Fairfield

State of '08: Connecticut

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:44:40 -0700

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

Up today: Connecticut. For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

CONNECTICUT

UCONN - Not much thought involved in making this pick. Outside of a dismal 2007 campaign, Jim Calhoun's Huskies have always hovered around the Top 25, and this year's crew has Elite Eight potential. UCONN blows away their in-state competition.

CENTRAL CONNECITCUT STATE - Despite coming off a down year (208 RPI), CCSU is consistently one of the best teams in the NEC. The other Blue Devils have made three NCAA Tournaments under Howie Dickenman, including 2000, 2002, and 2007.

FAIRFIELD - With the exception of a weak 2006 campaign, Fairfield is almost always competitive in the MAAC. In fact, except for '06, the Stags have won 10+ league games every season since 2003 and should once again reach that mark in 2009 (CHN projects they'll finish 4th in the league). But despite this consistency, the program hasn't made the big dance since 1997.

YALE - After taking over in 1999, James Jones has done a good job giving Yale basketball some needed respect. While the 2002 NIT trip (Yale won their only postseason game in 107 years that season) seems like a bit of an aberration, at least the Bulldogs are now consistently mediocre. Yale has gone .500 or better in the Ivy League in every season since 2001.

SACRED HEART - After joining D1 in 1999, Sacred Heart was one of the worst teams in the country (3 wins in 2000 with a 308 RPI for example), but long-time head coach Dave Bike has finally found some success at the top level. The Pioneers have won 18 games each of the last two years, and won 2 NEC Tournament games each season as well

6. HARTFORD - Since a horrible 2005 campaign (300 in the RPI), Hartford has improved each season. Now under the guise of Dan Leibovitz, the Hawks are coming off an 18-win season in which they finished 2nd in the America East (their best ever AE finish) and are our preseason pick to win the league in 08-09.

7. QUINNIPIAC - The Bulldogs are coming off of one of their bests seasons in years, winning 15 games and going 11-7 in the NEC. But that's not saying much considering from 2004 to 2006, they were one of the worst programs on the East Coast..

Last: Colorado - Next: Washington, D.C.

State of '08: The Introduction

2008-09 Fairfield Basketball Preview: #140

Joel Welser — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:06:56 -0700

Overall Rank: #140

Conference Rank: #4 Metro Atlantic

2007-08: 14-16, 11-7, 5^th

2007-08 postseason: none

Fairfield struggled early in the 2007-2008 campaign, but a seven game winning streak in February has the momentum moving in the right direction for Coach Ed Cooley and company. Jonathan Han is the team’s leader after averaging 11.7 points and 6.2 assists as a junior. Herbie Allen and defensive specialist Lyndon Jordan will join him in the backcourt. All three of those guards can handle the ball and it is always nice to have players like that.

Who’s Out:

Forwards Mamadou Diakhate, Geoff Middleton and Marty O’Sullivan did not see much action last season, but they were relatively big guys who could come in and grab some rebounds and occasionally score a few points. O’Sullivan is the biggest loss of the group and averaged 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds during his senior campaign. Guard Devin Johnson has left the program after seeing his playing time diminish significantly during his sophomore season.

Who’s In:

With seven players returning who started at least 14 games a year ago, the newcomers do not have to do much more than provide depth this year. Guards Jamal Turner and Sean Crawford might be the most important two. If Jordan fails to become anything more than a defensive specialist, Turner and Crawford will be the offensive spark coming off the bench. Shimeek Johnson and Rob Sisca could play that role too, but from the small forward spot. Sisca, a transfer from Vermont, is pretty much just a 6-5 sharpshooter from long range. If his game develops some more dynamics, Sisca could battle for more playing time, but at the moment he is likely to see most of his minutes when the Stags need another three-point specialist on the floor. Center Ryan Olander will provide some depth, but Brandon Davis should have the folks in Fairfield the most excited. Davis, who was once recruited by places like Clemson and Oklahoma State a couple years of ago, is expected to immediately add even another dimension to a deep frontcourt. The 6-8 power forward spent a little time at prep school where his recruiting dropped, but that should end up being great news for the Stags.

Who to Watch:

But even without Davis, this is a team with plenty of frontcourt weapons. Greg Nero started a majority of the games last season and can battle in the paint and step outside and hit the mid-range jumper. Mike Evanovich is a superb shooter from long range. At 6-9, he does a great job of stretching out the opposing defense. If his defense improves, it will be hard to keep Evanovich out of the starting lineup. Anthony Johnson is the best interior scorer and rebounder on the team and will pick up right where he left off. The 6-8 Lake Wales, Florida product averaged 9.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks as a sophomore. Now that he is an upperclassman, Johnson should take on more of a leadership role and collecting some double-doubles should not be a rare occasion.

Final Projection:

This is a pretty experienced team, but there are still some youngsters who need to step up and play a bigger role, most notably wings Warren Edney and Yorel Hawkins. Edney improved just about every game during his freshman season and is expected to battle for a starting job with Hawkins. Hawkins had higher expectations than Edney, but his 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per contest were pretty much on level with Edney. If Hawkins can stay healthy, he could be the best player on the team and that is a scary thought for the rest of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Jonathan Han, Senior, Guard, 11.7 points per game

Herbie Allen, Senior, Guard, 8.8 points per game

Warren Edney, Sophomore, Forward, 6.4 points per game

Greg Nero, Junior, Forward, 8.3 points per game

Anthony Johnson, Junior, Forward, 9.6 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

NYC Metro Review Part 2: Teams 6-11

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:00:18 -0700

After the top five in the final rankings, there were a few schools that hovered around the .500 mark for most of the season, only to come out on the short end so to speak. But that doesn’t mean that this season was a complete failure for teams such as LIU, Fairfield and Yale. The Blackbirds finished dead even at 15-15, their first non-losing record 1997-98. Jim Ferry’s team, led by guard Jaytornah Wisseh and forward Eugene Kotorobai, will have to replace Kotorobai and Kellen Allen as they look to improve upon this season’s seventh-place finish in the Northeast Conference.

As for the Stags of Fairfield (14-16), head coach Ed Cooley will see key contributors such as Second-Team All-MAAC performer Jonathan Han and backcourt partner Herbie Allen back next season. Yale (13-15), who was expected by some to be more of a player in the Ivy League race (it ended up being everyone try to chase Cornell), has to replace a mainstay at guard in Eric Flato, along with swingman Caleb Holmes and big man Matt Kyle. But some key contributors will be back next season, led by forward Ross Morin.

Also in the group is a pair of Big East schools in St. John’s and Rutgers, and Fordham. Both Big East members were extremely young this season, but a year of seasoning along with some key recruits (especially Mike Rosario at Rutgers) should allow both to be in the top five next year. Fordham, on the other hand, can fall back one no such excuse as their season would have to be regarded as a disappointment. And that word may be kind. But before the ranking of those six teams, here are the members of the Second-Team All-Metro squad.

Second-Team All-Metro

G Manny Ubilla (Fairleigh Dickinson) - 20.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, 42.9% 3PT

A member of the NEC’s Second Team All-Conference squad, Ubilla was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing year for Tom Green’s Knights. The senior from Freehold, N.J. failed to reach double figures just twice this season, and he also ranked second in the conference in three-point percentage. His best scoring effort this season was the thirty-nine he dropped on Rhode Island back on January 2^nd.

G Mark Porter (Wagner) - 16.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.9 spg

One of the keys to the success enjoyed by the Seahawks was the play of the senior guard from Atlantic City, also named First Team All Conference in the NEC. His 5.5 assists per game ranked behind only Robert Morris’ Tony Lee in the NEC, and he led a team with five players averaging double figures in points per game. The senior will definitely be missed on the Staten Island campus next season. Porter, who averaged thirty-seven minutes per game this season, had three games in which he reached double digits and assists and two double-doubles.

F John Baumann (Columbia) – 16.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 51.4% FG

The main cog in the Lions’ attack, Baumann was named to the Ivy League’s First Team All-Conference squad due to his efforts. Baumann, who leaves Columbia as the number six scorer in the history of the program, ranked second in the Ivy League in all three categories listed above and first in scoring in Ivy League games. For the second straight season Columbia finished at .500 in conference play, something that wouldn’t have been possible if not for the hard work of Baumann.

F Todd Sowell (St. Peter’s) – 12.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg

To describe the senior forward from Brooklyn as a warrior would be appropriate, given the fact that he gave his all each and every night out on the floor for the Peacocks. Named to the MAAC’s Second Team All-Conference squad for his effort, Sowell averaged the second double-double of his career (he also did this as a sophomore). They may not have won many games, but the Peacocks may have done even worse than their six wins if not for Todd Sowell. He’ll definitely be missed in Jersey City.

F Durell Vinson (Wagner) – 13.6 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 55.8% FG

Vinson, like Mark Porter (they’ve been teammates in both high school and college), was named to the Northeast Conference’s First Team All-Conference squad and was the difference-maker this season for Mike Deane’s Seahawks. Last season Wagner sputtered without the services of their most dependable big, but this year they finished in second place in the NEC. How dominant was Vinson on the glass this season? His average was tops in the NEC by four rebounds per game.

Final Rankings 6-11

6. Fairfield (14-16)

The Stags, after getting off to a slow start for the second consecutive season, were able to fight their way back into the thick of the MAAC regular season race by season’s end. Alas, they fell short of the top spot and ended up finishing in fifth place, losing to Loyola (MD) in a close MAAC quarterfinal. While they do lose seniors such as Marty O’Sullivan and Mamadou Diakhate, the bulk of this team will be back in forwards Greg Nero and Anthony Johnson, and guard Jonathan Han and Herbie Allen. They’ve got a shot to make some noise in the MAAC next season.

7. Fordham (11-17)

Heading into the season, you would have thought that the Rams would have a better shot at finishing 17-11 instead of 11-17. But even with five senior starters returning, they found a way to plummet from the preseason prognostication of fifth in the Atlantic 10 to twelfth, barely qualifying for the conference tournament. Bryant Dunston once again did the job inside, and as a team Dereck Whittenburg’s squad did improve offensively. But they weren’t consistent enough on defense, or when it came to taking care of the basketball. It’ll be interesting to see what this team can do next year with a recruiting class led by guard Jio Fontan arriving on campus.

8. St. John’s (11-19)

The Red Storm certainly went through their share of growing pains, hitting rock bottom in the blowout loss to Georgetown in the Garden, a place in which the two charter members of the Big East have staged many memorable battles. The 74-42 was one for the books as well, and not for good reasons either. The only key contributor who won’t be back is senior guard Eugene Lawrence, which should mean that Norm Roberts’ team is ready to make a move up the Big East standings. Forwards Anthony Mason Jr. and Justin Burrell will be the headliners in 2008-09.

9. Long Island (15-15)

The Blackbirds head into the off-season with optimistic thoughts following their best season in ten years, along with the fact that a few of the key contributors are slated to return. Guard Jaytornah Wisseh was one of the NEC’s best by season’s end, and he’ll be back along with two members of the league’s All-Rookie Team in guards David Hicks and Kyle Johnson. Pairing those two with Wisseh will make the Blackbirds quite dangerous in 2008-09.

10. Yale (13-15)

The Bulldogs finished .500 in conference play, the eighth straight season in which they’ve completed Ivy League play with at least seven league wins. And in another dose of good fortune, they’ll return a pair of Second Team All-Conference Team members in forwards Travis Pinick and Ross Morin. Both led the conference in a statistical category (in Ivy League games), with Pinick averaging 8.9 rebounds per game and Morin shooting 64.2% from the field. But unfortunately for head coach James Jones, he’ll have to replace a quartet of seniors led by team captain Eric Flato.

11. Rutgers (11-20)

It was a tough way for the young Scarlet Knights to learn what playing in the Big East is all about, but they should all be back next season and they head into 2008-09 on a positive note. JR Inman hit a shot at the buzzer to defeat bitter rival Seton Hall in the season finale, and with McDonald’s All-American Mike Rosario on his way Fred Hill should have a pretty good team in 2008-09. Freshmen Corey Chandler and Mike Coburn were two of the team’s top four scorers, and Hamady N’Diaye got even more experience inside. Not sure just how far they can move up the Big East standings next season, but look out for these guys.

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part One

All-Metro Team & Ranking 1-5

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Two

Ranking 6-11

Next: NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Three

Ranking 12-1

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Four

All-Rookie & Ranking 18-23

Northeast non-TV Bracket Busters preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:23:55 -0800

Here’s a quick preview of the ESPNU O’Reilly Bracket Busters games this weekend that will not be shown on television involving northeast teams. In most cases, the organizers of this event have done a better job of limiting the travel for non-television games, with the exception of UC Davis visiting Loyola (MD) among games involving northeast leagues. Bracket Busters, originally put together to provide schools in non-BCS leagues one last opportunity to add to their resume, now involves some 100 schools from sixteen conferences. Niagara @ Appalachian State (Saturday, 1 PM) The nation’s leading scorer, Charron Fisher, takes his act on the road as the Purple Eagles visit the Mountaineers of the Southern Conference. Fisher has eclipsed the forty point mark in two of his last three games, including 45 and nine rebounds against Loyola (MD). Niagara (with help from Tyrone Lewis, Stanley Hodge and an improving Benson Egemonye) will look to run and put up a lot of points, but the Mountaineers are also capable of scoring some points. Six players score at least seven points per game, led by senior forward Donte Minter. I’ll take the Mountaineers due to the home court advantage. Northeastern @ Holy Cross (Saturday, 4 PM) The Huskies make the short trip to Worcester to take on a Crusader team still trying to recover from a slow start in Patriot League play. Tim Clifford is Holy Cross’ best offensive option, but it’s been the health of PG Pat Doherty that has been the concern. His Achilles injury at San Francisco was the catalyst for a five-game skid early in 2008, and the team has been up and down ever since. Northeastern, looking to end their two-game skid, will counter with a balanced scoring attack led by wing Matt Janning. Normally, I’d go with the home-court advantage, especially with an environment as hostile as the one awaiting NU’s arrival. But I’m going to take the Huskies due to the fact that they’re a more balanced team on offense. Bucknell @ Old Dominion (Saturday, 7 PM) The Bison, like their Patriot League rivals, have uncharacteristically struggled in league play this year. But given the number of losses due to graduation over the last two seasons, you can understand why this team isn’t in its usual perch atop the conference standings. Guards John Griffin, Justin Castleberry and Stephen Tyree are the main men on the offensive end of the floor, and they’re going to have their hands full in Norfolk. Forward Gerald Lee leads the Monarchs in scoring, but they have seven players averaging at least six points per game. In their last four games, all wins, three different Monarchs have led the team in scoring (Lee twice, Brian Henderson and Abdi Lidonde once apiece). I like the Monarchs to win this one. Vermont @ UNC-Wilmington (Saturday, 7 PM) If you’re looking to find a candidate for the most improved player in the country (yes, country), look no further than Vermont’s Marqus Blakely. After averaging 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season, the sophomore forward is up to 19.8 and 10.8 this year. And only two players have a 30/20 game to their credit this season: Michael Beasley and…Marqus Blakely. Mike Trimboli and Kyle Cieplicki are also more than capable of scoring from the perimeter. As for the Seahawks, four players average at least twelve points per game, led by senior guard T.J. Carter’s 15.8. Possessing a home record of 11-2, UNCW comes into this one riding a four-game win streak. Expect this one to be a close one, but I like the Seahawks to come out on top. UC Davis @ Loyola-Maryland (Saturday, 1 PM) Well, this one could get ugly as the Greyhounds host the Aggies. UC Davis, currently dead last in the Big West, has lost their last nine and are the league’s worst defensive team (opponents shoot 48.1% from the field). And when you’ve got to stop a player like G Gerald Brown, that could be bad news for the Aggies. Brown will have some help on the offensive end, supplied by Michael Tuck and Marquis Sullivan. The Aggies are led by guards Vince Oliver and Shane Hanson, but they have a road record of 1-11 for the season. I like Loyola to win this one. Hofstra @ Iona (Saturday, 2 PM) The Gaels host one of the nation’s best scorers in Hofstra’s Antoine Agudio, and with Iona preferring to quicken the pace this could be a game in which Agudio puts up some points. But the trend all season has been that the Pride are only as successful as Agudio’s supporting cast, and a group led by Charles Jenkins has become more confident as the season has progressed. On the other side, Kevin Willard’s first year as head coach has been streaky in regards to results, with a three game win streak followed by a short losing spell. Iona ended a two-game skid with a win at Canisius on Monday night, and five players averaging about eight points per game (Kyle Camper averages 7.8 to be exact). The key to this one will be how well Hofstra takes care of the basketball, something they haven’t done well on the road this season (3-9 away from home). I’ll take Iona by a basket. Fairfield @ Drexel (Saturday, 4 PM) The Stags, winners of five in a row, take their on one of the CAA’s worst offensive teams in the Dragons of Drexel. Center Frank Elegar leads Drexel in both scoring and rebounding, but the points have been few and far between for a team looking to replace the likes of Bashir Mason and Dominic Mejia from last season’s team. Fairfield, on the other hand, has received a boost from the likes of seniors Marty O’Sullivan and Mamadou Diakhate, two players who weren’t expected to see much playing time throughout the remainder of the season. But the team runs based on the play of PG Jonathan Han, the MAAC’s assist leader. With six road wins already to their credit, I like the Stags to pick up a seventh. Youngstown State @ Buffalo (Saturday, 4 PM) With two of the bottom feeders in their respective leagues on display, you have to dig a little deeper to figure out who to watch in this one. How about guards Andy Robinson (Buffalo) and Byron Davis (Youngstown State)? Both lead their teams in scoring, but truth be told each team has a couple of places from which the points can come. I’m taking Buffalo for one simple reason: The Penguins are 1-11 on the road this season. Binghamton @ Manhattan (Saturday, 4 PM) One of three matchups between America East and MAAC schools, this one will be an interesting affair due to the age difference between the backcourts. Manhattan, led by Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin (Austin’s a wing), rely primarily on sophomores while Binghamton’s backcourt is manned by seniors Mike Gordon and Richard Forbes. The Bearcats’ leading scorer, however, is sophomore forward Lazar Trifunovic (14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg). I like the Jaspers to move their three-game win streak to four due to the fact that they’re at home (Binghamton is 3-10 on the road this season). Albany @ Canisius (Saturday, 7:30 PM) There’s no Jamar Wilson, but the Great Danes are still in third place in America East. The leader this season is Brian Lillis, a wing currently averaging sixteen points per game. In all, five Great Danes are averaging at least 7.7 points per game. Their opponent has one of the quickest guards in the MAAC in Frank Turner, but little has gone right this year for the 4-22 Golden Griffins. Losers of five straight games, I don’t think Canisius plays good enough defense (allowing 73.1 points per game) to end the skid in this one. Boston University @ St. Peter’s (Saturday, 2 PM) The Terriers have won six of their last seven, while the Peacocks have lost eleven of thirteen. SPC has one of the toughest competitors in the MAAC in senior Todd Sowell, but as a team they simply don’t defend well enough or take good enough care of the basketball (averaging sixteen turnovers per game). When you have four players scoring in double figures, turnovers are a sure way to keep your win total low. Corey Lowe, one of the best guards in America East, leads BU with eighteen points per game, but the improved play of freshman John Holland has been the catalyst for their recent run of good play. I like the Terriers to get a road win in this one.

NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Fordham Rolls

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:23:33 -0800

Team of the Week:
Fordham
Results:
W 76-72 @ Massachusetts, W 53-51 vs. Charlotte

Now, this one was close. Do you go with a team who knocked off the first-place team in their league and got a second win to move into a tie for first (Wagner)? Or do you go with a team that did some serious damage to the postseason hopes of two conference foes? I went with the latter, which is why the Fordham Rams are the team of the week. When the season began, I like many thought that Fordham could be one of the teams competing in the top half of the Atlantic 10, but things haven’t worked out that way in 2007-08. While the two wins certainly don’t get them out of the woods in terms of simply making the Atlantic 10 Tournament, these were two results that the kids desperately needed.

The win at UMass, nationally televised at that, featured another double-double for Bryant Dunston (15 and 12), and twenty-two points from guard Marcus Stout. Sebastian Greene chipped in with thirteen points and eleven rebounds in Fordham’s first win in Amherst since 1999. It was Stout’s free throws with eight seconds remaining that put the game away, fitting given the disparity in foul shots in the contest. Fordham went 22-31 from the charity stripe while the home-standing Minutemen went 8-11. Sunday’s two-point win over the 49ers came primarily because of the defense applied to guard Leemire Goldwire. Goldwire, averaging 20.2 points per game on the season, was held to twelve on 4-16 shooting from the field, 1-7 from behind the arc.

Bryant Dunston went for 14 and 13 (his tenth double-double this season), and Michael Binns was the only other Ram in double figures with ten points. Two good wins for a Ram team that will need all the help it can get in the final few weeks to ensure a trip to Atlantic City. But more importantly, they did some serious damage to the NCAA Tournament hopes of two league foes.

Honorable Mention:
Columbia (earned a road sweep of Harvard and Dartmouth); Manhattan (twenty-one point home win over Marist on Friday night); Wagner (wins over Sacred Heart and Monmouth to move into a tie for first in the NEC).

Player of the Week:
Durell Vinson (Wagner)
Numbers for the week:
17 points, 14 rebounds vs. Sacred Heart; 19 points, 19 rebounds vs. Monmouth.

Vinson, who’s averaging a double-double for the season (13.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg), has indeed been the difference-maker people expected him to be in his final season after missing all of 2006-07. In two games last week, both Seahawk wins, Vinson averaged 18 points and 16.5 rebounds per game. Another stat to pay attention to with Vinson is his field goal percentage, 57.0%, the highest of his career. The play of Vinson is the primary reason why Mike Deane’s team has a good shot to not only win the regular season title but also the NEC Tournament crown, which would mean a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The one issue for Durell, however, has been the foul line. He’s only a 33% shooter from the “charity” stripe. But as long as he controls the boards, Wagner’s got a shot to win some games down the stretch.

Honorable Mention:
John Baumann (Columbia): 25 points, 9 rebounds @ Dartmouth and 20 points, 12 rebounds @ Harvard; Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall): 24.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg in two games; Nesho Milosevic (NJIT): 21 points, 11 rebounds @ La Salle and 22 points, 13 rebounds vs. Chicago State.

Other Notes from the past week

Stony Brook ends their ten-game losing streak with a 71-70 overtime win over Vermont.

Granted, the Vermont team they beat Sunday afternoon won’t be mistaken for the Coppenrath/ Sorrentine squads that made annual appearances in the NCAA Tournament a few years back. But in Mike Trimboli and Marquis Blakely there’s still some talent in Burlington. So the win should provide the Seawolves with some much-needed positive momentum heading into their last three games.

With the next two coming against New Hampshire and Maine, they could even make a move out of the America East cellar and possibly out of the 8/9 game on the first night of the conference tournament. And given just how far Stony Brook had fallen during their losing skid, which would be a good accomplishment in an otherwise disappointing season.

Once again inept on offense, St. John’s manages just 43 and 42 points in two double-digit losses.

Last week, I made the note of pointing out how the Red Storm took better care of the basketball in going on their three-game win streak. But when you barely manage to make a quarter of your field goals, it doesn’t matter how many times you give the ball to your opponent you won’t win. And that’s just what happened in losses to Cincinnati and Villanova, with the Johnnies shooting a putrid 25-for-98 (25.5%) in the two games.

When you rank fifteenth in the conference in field goal percentage and dead last in scoring, your margin of error is miniscule. The road to the Big East Tournament will get even tougher, with Marquette coming to town fresh off of a beating of Pittsburgh on Friday.

Youth will be served…just not this year.

The above statement would apply to both St. John’s and Rutgers, but the way in which the Scarlet Knights lost to Notre Dame on Sunday simply baffles the mind. With Luke Harangody missing the front end of a one-and-one (after Rutgers waited fifteen seconds to commit their sixth team foul, no less), all that either Byron Joynes or Earl Pettis had to do was grab the rebound. Miscommunication…ball goes out of bounds and back to the Irish. So instead of having to settle for a three to tie the game, Rutgers could have had a chance to win the game in the final seconds.

But that’s been the way the ball has bounced for the young Scarlet Knights, who should be commended for the fight they showed in the second half. Anthony Farmer led the charge back from an eight-point halftime deficit, but the end result all but assured Rutgers of not going to the Big East Tournament, even with four conference games remaining. But this is a young team that has to learn how to win tight games; a painful experience now that should pay dividends later.

NJIT has two chances left to get their first win of the season.

After a first half in which Chicago State and NJIT combined for fifty-nine points (34-25 CSU at the half), you wouldn’t think that both teams would come close to matching that number on their own in the second half. But that’s exactly what happened on Saturday, with the Cougars outscoring the Highlanders 52-51 in the second stanza. The 86-76 loss leaves NJIT with just two games on the schedule, both of which are on the road.

Longwood on Monday night and Utah Valley State on Saturday are the only games left between the Highlanders and a winless season. Unfortunately, the lack of success has overshadowed the recent play of forward Nesho Milosevic, who has recorded seven double-doubles this season, the last two coming in back-to-back games.

Games to keep an eye on

Marist @ Fairfield (Monday 7:30 PM, ESPN Full Court)

With both teams sporting 9-6 conference records, this game is huge when it comes to seeding for the rapidly approaching MAAC Tournament. Fairfield, less than .500 for the season at home (5-6), is coming off of an impressive home win over first-place Rider. Marist, on the other hand, will be looking to perform better on the boards after falling apart in the second half at Manhattan. And it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the winner of this one could find themselves one game out of first place.

Towson @ Hofstra (Wednesday 7 PM)

These two teams couldn’t be any more different when it comes to the offensive end of the floor. While the Pride relies upon Antoine Agudio and Charles Jenkins for the majority of their points, Towson has three players averaging at least twelve points per game, and another not too far behind them with nine. Neither team scores a lot of points (Towson- 64.3, Hofstra- 65.4), but this one could be entertaining, especially when you take into consideration the fact that the two are tied with 6-9 records in the CAA. One thing working in Hofstra’s favor: Towson’s record of 1-11 on the road.

St. Francis (NY) @ Long Island (Thursday 7:30 PM)

A light night on the schedule means that a game between one team holding onto NEC Tournament hopes by a thread will visit a team in the driver’s seat for the eighth and final slot. Last year the Terriers were able to make a late push into the tournament, and any repeat will have to begin in this short trip to LIU. The matchup in the backcourt between SFNY’s Jamaal Womack and LIU’s Jaytornah Wisseh should be an entertaining one to watch.

Brown @ Columbia (Friday 7 PM)

The Lions are a long shot to win the Ivy League, thanks to their two losses to first-place Cornell. But with a win over the Bears, they would move into a tie for second place in the conference. As for individuals, you’ve got a chance to check out two of the Ivy’s best players in Brown G Mark McAndrew and Columbia F John Baumann.

Navy @ Army (Saturday 2 PM, CBS)

Army G Jarell Brown and Navy G Greg Sprink are two of the Patriot League’s best scorers, and they’ll face off for the second time this season. Brown and the Black Knights got the better of the meeting in Annapolis, with his thirty-five points (and game-winning shot) taking down the Midshipmen. But there may be a little more than bragging rights on the line for Navy, as they’re only one game back in the loss column for the Patriot League lead.

Look for a preview of area teams taking part in the BracketBusters even later in the week.

Updated Rankings (last week’s ranking in parentheses)

1. Wagner (4)

2. Sacred Heart (1)

3. Rider (2)

4. Seton Hall (3)

5. Columbia (8)

6. Yale (5)

7. Army (6)

8. Fordham (11)

9. Marist (7)

10. Fairfield (12)

11. St. John’s (9)

12. Iona (10)

13. LIU (14)

14. Rutgers (13)

15. Hofstra (15)

16. Manhattan (19)

17. FDU (16)

18. Monmouth (17)

19. Princeton (18)

20. St. Peter’s (20)

21. Stony Brook (22)

22. St. Francis-NY (21)

23. NJIT (23)

NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Big Week For Fairfield

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:48:45 -0800

Team of the Week:
Fairfield
Results:
W 66-61 @ Manhattan, W 68-59 vs. Iona

Don’t look now but the Stags are only one game out of third place in the crowded midsection of the MAAC standings. After the whipping they took at the hands of cellar dweller Canisius back on February 1^st, such a statement would seem to be a pipe dream, better to be left to next season. The key to the 2-0 week: junior guard Herbie Allen. In the two Fairfield victories, Allen averaged 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Allen’s numbers for the season: 8.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.8 apg. In Friday’s win at Manhattan, Allen posted his first career double-double with fifteen points and ten boards.

On Sunday, sophomore forward Anthony Johnson chipped in with sixteen points and five rebounds in the Stags’ nine-point win. Fairfield won the game thanks to an outstanding defensive effort in the second half, limiting the Gaels to twenty-nine percent from the field in the final stanza. The two wins give Fairfield an 8-6 conference record, just one game behind the three-team logjam for third place. And just as important as staying within striking distance of Marist, Niagara and Loyola (MD) is the fact that they now are two games clear of seventh, since teams 7-10 have to play on the opening Friday of the MAAC Tournament.

Honorable Mention:
Columbia (wins over Penn and Princeton); St. John’s (2-0 week in the Big East without Anthony Mason Jr.); Yale (2-0 weekend in the Ivy League).

Player of the Week:
Jason Thompson (Rider)
Numbers for the Week:
18 points, 14 rebounds vs. Niagara, 26 points, 24 rebounds vs. Siena

Thompson becomes the first repeat winner this season and rightfully so as the senior averaged 22 points and 19 rebounds per game in two contests. Unfortunately for the Broncs, his Herculean effort on Sunday wasn’t enough to keep their win streak alive, falling 80-77 to Siena at Alumni Gymnasium. The preseason choice for MAAC Player of the Year may have all but sewn up the end of season honor with Sunday’s effort, the third time this season in which he has gone for more than twenty points and twenty rebounds in a game. Thompson has amassed sixteen double-doubles this season, and it’s a safe bet that a few more are on their way.

Honorable Mention:
Antoine Agudio (Hofstra): 23.5 ppg, 3.0 apg in two games; Herbie Allen (Fairfield): 15.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.5 apg in two games; Manny Ubilla (Fairleigh Dickinson): 20.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.0 apg in two games.
　

　

Turnaround of the Week:
Fairleigh Dickinson winning at St. Francis (PA), just two night after losing at Robert Morris by fifty.

When you have to play a game without three starters and have only eight players available, bad things can happen. This was the situation for Tom Green and the FDU Knights heading into their game at Robert Morris, one of the best teams in the NEC. But to get beat by fifty points (95-45) is something that can sink a team’s season on the spot. But credit the Knights for not only showing up two days later at St. Francis (PA) but managing to win the game 79-61. Two days after allowing RMU to shoot fifty-four percent from the field, FDU held the Red Flash to thirty-five percent from the field, completing the sixty-eight point turnaround.

　

Other Observations on the week

Just two games after getting Paul Gause back from a broken hand; Seton Hall has now lost him for the year to a torn ACL.
Gause only saw three minutes of action in their home loss to Notre Dame due to the knee injury, leaving Bobby Gonzalez to figure out how to make up for the loss of his best defensive player. Gause could wreak havoc on the defensive end of the floor, harassing opposing guards into making poor decisions with the basketball. While Eugene Harvey and Brian Laing are adept at stealing the ball as well, they are also Seton Hall’s two best offensive options, which may mean that more may be expected defensively from Larry Davis, Jamar Nutter and Jeremy Hazell.

St. John’s is now on a three-game win streak, with the last two coming without Anthony Mason Jr.
Just when it looked like the Red Storm would be spending another March watching the Big East Tournament, they’ve put together a three-game win streak. Making the current run all the more impressive is the absence of leading scorer Anthony Mason Jr., currently out with a sprained ankle. How have the Red Storm done it? Balanced scoring and taking better care of the basketball.

At least three players have scored in double figures in each of the three wins, and St. John’s turned the ball over an average of ten times per game. For the season, the Red Storm are averaging fifteen miscues per game. Now they’re only one game out of a spot in the top twelve, something that didn’t seem to be within reach as recently as two weeks ago.

Hofstra puts up its best defensive effort of the season in holding Georgia State to forty-five points.
The previous low for points allowed in a game this season for Hofstra was fifty-eight, reached twice in wins over Drexel and Delaware. But Saturday’s home effort against the Panthers took the cake, and not just because of the point total. The Pride, allowing teams to shoot forty-one percent from the field for the year, held Georgia State to thirty-four percent shooting while forcing twenty turnovers. While Hofstra had eighteen turnovers of their own, their work on the other end of the floor allowed them to get away with it. If they can continue to force turnovers, their remaining schedule sets up for them to make some headway in the CAA standings, important when it comes to seeding in the conference tournament.

Yale and Columbia get weekend sweeps in Ivy League play.
Not saying that their 2-0 weeks make them challengers to Cornell for the league’s automatic berth, but it was a good weekend for both the Bulldogs and the Lions. In Columbia’s win over Penn on Friday night, three Lions reached double figures, led by Niko Scott’s nineteen. John Baumann added 18 and K.J. Matsui seventeen in the 74-58 win. And despite seventeen from Lincoln Gunn, Columbia held off Princeton 58-53 on Saturday.

Yale also got both of their wins at home, making short work of both Harvard and Dartmouth. Matt Kyle, despite playing only sixteen minutes, led the Bulldogs with 19 points in their 97-58 win over Dartmouth. Can these two keep the momentum rolling? Yale visits Penn and Princeton next week, while Columbia hits the road for Harvard and Dartmouth. But followers of the program should be encouraged by the recent results.

Games to keep an eye on

Wagner @ Quinnipiac (Monday, 7:30 PM)

One game separates these two in the NEC standings as both hope to make a run at Sacred Heart and Robert Morris. The Bobcats have one of the league’s most explosive scorers in DeMario Anderson, currently averaging 20.9 points per game. Wagner, coming off of an overtime win at Mount St. Mary’s, is 8-4 on the road this season.

#16 Marquette @ Seton Hall (Tuesday, 7:30 PM; ESPN Full Court)

The Pirates will look to end their current two-game skid when the Golden Eagles show up at The Rock. We all know about the firepower these two teams possess in their respective backcourts, but keep an eye on the frontcourt during this one. Anything these two teams can get from the likes of Ousmane Barro (Marquette) and the trio of Augustine Okosun, John Garcia and Mike Davis (Seton Hall) will be a bonus. If the Pirates are to entertain any thoughts of making a run at a postseason bid, they need this game.

Sacred Heart @ Wagner (Thursday, 7 PM)

Two of the main competitors in the NEC get together on Staten Island. Sacred Heart has now won eight straight games, and a win in their second-to-last road game of the season would put them in very good shape when it comes to winning the regular season crown. Wagner, depending on what happens against Quinnipiac, may need this one to bolster their chances of hosting a game in the NEC Tournament.

Marist @ Manhattan (Friday, 8 PM; ESPNU)

Within the crowded middle of the MAAC standings sits Marist with a 9-5 league record, and they’ll need another road win in the second of four straight away from Poughkeepsie. It’ll also be worth watching to see whether or not Louie McCroskey returns from an ankle injury suffered against Loyola (MD). As for the home standing Jaspers, they’re only 4-7 at Draddy Gymnasium this season.

Villanova @ St. John’s (Saturday, 8 PM; ESPN Classic)

The Red Storm will have a chance to get their win streak up to four in a game matching two teams in desperate need of wins at this point in the season. Both are in danger of missing the Big East Tournament, something the Wildcats have never done. Unfortunately for St. John’s, this has become commonplace in recent years. While the Johnnies have done a better job of taking care of the basketball, it’s been the failure to do so along with many defensive lapses that had Villanova mired in a five-game skid before their win over Seton Hall. Should be an entertaining affair from the Garden.

Charlotte @ Fordham (Sunday, 6 PM)

Speaking of teams struggling to simply qualify for their conference tournament, there’s the plight of the Fordham Rams. Currently just one game up in the loss column on George Washington for twelfth in the Atlantic 10, Fordham hosts a Charlotte team hoping to make a late run at an NCAA bid. Two of the better players in the conference, G Leemire Goldwire and F/C Bryant Dunston, will be on display in this one. With this game coming before a two-game road swing to St. Louis and Temple, the Rams must have this one.

Updated Rankings (previous week in parentheses)

1. Sacred Heart (3)

2. Rider (1)

3. Seton Hall (2)

4. Wagner (5)

5. Yale (7)

6. Army (6)

7. Marist (7)

8. Columbia (11)

9. St. John’s (12)

10. Iona (8)

11. Fordham (10)

12. Fairfield (15)

13. Rutgers (9)

14. LIU (13)

15. Hofstra (16)

16. FDU (14)

17. Monmouth (17)

18. Princeton (18)

19. Manhattan (21)

20. St. Peter’s (20)

21. St. Francis-NY (19)

22. Stony Brook (22)

23. NJIT (23)

NYC Metro Preview: #7 Fairfield

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:48:04 -0800

7. Fairfield (2006-07 Record: 13-19, 10-8 MAAC)

Head coach: Ed Cooley

Returning Starters: 4- G Jonathan Han (junior): 6-0, 160; G Devin Johnson (sophomore): 6-4, 200; F Greg Nero (sophomore): 6-7, 215; F Anthony Johnson (sophomore): 6-8, 215.

Well, the Ed Cooley era didn’t exactly get off to a sparkling start, with the Stags sputtering to a 3-15 record in their first eighteen games. But it’s the 10-4 finish to the season, along with all the key players returning, that has Fairfield thinking that a move up in the MAAC standings is within reach in 2007-08. Four starters return, led by the sophomore forward tandem of Greg Nero and Anthony Johnson. Nero (9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), who eventually made the MAAC All-Rookie Team, got off to a torrid start before seeing his scoring numbers drop some. But after a tour of the conference and college basketball in general, don’t expect that to happen this season. Johnson (8.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg) started all thirty-two games last season, and forms one of the better forward tandems in the Northeast with Nero.

Also returning to the frontcourt are fifth-year senior Marty O’Sullivan (5.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and seniors Mamadou Diakhate and Geoff Middleton. O’Sullivan, who led the team in rebounding last season, and Diakhate are good glue guys who are willing to do the little things necessary for a team to be successful. Middleton, who only played in fifteen games last season, possesses the size needed to bang in the paint at 6-9, 230. Despite playing in only fifteen games, Middleton was second on the team in blocks. Three newcomers will also be called upon to contribute at forward, although one of the three did spend last season with the program. Junior Mike Evanovich (Storrs, CT), a transfer from Iowa State, is a 6-7 forward who can knock down perimeter shots. Freshmen Yorel Hawkins (Apex, NC) and Warren Edney (Vienna, VA) are seemingly cut from the same cloth, with the ability to provide instant scoring off the bench. Edney, however, is left-handed.

The backcourt also has some quality contributors returning this season, starting with the point guard Jonathan Han. Han (7.7 ppg, 4.5 apg) proved himself to be a more than capable distributor of the basketball last season, but he needs to improve upon his percentages from the field (36% FG, 26.8% 3PT). Classmate Herbie Allen (5.8 ppg, 1.5 apg) was a solid contributor last season, but he also could stand to improve his shooting (28.9% FG, 26.8% 3PT) this season. Sophomore Devin Johnson (2.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg) may have ended up with low averages, but he did start nineteen games last year. His size helps out, especially when you realize that Han is 6-0 and Allen 5-11. Other possible contributors in the backcourt include sophomore Jimmy O’Sullivan and freshmen Lyndon Johnson and Sean Grzeck. Johnson averaged seven assists per game as a high school senior, and at 6-7 Grzeck can shoot the ball from the perimeter. How well the Stags do this season will depend on the group as a whole making up for the graduation of Michael Van Schaick.

In regards to the schedule, it’s already kicked off with a loss at Wake Forest in the first game after the death of former Wake head coach Skip Prosser. A tough way to open up the season on the road, and things don’t get any easier with upcoming non-conference games against Sacred Heart (November 18^th), Cincinnati (November 24^th), Georgetown (December 1^st) and St. Joseph’s (December 21^st). Conference play opens with a visit from preseason favorite Siena on December 7^th, and later dates of importance include a three-game stretch to open 2008: @ Loyola (January 4^th), @ Siena (January 8^th) and Loyola at home (January 11^th), and another three-game road swing to open February (Canisius, Niagara, Manhattan).

2007-08 Prospects

Despite the loss of Van Schaick, Coach Cooley and his staff have a larger array of options to turn to this season. Making up for the scoring lost with Van Schaick’s graduation will be a group responsibility, and it has to be encouraging to see Evanovich put up twenty in the season opener. Fairfield had the best scoring defense in the MAAC last season, allowing 64.7 points per game, and I don’t see why that can’t be the case again this year. Whether or not they make a move up in the standings will ultimately depend on the improvement in perimeter shooting, which will take some pressure away from Nero and Johnson. I see Fairfield finishing in the middle of the MAAC pack once again this season.

Complete NYC Metro Preview & Ranking

Metro Basketball Report: Iona Still Winless

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 07:41:03 -0800

Well, the Manhattan Jaspers are indeed a threat to win the MAAC this year. It took me a little while to believe this, but consider me a believer now, especially after their 75-74 victory over Marist on Tuesday night. A Darryl Crawford floater with seven seconds remaining was the difference, giving Manhattan sole possession of second place at 8-3, one game behind Loyola (MD). The forward combination of Devon Austin and Arturo Dubois has gotten it done for first year head coach Barry Rohrssen all year long, but it’s two freshmen in the backcourt that have had a major impact as well. In addition to the aforementioned Crawford, there’s Antoine Pearson, who is averaging 9.4 points per game. And Coach Rohrssen’s ability to recruit New York City while at Pittsburgh wasn’t left behind in the Steel City, as both Crawford and Pearson are Big Apple natives. Can this team with a young backcourt win the league title? You never know, but don’t sleep on the Jaspers.

Staying in the MAAC, Marist has lost two straight and three of their last four games to fall to 7-4 in league play. It’s become quite obvious that if either Jared Jordan or Will Whittington struggles to put the ball in the basket, the Red Foxes are in trouble. And when you have a hard time stopping people on the defensive end, this issue becomes even more of an obstacle. In their last four games, the Red Foxes have allowed their opponents to shoot the following percentages from the field: 54.9% (loss), 43.8% (win), 47.9% (loss), and 50.8% (loss). If the defense doesn’t improve, it won’t matter what Marist does on offense.

Fairfield has improved their play of late, getting to 6-5 in the league, just one game out of third place. The goal is to get out of the seventh and eighth slots, since those two teams would join St. Peter’s and Iona in Bridgeport for the opening round of the conference tournament. And if you’re a fan of either the Peacocks or Gaels, I know that there’s still a mathematical possibility of getting out of that portion of the standings, but it’s not looking too good right now.

Fordham has won four straight in the Atlantic 10 since their loss to Xavier, moving the Rams to 5-2 in the league one game behind first place George Washington. While junior forward Bryant Dunston hasn’t put up the same numbers as a year ago, the good news for Dereck Whittenburg and his staff is that they don’t have to lean as heavily on Dunston as they did in 2005-06. Upperclassmen Marcus Stout and Sebastian Greene have played well, as has freshman guard Brenton Butler. Fordham has two home games this week, St. Bonaventure on Wednesday and Rhode Island on Saturday. They need both in order to keep up with the Colonials.

In the NEC, Sacred Heart was knocked out of first place by Central Connecticut State, who has in turn gone on to gain some separation between themselves and the rest of the league. The Pioneers lost another close one after the overtime loss to CCSU, a 91-88 decision to Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday night. Expect these two, along with Wagner, to be in a dogfight to the end of the season for seeding in the conference tournament. Long Island and St. Francis (NY) would find themselves on the outside looking in if the season ended today, but the two teams seem to be headed in opposite directions. The slumping Blackbirds have lost five straight, while SFNY had a two-game win streak snapped by CCSU on Thursday.

Just like some of the local teams in the NEC, St. John’s and Seton Hall find themselves in a struggle to qualify for the Big East Tournament. As of right now, both would be in, but things can change on a daily basis given the unpredictable nature of the league this season. The two schools have identical records (12-9, 3-5 Big East), and both suffered bad losses on Saturday. St. John’s was blown out at Pittsburgh (the loss itself wasn’t bad, just the way that it happened), and Seton Hall lost at Rutgers. The Pirates regrouped to blow out Princeton on Monday, but their next five games (West Virginia, Villanova, at UConn, at West Virginia, Pittsburgh) will decide whether or not they go to New York.

Here are a few area games to pay attention to in the next few days.

• Virginia Commonwealth @ Hofstra, Wednesday 7:00 PM EST
This game lost some of its luster when Hofstra lost at Delaware, dropping them two games behind the front-running Rams in the Colonial, but it becomes almost a “last stand” for the Pride if they want to win the regular season title. Both teams feature dominant backcourts, and maybe it wasn’t a given that Hofstra would have the best backcourt in the Colonial. Two seniors (B.A. Walker and Jesse Pellot-Rosa) and a sophomore (Eric Maynor) lead first-year head coach Anthony Grant’s team. Unfortunately, this one is not scheduled to be on television, so try to catch this one on the radio.

• Fairleigh Dickinson @ Robert Morris, Thursday 7:00 PM EST
The Knights and Colonials enter this game separated by one half game in the NEC standings, and with the higher seeds getting home court in the conference tournament every game is important. An entertaining matchup to watch in this game will be the one between forwards Andre Harris (FDU) and A.J. Jackson (RMU), two seniors that lead their teams in scoring. The Knights are a slightly better team on the glass, but Robert Morris is the better shooting team by a wide margin (47.1% to 41.6%).

• Fairfield @ Canisius, Friday 7:00 PM EST
The Stags and Golden Griffins are two-fifths of the 6-5 logjam in the middle of the MAAC standings, and it’s not out of the question that if one of those five teams can get hot they can challenge for the regular season crown. But time is of the essence for these two teams, meaning that any run needs to begin with this clash on Friday. Michael Van Schaick leads the Stags in scoring, but two freshmen (Greg Nero and Anthony Johnson) are counted on for major contributions as well. Canisius has won five straight, and even though they beat Iona twice and St. Peter’s once during their current run, don’t discount the fact that they also took out Marist and Manhattan. Four Golden Griffins average double figures in points, so Fairfield will have their hands full on the defensive end.

• Rhode Island @ Fordham, Saturday 1:00 PM EST
Two sets of Rams battle in Rose Hill Gym in a game that few people expected would involve teams near the top of the Atlantic 10 at this point in the season. Rhode Island, typically a half-court team under Jim Baron, has done away with that approach in order to take advantage of their talented offensive players. Five players average at least 8.5 points per game for Rhody, currently the highest scoring team in the league. Fordham gets it done in the half court, and leans heavily on their defense to win games. The Rams from the Bronx are the second-worst scoring team in the A-10, so this should offer an intriguing clash of styles.

• Loyola (MD) @ Marist, Saturday 7:30 PM EST
Just like Hofstra’s game against VCU on Wednesday, this could be the Red Foxes’ last chance to make a run at winning the league. A loss Saturday night would put Marist three games behind the Greyhounds, who won the first meeting between the two (77-69 January 2nd). In that game Loyola shot 49.1% from the field, and Gerald Brown went off for thirty-three points. Marist had four players reach double figures in that one, but when you don’t defend well and turn the ball over eighteen times, your chances of leaving someone else’s gym with a W are slim. If Marist defends, they have a very good chance to win, but if not they risk dropping back into the traffic jam right behind them in the standings.

Updated rankings (last week in parentheses):

1. Fordham (3): The Rams are playing better than either the Pride or the Red Foxes right now.
2. Hofstra (1): The loss to Delaware was certainly disappointing, but the Pride were able to recover in knocking off first-place VCU Wednesday night.
3. Marist (2): They’ve lost three of their last four, but I don’t see too many teams in the area that should be ahead of Marist. Maybe Manhattan, but I can’t justify jumping the Jaspers six spots.
4. Manhattan (9): They’re only 2-2 in their last four games, but they’ve done more in the past week than either Seton Hall or St. John’s.
5. Sacred Heart (4): The Pioneers lost two heartbreakers this past week, but they can still get to second place in the NEC.
6. Seton Hall (6): Losing to Rutgers is never a good thing, but at least they got the bad taste out of their mouths by pasting Princeton on Monday. They’ll need the confidence boost with the schedule that they have coming up.
7. St. John’s (5): The Red Storm can beat teams at home, especially those that struggle with the concept of defense at times. But on the road against a highly ranked team that enjoys defense? Not so good.
8. Fairleigh Dickinson (8): The Knights went 1-2 last week, but unlike Army they found a way to win a game.
9. Fairfield (12): About a month ago, I wondered if the Stags would be able to win ten games. Now I wonder if they can get a high seed in the MAAC Tournament.
10. Army (7): Losing a close one at Lafayette is tough, but to follow that up with a blowout loss to Bucknell shows just how far Army has to go in order to be a threat in the Patriot League.
11. Wagner (13): The Seahawks seem to like playing LIU, having beaten them twice in the last eight days. Unfortunately for them, Sacred Heart and Monmouth will pose a stiffer challenge.
12. St. Francis (10): The Terriers hung tough, but in the end didn’t have enough to upset Central Connecticut State at home. Look out for this team in 2007-08.
13. Columbia (11): Were it not for the play of some of the schools below the Lions, Columbia would have dropped more than the two spots that they did following two losses to Cornell.
14. Stony Brook (14): Although they’ve exceeded their win total from last season, the Seawolves find themselves in a familiar place: the bottom of the America East standings.
15. Long Island (15): LIU stayed put, despite a five-game losing streak, due to the fact that the three teams below them aren’t very good either.
16. NJIT (16): How do you celebrate ending a thirteen-game losing streak? You go on a three-game losing streak. The Highlanders will get better as they get used to Division I college basketball, so be patient. Very patient.
17. St. Peter’s (17): The losing streak has now hit thirteen following a 54-53 heartbreaker suffered at the hands of Rider on Monday night.
18. Iona (18): Twenty-one straight losses and counting. Need I say more?