Percolating hoops intrigue makes February a fantastic month for sports

It’s February — one of the most underrated sports months of the year.

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, the biggest event in U.S. sports will command the attention of tens of millions of viewers, generating tens of millions of dollars for everyone associated with the event.

A few weeks later, the NBA All-Star game will show the NFL how exhibition weekends should be run. In my opinion, the NBA All-Star weekend festivities are the best of any pro sport, with baseball coming in a close second. Did anyone actually watch the Pro Bowl last weekend?

We don’t have any winter Olympics this year, but that’s a February event, too.

And then we have college hoops. To casual fans, March is the month of joy. But February is the month that sets the table for March. Dozens of teams are jockeying for position right now, fighting for a better seed and location or merely a bid to the Big Dance.

The schedule-makers know what they’re doing, too. Next Wednesday — just days after the Super Bowl — the top rivalry in college hoops will go down for the first of two meetings in a month when Duke visits North Carolina. That’s a nice way for the NCAA to tell America: “Guess what? Football is over. It’s time to set your sights on the hardwood.”

And of course, as we work through the thick of conference play, we’ll have the rush of bracket projections to feed the hoops addiction. Hoopville will join the fray as usual, starting this Friday. We choose to wait until February because it just feels right. By now, we have a large enough sample size to judge teams’ résumés and make projections that have a good shot of standing up during the final few weeks before Selection Sunday.

We take you coast to coast with news from around the college basketball nation.

Get ready for more technical fouls and a shorter leash on players or coaches who act out. Eamonn Brennan of ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog reports that John Adams, the NCAA’s national officiating coordinator, sent a notice to all officials that implored them to clamp down on bad behavior.

Clemson has indefinitely suspended junior Milton Jennings, a former McDonald’s All-American, because of academic reasons, according to the Associated Press. Jennings averages 8.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg.

Arizona will finish the season without junior Kevin Parrom, who broke his foot in a loss to Washington last weekend, according to a CBS Sports.com report. He averaged 4.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 1.7 apg this season.

Iona is looking to remain one of the premier programs in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and the university extended the contract of coach Tim Cluess to help make that happen, according to a CBS Sports.com report.

Don’t mess with a player’s routine. North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes shared some of the details of his routine with Andrew Jones of Fox Sports to explain why he changed his shoes at halftime of the Tar Heels’ win against Georgia Tech. Like the rest of the team, Barnes started the game with pink shoes to help promote breast cancer awareness. But he went with his usual Kobes in the second half.

VCU coach Shaka Smart stirred some commotion in the commonwealth during a teleconference Monday, writes Myron Medcalf for ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog. Smart asserted that Virginia’s best schools reside in the CAA. He didn’t call out the ACC teams in Blacksburg or Charlottesville by name, but Smart felt compelled to give UVA coach Tony Bennett a call to clarify his comments.

The NCAA won’t be seeking any further action against Connecticut freshman guard Ryan Boatright regarding an investigation into his eligibility because of money and benefits that he and his mother received, according to the Associated Press. But the AP reports that the Boatrights’ lawyer isn’t finished with his actions against the NCAA, lambasting the organization for releasing private information.

The only coach to ever lead Canisius to an NCAA Tournament win died Saturday, according to the Associated Press. Joseph Curran, 89, passed away in Mystic, Conn. He led the Golden Griffins to a 76-66 record in six seasons, which included a shocking four overtime victory against No. 2 North Carolina State in the 1956 NCAA Tournament.

It’s All Coming Together For Fairfield

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – It all seems to be coming together for Fairfield. Yes, it’s still early, and head coach Ed Cooley says they’re still figuring things out, but one has to think the Stags have made their way to a good place.

Fairfield’s 70-48 win over Niagara was their ninth in a row and improves them to 3-0 in MAAC play. More than just the win, in what Cooley described as “kind of a strange game” as there wasn’t much flow, the Stags did it largely playing the kind of basketball they will need to in order to win the conference, as many projected before the season. They shut down the Purple Eagles, ran the offense well when they weren’t turning the ball over, and have a number of players improving. … Continue Reading

Niagara’s Struggles Are an Aberration

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – This, too, shall pass. This is sure to be an aberration.

Niagara has been a consistent contender in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference since Joe Mihalich took the reins of the program in 1998. Now in his 13^th season there, Mihalich is the winningest coach in the history of the conference with 226 wins, and only one season has been a sub-.500 one. In recent years, they’ve always been right at or near the top of the conference. If you look at this season’s standings, you might do a double take upon seeing their 3-12 overall mark and 0-3 start in MAAC play. There’s clearly an explanation for it. … Continue Reading

Fairfield Starts Well Amid Personnel Challenges

WORCESTER, Mass. – This was the chance for someone like Fairfield to unseat Siena atop the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Saints aren’t dead, but they lost the core of their team to graduation and the guy who coached them, although an assistant on those teams is now running the program. Meanwhile, Fairfield has some things coming together that might make their selection by many as the preseason favorites in the conference look like a good one.

Fairfield’s 71-60 win at Holy Cross improves the Stags to 7-3 on the season. Included in that record is a 5-2 mark away from home, and during their current six-game winning streak four of the wins have come away from home. Less than 48 hours before the Stags beat Holy Cross, they went to Loudonville and took care of Siena in convincing fashion. … Continue Reading

MAAC Tournament Notebook

ALBANY, N.Y. – Friday gave an opportunity to see six games at the Times Union Center in Albany. The MAAC Tournament was on the bill and in the conference both the women’s and men’s championships are contested at the same site. The women’s quarterfinals were first and following a ninety-minute break the men’s two first round games followed. It ran from 9:30 a.m. through the stroke of midnight. If you are a fanatic you just can’t beat it.

The Women’s Quarterfinal scores:

Iona 59 Siena 43
Fairfield 70 Loyola 56
Marist 57 Canisius 38
Niagara 66 Manhattan 54

The Men’s First Round:

Manhattan 94 Loyola 79
Canisius 72 Marist 54

Notes

• Good officiating friend Joe Barrise was on the first game. Joe & crew enjoyed a nice tempo with the first foul not occurring until 8:05 had elapsed.
• I thought Iona coach Tony Bozzelli had a solid defensive game plan keeping Siena’s inside threat Serena Moore away from the basket or closely attended as much as possible. the saints’ main inside threat. Mission accomplished. Moore scored 14 points but was 3 of 11 from the field. For the Gaels, their outstanding forward Thazina Cook committed 5 of Iona’s 20 turnovers. All was forgiven as Cook in general had an outstanding game leading all with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes.
• I never tire watching and admiring the play of Rachelle Fitz of Marist. The MAAC Player of the Year never forces a thing, is the consummate unselfish and fundamentally sound performer. Fitz , a 6-0 senior forward, had a solid 12-point, 8-board effort for the Red Foxes.
• I also never tire of watching the teamwork and defensive expertise of Marist. They are a group who simply does not care who gets the points or headlines. They simply want to win. Defensively they are outstanding, forcing you into poor shots and getting in the passing lanes for deflections that are turned into turnovers. Marist is a joy to watch… unless you are on the opposite sideline. Stephanie Geehan of Fairfield, the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, came up with sixteen rebounds (14 defensive) four blocks and four steals against Loyola. A 6-2 senior center, Geehan showed her prowess is not limited to the defensive end as she led the way with 22 points.
• It was a brief appearance but what a four minutes for Maggie Blair of Manhattan. The 5-10 freshman guard played the last four minutes and scored 10 points, second on the team to Michelle Pacheco’s 11. Blair was 3 of 4 from the field (2 of 2 from three) and hit both of her free throws. She entered the game without a point all season, having played in just five games. Something tells me coach John Olenowski will take a long look at Blair’s prospects next season.
• Niagara’s Kendra Faustin was selected Coach of the Year and it was an excellent choice. She came on board two years ago and has transformed Niagara from dormancy to respectability with a nice future for this program. The Purple Eagles were 9-9 in the conference and had a win over Marist this season. They knocked off fourth seed Manhattan 66-54 thanks to solid defense and a well-distributed attack with four players in double figures.
• Some observers were speculating if this is the year Marist women surrender their MAAC championship supremacy. Not likely, per Canisius coach Terry Zeh. “People are saying Marist might get beat (in the MAAC tournament) but they did go 15-3 (conference) and lost to nationally ranked Oklahoma in overtime,” Zeh noted after his team‘s quarterfinal setback to the Red Foxes. “They are a team whose big stars make plays and unheralded players step up”
• The Manhattan-Loyola game to tip off the men’s tournament was a high-energy, fast-paced, intense battle. Manhattan, which lost twice to the Greyhounds this season, prevailed 94-79. The Jaspers had a 19-point lead before Loyola came storming back in the second half. Loyola got it to a two possession game but never any closer.
• The game was a tale of two halves for the leading scorers. Rico Pickett, a junior guard from Manhattan with range and a quick trigger finger, had 23 points at the half and wound up with 33.  Shane Walker had two at intermission, but the 6-10 sophomore forward led Loyola’s charge the second half in scoring 24 of his team-high 26 points.
• Even with Pickett going for 33 points, Manhattan had good balance with four players in double figures. George Beamon, a 6-4 freshman, came off the bench for the Jaspers to contribute a crucial 13 points, 11 in the second half.
• Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen said his team came to Albany “planning to play our best basketball. The MAAC tournament is a new season for us.” Rohrssen naturally was pleased, except for the defense, which allowed the Greyhounds to shoot 50 percent from the floor.
• Marist finished their long season at 1-29 with a first-round loss to Canisius. The lone win, ironically, came against Manhattan. The same problems the Red Foxes had all year showed up again. They hung around early and were only down 34-26 at the half, a margin was thanks to a Canisius trey at the buzzer. The second half mistakes of youth and an ineffective inside game spelled doom for coach Chucky Martin’s squad once again.
• The difference between veterans and youth: Marist committed 16 turnovers to Canisius’ 11. Frank Turner, the Griffs’ outstanding senior guard, had one turnover in 37 minutes.
• I spoke with Siena assistant Mitch Buonoguro, who was advance scouting. Buonoguro spoke about life as a 17-1 conference team favored to win here in Albany. “It’s not that easy,” he said. “Everyone is aiming for you and comes at you with your best shot.” Especially in the “survive and advance” setting of post season tournament play.

Metro Atlantic: Conference Tournament to Taste Basketball History in 2012

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will hold its conference tournament in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of the sport, in 2012-14, according to a conference press release.

The conference will play all tournament games at the MassMutual Center, which is a neutral site. Several teams wanted the tournament to move to a neutral site instead of playing at opponents’ courts.

“The coaches and administrators had expressed to the Council and league office during the selection process that home sites have become too big of a playing and recruiting advantage for the host school.  This is understandable, and speaks to the increased competitiveness of the MAAC.  It seems appropriate and financially sustainable to move beyond the comfortable confines of an arena with a home school fan base. I would note that the MassMutual Center and the Local Organizing Committee have guaranteed the league its best ever financial result,” said conference commissioner Rich Ensor.

Springfield is home to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, named for James Naismith, the inventor of the game of the basketball. He devised the game while working at the Spingfield YMCA in the late 1800s.  He later founded Kansas’ storied basketball program and witnessed basketball become an Olympic sport.

Three Days, Three Games, with a Big East Thriller

PITT    76    Seton Hall    40

A women’s game last Tuesday. Pitt just got into the rankings at 25th. Seton Hall was playing well and hosting the Panthers at Walsh Gym, a place Pitt has struggled in recent seasons. The game was never in doubt. The Panthers raced to a 42-17 halftime lead. They simply dominated from tap to buzzer. The defense was just as impressive as the offensive end. Pitt forced 21 turnovers while limiting the Pirates to 13 field goals and 24% shooting from the floor. Shavonte Zellous, one of the Big East’s best, led Pitt with a game high 29 points.

“We played great,” Pitt coach Agnus Berenato said. “We were on a mission we took this as a business trip. We were worried about this game because we watched Seton Hall on tape and saw they are a good team. They took Notre Dame to the wire here a few weeks ago. Our defense, though, was phenomenal.”

To a person Pitt is wonderful. Starting with Berenato, her staff, players and support personnel, the entire group is cooperative, friendly and personable. They just go out and make life miserable for their opposition from tip to buzzer.

“We really wanted to win this for Janey,” Berenato said. ‘Janey’  is Jania Sims the junior point guard for Pitt who is out for the year with a stress fracture. Sims is a Newark native who played at powerhouse Shabazz High School. “My team really wanted to win this for Janey,” Berenato said. They did and in convincing fashion.

Providence    98    Seton Hall 93 (OT)

On Thursday evening over the Prudential Center the Seton Hall men battled but came up short in search of their first Big East win of the season. Providence gradually wore down the Pirates, fouling out three players in the process, to earn a hard fought road win.

The opening half saw a shootout. Providence led 46-42 and both teams were attacking the basket, with bombs from beyond the arc. At the half the teams were shooting a combined over 60% from three. Providence was 9 for 12 while the Hall was 6 of 12. The final half saw Providence coach Keno Davis make a more concerted effort to attack the basket, the traditional way, in the paint. “We made it a point to attack the basket and wear them down,’ Keno said. “ I was pleased because earlier in the season if a team starting taking away our threes defensively we would have moved farther out and kept shooting them. Today we showed our maturity as a team.”

Jeremy Hazell led all scorers with 30 points (7 of 12 beyond the arc). In crunch time of regulation and overtime Providence made it a point not to allow Hazell any good uncontested looks. Jeff Xavier, ironically a Bobby Gonzalez recruit and player at Manhattan led four Friar double digit scorers with 20 points.

Gonzalez was not thrilled with Providence’s 42-22 edge in free throw attempts but did not criticize the officials. In all fairness, the Hall had a 6-5 advantage at halftime when it was a perimeter game, In the final half Providence went inside as noted and enjoyed a 41-30 final edge on the boards. Those factors get you to the line.

“We have to keep fighting, “ Gonzalez emphasized. “We have been playing some pretty good ball but nothing in this league is automatic.”

St.Peter’s    64        Niagara    46

On Friday at Yanitelli Center this MAAC women’s matchup saw two teams looking for better days. St.Peter’s is coming off a strong season that saw them advance to the conference semifinal. The Peahens entered the game 5-11 (2-5 in the MAAC). Simply, it’s a case of replacing several key losses from last year. Niagara, on the other hand, entered in the midst of a dreadful 1-17 campaign.

From the outset this would be St.Peter’s’ night. The hosts raced to a 39-16 halftime lead. Niagara shot 26% the first half with only six first half field goals. For the game the Purple Eagles had more turnovers (20) than field goals (17).

St.Peter’s was led by senior guard Tania Kennedy, a consistent performer this season, with 21 points. There were a number of contributors that pleased coach Stephanie DeWolfe. “We had a great first half,” DeWolfe said. “Execution could have been a little better second half but overall I’m pleased.” A few areas are positives to the St.Peter’s mentor.

The play of Charlene Riddick, a sophomore post player, is improving and giving the team an inside presence. “We are young,” DeWolfe said. “The freshman are working hard and coming along and we have been playing with a freshman point guard (Sakara House) out there.”  Among the first year players, Jamie Smith, a 5-6 guard is coming on and contributing. Smith had 17 points (10 of 11 from the line) in a recent win over Loyola.“We’re coming along as a team,” DeWoilfe added.

St.Peter’s is halfway through their MAAC schedule. As a staff and team, they eagerly look forward to the second half.

Siena Has Grown Since the Start of the Season

WORCESTER, Mass. – Before the season, there were many who felt Siena was more than just a mid-major team to watch this season.  With five starters back from the team that convincingly knocked off Vanderbilt in last season’s NCAA Tournament, the general feeling was that the Saints would be prohibitive favorites in the MAAC and even win a game or two in non-conference play against high-major schools.  They certainly had enough games on the schedule for that to happen.

2008 is just about in the books, and the Saints haven’t quite done all of that.  They lost three straight in Orlando at the Old Spice Classic, then lost at Pittsburgh earlier this month.  The only loss among those four that might go down as a bad loss was the two-point decision they dropped to rebuilding Wichita State.  But with no signature wins and just two possibilities left for one – at Kansas and possibly their BracketBusters game in February – the Saints look like a team that will most likely make the NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier.  And given what Niagara and Fairfield have shown thus far as well as their respective personnel, they don’t quite look like the prohibitive favorites in their conference that some thought them to be.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of in all of that.  In fact, the high preseason projections of them were probably a bit unrealistic.  The Saints are very good, with a nice veteran cast and a lot of the team returning from last season, but depth was not a given before the season.  Sometimes, all it takes is one signature win and an excellent conference showing, then losing in the conference championship game for an at-large bid.  But projections of the Saints getting one might have been a bit much.

Not only was it going to be difficult to capture a couple of games on the road against high-majors, but the MAAC is rarely a conference whose regular season champ runs away from everyone else.  Only twice in the past 11 seasons has at least three games separated first place from second place.  The last time that happened was in 2003-04, when Manhattan finished three games ahead of Niagara, and six years earlier was the last time it happened before that.  More common are cases where there are at least four teams within two games of first place, or even 2000-01, when six teams finished within a game of each other.

But while the Saints may not look like prohibitive favorites, the conference should still be theirs to lose.  They are 2-0 as they enter the meat of the conference schedule starting on Thursday, and they’ve improved along the way.  The development of younger players like sophomores Clarence Jackson and Ryan Rossiter and freshmen Owen Wignot and Kyle Downey has been an important part of it.

“I think we’ve developed fairly well,” head coach Fran McCaffery said.  “I think our key guys are doing what we thought they would do.  We needed Clarence and Ryan to do what they’re doing, and we needed Owen and Kyle to develop the way they did.”

McCaffery is thinking they would benefit by being able to go another player deep on a consistent basis.  Junior Cory Magee figured to be in the rotation before the season, but he has been out all year from post-concussion syndrome after an elbow from Rossiter in an early practice.  He has practiced on and off recently.  More likely candidates are sophomore Steven Priestley and freshman Eric Harris.

The development of Jackson and Rossiter has been perhaps most important.  Both were bit players last season, but Rossiter is now in the starting lineup and Jackson is playing key minutes off the bench.  Jackson led them in scoring in the win at Saint Joseph’s with a career-high 28 points, and while it might have seemed to come out of nowhere, it didn’t surprise a teammate.

“From seeing him play in practice sometimes, we know that’s what he’s capable of doing,” said junior forward Edwin Ubiles.

As important as their development has been, Siena also got a breakout game from Kenny Hasbrouck on Tuesday night.  Mired in a nearly season-long shooting slump, Hasbrouck had 19 points on 6-14 shooting, including 5-10 in the second half.

While it’s obvious that Hasbrouck coming back is a big development for the team – and both he and his teammates know that just one game doesn’t do it – there’s a positive to take out of things before that.  The Saints were still 7-4 heading into the game and 5-1 since the losses in Orlando.  They were still winning despite Hasbrouck’s offensive struggles, which helped him manage through the tough time.

“When we lost, it was hard,” said the senior guard.  “When we were winning, it was like, okay, we’re doing great, so my shooting is not really affecting us yet.  When we lost, it took a big toll on me because I would think if I made more of my shots, I think we would have won the game.”

It’s also no accident that the Saints continued to win during that time.  Hasbrouck didn’t stop excelling in other facets of the game, and that made it easier for his teammates to step up.

“That’s what you do.  When the shot’s not falling, you don’t want to get down, you try to make up for it other ways – on defense, rebounding,” said Ubiles.  “There’s a lot of different ways you can be effective on the court.  When you’re not scoring, you’ve got to do other things.  I think that’s what the better players do.  He was down, but he always plays hard, no matter what.”

“The thing about Kenny is he’s really got a lot of character,” said McCaffery.  “In the period where he wasn’t making shots, he was helping us win games.  He plays defense, he’s all over the place, he runs the point for us when we need him to, he passes it well.

As important as it is for the Saints to get Hasbrouck going again – junior forward Alex Franklin said, with a smile, “I miss Kenny going out there dropping 20 a game” – more important is what changed after the three losses in Orlando that allowed them to bounce back with the big month of December they had.  In those three games, defense and rebounding were issues that led to the losses.  But since then, the Saints have tried to focus on improving in both areas.  They force nearly 18 turnovers per game, and while they are still being out-rebounded on the season, Pittsburgh is the only team to beat them on the glass in the past five games.

“We know why we lost in Orlando.  It was bad mistakes on defense, we weren’t rebounding the ball well, we weren’t communicating as a team,” said Hasbrouck.  “We’ve changed that, we’ve changed the image of the team.  We’re starting to rebound against the better teams, and that’s why we’re winning right now.”

“In practice, coach tells us all the time, no matter what the game plan is, if we don’t rebound, we won’t win the game,” said Ubiles.  “I think we all put that together as a team, to collectively go in and get rebounds, and I think we’ve all been doing a great job of that.”

With that winning, the Saints look more like the team some thought they would be before the season.  They look more like the favorites in the MAAC, even if they aren’t prohibitive ones at that.

A Surprising End to Siena’s Win over Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – It was a surprising scene to end the game.  That’s the case not only because it happens so rarely, but also because of who was involved.

As the final seconds of Siena’s 83-71 win at Holy Cross ticked off the clock, Siena head coach Fran McCaffery motioned to all five of his players on the floor toward the exit.  At first glance, it might have looked like he was motioning to get the ball across mid-court to avoid a ten-second violation before dribbling out the final seconds, but once the buzzer sounded it was clear that wasn’t the case.  The Saints walked right out of the gym without shaking hands with the Holy Cross players and coaches.

Holy Cross head coach Ralph Willard, who did not comment on it after the game, stopped walking towards the bench once the Saints were walking away and looked as dumbfounded as just about everyone else in the gym.  McCaffery, who is well-respected among his peers for far more than just his winning ways as a head coach, made it clear why he did that.  Like everything else in life, it didn’t happen in a vacuum.

“I was upset at how our guys were being fouled,” McCaffery said.  “I’ve got guys bloodied, I’ve got guys with black eyes, I’ve got guys needing stitches.  That’s not how the game’s supposed to be played.”

McCaffery noted that last year’s game in Loudonville was similar to this.  Alex Franklin missed five games with a back injury after the meeting.  Asked if he thought the officiating, which did leave something to be desired, contributed to it, McCaffery said, alluding to Holy Cross, “I think it’s a result of how they play.”

In fact, McCaffery had no real issue with the officials, even though at times he appeared to get a little heated with them, as did Willard.  46 fouls were called in the game, with the Saints whistled for two more than the Crusaders, so the stat sheet alone won’t explain everything.  The Saints made three more free throws (25) than Holy Cross attempted (22).

While any tension that was mounting between the teams wasn’t obvious, anytime a game gets as physical as this one was, things can escalate between the teams.  That led McCaffery to approach getting help from the officials in a different way.

“I said, ‘what do you want me to do now?  What am I supposed to do?’  Because you really don’t want that, you don’t want me to ‘send in a goon’ and all of a sudden there’s a melee,” said McCaffery, who said he had no intention of doing such a thing.  “That’s not what we want.  But I’d like to know what recourse we had.”

The game was the fourth in a home-and-home series between the two schools.  One might first think that this will be it for a while, and the Siena game notes suggest as much since they said that this is the final game of a four-year series.  But a Holy Cross source said that the schools have a six-year series and are scheduled to meet next December in Loudonville for the fifth game.  It is not known how easily the Saints could get out of the final two games if they desire to, although the schools could agree to put off the next meeting by a year or two.

Aeropostale Holiday Festival Wrap-Up

NEW YORK CITY – A day after handily defeating Marist in the semifinal, St.John’s met their match. Virginia Tech defeated the Red Storm 81-67 before slightly over 2000 at Madison Square Garden . The win gave Virginia Tech a second straight Aeropostale Holiday Festival title. Tech defeated St.John’s is last year’s championship.

St.John’s, playing minus the injured Justin Burrell and Anthony Mason (out for the season) fell behind 9-3 and by the first few minutes, appeared headed for a long afternoon. The Storm responded and got right back into it largely on the strength of their three point shooting. Paris Horne led the way with 11 for the Storm and shot 3 of 6 beyond the arc.

The second half saw Tech build on its 39-35 halftime lead.. Sean Evans of St.John’s was limited to three minutes the first half due to foul trouble. The 6-8 sophomore had a strong second half , finishing with 13 points 8 rebounds. The Storm however shot an icy 0 of 8 beyond the arc the second half. Credit that to the Tech zone that trapped the wings and extended deeper the final twenty minutes. “We mainly went 1-3-1 to keep our guys out of foul trouble,” Tech coach Seth Greenburg said. “In my eighteen years of coaching I don’t remember ever playing as much zone.”

Offensively the Hokies also exhibited good crisp ball movement, finding the likes of A.D. Vassallo who scored a game high 24 points. Malcom Delaney added 22 points, handed out 8 assists and earned the Lou Carnesecca Most Valuable Player award. “In the second half, Greenburg said, “we made better decisions on offense. We screened and read the defense.”

“We competed,” St.John’s coach Norm Roberts said. “But we hit a five or six minute stretch where we didn’t execute and gave up too many offensive rebounds. Against an ACC team a stretch like that can change the game. But give them credit. They (Tech) wore us down.”

St.John’s earned the championship by defeating 65-44 Marist in the semifinals. The Red Storm was dominant inside with Evans scoring nineteen points while D.J. Kennedy added 14 boards. Virginia Tech, behind Delaney’s 25 points, was too much for Columbia as they earned a 64-52 decision in the other semi.

In the consolation, Marist and Columbia battled in a closely contested matchup.. Marist enjoyed a two point lead at the half and opened it to a ten point cushion midway through the second half. The Lions responded largely on the play of K.J. Matsui. The senior guard came off the bench to drain three big treys and take a charge on the other end. “He (Matsui) made a big play that lifted us with taking that charge,” Columbia coach Joe Jones said. “But let’s say he is a senior and that is not a play he made in the past,” Jones added with a humorous touch. Down the stretch, Columbia made the plays and free throws to secure the 63-58 victory. Matsui finished with 11 points while Norwua Agho led the Lions with 13 points. Ryan Schneider paced Marist with a game high 16 points.

• St.John’s is a better club than last season. The injury hex hasn’t been kind to Norm Roberts and co. Anthony Mason JR. is gone for the year. Justin Burrell missed the festival with an injury and point guard Malik Boothe played with a finger injury. Through the misfortune, Roberts makes no excuse. “Injuries are part of the game,” he said. “Someone is out another player takes his place and gets an opportunity to show what he can do.”
• Festival is usually following Christmas but went to a pre-December 25 format for the first time. Double headers were on Saturday and Sunday before Christmas. Finals attendance was barely over 2,000. Some blame the pre-Christmas date and/or less than ideal weather for the sparse showing. Fact of the matter is until St.John’s gets more competitive the crowds will be hard to come by. Plain and simple.
• Jones noted that Marist outplayed Columbia the first half yet his team stayed together and hung in. “This is a close team,” Jones said. “They cheer for one another and have great relationships. Down the stretch, especially the last eight minutes we got the rebounds and picked up the loose balls.”
• For Marist the effort is there but all too often the Red Foxes run out of gas especially in the final half.. “We ran into a wall around the nine minute (remaining) mark and couldn’t score,” Marist coach Chucky Martin said. “We have three guys going over 35 minutes and fatigue is a factor.” One of the trio is freshman guard R.J. Hall who recently won the starting job. Hall, who prepped at Bloomfield Tech in New Jersey, turned in a fine 13 point 6 assist outing in 37 minutes. “R.J. was unbelievable,” Martin said. “He played almost the entire game and played really well.”
• Following the semifinal victory over Columbia, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenburg had an approximately one hour meeting at the hotel with his team. “We talked about effort,” Greenburg said. “I was embarrassed because I didn’t feel we competed with a good enough effort (against Columbia) today (in the St.John’s game) we definitely did.”
• Greenburg operates in ACC country today but New York is always special. He grew up on Long Island and played for Fairleigh Dickinson under the late al LoBalbo. “My dad played for Clair Bee,” Greenburg said. “I remember in the Sixties sitting upstairs in the old Garden and watching the Joe Lapchick coached St.John’s teams play. When you come to play here you should play in a way you are respecting the game.”

Members of the All Tournament team were :
KJ Matsui, Columbia
Ryan Schneider, Marist
DJ Kennedy , St.John’s
Sean Evans, St.John’s
A.D. Vassallo, Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech is 8-4. St.John’s falls to 9-2 , the other loss to another ACC team, Boston College in the Pre-Season NIT. ACC ‘tour’ for the Storm continues as they host Miami on Saturday at noon at the Garden.

On the Baseline: All except Va. Tech brought cheerleaders. Marist band is outstanding, one of the best around. The Garden is not only special to mid-major players, Marist brought, count them, 23 cheerleaders and Columbia brought a full dance and cheer squad.

Fairfield Starting to Grow Up as Early MAAC Games Approach

WORCESTER, Mass. – Ed Cooley’s team is growing up, and it hasn’t come at a bad time.

Fairfield enters their next two games, both early MAAC contests, having won three straight games. They look like a team that is getting better each time out, and they certainly did that against a Holy Cross team that had knocked them off the last two years in similar kinds of games. Every time Holy Cross tried to rally, the Stags had answers, largely from Anthony Johnson (career-high 20 points) and floor leader Jonathan Han (18 points, 11 assists). And for good measure, they won on a night where leading scorer Warren Edney had just six points in 16 minutes due to foul trouble.

“We’re defending with a purpose, we’re sharing the ball, and the kids look like they’re having fun out there,” said Cooley.

Johnson, who’s always had the potential for a game like this, saw a difference in the team leading up to the game.

“These are games to look forward to,” said the junior forward. “We’ve lost to them two years in a row, and each year someone has gotten a blow to the face, someone’s gotten hurt. We came here ready to play.”

Clearly, Johnson and Han did, as an inside-outside duo capable of doing big things. Johnson has a solid body and is athletic for his size, and he’s always been capable of getting 15 points and 10 rebounds on average. Right now, he’s averaging over 10 and 7, respectively, while also showing some game-changing potential at nearly three blocked shots per game.

Han, whom Cooley called “The Maestro”, makes this team go. Take him away, and this is a very different team. Johnson said they would like Han to shoot more, but he’s proving adept at making others better and he has plenty of scorers around him. Four Stags scored in double figures on Monday, and four currently average double figures on the season. Han, with 6.6 assists per game, is certainly part of that.

“You get point guard play like that, you look like you can coach,” said Cooley with a smile.

Cooley’s opposite number noticed the difference in part because his team currently lacks that same kind of player, who is on the roster but injured.

“He does some things that sometimes, you scratch your head, but he’s the guy that makes things happen for them,” said Holy Cross head coach Ralph Willard.

The senior backcourt of Han and Herbie Allen together helps them play at a fast pace. Johnson can run the floor, as can Edney and reserves like Yorel Hawkins, and it’s helped the Stags improve offensively all season long. In each of the four prior games leading up to Holy Cross, they had scored more than the previous game. There was only a four-point drop-off in the Holy Cross game, but they shot 56 percent from the field and had 23 assists to 15 turnovers, so it’s not as if the Stags took steps back offensively.

Cooley wants this team to play faster and keep the scoring up. He sees the strides they are making offensively, especially since they have scored over 70 points in the last two games. And with St. Peter’s and Iona coming to Fairfield this weekend, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that the Stags could take a 2-0 MAAC record into the new year.

Besides all the positive signs of this team’s growth, there’s another one that’s seen in the locker room. The Stags aren’t getting content with just a win or two.

“We’re getting more hungry with every win we get,” said Johnson. “That’s a great thing.”

While the coaching staff has to be happy with the way the team is playing now, Cooley won’t even say they might be turning a corner or hitting their stride yet. He’s hoping students come out to support the team for the MAAC home games this weekend, as he feels “we got a quality ballclub.” This is also not the time he wants the team to really hit its stride, no matter how much he wants to win come game time.

“We want to hit our stride in March,” Cooley said. “Right now, we just want to continue to play good basketball.”

MAAC Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2008-09 Preview

by Matthew Moll

Davidson Who?

The rest of the nation’s small schools have spent the off season recalling the run of a 10th-seeded team from North Carolina that was a basket away from the Final Four. MAAC teams lie awake and long to be the next Siena. Including Siena.

The Saints proved last season that MAAC teams have the talent to compete with the traditional powers after they handed Vanderbilt a 21-point defeat. But while the Saints are the prohibitive favorites for 2008-09 with the return of all five starters, they were still a team that needed to rally at times to get by many MAAC associates.

The NCAA tourney victory merely whetted the appetite of the Saints and of their foes. Last season Siena by no means dominated the conference, leaving the door open for MAAC teams to dream a big dream for March.

Year Three Coaches

Year three for college coaches is the season when the fans start to justify restlessness. The coach’s first batch of recruits should now be upper classmen and leaders. Justifiable or not, this team is now the coach’s identity. The time to wait for Ed Cooley (Fairfield), John Dunne (St. Peter’s), Tom Parrotta (Canisius), and Barry Rohrssen (Manhattan) may be running short and fans are looking for results.

Realistically, Dunne and Parrotta will not compete this year, but should be able to make people smile with signs away from past futility. For Cooley and Rohrssen the time to win is now.

Who will come forward?

If this were a 90s song about irony the guards would be the spoons and the bigs would be the knife everyone needed. Jason Thompson departed as a once-in-a-generation talent for the MAAC. Now the lanes are open, but they are still in need of filling. The projected top teams – Fairfield and Siena – each have players listed as forwards, but play more like guard-forward-tweener combos. If a less experienced team is able to shut down guard penetration with some inside help (i.e. Niagara) the MAAC could be looking at a shakeup.

Non-conference

This season MAAC schedule makers are not shy about testing their players. Both Fairfield and Siena are slated for tournaments with teams from major conferences. The Stags look to catch the Memphis Tigers early before they mesh and Siena will face both Pittsburg and Kansas before the conference schedule hits its stride. The Loyola Greyhounds will test the ACC waters against NC State and Duke before the start of 2009.

Hoopville All-MAAC Team
Jonathan Han, Fairfield
Ryan Thompson, Rider
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena
Edwin Ubiles, Siena

MVP
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena

Newcomer
Novar Gadson, Rider

1. Siena Saints (23-11 Overall, 13-5 MAAC, 1st)
Projected starters: Ronald Moore, Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin, Josh Duell

Pivotal pivots: Old Spice Classic Nov. 27-30 (featuring Tennessee, Georgetown and Wichita State), at Pittsburgh Dec. Dec. 17, at St. Joseph’s Dec. 28, at Kansas Jan. 6.

Cliché target on cliché back: The Saints have made it known through their scheduling that they intend to make a move on the NCAA as a whole. But coach Fran McCaffery and his savvy vets will not look past the MAAC as it is clearly a single-bid conference. The only way to the promised land is through a MAAC tournament championship. Last season the Saints nearly coughed up a chance to play with the big boys, but held off a valiant effort from Loyola and handled Rider in the final to advance to the field of 65. This season they won’t have the chance to relax as their non-conference schedule will be bulletin board material for fellow MAACians.

But talent and experience shall rue the day as all five of last season’s Vandy upset starters return. Expect MAAC Tournament MVP Kenny Hasbrouck to walk away with regular season honors and expect his supporting cast meet the lofty expectations bestowed unto them.

2. Fairfield Stags (14-16, 11-7, 5th)
Projected starters: Jonathan Han, Herbie Allen, Anthony Johnson, Greg Nero, Warren Edney

Pivotal pivots: at Memphis Nov. 15, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Nov. 20-23 (featuring Virginia Tech, Xavier and Missouri)

Forward thinking: Solid guards and depth at forward is not a common theme throughout this MAAC preview. The Stags have one of the best guards in the MAAC in Jonathan Han, who can floor general and score. But Han will need Fairfield’s stacked frontcourt to dominate on both ends if they intend to earn the team’s first MAAC title in 11 years.

In Ed Cooley’s third season he now has the balance needed to compete when his guards have off nights and the bodies to grind out wins and wear down opponents. The non-conference scheduling will be no cupcake fest either as they lock up with perennial NCAA powers before taking on the MAAC.

Expect the Stags to be either in the NCAA tournament or a win away from it.

3. Niagara Purple Eagles (19-10, 12-6, 3rd)
Projected starters: Anthony Nelson, Tyrone Lewis, Rob Garrison, Bilal Benn, Benson Egemonye

Pivotal pivots: at Villanova Nov. 19

Four guard sets: Guards, guards and more guards. There will be times when the revamped Purple Eagles will have four on the floor and leave the rest to Benson Egemonye, the senior lane patroller who should lead the MAAC in blocks.

Anthony Nelson returns to run the show for Niagara after starting every game last season as a freshman. With the addition of athletic transfer Bilal Benn combined with the experience and talent of Tyrone Lewis, the Purple Eagles should be able to erase the loss of Charron Fisher’s 27 points a night.

The problem will be defense. While the multi-guard sets will allow Niagara to get out and run they will need to find a way other than Egemonye to make defensive stops and gather defensive rebounds.

Expect Niagara to score, win and lose in bunches.

4. Rider Broncos (23-11, 13-5, 2nd)
Projected starters: Justin Robinson, Harris Mansell, Ryan Thompson, Lamar Johnson, Mike Ringgold

Pivotal pivots: at St. Josephs Nov. 14, hosting Rutgers in Trenton Dec. 3, four consecutive MAAC road tests in mid January.

One Thompson down, one to go: The loss of all-everything Jason Thompson to the NBA Draft lottery was expected. Trying to recover what might have been was not. Last season the Broncos were expected to represent the MAAC in the NCAA tournament and instead had to settle for the CBI. This season virtually all key parts return with the exception of their man in the middle.

The Broncos will boast one of the most potent backcourts in the MAAC with Ryan Thompson and Harris Mansell filling up the scoring column all season, but they need a floor general. Thompson led the team in assists last season, but is more suited to hitting shots than hitting the open cutter.

It is possible a year removed from being chased the Broncos will relish the underdog role, but last season they had the guard play and had the size no other team could handle. Without that size it will be difficult for them to make the leap.

5. Loyola Greyhounds (19-10, 12-6, 4th)
Projected starters: Brian Rudolph, Marquis Sullivan, Brett Harvey, Jawaan Wright, Anthony Winbush

Pivotal pivots: at Boston College Nov. 17, at North Carolina State Dec. 29, at Duke New Year’s Eve.

Rebuild or reload: Under Jimmy Patsos the Greyhounds have become a team that can compete every season, but not break through to the league elite. Last season Loyola had the roster to make the jump in the standings, but the league was particularly strong at the top and most other years the Greyhounds would have celebrated their first NCAA trip.

This season Patsos will have the opportunity to show his ability to recruit and coach a now solid program. Whether this will be a rebuilding year or a reloading year will be the season’s theme. The Greyhounds have the talent, but could go either way. Loyola’s team full of guards look like a JV version of what Niagara will put on display – several strong guards, lots of fast breaks, very little interior defense.

6. Manhattan Jaspers (12-19, 5-13, 8th)
Projected starters: Antoine Pearson, Chris Smith, Devon Austin, Andrew Gabriel, and Jamel Ferguson

Pivotal pivots: Four consecutive MAAC home games in January could be a turning point.

The year of unchangedness: Barry Rohrssen returns nearly an identical team that languished at the bottom of the MAAC standings last season. And by virtue of other teams getting worse the Jaspers appear better.

The key will be contributions from the forwards, particularly senior Devon Austin and sophomore Andrew Gabriel. If this pair can complement the scoring of Antoine Pearson (last season’s leading scorer at 12.2 ppg) and Chris Smith, Manhattan might be able to make a move in the league. As it stands now expect the Jaspers to hover just above the rebuilding teams below, but just outside the MAAC upper echelon.

7. Iona Gaels (12-20, 8-10, 7th)
Projected starters: Scott Machado, Jermel Jenkins, Gary Springer, Devon, Clarke, Rashon Dwight

Pivotal pivots: at Wisconsin Nov. 21, at Ohio State Dec. 20, Manhattan at Madison Square Garden Jan. 24

Iron Willard: Last season the Gaels began the season much like the season before, with a 0-6 start. They ended the 2007-08 campaign with seven more wins in the MAAC than the previous campaign and 10 more wins overall.

This year the Gaels may have the toughest frontcourt in the MAAC. Gary Springer led the team in rebounds a season ago and fellow senior Devon Clarke will split his time at the three and the four.

Coach Kevin Willard will rely on two freshmen to carry the backcourt load in Scott Machado and Jermel Jenkins, so Gaels may again have a slow start, but Springer, Clarke and a healthy Alejo Rodriguez they have the ability finish in the upper half of the conference.

8. Marist Red Foxes (18-14, 11-7, 6th)
Projected starters: David Devezin, Ryan Schneider, Lawrence Williams, Korey Bauer, Dejuan Goodwin

Pivotal pivots: at Rutgers Nov 14, at Memphis Dec. 2

MAAC to Final Four back to MAAC: Last season Marist coach Chuck Martin was patrolling the sidelines in the NCAA final. Now the former John Calipari assistant is back to the conference where he once coached under the Bobby Gonzalez at Manhattan.

The Red Foxes are not just starting over with their coach; Marist lost three of their best players to graduation and their top scorer (Jay Gavin) to transfer. Junior David Devezin will be expected to carry the load at guard, but Red Foxes will need a boost from sharpshooter Ryan Schneider.

In the end, with the departure of coach Matt Brady and last season’s upperclassmen the Marist faithful should anticipate a down year.

9. Canisius Golden Griffins (6-25, 2-16, 10th)
Projected starters: Frank Turner, Greg Logins, Tomas Vasquez-Simmons, Jovan Robinson, Elton Frazier

Pivotal pivots: at Washington State Nov. 25, at Syracuse Dec 17. Toughest league test will be four straight MAAC road games at the end of January.

Limited Upward Mobility: Coach Tom Parrotta is yet another member of “coaches in crucial year three” with virtually the same team from a year ago that finished last in the MAAC. The last-place finish was the first time in 16 years the Golden Griffins failed to avoid the bottom of the league.

The Griffs are a year older and in theory this means more wins, particularly in a league slated to again have parity in the lower half.

Frank Turner returns to be the floor leader both in scoring and running the offense. If recent MAAC history is any indication having your point guard lead your team in points and assists does not lead to regular or post-season success (see Clark, Kee-Kee, St. Peter’s). If Canisius intends to move beyond the confines of the lower half of the standings, someone other than Turner must establish consistent scoring.

10. St. Peter’s Peacocks (6-24, 3-15, 9th)
Projected Starters: Wesley Jenkins, Nick Leon, Darrell Lampley, Akeem Gooding, Ryan Bacon

Pivotal pivots: Rutgers on Nov. 30, Seton Hall Dec. 13.

The journey backwards: The Peacocks are young and small, which is the opposite formula to be successful in the experienced, guard heavy MAAC. Third year coach John Dunne has a light middle – both frontcourt starters tilt the scales at a generous 215.

The loss of Todd Sowell (graduation) will be evident as the young Peacocks will most likely not improve at the same rate as the rest of the league.

The Verdict

Those unfamiliar with the MAAC see Siena and then everyone else. Those familiar know the conference is usually split in half and the teams in the top half will jockey for position until the final tip.

The MAAC is Siena’s to lose, but teams in the top five do have weapons to bring the Saints back to earth. This is the McCaffery’s last shot with this team; they were able to dance a year earlier then expected, but now it is expected. Anything less than the NCAA should be considered a disappointment.

Siena is not the only team facing a potential letdown. A stable of third-year coaches are on the unspoken hot seat as programs and fan bases get antsy. But all roads to Albany must go through Loudonville for MAAC supremacy.

MAAC Recap

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2007-08 Season Recap

by Matthew Moll

How the MAAC interrupted your Office Pool

Everyone likes cheering for the little guy and the MAAC is a conference filled with little guy-esque schools.

This season the Siena Saints embodied the role of David slaying two of the NCAA’s goliaths – one on the sport’s largest stage.

Siena is located in Loundonville, a hamlet just outside of Albany, New York and boasts an enrollment of about 3,000. The Saints’ first victim was the Stanford Cardinal, the first ranked team Siena has defeated since 1989 – coincidentally, Stanford.

Several months later, the Saints dispatched the Commodores of Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Tampa, Florida earned the title of “Upset Central,” sending a pair of 12 and 13 seeds to the field of 32. Siena’s 83-62 handling of the Commodores was the largest margin of victory by a 13 seed over a four seed since Navy defeated LSU in 1985.

The Regular Season

The MAAC regular season surprised few; young teams floundered while experience ruled the day. By midseason five teams were within striking distance, although three teams – Siena, Rider and Niagara – were at the front of the pack. By season’s end six teams were making a run at the MAAC regular season crown and the league’s number one tournament seed. The Fairfield Stags, a non-factor earlier in the season, caught fire late and strung together six conference wins. Their final overall record reflected a period of futility, but their conference total was merely two games short of the top spot.

But the regular season went to the favored Saints who owned the tiebreaker over the Rider Broncos. Siena was able to lock in the MAAC tournament’s number-one seed despite dropping two of their last three conference games.

MAAC Tournament

The tournament saw two upsets. Canisius continued to shine in the first round of the tournament, ousting Iona 64-59.

In the quarterfinals Marist, last season’s regular season champs, bounced Niagara, last season’s NCAA tournament rep, 66-62.

The MAAC tournament concluded the way the seeding intended: number one Siena versus number two Rider. But both the Saints and the Broncos had scares in the semifinals. The Saints held off fourth-seeded Loyola 65-63 to advance, while Rider snuck by Marist 76-71.

In the end the buildup to the final was hampered by a pair of injuries to Rider’s big guns. The Saints took advantage and ended the game early, taking the MAAC tournament crown with a 74-53 win.

NCAA and CBI

Both Siena and Rider turned their 20-plus wins into postseason births.

Siena’s convincing run through the MAAC tournament spilled into the first round of 65. No. 13 seed Siena trounced the No. 4 seed Vanderbilt Commodores 83-62 for the first NCAA tournament win for a MAAC team since Manhattan did it in 2004. The Saints could not sustain their upset ways against 12th-seeded Villanova, as the Wildcats ended Siena’s season 72-84 in Tampa.

Rider’s regular season earned the group an invitation to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tournament. The Broncos fell to Old Dominion in the first round of the CBI 68-65. Ryan Thompson led the Broncos with 24 points.

Hardware

Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)
Co-Rookies of the Year: Brian Rudolph (Loyola), Jay Gavin (Marist)
Coach of the Year: Tommy Dempsey (Rider)
Sixth Player of the Year: Marquis Sullivan (Loyola)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)

First Team: Gerald Brown (Loyola), Charron Fisher (Niagara), Jason Thompson (Rider), Kenny Hasbrouck (Siena), Edwin Ubiles (Siena)

Second Team: Jonathan Han (Fairfield), Tyrone Lewis (Niagara), Ryan Thompson (Rider), Todd Sowell (Saint Peter’s), Alex Franklin (Siena)

1. Siena Saints (23-11 Overall, 13-5 MAAC)

The upset dance: The Saints returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002, and again came away with a victory. But unlike their win in 2002 it was an upset win over an SEC juggernaut rather than a play-in victory with the privilege to be a number-16 seed.

Siena started their march to the NCAA Tournament with a solid regular season, besting the preseason favorites Rider to earn the MAAC tournament the number-one seed. The Saints managed their highest win total (23) since 2000 (24), which included the team’s first win over a ranked opponent since 1989 when they defeated an eventual Sweet 16 team in Stanford 79-67. The Saints rode the number one seed all the way to the MAAC finals and into the NCAA Tournament.

Kenny Hasbrouck’s 30 points and Tay Fisher’s perfect 6-6 from three land forced Vanderbilt, a Sweet 16 team from a season ago, to make off-season plans as the Saints pounded the number-four seed 83-62. The Saints could not stop Villanova two nights later, ending their season with an 84-72 loss.

Team MVP: Kenny Hasbrouck 17.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.7 apg
Top Scorer: Edwin Ubiles 17.0 ppg
Top Rebounder: Alex Franklin 7.8 rpg
Top Assists: Ronald Moore 5.3 apg

Starters leaving: Tay Fisher (graduation)

News: Chris De la Rosa transferred.

Key players returning: Hasbrouck, Franklin, Moore, Ubiles

Can they do it again: Siena has the chance to return to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season with the return of everyone significant but Fisher. If they do return they will be the first MAAC team since Manhattan in 2003 and 2004, but the Saints could do the Jaspers one better and have tournament victories in two straight tourneys.

2. Rider Broncos (23-11, 13-5)

Pressure was on: As the preseason favorites with the preseason player of the year the Broncos came into 2007-08 on the MAAC’s radar. Up until the final game of the MAAC Tournament, Rider did not disappoint. Jason Thompson dominated both the glass and the paint throughout the conference schedule. But in the MAAC Tourney final, Thompson was not enough as Broncos were forced to settle for the CBI falling to fellow regular season champ Siena 74-53.

Rider was unable to recover from the loss in the CBI, losing in the first round 68-65 to Old Dominion.

Team MVP: Jason Thompson 20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 2.7 apg
Top Scorer: J. Thompson
Top Rebounder: J. Thompson
Top Assists: Ryan Thompson 3.4 apg

Starters leaving: J. Thompson (graduation)

Key players returning: R. Thompson, Harris Mansell, and Justin Robinson

Outlook for next season: With Jason Thompson exhausting his eligibility coach Tommy Dempsey is much like every other MAAC coaches – guard-heavy and looking for size. Expect the Broncos to take a dip next season.

3. Niagara Purple Eagles (19-10, 12-6)

Early exit: Last season’s MAAC NCAA tournament representative showed signs of its recent success during the regular season, nearly earning Joe Mihalich his second consecutive 20-win season. Niagara could not get going against Marist after earning a first round bye in the MAAC Tournament. No offense meant no repeat for the defending champs.

Team MVP: Charron Fisher 27.6 ppg, 9.5
Top Scorer: Fisher
Top Rebounder: Fisher
Top Assists: Nelson

Starters leaving: Fisher and Stanley Hodge (graduation)

Key players returning: Anthony Nelson, Tyrone Lewis, Benson Egemonye

Outlook for next season: The loss of Fisher leaves a 27.6 point hole in the Eagles offense. Nelson and Egemonye both need to step up their scoring, but have the inside-outside combination to stay competitive in the MAAC.

4. Loyola Greyhounds (19-10, 12-6)

Getting closer: Jimmy Patsos’ first graduating class leaves Loyola with the most wins for a class and the largest single-season win total since the Nixon administration. The Greyhounds’ turnaround continued this season as they nearly captured a share of the MAAC crown. In the postseason Loyola reached the semifinals of the MAAC Tourney for the second time in as many years, but fell just a basket short of advancing to its first MAAC final.

Team MVP: Gerald Brown 18.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Top Scorer: Brown
Top Rebounder: Michael Tuck 7.2 rpg
Top Assists: Brian Rudolph 4.3 apg

Starters leaving: Brown and Tuck (graduation)

Key players returning: Brett Harvey and Rudolph

Outlook for next season: After yet another season of improvement, Loyola is in need of turning the corner before it can be considered a perennial MAAC force. The return of Harvey and Rudolph gives the Greyhounds the guard tandem necessary for MAAC success and Omari Isreal has the size and ability to dominate the MAAC middle.

5. Fairfield Stags (14-16, 11-7)

Pulling the ol’ above-below .500: The Fairfield Stags could not manage to win more than they lost, but were still the fifth-best MAAC team because of their strong conference play. The Stags recovered from an early season six-game losing streak thanks in some part to a late season seven-game surge which included six conference wins to conclude the regular season.

Team MVP: Jonathan Han 11.7 ppg, 6.2 apg
Top Scorer: Han
Top Rebounder: Anthony Johnson 7.3 rpg
Top Assists: Han

Starters leaving: None

Key players returning: Han, Johnson, Warren Edney

Outlook for next season: Second-year head coach Ed Cooley was able to inspire the young Stags to close out the regular season with seven straight victories. Virtually the same group returns and Cooley another season wiser. The Stags may look to threaten the top next season.

6. Marist Red Foxes (18-14, 11-7)

Continuing the winning: The Red Foxes were not able to match their success of last season’s MAAC regular season championship, but they did exceed expectations by posting their third consecutive season of 18 wins or more. Marist’s season was highlighted by two different five-game winning streaks.

The Red Foxes’ defense allowed a MAAC-low 68 points per game. It was this defense that stifled the high scoring Niagara Purple Eagles’ offense and led the Red Foxes into the next round.

Team MVP: Louie McCroskey 12.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Top Scorer: Jay Gavin 12.3 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Spongey Benjamin 6.9 rpg
Top Assists: David Devezin 4.3 apg

Starters leaving: McCroskey (graduation), Ryan Stilphen (graduation), Benjamin (graduation)

Key players returning: Gavin, Devezin

News: Former head coach Matt Brady exits to James Madison University. In his place is former John Calipari assistant Chuck Martin. Martin has added to his staff Paul Lee, formerly an assistant at Northwestern and Tyrone Weeks, also from Memphis.

Outlook for next season: Matt Brady exits after leading the Red Foxes to its first outright MAAC crown in 2006-2007, the same year he was named MAAC’s coach of the year. New coach Chuck Martin takes over a team that has won over 18 games for three consecutive seasons. Through Brady’s successful tenure his teams did not win a MAAC Tournament or advance to the NCAAs.

7. Iona Gaels (12-20, 8-10)

Where there is a Willard: First-year head coach Kevin Willard and the Gaels added 10 wins to the previous season’s tally, including seven more MAAC wins. While the season did end in improvement on last year’s debacle, it began with an ominous 0-7 start. But the young Gaels never flirted with last year’s losses and managed two three-game winning streaks. The season was highlighted by a sweep of the season series of their MAAC and in-state rival Manhattan.

Team MVP: Dexter Gray 11.3 ppg. 5.2 rpg, 1.3 apg
Top Scorer: Gray
Top Rebounder: Gary Springer 7.7 rpg
Top Assists: Kyle Camper 3.8 apg

Starters leaving: Camper (graduation), Gray (graduation)

Key players returning: Milan Prodanovic, Rashon Dwight, De’Shaune Griffin, Gary Springer

News: De’Shaune Griffin, Kevin Hassett and Andre Tarver were all released from the program.

Outlook for next season: Willard returns only one of his three double-digit scorers and the team – with the exception of Springer – is young. Springer will need to use his size in the middle to take advantage of smaller MAAC opponents, but he needs to stay on the floor longer and produce more on the offensive end. Rashon Dwight emerged as a playmaker and may be asked to take on more of the ball-handling.

8. Manhattan Jaspers (12-19, 5-13)

First time in a long time: For the first time since the 1998-99 season the Manhattan Jaspers finished a season as a sub-.500 team in the MAAC. The Jaspers struggled to find their footing, failing to win more than two games in a row and at one point dropping eight consecutive games – all during conference play. Barry Rohrssen’s second season did produce his first MAAC Tournament win, besting the St. Peter’s Peacocks.

Team MVP: Antoine Pearson 12.2 ppg, 2.3 apg
Top Scorer: Pearson
Top Rebounder: Rashad Green 5.0 rpg
Top Assists: Pearson

Starters leaving: none

Key players returning: Pearson, Devon Austin

Outlook for next season: The Jaspers lack size with experience, and with their best rebounder tipping the scales at 195 on his 6’4″ frame it is clear they need to find something in the middle from Devin Austin. Without support from the interior the guard tandem of Pearson and Chris Smith will need to find other ways to score.

9. St. Peter’s Peacocks (6-24, 3-15)

About the same: Second-year head coach John Dunne and the young Peacocks managed the identical MAAC win total from a season ago and only a marginal improvement in the overall win column (six compared to five from 2007). The season was highlighted by a victory over their larger, more renowned intrastate rival Rutgers, the first since 1995. But after evening their record to 2-2, St. Peter’s dropped 14 of their next 16 games, including two seven-game losing streaks. The postseason has brought no relief as the Peacocks were sent home in the first round for the second straight season.

Team MVP: Todd Sowell 12.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg., 2.2 blocks per game
Top Scorer: Wesley Jenkins 13.0 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Sowell
Top Assists: Nick Leon apg

Starters leaving: Sowell (graduation), Raul Orta (graduation)

Key players returning: Leon, Jenkins, Darrell Lampley, Akeem Gooding

Outlook for next season: The Peacocks return five of their top seven players who logged the most minutes played from a year ago. Four of these players were freshman and will have the opportunity to improve as a unit over the next three years. But the young group only managed one road win last season and managed the worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the MAAC at 0.64.

10. Canisius Golden Griffins (6-25, 2-16)

Win total halved: The Golden Griffins’ 16-year refusal to dwell at the bottom of the MAAC standings ended thanks to tallying exactly half of last season’s win total and earning only one MAAC victory during the regular season. Second year coach Tom Parrotta’s second losing season is the team’s seventh consecutive. However, Canisius did manage its eighth-straight opening round win in the MAAC Tournament, ousting Iona 64-59.

Team MVP: Frank Turner 12.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.6 apg
Top Scorer: Turner
Top Rebounder: Greg Loggins 5.5 rpg
Top Assists: Turner

Starters leaving: none

Key players returning: Turner, Loggins, Tomas Vazquez-Simmons

Outlook for next season: Loggins and Vazquez-Simmons are a promising frontline, but both are thin and not accustomed to scoring. Outside of Turner, one of the best passers in the MAAC, the Griffins were without a double-digit scorer, meaning many of his assists were in the hands of the league’s worst shooting team. Canisius must find someone for Turner to feed in order to utilize their best player, or they can expect to revisit the cellar next season.

MAAC Outlook for 2008-09

Much like 2007-08, the MAAC will be a tale of two divergent groups – those in contention and those who are not. No one team will run away with the MAAC crown, but the distinction will be clear by midseason which five teams are competing and which five are preparing for 2010.

Fairfield appears ready to contend while Rider, Niagara and Loyola may have lost too much.

St. Peter’s and Canisius do not appear to be ready to relinquish their place at the back of the line while the rest of the MAAC will be seesaw-like through conference play.

Last year’s winners must be next year’s favorites. Fran “Mr. Turnaround” McCaffery has coached a six-win team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Saints look set to become the MAAC’s version of a mini-dynasty.

MAAC Tournament Notes

MAAC Tournament Notes

by Ray Floriani

ALBANY, N.Y. – Saturday’s session at the MAAC tournament is always special. There are six games, perfect for the bona fide basketball fanatic. Whether you prefer the men’s or women’s game, the MAAC Saturday should be attended at least once, if not more.

Women’s Semifinals:
Iona 74, Fairfield 69
Marist 78, St. Peter’s 67

Men’s Quarterfinals:
Loyola 64, Fairfield 59
Siena 66, Manhattan 58
Rider 75, Canisius 71
Marist 66, Niagara 62

Game of the day: While it wasn’t the most artistic, the Loyola-Fairfield contest in the men’s quarterfinals gets the choice. Actually, at one point it had the makings of a yawner. Early in the second half Loyola had an 18-point lead and appeared completely in command. Fairfield got back into by finding the range from beyond the arc and getting defensive stops. The Stags got it to a one possession game in the stretch but were never able to draw even. Loyola kept them at bay and protected the lead in crunch time for a hard fought win.

“You can’t spot a team like Loyola a lead like that,” Fairfield coach Ed Cooley said. “You can’t play a twenty minute game. I give our kids credit for gutting it out and I also give credit to Loyola for executing their game plan.”

Fairfield finished the stretch of the MAAC season strong and Cooley sees a positive future. “Beat us now,” he said, “because we are only going to get better.”

Game we had to see: An early morning was not even an option. I had to get to Albany for the women’s semifinals, especially the Marist-St. Peter’s matchup. The teams met twice in the past two weeks, with Marist sweeping both hard-fought contests. The defending MAAC champions entered the semifinal with a completely unblemished record in conference play while St. Peter’s continued its run as a surprise team by edging Manhattan in a quarterfinal thriller the day before.

St. Peter’s kept pace but could not unseat the Red Foxes. Fouls played a big part of this one. St. Peter’s outscored Marist 23-19 in field goals but the Red Foxes were 34 of 44 from the line contrasted to St. Peter’s’ 16 for 23. Marist penetrated and got in the lane and utilized their size to get to the line. On the other end, Marist had foul trouble in their frontcourt and received a huge boost off the bench.

Sarah Smrdel, a 6-2 senior, came in and logged 27 minutes en route to a 10-point, 5-rebound, 5-block outing. St. Peter’s had a succession of good looks but failed to convert, something you can’t afford to do against a club like Marist. Lauma Reke led the Peahens with 16 points, while Alena Ali came off the bench to provide a spark with 13 points. Marist, though, had too many answers.

“We played hard and left it all on the court,” said St. Peter’s coach Stephanie DeWolfe. “They (Marist) have been there, plus they have so many options. You just can’t key on one player.”

Notes

• Phil Martelli, Jr. took in the afternoon sessions on a scouting mission. The Niagara assistant also spoke about the ten o’clock tip off his Purple Eagles had with Marist. “That’s a tough time to play,” Martelli said. “The kids are ready to go and almost don’t know what to do all day. Our pre game meal is even at six.” To break up the day, while he was scouting with another assistant, head coach Joe Mihalich took the club to a local sports club for an afternoon shoot around.
• Siena just had too much inside strength for Manhattan. The Saints’ Alex Franklin led the way with 26 points and 9 rebounds and was tough for Manhattan to handle in the paint. Devon Austin led the way with 17 points for Manhattan, but for a good part of the game he was virtually the Jaspers’ only source of offensive production.
• Fran McCaffery took time after the quarterfinals to commend Manhattan and coach Barry Rohrssen. “Barry’s done a great job bringing them along,” McCaffery said of the Manhattan mentor. “He’s developed the personnel and they are difficult to prepare for. They have Austin, one of the better scorers in our league, but they have a few others players that can score as well.”
  McCaffery the coach of top-seeded Siena, needed no motivational tools or speeches to get his club going for their quarterfinal matchup. “We lost at Manhattan ten days ago,” McCaffery said, “so our kids were ready to play.” McCaffery also lauded the play of lead guard Ronald Moore. The 6-0 sophomore had a very versatile 11-point, 7-rebound, 10-assist outing for the Saints.
• Rider defeated Canisius by 51 earlier in the year but survived a huge scare to edge the Griffs in the first evening contest. Jason Thompson led the way with 18 points and 11 boards for the Broncs. Rider enjoyed a 15-point lead in the first half before Canisius, behind Greg Logins (20 pts) and Frank Turner (19 pts 7 rebounds 7 assists), stormed back. The game was tied with five minutes to go before Rider pulled away in the stretch and survived a huge scare.
• In a game with 12 ties and 17 lead changes, Marist rallied in the stretch for the victory. The game ended the career of Niagara’s Charron Fisher, who had 23 points. Fisher struggled from the floor, shooting 9 of 26, including one of 4 beyond the arc. Fisher did add a career-high 16 rebounds.
• If you build it: Given their programs are now running on firm ground it’s hard to remember the magnitude of rebuilding jobs taken on by Tony Bozzella of Iona and Jimmy Patsos of Loyola.
  Bozzella took over a women’s program at Iona that, in his words, “had no history of winning. We had very little talent.” Bozzella went on to explain he had to get players who were talented and tough physically as well mentally. The first year (2002-03) he won one game. Gradually improvement came and last year the Lady Gaels won a school record 21 games and got to round two of the WNIT after dropping a heartbreaker in the conference final to Marist.
  Patsos arrived three years ago to inherit a program which had won one game the season before. By his second year, Patsos guided the Greyhounds to a 15-13 ledger, their first winning mark in a decade. Patsos has followed that up with two straight trips to the MAAC semis.
  “I have to give credit to Gerald Brown,” Patsos said of his outstanding senior guard after the win over Fairfield. “He could have gone to a lot of places and he picked us. He wouldn’t let us lose.”
• No longer in New York City: Parking a block from the Times Union Center, in a garage no less, was $5 – for the day. The attendant couldn’t believe that in New York City we pay about $35 to park (outside) two blocks from the Garden.
• Brian Giorgis had a problem. Not a serious one, but how could his Marist women’s team top last year with 29 wins? Easy: get 30, and that one came against St. Peter’s in the semis. “The last seven years we are the only team to top its win total each year,” said Giorgis, who runs a program respected and admired by fans and foes alike.

A few awards

• Best fans – On a numbers rating, it’s Siena. The more you have the louder you are. On a level of passion, Marist is right there, though the Marist devotion for the women’s program is exemplary.
  One negative with Siena was their booing of the Manhattan cheerleaders. Never boo the cheerleaders!
• Spirit citations – To the Fairfield and Marist cheerleaders, who cheered the women’s teams on Saturday morning and were back at it for the men’s contest later in the day.
  Special mention goes to Canisius Dance Team for best uniforms.
• Best Band – Marist. That’s an easy one.
• Best pass: A behind-the-back no-look beauty by Siena’s Josh Duell. The 6-7 forward threaded the needle with that beauty, but got no assist. The recipient dropped the ball out of bounds.
• Most “wired” coach: Not even close. It’s Jimmy Patsos of Loyola, who almost lives and dies with each possession, good or bad.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

Here is a look at the MAAC conference so far this season.

Rider Broncos (14-6 Overall, 7-2 MAAC)

Tied for first: Six straight W’s propelled the Broncos into first place with Marist. Rider, who began the MAAC schedule with at 1-2 record, is now at the top of the standings as the MAAC world eyes an all-out slugfest showdown with Marist on Jan. 30. The Broncos are lead by all-everything forward Jason Thomspon, who is averaging 20.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. His brother Ryan is the team’s leading assist man dishing over four assists per game. Rider’s margin of victory is the best in the MAAC, outscoring their adversaries by just over eight points per contest.

Battle for the top: at Saint Peter’s Jan. 27, at Marist Jan. 30, at Siena Feb. 2.

Marist Red Foxes (13-7, 7-2)

Wouldn’t call it a roll, but it’s a roll: Marist enters the weekend winning seven of their last eight games and recently rolled past two MAAC opponents. Matt Brady’s Red Foxes have not missed a beat since losing the nation’s assist leader and the team’s three highest scorers. Jay Gavin and Louie McCroskey have paced the offense at 13.4 and 12.4 ppg. respectively while David Devezin engineers it, leading the team in assists. Marist’s defense might be what pushes them into the field of 65 this season as they are able to hold their opponents to 68.7 ppg., second in the MAAC.

A challenge will be ahead as McCroskey will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his foot.

Protecting the regular season crown: Canisius on Jan. 27 and Rider on Jan. 20 in Poughkeepsie, at Siena on Feb. 2.

Siena Saints (12-7, 7-2)

Getting their wins in chunks: The Saints saw a winning streak halted at four by Loyola on Jan. 24, experiencing their largest conference loss of the season 85-56. The non-conference part of this season was highlighted by the Saints’ Nov. 17 win over then 20th-ranked Stanford, the first win over a ranked opponent under coach Fran McCaffery. Before the Loyola loss the Saints previous loss came in the closing seconds to Fairfield 53-52.

Siena leads the MAAC in scoring at 77.4 ppg. Edwin Ubiles leads the Saints, going for 16.6 ppg followed by Kenny Hasbrouck at 15.1 ppg. Siena labors on the glass and is currently the worst offensive and defensive rebounding team in the MAAC. Opponents out-rebound the Saints by about four rebounds per game.

Battle with the upper third: at Iona on Jan. 27, Rider on Feb. 2 and Marist on Feb. 4 in Albany.

Niagara Purple Eagles (12-6, 6-3)

Dance dance? The Purple Eagles are a blowout road loss out of first place in the MAAC and are in position to make a second consecutive tournament run. Niagara is led by the nation’s leading scorer in Charron Fisher, who averages 27.5 ppg and is also third in the MAAC in rebounds at 9.1 per. The Purple Eagles so far this season are the most prolific outside shooters in the MAAC in averaging just over eight makes per game.

The black and purple: at Fairfield Jan. 27, hosting Loyola on Feb. 1 and Loyola on Feb. 10.

Loyola Greyhounds (10-10, 6-3)

On pace for best under Pastos: Loyola is in the middle of a three-game winning streak, with two of those wins coming over teams in the fight for MAAC supremacy. Senior Gerald Brown leads the Greyhounds with 18.4 ppg, which is good for third in the conference. The Greyhounds’ most recent win was a 32-point basting of Siena. The Hounds can be turnover-prone, as their Jan. 13 loss to Fairfield proved where they booted 20 to the Stags. Overall Loyola has the third-worst turnover margin in the MAAC.

Others seeing Grey? at Manhattan Jan. 26, at New Jersey Institute Jan. 29, at Niagara Feb. 1.

Fairfield Stags (7-12, 5-4)

Keeping it close: The Stags may be two down in the win/loss columns, but they have kept each conference loss respectable. Fairfield’s MAAC losses are on average by less than six points, with only one loss being by double-digits (to Siena) and one they would later avenge. Fairfield’s defense, despite being the best scoring defense in the MAAC, still allows more (68.5) than the offense scores (62.6). The offense is led by its lone double-digit scorer Jonathan Han, who averages about 11 points per game.

Can close the gap on the road: Hosting Niagara on Jan. 27, at Canisius on Feb. 1, and at Niagara Feb 3.

Iona Gaels (7-14, 3-6)

Already more than last season: A year ago the Gaels were the last Division I team to win a basketball game. This season Iona has managed a winning streak that equaled one more than last season’s total victory output (three). First-year head coach Kevin Willard has rapidly turned around a team that endured the worst season in school history. Also a first: senior Dexter Gray has paced the Jaspers with 11.6 ppg in his first season as a full-time starter. Although the Gaels are out of the dregs of the MAAC, they have dropped their last two and suffered a mid-season five-game losing streak.

Seeking double digits: Hosting Siena on Jan. 27, at Manhattan on Jan. 30, at St. Peter’s Feb. 1.

Manhattan Jaspers (8-11, 2-7)

If they shot from the Chrysler Building they wouldn’t hit concrete: The Jaspers are currently in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the team’s longest of the season. Manhattan’s struggles are on both sides of the ball, playing up or down to the competition. In two games against MAAC leader Rider, the Jaspers scored at least 80 points in the two losses, but for the season the Jaspers are seventh in the league in scoring, the worst three-point shooting team in the conference and do not have a single player who averages double-digits. On the defensive side the Jaspers give up 76.2 points per game, the highest output by opponents in the MAAC.

Rookie Rashad Green has shown signs of good things to come while also keeping the Jaspers out of MAAC cellar.

Next games: hosting Loyola Jan. 26, hosting Iona at Madison Square Garden, at St. Peter’s on Super Sunday.

St. Peter’s Peacocks (4-15, 1-8)

Near bottom: The Peacocks have lost six consecutive games dating back to January 6th. St. Peter’s lone league win came in a battle to avoid the bottom with the team who currently occupies the last spot in the MAAC standings. Despite having one of the top scorers and the second-best rebounder in the conference in Todd Sowell, the Peacocks are the third-worst scoring team in the conference and are consistently out-rebounded. The Peacocks have a string of three MAAC home games where they will attempt to clot the current bleeding.

Game time: hosting Rider on Jan. 27, then Iona (ESPNU) on Feb. 1, and Manhattan on Feb. 3.

Canisius Golden Griffins (3-16, 1-8)

Finally beat Niagara: The Golden Griffins have toiled in the bottom half of the MAAC since the 2001-02 season finishing no better than fifth each of those seasons. But despite the less than favorable finishes Canisius managed to avoid the cellar each of those seasons. Last year the Golden Griffins tallied more wins than the prior, but the upward trend seems to have stopped. The Griffs are the worst team in the league in scoring – the only team in the league with under 60 points per game at 56.4 – and are at the bottom of the MAAC in field goal percentage.

It could get worse: at Marist Jan. 27, at home against Fairfield on Feb. 2 and Loyola on Feb. 3.

MAAC Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2007-08 Preview

by Matthew Moll

The cyclical nature of amateur sports is painstakingly pronounced in college basketball. This is particularly true in a conference like the MAAC, where small schools, their fans and coaches begrudgingly assume some peak or valley every two to four years. No right-minded fan would foolishly foresee half a decade of dominance.

Just two seasons ago Iona was on top of the MAAC world, giving eventual Final Four participants a scare in the first half of the NCAA tournament game. A season later they are the last team in the nation to win a game and they would only win one other. Jeff Ruland’s rise to “Coach of the Year” that was immediately followed by “floundering and desperate for a win” and led the distinction of a “bought out contract” may have been the starkest anti-turnaround in MAAC history. This season Iona is still young and with a new coach, but not with much higher expectations.

Two seasons ago St. Peter’s was a win away from the NCAAs and had the MAAC’s most potent scorer forcing their tempo. Last season the Peacocks were listless on offense and unlisted in the standings, racking up less than five conference wins. This season virtually the same team returns with the only place to go is last rather than second last as their highest expectation.

Expectations are reserved for other teams. One such team was considered a lame duck two seasons ago and too young a season later, while another boasted the peculiarity of never having a winning season for a decade.

Siena for the past two seasons pummeled prognosticators’ pre-season predictions and vaulted themselves into the meaningless number-one standing before the first tip-off polls. But the Saints are on notice and rightfully so after dispatching last season’s MAAC regular season champ with little regard for said polls in the 2007 MAAC Tournament.

Resuscitated by a former Maryland Terp in Jimmy Patsos, Loyola’s program and fan base can realistically think about dancing for the first time since the turn of the century.

But as the MAAC cycle continues to turn look for many of the same interested parties to make a run as well. Rider has a formidable team anchored by Jason Thompson and Manhattan is young but quick. Few will look past the lurking NCAA single-bid rep from last season. Niagara could easily leapfrog either Loyola or Siena and have last season’s NCAA run to prove what few question: in college basketball its not where you start, its how hot you are when you finish.

Hoopville Preseason Awards

First Team
Gerald Brown, Loyola Sr. G
Charron Fisher, Niagara Sr. G/F
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara Sr. G
Jason Thompson, Rider Sr. F
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena Jr. G

Second Team
Frank Turner, Canisius So.
Marquis Sullivan, Loyola Jr.
Devon Austin, Manhattan Jr.
Louie McCroskey, Marist Sr.
Ryan Stilphen, Marist Sr. F/C

Player of the Year
Jason Thompson

Defensive Player of the Year
Jason Thompson

Top Newcomer
Clarence Jackson, Siena, G

1. Siena Saints (20-12 overall, 12-6 MAAC)
Projected Starters: Kenny Hasbrouck, Ronald Moore, Edwin Ubiles (if/when he returns), Alex Franklin, Cory Magee

Significant games: at Syracuse on Nov. 12, NIT Season Tip-Off Nov. 12-13, ESPN BracketBusters Feb. 23.

The best before it starts: Before the indefinite suspension of Ubiles, the Saints needed to replace Michael Haddix’s points and intangibles per game. Now with Ubiles potentially out for the first half of the year, nearly 30 points per game are missing from last season’s MAAC Tournament final team.

But Mr. Rebuild-a-Program Fran McCaffery still has his floor general in Ronald Moore, his indispensable glue-guy Kenny Hasbrouck and a team that showed off-the-charts moxie playing against more experienced teams in last season’s MAAC tourney. While the Saints have shown what they can do in the postseason the teams below lurk with extended regular season success on their resumes.

2. Loyola Greyhounds (18-13, 12-6)
Projected Starters: Gerald Brown, Omari Israel, Marquis Sullivan, Brett Harvey, Michael Tuck

Team versus Team: At Seton Hall Nov. 20, at Illinois Dec. 28, at Kansas Jan. 8, BracketBusters Feb. 23.

Goat no more: Jimmy Patsos has erased a decade’s worth of ineptitude in his four seasons at the helm of the Greyhounds. This season Loyola returns the MAAC’s most prolific scorer and a prohibitive MAAC first teamer in Gerald Brown. The Providence transfer went for 22.2 per contest and has a cast of seasoned vets on the cusp of capturing MAAC greatness.

The Greyhounds have no glaring weaknesses on the perimeter (where they are exceptional) or at the four and five. The potential tail-between-the-legs for the Hounds is its lack of postseason success and what has them looking up in the preseason standings.

3. Niagara Purple Eagles (23-12, 13-5)
Projected starters: Charron Fisher, Stanley Hodge, Tyrone Lewis, Andrew Patterson, Benson Egemonye

Sea of Purple: at St. John’s Dec. 15, ESPN BracketBuster Feb. 23.

Stage set for back-to-back: Charron Fisher is healthy and back for the Purple Eagles, who look to be the first team to reach the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons since Bobby Gonzalez’s 2003 and 2004 Manhattan teams.

Joe Mihalich has one of the fiercest weapons in the MAAC in Fisher and a team playing with a chip on its shoulder after the sub-field of 65 seeding a tournament ago. Stanley Hodge will be near the top of the MAAC in assists, and if he can emerge as a leader Niagara could match last season’s late season magic.

4. Rider Broncos (16-15, 9-9)
Projected Starters: Jason Thompson, Harris Mansel, Lamar Johnson, Ryan Thompson, Joel Green

Not from Denver: ESPN Old Spice Classic Nov. 22-25, at Rutgers Dec. 27, ESPN BracketBuster Feb. 23.

Potentially a letdown: Full season number two for Tommy Dempsey starts with Jason Thompson, the default favorite for MAAC POY, on top of everyone’s list. Thompson is a force in the middle in a league shallow in the lane. Last season Thompson nearly averaged a double-double but could not push his team past the .500 mark in the MAAC, but this year a winning season is for the taking.

Thompson will attract double teams opening the floor for his sharp-shooting younger brother, but the Broncos are without their playmaker of yesteryear in Terrance Mouton and will need someone to feed Thompson the ball. Otherwise, the revered senior will exit the MAAC without the spoils of the post-season success.

5. Manhattan Jaspers (13-17, 10-8)
Projected Starters: Devon Austin, Patrick Bouli, Antoine Pearson, Herve Bangole, Andrew Gabriel

Highlighted highlights: hosting Fordham Nov. 28 and the BracketBuster on Feb. 23.

Youth Movement: The first season of the Barry Rohrssen era ended in a surprising fourth place MAAC finish and the team looked to return each of its major parts. Most parts have returned, but they are minus Arturo Dubois, as the man in the middle who secured the lane and caroled the team’s most caroms was dismissed from the team. The Jaspers are now a team with a single junior who has started a Division I basketball game.

Manhattan is young and had Dubois stayed he would have only been one of two upperclassmen with experience, but they proved last season they are able to string together numerous wins and become a threat. Where this team lands will frazzle prognosticators all season with their vacillating play.

6. Marist Red Foxes (25-9, 14-4)
Projected starters: Ryan Stilphen, Louie McCroskey, Dejuan Goodwin, Wilfred “Spongy” Benjamin

Brand new shoes: O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Nov. 15-18, ESPN BracketBusters Feb. 23.

Life without JJ: Matt Brady has a new contract and virtually a new team since the nation’s leading assist man, Jared Jordan, and his two highest-scoring cohorts graduated. Gone too is the pressure that comes with being number one. Last season the Red Foxes were the anointed favorites and delivered in the regular season before the MAAC tourney melt-down against Siena.

Marist will not be in that same category this season, but in a league where size is as rare as a spotted owl Stilphen could push this team into the upper echelon of the MAAC.

7. Fairfield Stags (13-19, 10-8)
Projected starters: Jonathan Han, Devin Johnson, Greg Nero, Marty O’Sullivan, Anthony Johnson

Gamey Game: At Wake Forest on Nov. 9, at Cincinnati Nov. 24, at Georgetown Dec. 1.

Wouldn’t be surprised if this is a surprising team: Ed Cooley’s second campaign might consist of the toughest non-conference schedule in the MAAC. But Cooley is armed with graduate student O’Sullivan and a trio of underclassman who have played a full season together and a full season under the Cooley system.

The combination of Devin and Anthony Johnson, who can rely on the junior Han to run the floor could prove to be a potent triumvirate. Senior Geoff Middleton will shore up the middle for the Stags as they look to try to erase their MAAC tournament first round exit from a season ago.

8. Canisius Golden Griffins (12-19, 6-12)
Projected Starters: Frank Turner, Menghe “Papi” a’Nyam, Pawel Malesa, Shaun James

Games to watch: At Penn State on Nov. 16, MAAC conference play starts Dec. 5, Big East power West Virginia Dec. 22, ESPNU BracketBuster Feb. 22.

Novice Lane Patrollers: The Golden Griffins will be without three seniors from last season’s double-digit win team. Coach Tom Parrotta can rely on Frank Turner, the MAAC’s second best assist-er from a year ago, but returns a team second from the bottom in field goal accuracy. Last season the anemic offense was lead by someone who averaged less than 15 ppg, but this season the Griffs lack size and experience in the middle, so discontinuing last year’s scoring blight could be Canisius’ Golden Fleece.

9. Iona Gaels (2-28, 1-17)
Projected Starters: Gary Springer, De’Shaune Griffin, Devon Clarke, Alejo Rodriguez, Kyle Camper

Matchy match match: Las Vegas Invitational Nov. 18-24 first round at North Carolina, at Louisville Dec. 29, at Vandy Dec. 31, at Madison Square Garden vs. Manhattan College Jan. 30.

Where there is a Willard there is a way: Last season’s 0-22 start and 2-28 finish was not a fitting exit for the coach who led the Gaels to three NCAA Tournaments and three MAAC crowns. But Jeff Ruland is out and Kevin Willard, a former Rick Pitino assistant, ushers in a new era.

Iona’s roster is wrought with inexperience and uncertainty. The team’s default leader, Gary Springer, missed all of last season and the highest returning scorer averaged less than eight points per contest. But with the new sideline manager to coincide with the facelift of the Hynes Center’s sidelines the Gaels cannot be worse than a season ago. Should Gaels pent-uple last year’s output it would be a major turnaround for the former MAAC titans.

10. St. Peter’s Saints (5-25, 3-15)
Projected Starters: Todd Sowell, Raul Orta, Tim Spitler, Akeem Gooding, Wesley Jenkins

40 Minutes: Hosting Rutgers on Nov. 25, at Seton Hall Dec. 4, ESPN BracketBusters Feb. 23

New feathers or same story: Last season the Peacocks’ offense scored at a glacial pace and racked up the wins similarly. The previous season’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder Todd Sowell returns to fortify the frontline with sophomore Akeem Gooding. Even with the solid post presence, staying out of the MAAC cellar might be the only realistic goal for the Peacocks.

John Dunne’s second season will require too much from the young supporting cast and senior guard Raul Orta to expect St. Peter’s to return to MAAC significance.

Do the Steve Miller – Dance, dance, dance

This season looks to have two separate packs; the five at the top and the five at the bottom. The five at the bottom will play spoiler and try to avoid the last place distinction while one through five will do the usual jockeying for a MAAC tournament double bye.

Mostly this will be a test for sophomore coaches who look to make their move after a year of practice. As always with the MAAC, as the team with the best guard play goes, so goes to the MAAC. With a total lack of middle men it will be again up to the boys on the wings to will an automatic bid.

MAAC Season Recap

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2006-07 Season Recap

by Matthew Moll

Unpredictability – the sine quan non of college basketball – took a year hiatus from the sport as a whole and from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season.

Marist, prognosticators’ pick for the regular season crown, dispensed all those who threatened the top spot. But the encumbrance of being in the number-one and having to defeat a team for the third time proved too much for the Red Foxes. Marist could not outlast Siena, a team they defeated twice in classic regular season overtime battles, halting the school’s first trip to the MAAC final. The Red Foxes recovered in the first round of the NIT, upsetting the Big 12′s Oklahoma State 67-64. The win was the second straight NIT first round upset by a MAAC school and marked only the third loss in 140 non-conference home games for the Cowboys.

Predictable struggles were also the rule.

Last season’s MAAC tournament finals reps encountered the capriciousness of success, falling to the bottom of the league. This is not unusual for senior-heavy teams, but both St. Peter’s and Iona suffered colossal breakdowns in losing for extended parts of the season. The Peacocks lost 17 consecutive games midway through the 2006-2007 campaign, while Iona was the last team in Division I to record a victory, coming out of the gates 0-22.

Fresh faces on the MAAC sidelines shocked no one by faltering at times as the growing pains of implementing new systems and trying to rejuvenate a crippled program loomed. New coaches from Manhattan, Fairfield, Canisius and St. Peter’s combined for a 29-43 MAAC record and each school finished in the bottom half of the league.

At season’s end there was a bit of surprise as the Niagara Purple Ealges swooped in to claim the MAAC. Niagara’s season began marred by off-season suspensions. But the Purple Eagles recovered to win 12 straight heading into the NCAA tournament. Niagara’s coach Joe Mihalich voiced his displeasure in Niagara’s seed in the play-in game, but the Eagles defeated Florida International 77-69 before losing in the first round to Kansas.

MAAC Tournament Recap

The MAAC tournament was highlighted by Marist vs. Siena the thrice. The pair exchanged blows in two overtime bouts during the regular season, but unlike the previous two match-ups Siena was victorious 86-78. For the second time in two years the MAAC tournament number-one seed was ousted before reaching the final.

In the end, it was Niagara who represented the MAAC in the NCAA’s. The Eagles defeated Rider and Loyola handily and sent back all efforts by the young Siena team to go on to the field of 65 for the second time in three seasons.

Player of the Year: Jared Jordan (Marist)
Co-Rookies of the Year: Frank Turner (Canisius), Edwin Ubiles (Siena)
Coach of the Year: Matt Brady (Marist)
Sixth Player of the Year: Michael Tuck (Loyola)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)

First Team:
Gerald Brown (Loyola)
Jared Jordan (Marist)
Charron Fisher (Niagara)
Jason Thompson (Rider)
Michael Haddix (Siena)

Second Team:
Michael Van Schaick (Fairfield)
Arturo Dubois (Manhattan)
Will Whittington (Marist)
Cliff Brown (Niagara)
Kenny Hasbrouck (Siena)

Third Team:
Chuck Harris (Canisius)
Darnell Wilson (Canisius)
Marquis Sullivan (Loyola)
Devon Austin (Manhattan)
Lorenzo Miles (Niagara)

All-Rookie Team:
Frank Turner (Canisius)
Greg Nero (Fairfield)
Antoine Pearson (Manhattan)
Tyrone Lewis (Niagara)
Edwin Ubiles (Siena)

Marist Red Foxes (25-9 Overall, 14-4 MAAC)

Still no MAAC tourney Final, but a win in the NIT: The Red Foxes came into the season as the prohibitive favorite to play in the MAAC tournament final, but the moniker of having “never played in the MAAC final” remains. Marist finished the regular season with eight consecutive wins, having the all-important momentum going into the tournament, but it could not be sustained against a young Siena team who stunned the regular season champs in the tourney.

Marist was able to recover to defeat Oklahoma State in the opening round of the NIT before losing to N.C. State three nights later.

Team MVP: Jared Jordan 8.7 apg,
Top Scorer: Will Whittington 17.5 ppg
Top Rebounder: James Smith 6.0 rpg
Top Assists: Jordan

Starters Leaving: Jordan (graduation), Whittington (graduation), Smith (graduation)
Key players returning: Ryan Stilphen, Benjamin Wilfred

Outlook for next season: The loss of the nation’s leading assist man and the team’s three highest scorers will put Marist in the same position as other previous MAAC winners. The rebuilding effort will center on big man Stilphen, but the Red Fox faithful should expect a significant drop in the standings.

Niagara Purple Eagles (23-12, 13-5)

Twice in three years: For the second time in three years, Niagara represented the MAAC in the NCAA tournament. The Purple Eagles won 12 straight games, including three wins in the MAAC tourney, before getting stomped by Kansas in the first round of the Dance.

Niagara was able to overcome preseason suspensions of six players, including leading scorer Charon Fisher – who was benched by the school for eight games – for assault charges brought last August to be one of the hottest teams in the nation entering the NCAAs.

Team MVP: Charron Fisher, 20.6 ppg., 8.0 apg.
Top Scorer: Fisher
Top Rebounder: Cliff Brown 9.7 rpg.
Top Assists: Stanley Hodge, 4.0 apg.

Starters Leaving: Brown, J.R. Duffey, Lorenzo Miles
Key players returning: Fisher

Outlook for next season: Joe Mihalich and Niagara agreed on a contract extension and Fisher will be back for the entire season which means the Purple Eagles will always have a chance. Brown’s toughness will have to be replaced, but after last season’s short bench and this season’s off-court adversity Niagara is poised to hold to true while they reload.

Loyola Md. Greyhounds (18-13, 12-6)

Two from 20: The Greyhounds were unable to string together more than four consecutive wins, but played well enough all season to be within a sniff of first in the MAAC. Loyola brought their regular season success into the MAAC tournament, tallying the first MAAC tourney victory in the Jimmy Patsos era, but fell to Niagara in the next round. It was the second loss to the Purple Eagles in three tries.

Team MVP: Gerald Brown 22.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg., 1.8 steals per game (first in the MAAC)
Top Scorer: Brown
Top Rebounder: Brown
Top Assists: Brett Harvey, 4.1 apg

Starters Leaving: Shane James (graduation)
Key players returning: Brown, Marquis Sullivan, Harvey, Michael Tuck

Outlook for next season: Jimmy P and company have overcome the proverbial first round MAAC tournament hump, but having a winning season is no longer enough and next season will be this team’s MAAC title to lose.

Siena Saints (20-12, 12-6)

A season of almost: Siena jockeyed all season with Marist, Loyola and Niagara for the double-bye in the MAAC tournament, but the Saints could not close out pivotal regular season match-ups and fell to fourth in the standings. Siena’s inexperience did not prevent them from engaging in some of the most exciting games of the season. The Saints fell twice to Marist in the regular season, both in overtime, but consecrated the rivalry by defeating Marist in the MAAC tournament to advance to the finals. In the MAAC finals Siena pushed Niagara until the closing minutes, but were unable to hold off the Purple Eagles ending its tournament run and season.

Team MVP: Michael Haddix, 16.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg
Top Scorer: Haddix, 16.3 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Haddix, 7.5 rpg.
Top Assists: Ronald Moore, 4.9 apg

Starters Leaving: Haddix (graduation), David Ryan (graduation)
Key players returning: Moore, Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin

Outlook for next season: Losing Haddix will be a major blow, not just in the box score, but in the locker room. Haddix’s battle back from injury may have meant as much as his actual play. But with the return of a core group of sophomores and juniors, maybe next year is next year for the Saints.

Manhattan Jaspers (13-17, 10-8)

Just about as expected: The Jaspers showed signs of promise this season, stringing together a winning streak of six games, but could not put together enough runs to contend with the top teams in the last weeks of the season. Manhattan’s season ended with a loss to Siena in the first round of the MAAC tournament, the third time the Jaspers fell to Siena in three tries this season. The loss marked the second straight season where the Jaspers lost in the team’s first game in the conference tourney.

Team MVP: Devon Austin 12.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg.
Top Scorer: Austin
Top Rebounder: Arturo Dubois 6.0 rpg.
Top Assists: Patrick Bouli, 2.7 apg

Starters Leaving: None
Key players returning: Austin, Dubois, Bouli, Antoine Pearson

Outlook for next season: The second year of the Barry Rohrssen era might be the first season he is coaching a Manhattan team favored to win the MAAC. The return of all major contributors coupled with the attrition at the top should result in a push for MAAC supremacy.

Fairfield Stags (13-19, 10-8)

Improve-isation: First-year coach Ed Cooley inherited a team which lost its leading scorer and could not manage double-digits victories the season before and turned them into a MAAC contender. The Stags hit some snags on the way to upping the MAAC win total, at one point losing five straight from the end of December through the first two weeks of 2007. Fairfield managed to rattle off seven consecutive MAAC wins to end the losing streak and position themselves as contenders. But the Stags were unable to sustain the momentum in the MAAC tournament, falling to Loyola, a team they defeated twice in the regular season, in the first round.

Team MVP: Mike Van Schaick 15.4 ppg., 3.9rpg
Top Scorer: Van Schaick
Top Rebounder: Marty O’Sullivan 5.5 rpg.
Top Assists: Jonathan Han 4.5 apg

Starters Leaving: Van Schaick (graduating), O’Sullivan (graduating)
Key players returning: Han, Greg Nero, Anthony Johnson

Outlook for next season: Cooley’s second season will look similar to his first with a roster full of unproven scorers and guards who are able to distribute. Both Nero and Johnson will need to up their scoring load as Han continues to establish himself as one of the MAAC’s best distributors.

Rider Broncos (16-15, 9-9)

Fully non-interim: In Tommy Dempsey’s first season not as an interim head coach, the Broncos doubled the number of wins from last season. Rider began the season 4-0, but could not match those numbers during the regular season or in MAAC play. The Broncos opened the MAAC Tournament with a win over the lowly Gaels, but lost in the second round to eventual champion Niagara.

Team MVP: Jason Thompson 19.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg.
Top Scorer: Thompson (2nd in the MAAC)
Top Rebounder: Thompson (1st in the MAAC)
Top Assists: Terrance Mouton 4.3 apg.

Starters Leaving: Mouton (graduation)
Key players returning: The Thompson brothers (Jason and Ryan), Harris Mansell, Lamar Johnson

Outlook for next season: Jason Thompson will contend for the MAAC POY honors with a team that continues to improve. The loss of Mouton must be accounted for or else this team, which continues to flirt with its potential, will run its course and Thompson’s years of potential will be exhausted.

Canisius Golden Griffins (12-19, 6-12)

More wins, but not a winning season: The Golden Griffins slotted more W’s than last season’s single-digit performance, but are now six straight seasons without a winning one. First-year coach Tom Parrotta managed to extend the streak of flummoxing first round opponents, but fell in the second round to Marist. The Griffins have not advanced past the quarterfinal round since 2002.

Team MVP: Chuck Harris, 14.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg.
Top Scorer: Harris
Top Rebounder: Darnell Wilson, 7.5 rpg.
Top Assists: Frank Turner 5.6 apg.

Starters Leaving: Wilson, Harris and Herring (graduation)
Key players returning: Turner and Pawel Malesa

Outlook for next season: Freshman phenom Frank Turner was the second-best dime-dropper in the MAAC this season and appears to be a potential force as he matures. Turner was able to make noise with the pass despite the second-worst team field goal percentage in the MAAC. Next season Turner will need new targets with the departure of the three seniors. If no one rises to the new role, the Griffs will continue to languish in the lower rungs of the league.

Saint Peter’s Peacocks (5-25, 3-15)

Offense catatonic without Clark: Scoring machine Keydren Clark’s graduation meant the Peacocks would be without their leading basket maker, but also meant they would be without their spark. John Dunne, taking over for the legendary Bob Leckie, who last season led Saint Peter’s to the MAAC tourney final, was unable to continue the Peacocks’ streak of winning seasons, stopping the streak at four.

The senior-less squad could never get on a track and struggled at all points during the season, losing 17 straight from the end of December to the second week in February.

Team MVP: Todd Sowell 13.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg
Top Scorer: Raul Orta 13.3 ppg
Top Rebounder: Sowell
Top Assists: 3.5 apg

Starters Leaving: none
Key players returning: Orta, Sowell, Akeem Gooding

Outlook for next season: The Saints will return one of the best rebounders in the MAAC next season in Sowell and the rest of the starting five, but this group was the second-worst in record and scoring and will need a jumpstart to the stagnant offense.

Iona Gaels (2-28, 1-17)

From First to Worst: This season was slated as a rebuilding year for the defending MAAC champs, but Jeff Ruland and the young Gaels had the worst start in school history. Iona was the last team in Division I to win a game, beginning the season 0-22. The Gaels managed to lose in creative ways, losing three times in overtime and two others in the closing seconds.

Team MVP: Anthony Bruin (12.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
Top Scorer: Bruin
Top Rebounder: Bruin
Top Assists: De ‘Shaune Griffin (2.0 apg)

Starters Leaving: Bruin (graduation), Justin Marshall (graduation)
Key players returning: Gary Springer, Griffin

Outlook for next season: Rick Pitino disciple Kevin Willard will replace Jeff Ruland, who led the Gaels for nine years to three MAAC titles and three NCAA tournaments.

Willard spent six seasons at Louisville and will be one of six former Pitino assistants to have a D-I head coaching position, including his father Ralph, who coaches at his alma mater Holy Cross.

Willard will inherit a young team that has nowhere to go but up, and by season two will be expected to conjure up his mentor’s recruiting magic.

MAAC Tournament Semifinal Notes

MAAC Semifinal Notes

by Ray Floriani

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Defense wins championships. More than a coaching cliché, it was the order of the evening as it played an instrumental part in Siena and Niagara advancing to the MAAC finals. Siena upset top seed Marist 86-78 in the opener, then Niagara led from virtually tap to buzzer in defeating Loyola in the nightcap.

In the opener, Siena came out with some tough defense. That didn’t surprise Marist coach Matt Brady, but what did surprise Brady was Siena’s shooting. “We were ready for their (Siena’s) defense,” Brady said.” But they shot the ball very well. Our defense let us down.”

Siena trailed by six at the half, then shot 64 percent the final twenty minutes to seal the verdict. Siena guard Kenny Hasbrouck led all scorers with 26 points. Will Whittington led Marist with 19, while the ever dangerous Jared Jordan scored 18 but suffered through a 6-of-17 shooting night.

“We had a game plan and our players bought into it,” Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. It simply involved defending the three-pointer, sprinting back on defense and defending Jordan. Marist (39 percent from the field) shot 11-of-35 from three with the normally deadly Jordan a cool 2-of-8.

“Each game we kept getting better,” Hasbrouck said.” Tonight we showed how good our defense is.”

There were several keys to Niagara’s 89-79 victory in the second game.

• Defense: Loyola did score 79 points, but was held to 43 percent shooting the second half. Niagara also owned the battle of the boards, a key part of defense, with a 41-23 edge. MAAC leading scorer Gerald Brown went for a game-high 26 points. He was 7-of-18 from the floor and no one else on Loyola did significant damage.
• Attacking the basket: The Purple Eagles took 26 threes, hitting seven. They did make a priority of getting in the lane and going to the basket. In the final eight minutes of the first half, Niagara scored 10 field goals, 8 of them in the paint. A number of those threes became available when Loyola sagged and the penetrator kicked it out to the perimeter.
• Tyrone Lewis: The 6′ freshman guard led Niagara with 23 points in relief. Coming off the bench, Lewis brought instant energy as one of the primary intruders in the lane on the Niagara attack.

Niagara led by ten at the half. After intermission the Purple Eagles consistently enjoyed double-digit leads. Loyola coach Jimmy Pastos countered Niagara’s inside presence utilizing two big men. Hassan Fofana (11 points) and Michael Tuck (9 points) basically did their damage when the issue had virtually settled.

The Purple Eagles, winners of 11 straight, had three other players in double figures: guard Lorenzo Miles (22 points) and forwards Cliff Brown (18) and Charron Fisher (16)

Notes

• Lewis gives Niagara a great deal of energy and fire power off the bench. His role came quite by accident. “He was starting early but got hurt against Duquesne,” Niagara assistant Phil Martelli Jr. said. “We put (Rydell) Brooks in the starting lineup, and when Lewis came back he came in he actually gave us a lift coming off the bench. Now that’s his (Lewis) role.”
  Lewis was selected to the All-Rookie team. The Co-Rookies of the year were Canisius’ Frank Turner and Edwin Ubiles of Siena. Lewis said he “wasn’t upset about it (not getting a share of the top award). I just want to go out and play hard every night.”
• Siena assistant Mitch Buonoguro was naturally pleased to be in the final but not totally shocked his team beat Marist. “We played them and both games (Siena losses) went into overtime,” Buonoguro said. “Our kids came out with a lot of confidence and believed they could win.” Buonoguro praised the MAAC balance in saying, “I thought six teams had a legitimate chance to win this tournament.”
• Marist’s seniors, whom Brady felt particularly bad for, felt the pain. Star guard Jared Jordan was very short on words in just saying, “I thought we were the best team here. We are just very disappointed.”
• “I am disheartened for our seniors, especially the guards,” Brady said. “They have been the face of our program since I’ve been here.”
• It was a bit of a charmed existence for Niagara. Twice in the second half, the shot clock was winding down and the Purple Eagles had to settle for a desperation shot. One time, Lorenzo Miles drained a thirty-five footer. On another occasion, a rushed trey missed but Niagara’s Stanley Hodge, a high school teammate of Miles, grabbed the rebound and converted on the offensive board.
• Earlier in the day the Marist women defended their MAAC title by defeating Iona in overtime. The Marist team was at the men’s contest and junior guard Nikki Flores spent the game proudly clutching the championship trophy and the net.
• By a quirk in schedule Niagara hasn’t met Siena since January 5th. “We played Rider and Loyola (two earlier opponents) recently,” Niagara coach Joe Mihalich said. “Siena is a lot different from when we faced them last, so tonight we’ll be up late watching tape.”

On the Baseline

• The Niagara cheerleaders also had an eight-hour bus ride that began 4:30 A.M. on Thursday, similar to Canisius. They had another obstacle as well: a virus. “It’s been going around like crazy but fortunately no one missed a game,” said cheer coach Keiyonna Hill, who sounded like a basketball mentor.
• On hearing my Bonaventure alumni background, Niagara cheerleader Ericka Daubert, a freshman from Mexico, NY, urged me to root for Niagara. Impartiality rules but she was happy to hear the objective truth: Joe Mihalich is a class guy doing a great job running a solid mid-major program.

Final MAAC Tournament Notes

Final Notes on the MAAC Tournament

by Ray Floriani

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The nets are cut down, champions crowned and now it’s time for a final look back on the MAAC tournament.

Monday evening saw this writer on an officiating assignment before catching Siena-Niagara on ESPN2. At the Hoop Zone in Englewood (NJ), the reminder of the MAAC was there as Tony Hargraves, a star for Iona in the Eighties, was there to see his son play. Tony lives in nearby Teaneck and also is an official these days. And he did mention how officiating partners kidded him about Iona’s season all winter.

“I’ll tell you,” Hargraves said. “We (Iona) went from champion to the bottom and we could get right back on top next season.”

It could be a stretch, but Hargraves is right. The MAAC is a balanced league. As Siena assistant Mitch Buonoguro said the other night, there were maybe six teams in the running for the title. You can rebuild or reload very quickly in this league.

Further evidence of the balance: Three weeks prior to the tournament, Niagara barely edged struggling St. Peter’s by pulling out a four-point road win. The difference from top to bottom is not that huge in this conference.

Joe Mihalich did a great job guiding Niagara to the championship. Following some off- court problems and suspensions in the fall, the Purple Eagles started at 1-6. With everyone back, they gradually gained momentum and haven’t lost since January 28. Ironically, the last loss was to Fairfield in the same building the tournament was held. Winners of a dozen straight, depending on their seed, Niagara will not be an easy out for their first round opponent. They are a physical club with athleticism. More importantly, they are riding a solid win streak with good team chemistry and a “respect everyone fear no one” outlook.

Niagara edged Siena 83-79 in a thrilling final that went down to the final minute. Tournament MVP Tyrone Lewis led all scorers with 24 points, while Lorenzo Miles added 21 for Niagara. Cliff Brown also came up big for the winners with a solid 14-point, 16-rebound effort. Niagara plays with a great deal of energy and does a lot of damage inside. They defeated Siena on the boards with a 47-38 edge, 20 of those rebounds coming at the offensive end.

Exciting as it was, it was a tough final to see any coach lose. In Mihalich and Siena’s Fran McCaffery you have two fine coaches who are also great friends and class acts.

Marist won the regular season, but as Matt Brady said, you have to feel especially bad for the seniors. When everything is in place for that championship run you have to grab it. You do not know when the opportunity to take the title will again present itself.

Marist’s outstanding senior guard Jared Jordan made a favorable impression on Charlotte Bobcats scout George Candia. “He (Jordan) is smart and can play,” Candia said. “I have to see him again to see how he finishes in traffic and defensively how good he is in a man-to-man.”

No one would have criticized Iona coach Jeff Ruland for exiting town after his long season ended on Friday. Sunday afternoon Ruland was in the stands to support the Iona women in their final. It was a wonderful gesture on Ruland’s part.

The Iona women came up ever so close in an overtime loss to defending champion Marist. Coach Tony Bozzella, who took LIU to the NCAAs a few years ago, has done a great job rebuilding the Iona program. The Lady Gaels also excel in the classroom, as a conference-leading 9 players were named to the MAAC All-Academic team.

Matt Brady was a well-deserved choice as MAAC Coach of the Year. Brady is best known for his 11 years with Phil Martelli at Saint Joseph’s. Brady did serve as an assistant with two other coaches of note, as he began his career on Tom Penders’ staff at URI before heading to Wagner to assist Tim Capstraw.

Arena at Harbor Yards seats 9,000 for basketball, with the best sessions seeing an attendance of about 50 percent capacity. That still gave it an appreciable atmosphere. As one AD noted, when the tournament is in Buffalo and you draw four or five thousand, there is no atmosphere because you are in an arena seating 19,000 plus. A venue of Harbor Yards is perfect for the MAAC.

MAAC Tournament Notes

Notes on the MAAC Quarterfinals

by Ray Floriani

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Opening round action in the MAAC tournament held true to form. For St. Peter’s, the No. 9 seed, their season ended at the hands of No. 8 Canisius. Iona’s season ended at the hands of Rider, a team it defeated for its first victory this long campaign.

The Peacocks of St. Peter’s finished up 5-25. Head coach John Dunne, completing his first year at the helm, spoke outside his locker room following the 62-48 loss. Dunne explained how the 3-2 matchup of Canisius forced his offense to dribble a bit more for open looks and how the Griffs’ Pawel Malesa came off the bench to hit a few big shots and turn the tide. Dunne also spoke about the season in retrospect.

“It was a great experience,” Dunne said. “The guys in that locker room never quit. They worked hard in practice each day and I enjoyed coaching them.”

Dunne was left with basically a seven-player rotation. During the season there were suspensions and dismissals. The former Louis Orr assistant at Seton Hall made sure he was putting his stamp on the program. Dunne probably sacrificed three or four wins with disciplinary actions, but it was all about short term pain for long term gain, and about building a program. The future is promising with virtually everyone back.

“The guys we have coming back are looking to improve,” Dunne said. “They want to get started in the spring and do what it takes to get better.”

The long season ended. Still, John Dunne did not sound like a “glad that’s over” type. He honestly can’t wait to get back on the recruiting trail and working with the existing players. “We have youth and experience,” he said. “We will improve.”

The game with St. Peter’s was a dangerous one for Tom Parrotta’s club. They swept St. Peter’s, but were coming into the game on an eight-game slide. A win in the opener would put them in a meeting with top seed Marist, whom they spilt with during the season.

“We had to focus on St. Peter’s and take care of business,” Parrotta said. “We couldn’t look ahead to Marist.”

The eight-game slide did not hurt Canisius’ mindset according to Parrotta. “During a losing streak, you have an emotional situation and people can start going in different directions,” he said. “Our guys have stayed together and worked hard. During those eight games we ran into some good teams playing well, so that contributed to it. We approached this tournament as a beginning of a new season.”

Game of the day: Siena’s last-second win over Fairfield in the women’s quarterfinals. It came off a broken play with the Saints down two. Siena tried to go inside but the pass was denied. The ball squirted loose, and point guard Melissa Manzer gathered it and fired. “I shot it almost from my knees,” she said later, and buried a trey with 2 seconds remaining. Fairfield could not get a shot off on the inbound, giving Siena a 56-55 win. It was a classic four-five matchup with the lower seed winning. Talk about “survive and advance”.

I absolutely love the location. Arena at Harbor Yards is just off Route 95. The arena is next to the ballpark that houses Bridgeport’s Atlantic League franchise and is just 75 minutes from the residence of yours truly. The facility is relatively new and with great viewing for fans as well. Another plus is the sound system that occasionally plays some Doors music during timeouts. The only complaint about the venue on press row was that the media hotel did not have a liquor license.

A nice gesture was the Siena men’s team and coaches coming out in full force to support the women in their quarterfinal game. Gina Castelli, the Siena women’s coach, is highly thought of by Saints’ men’s mentor Fran McCaffery. “We try to support her program as much as possible.” The Siena women also acknowledged the men’s team support in post-game interviews.

One has to me impressed with the Marist women’s team. The defending MAAC titlist and “flagship” program of the conference in recent seasons, Brian Giorgis’ top-seeded club dispatched No. 8 Manhattan 55-42 in the quarterfinal. “Our system is built on guards who take care of the ball, though I wasn’t one today, post players that can shoot and defense,” junior guard Nikki Flores said. Flores scored seven points, but committed an uncharacteristic five turnovers. Her hustle was infectious, as she was diving for loose balls with Marist up 15 and five minutes left. “That’s the only way I know how to play,” said Flores, who idolizes Michael Jordan and Sue Bird. Nice decisions on her part.

On the Baseline

• There are conferences that regulate the number of cheerleaders at their tournament. The MAAC favors participation for all. During one women’s quarterfinal, Marist had 23 cheerleaders.
• The Siena-Fairfield game saw the hosts with 21 cheerleaders, 12 dance team members, 1 band and 1 mascot, while Siena had just 1 mascot.
• Finally, during my St. Bonaventure days I never praised our despised “Little Three” rivals, but times change and a mention of distinction goes out to the Canisius cheerleaders. They bussed from Buffalo at one on Friday morning. En route, they changed into uniforms at a McDonalds. After an eight-hour trip they got off the bus, warmed up and cheered the women at 11:30 A.M. After a short rest, they were on the floor at 6:30 for warm-ups for the men’s game an hour later. “I’m so glad we won,” coach Jessica Przybyl said after the men’s game, “not just for the team but now these kids (cheerleaders) can finally check into their hotel rooms and sleep in a bit.”