong here? Why didn’t Depaul leave the Garden with a 30-point win?

Now I submit Exhibit B. Game 2: Manhattan vs. St. John’s.

St. John’s is assumed to be the better team because it hails from a bigger conference with more of a basketball reputation and shi-shi recruiting tools like playing most of its home game at Madison Square Garden. And most so-called basketball seers (the guys that trawl the newspapers for the sports betting lines and drool) probably would have picked the Red Storm to come out of this one with a win, albeit an ugly one.

Well it was. But it was St. John’s that was ugly. Manhattan Senior point guard VonDamien “Muggsy” Green stole the show – and the ball – to the tune of 20 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals, as the Jaspers blasted the Johnnies 85-68. Green’s counterpart, Marcus Hatten, who dropped 31 on Fordham just a week earlier, scored a measly 6 points on 1-of-9 shooting. The Red Storm as a whole shot just 33 percent from the floor.

But it wasn’t just the superficial numbers that made St. John’s look bad. Save for an early first half spurt, Mike Jarvis’ club looked lost, lethargic and uncompetitive. The Johnnies were playing the Jaspers, but they had the Hoyas, Eagles and Orangemen in their eyes. And that’s not to take anything away from Manhattan, who got contributions from everyone but the guy selling Seuss hats and cotton candy in the stands. The Jaspers just looked like they wanted it more. The Johnnies looked like they wanted be in their dorms.

Here’s what I am getting at.

Division I college basketball is reaching that startling juncture when mid-majors and big-timers are beginning to stand to on even footing. Don’t blame the mid-majors for getting better. Blame the big-timers for getting worse. Teams like St. John’s can tell you firsthand that the siren’s cry of the NBA is a team-killer for big-time college programs. Year-to-year inconsistencies make every year a rebuilding year and leave just a little more wiggle room for clubs like Fairfield and Manhattan (where sophomores ballplayers eventually become senior ballplayers) to break through.

And despite the famine of winning seasons or the paltry number of players they sent to the pros, teams like Manhattan and Fairfield will be able to recruit the quality player. Maybe not the blue chip, McDonald’s All-American, but the quality player. The quality player is looking for ample playing time and the opportunity to play, not be, the likes of St. John’s and Depaul. The Mickey D’s all-star just wants a one-to-two year development program before jetting for the NBA.

So take heed big-time college programs. These “cupcakes” you schedule at the start of your seasons may give you indigestion – and a few early losses you didn’t expect. While you’re getting the kinks out with the newest version of your starting five, a mid-major team with seven returning seniors is making you like the Washington Generals. You’re job is getting harder.

And the mid-majors are getting better.

Unsolicited commentary:

Fairfield
- Hey, Fairfield dropped 90 on Depaul. That’s gotta count for something.

- While not deep, Fairfield is balanced. The Stags had 4 players in double figures led by Nick Delfico’s 19. Sudanese Forward Deng Gai looked sharp in his first big game as a freshman. He finished with only 8 points but scored 6 in the big second half run.

- Freshman point guard Tyquawn Goode (I have a black belt in Tyquawn Goode, betcha didn’t know that) is lightning-quick and most of the Stags’ success in the transition game should be credited to him. Goode is a smaller, younger version of fellow MAAC point guard Von Damien Green – exciting to watch and, for a rookie, not terribly mistake prone.

- Senior forward Sam Spann, who is playing his second year of Stag basketball after transferring from Syracuse, knows he is a big time player. And he is. Spann is a multi-taking player with great leadership abilities and obvious talent. But sometimes he’ll try to do too much on his own. Spann took the occasional ill-advised shot against Depaul, when getting his teammates involved would have been the better option. Patience will come once the season really gears up and Sam realizes how capable the rest of this team is. Patience, young Jedi, patience.

Manhattan
- Since losing to Syracuse in the opener, the Jaspers are on a 6-game win streak. St. John’s was their best win to date and, unless Iona shapes up, they could be the early-season contender for MAAC champion. Manhattan hosts Hofstra in what could be the best mid-major game in the New York-area. (December 21)

- The St. John’s game was the first in which Luis Flores was not the top scorer. Not too worry Flores-fans. Luis is still leading the team in scoring average (19.1 pts/gm). He and Green make one of the best, most underrated backcourts in mid-major ball. To the delight of coach Bobby Gonzalez, both guards are interchangeable. Each can score, each can set it up.

The Marty Glickman Classic

The Marty Glickman Classic: What New York-Area College Basketball Needed

by Adam Shandler

Time-out. First Half.

Fordham Fan: Fordham! (Clap-clap)
St. John’s Fan: Sucks!
Fordham Fan: Fordham! (Clap-clap)
St. John’s Fan: Sucks!

Time-out. Second Half:

St. John’s Fan: Johnnies, baby! Yeah!
Fordham Fan: Safety school!

Saturday, December 1st was a gorgeous, 75-degree day in Manhattan. Gotham’s denizens were out in full force, taking advantage of the uncharacteristically warm day by Rollerblading, chucking Frisbees, and sipping tiny cups of coffee outside of swank corner cafes.

Me? I chose to spend the entire afternoon under Bat Cave darkness at Madison Square Garden.

It was the inaugural Marty Glickman Classic (Yes, the inaugural classic. Fellow oxymorons, unite! You logicians are wincing, I know!). The double-header was created to honor the memory of the late legendary sportscaster who passed on in early 2001. With halftime documentaries played on the Garden’s suspended scoreboard, Mr. Glickman’s memory was indeed honored. But, given all that has happened in the last few months, I saw these games as more of an appreciation of New York-area college basketball.

And its fans.

There’s no doubt that after the tragic events of September 11, New Yorkers of all kinds – color, faith, socio-economic backgrounds…even schooling – came together to console one another and celebrate the unity of the city. Frivolous activities like basketball were tossed on the backburner and helping the city recover was the highest priority.

You wouldn’t know it by the lingering stink in the air downtown, but NYC is inching towards normalcy. And somewhere in the tight corners of what we call normalcy, fellow New Yorkers rank on each other, trading unoriginal drunken barbs about how their alma mater/basketball team in Queens is better than the one in the Bronx.

I heard everything short of Nyah-Nyah, Nyah-Nyah.

The civilized man, educated in decency, etiquette and respect might scoff at this infantile, sophomoric behavior. But this is New York, and harmless dissing is welcome amongst opposing fans. In fact, some of it is even evaluated.

Over the past couple of months, the best of New York has publicly announced that it’s “okay”, and that you should be too. Broadway wants you to see shows. Restaurants want you to eat. Stores want you to drop coin. And college basketball wants you to come to the games, where you’re free to rip into your neighbor in the next seat who might be wearing a different colored sweatshirt.

New York college basketball and its fans. It’s good to have you back.

Oh, the games. I almost forgot.

Game 1 featured Colonial contender Hofstra battling last year’s MAAC champion Iona. This game was about as ugly as the girl your friends keep telling you “has a nice personality.” Both clubs combined for a total 45 turnovers (Iona coughed up the ball 23 of those times) and Jeff Ruland’s Gaels shot a nauseating 27% from the field.

Down 25-23 at the half, the Flying Dutchmen (notice how I call them the Dutch. They will ALWAYS be the Dutch!) outscored Iona 44-29 in the second half for a 67-54 win. Guard Rick Apodaca led all scorers with 21 points. The junior from North Bergen also tallied 6 rebounds, 5 assists but it was 12-14 shooting from the line that sealed the deal for Hofstra. Junior point guard Joel Suarez hit two buckets and grabbed one of his two steals to incite the second half charge to victory. Suarez finished with 14 points.

Dyree Wilson led all Iona scorers with 17 points, 8 rebounds.

Hofstra exacted revenge for last year’s 61-60 loss to Iona in New Rochelle.

Unsolicited commentary:

- You could count the number of people in the stands without taking off your socks and shoes. Some fans choose to remove their socks and shoes anyway.

- Iona is off to an 0-and-5 start. They are raw, but they have talent, and if you’re patient they’ll be “good enough” to win the MAAC. That’s the only way I see the Gaels getting a trip to the dance, cause an at-large bid just ain’t gonna happen.

- Hofstra Freshman Kenny Adeleke, the CAA Player of the Week, had 14 points, 8 boards in the win. This kid, who originally signed with DePaul, could be starting by Jan. 1. His strength and fearlessness will certainly be called upon when the Dutchmen face Syracuse at the Dome (December 4, 2001).

In the second, more populated game, St. John’s overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Fordham, 76-67. Guard Marcus Hatten poured in 31 points for the 4-1 Red Storm. Smush Parker led Fordham with 18 points, 7 assists. He also leads all NCAA scorers named Smush.

Ivy League Preview

2001-02 Ivy League Preview

by Adam Shandler

Attention Ivy Leaguers: Anybody? Anybody? Anybody other than Princeton and Penn?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you want me to say Penn or Princeton is going to win the Ivy and then move on with “yada yada” reports about the also-rans. Can’t say I blame you. Not since 1988 has a team other than Princeton or Penn made the NCAA tournament. (Useless trivia: that team was Cornell.)

The Tigers and Quakers remain the class of the league, but this year, clubs like Brown, Yale and Columbia just might have a shot at stealing the title. Now won’t that be a hoot?

Projected Champ: Princeton
Dark Horse: Columbia
Better off Studying: Dartmouth

1. Princeton: I pick them only because they were last season’s champ, they’re deep and they have a lot of leadership. So sue me! The backdoors will be opened by F Mike Bechtold and Freshman C Dominick Martin. Last year’s Ivy Rookie of the Year Konrad Wysocki could be Player of the Year this season.

2. Brown: Yeah, you read right. I picked Brown. Not just to be controversial but because I think that this team has the talent. Enough talent to unseat Penn at second place. The Bears return league-leading scorer Earl Hunt, who averaged an Ivy-unheard-of 19.7 points per game last season.

3. Pennsylvania: Fran Dunphy, if he puts together the cohesive unit we’ve come to know, could lead the Quakers to a league title and a reconsideration from me. Their success hinges on 6-8 junior forward Ugonna Onyekwe, but the big-man must behave himself or he will be ridin’ pine.

4. Yale: I’d like to say the Bulldogs have reached Brown-style contender status. In the early going, they’re showing flickers of decency. They beat Penn State at State College (small victories are still victories, y’know!) and forward Paul Vitelli and freshman Edwin Draughan could be a lethal tandem.

5. Columbia: If you’re passing through Harlem with nothing to do, head over to the Levien Gym. 6-6 Craig Austin is versatile for a swingman – a quality all-around player who is fun to watch. If the backcourt shows up, Columbia could be the nicest surprise of the league.

6. Cornell: A team that needs a little more time. How ’bout another decade? No, I kid because I love. Coach Steve Donahue brought a slew of rookies to Ithaca, including Chris Vandenburg, who was just named to the Canadian National Junior Team. The Big Red only managed 25 points in an early-season 30-point loss to Notre Dame. More like a scrimmage.

7. Harvard: Wicked prahblems in Cambridge. All backcourt (a three-guard alignment makes the Crimson tick) and no front. The Ivy League is getting better at getting bigger but Harvard lacks the size upfront to compete. An early win over Fairfield kicked off the season right with point guard Patrick Harvey netting 19 points and 6 assists.

8. Dartmouth: Since there are only eight teams in this league I can’t rank the Green Wave (what is it with the Ivy League and these colorful names?) any lower. Point guard Flinder Boyd is a playmaker, but he has no one else to make plays for. 17 Dartmouth turnovers resulted in an opening season loss to Division I newcomer Binghamton.

Metro Atlantic Preview

2001-02 Metro Atlantic Conference Preview

by Adam Shandler

The NCAA selection committee might take some pity on the MAAC this year and toss them an extra bid to the tourney. But they’ve got to earn it. In the early going, it’s hard not to like Iona but Canisius, Manhattan, Niagara or Rider could slip into the field of 64 with a 20-plus win season.

The MAAC. Call it the Little East. Good, competitive ball that no one comes to see. Talented undersized players that can compete. They have an identity crisis though. With all these mid-major conferences in the Northeast, they compete for cable-market share with the Northeast, America East, Patriot and Ivy.

Projected Champ: Iona
Dark Horse: Rider
There’s always next year: Loyola

1. Iona: The Gaels have lost their three most prolific starters and their best free-throw shooter. So it’s only natural that I pick them to win their 3rd straight conference title. Oh, the MAAC, you are one kooky bird, you! Iona’s got power up front, and that should be enough to win this league. Greg Jenkins (senior center) should consistently record double-doubles.

2. Manhattan: The Jaspers (not a barber shop quartet, but a mascot) are slowly getting back to where they were when Fran Fraschilla coached the club. Senior point guard Von Damien Green, the MAAC’s most fun player to watch, can score as well as he can pass and 6-7 forward Dave Holmes is mature beyond his sophmoreness.

3. Niagara: Another ready contender in the Medieval Times-tournament known as the MAAC. The offense relies heavily on senior point guard Daryl Greene, but he was hurt most of last season so the jury is still out. Still, he had 20 points in each of his first two games this season, so it looks like he’s ready to rock for the Purple Eagles. (Never seen one of those. Must be an endangered species.)

4. Rider: Good scheduling move by the Broncs this year. No major powers on the docket and their out-of-conference schedule is plugged in with schools from MAAC-comparable leagues. This is how you get the 20-plus wins the tournament folks seem to love. Rider returns leading the conference’s leading scorer, forward Mario Porter.

5. Canisius: The Golden Gryffs won 20 games last year and could repeat that success in 2001-02. Canisius is a team that likes to shoot, and they shoot well. Brian Dux is an all-around leader. 6-3 forward Hodari Mallory had a good first game against Cornell before fouling out.

6. Marist: Sean Kennedy finished third among all Division I assisters last year. He could grab to honors in 2001-02. Coach Dave Magarity will miss forward Drew Samuels 15.9 points per game, but has every right to expect sophomore center Steve Castleberry and F-C Matt Tullis to do good things. Any finish above sixth place is overachieving for this club.

7. Siena: 2001-02 could have been a real disaster if the Saints didn’t retain big guard Dwayne Archbold (15.9 points per last year) and backcourt partner Isaiah Stewart. Had a share of the league title last year but the loss of 3-point assassin Scott Knapp hurts.

8. Fairfield: Syracuse-transfer Sam Spann adjusted well to MAAC life last year. This year, a fellow Big East defector, Uconn’s Ajou Deng, brings his 6-11 presence to the new Arena at Harbor Yards. The Stags need at least another year before anything happens.

9. St. Peter’s: The Peacocks lost five of its most productive players due to graduation. This is another “rebuilding on our rebuilding” year. My colleague Lon Samuelson tells me that the Yanitelli Center is the only D-I arena in the country that does not charge admission to games. So at least they’ve got that going for them, which is nice.

10. Loyola: Seven new players for the Greyhounds. So how ’bout that lacrosse team?