Rider

Draft Poll: Who Will be the First Mid-Major Prospect Selected?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:58:28 -0700

Jason Thompson: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:42:57 -0700

Jason Thompson

College: Rider

Class: Senior

Position: PF/C

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 250bs

Accolades: MAAC Player of the Year (08), MAAC Defensive Player of the Year (08), First Team All-MAAC (08), First Team Mid-Major All-American – CHN (08), First Team All-MAAC (07), MAAC Defensive Player of the Year (07), Second Team All-MAAC (06), MAAC All-Rookie Team (05).

Scouting Report: A big player, literally and figuratively, from a small conference.

Strengths: NBA size and length. Very athletic for a man his size. Nice looking jump shot. Good range on his jumper – can step out and hit college three-pointers. Good ball handler for his size – used to be a guard – late growth spurt. Decent post moves. Can put the ball on the floor and beat his man. Capable of explosive point and board games. Great shot-blocker.

Weaknesses: Played in a small conference – didn’t go up against NBA-level talent every night. Will be a big adjustment stepping up to the NBA. Can he guard bigger, stronger NBA post players? Free throw shooting touch took a real dive his senior year. Turnover prone. Needs to get a bit smoother with his post moves.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid first round to early second round pick.

Consensus: Players with Thompson’s size and ability don’t come out of the MAAC very often. While he will still be a work in progress due to the lower level of competition he played against, he could turn out to be a solid pro.

Stats: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=23138

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential

= Potential NBA All-Star

= Consistent NBA Starter

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= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues

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NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Year End Review

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:01:55 -0700

Well, another season is in the books, and it was a quiet postseason for metropolitan area schools as only Rider played in a postseason tournament. Alas, their season ended in the CBI with a loss at Old Dominion, but that shouldn’t take away from a season that saw them finish one game away from an NCAA Tournament bid. The injury bug, something that the Broncs didn’t have to deal with all season, came up and bit them during the MAAC Tournament, but they got to the final nonetheless. It was also a good year for Mike Deane’s Wagner Seahawks, who won twenty-three games and finished second in the Northeast Conference. But other than these two, no one else really had a good chance at qualifying for a postseason tournament, something they all look to work on changing as they head into the off-season. Now it’s time to hand out some awards.

Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)

Numbers: 20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg

The senior forward from Mount Laurel, N.J., who also won MAAC Player of the Year honors for his efforts, was the centerpiece of the Broncs’ run to a share of the regular season title and a spot in the MAAC Tournament final. Thompson improved both his scoring and rebounding numbers from last season, which is saying something given the fact that he was college basketball’s lone returnee to average “twenty and ten” in 2006-07. Now come the pre-draft workouts for a young man thought by many to be a first-round draft pick, but Rider fans certainly won’t forget the impact that the 2,000-point scorer had on their program.

Coach of the Year: Mike Deane (Wagner)

Record: 23-8 (15-3, 2^nd NEC)

This was a tough one, as Tommy Dempsey of Rider has a strong case as well. But Coach Deane’s Seahawks were a factor in the NEC all season long, holding onto first place in the league for most of the first half of the conference slate. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to regain the services of forward Durell Vinson, but this was an excellent coaching job after last season’s 11-19 showing. But 2008-09 brings about the challenge of replacing three double figure scorers in Vinson, Mark Porter and James Ulrich.

Biggest Surprise: Fairfield

Record: 14-16 (11-7, t-5^th MAAC)

After watching the Stags wrap up a 7-14 start with an 88-60 pasting suffered at the hands of Canisius (who finished 6-25 on the season), it looked like Ed Cooley’s bunch was headed in the wrong direction. But from there they won seven straight and put themselves right in the thick of the MAAC title race heading into the season’s final week. Of course the loss at Rider ended any shot of getting a piece of the title, but it shouldn’t negate the way in which the Stags recovered from their start. I’ll be honest; after the Canisius loss I didn’t expect them to get up off the mat…but they did.

Biggest Disappointment: Fordham

Record: 12-17 (6-10, 12^th Atlantic 10)

For a few seconds I thought about St. Francis (NY), who returned a good amount of talent from last season yet failed to qualify for the NEC Tournament. But there’s no contest for what the Rams did this season. A preseason pick to finish fifth in the Atlantic 10, with five senior starters returning, Dereck Whittenburg’s team struggled to even qualify for the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Not really known as an explosive team on the offensive end of the floor to begin with, the Rams had their trouble on the defensive end of the floor in allowing opponents to shoot 45.5% from the field. Last season, teams shot 43.2% from the field, and Fordham led the A-10 in scoring defense (12^th in 2007-08). With the renaissance experiences by the Atlantic 10, the Rams had all the makings of a team that should have been right in the middle of such positive vibes. But they weren’t.

First-Team All-Metro

G Antoine Agudio (Hofstra) - 22.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.9 apg

Every opponent of the Pride knew who their primary scoring option was, but it didn’t seem to matter as Agudio paced Tom Pecora’s team in scoring this season and was a member of the CAA’s All-Conference Team (First Team). With Loren Stokes and Carlos Rivera both out of eligibility, the target was squarely on his chest every night. Out of the twenty-seven games Agudio played this season, he eclipsed twenty points in eighteen of those games and failed to reach double figures just once (six points in a win at Drexel). Antoine leaves Hofstra as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,276 points.

G Jarell Brown (Army) – 18.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 40.1% 3PT

A member of the Patriot League’s First-Team All-Conference squad, Brown received about as much attention from opponents as Agudio every night. His scoring average was nearly ten points per game more than the next highest Black Knight (Josh Miller- 8.4). A more than capable perimeter shooter throughout his career at West Point, Brown was able to become a more versatile offensive option, helping Jim Crews’ team reach the Patriot League Tournament semifinals for the second consecutive season.

F Brian Laing (Seton Hall) – 18.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 45.5% FG

Laing, a senior forward from the Bronx, was named to the Big East’s First-Team All-Conference squad this season due to his hard work on both ends of the floor. While he was the Pirates’ most consistent offensive option, he also had to pick up the slack on the glass due to their lack of size. In each of his four seasons in South Orange, his scoring and rebounding averages improved, and it became quite clear to opponents that if they wanted to beat the Pirates then slowing down Laing was a must.

F Bryant Dunston (Fordham) - 15.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.0 apg

In an otherwise disappointing season for the Rams, Dunston put up his best rebounding average of his career. If you want to round up the rebounds and give him the season double-double then I’ve got no problem with that; the man has earned it. He also improved his scoring by three points per game, making second-team All-Atlantic 10 in the process. Although five seniors are leaving Fordham, there should be no mistaking who the linchpin of that program has been: Dunston.

F Jason Thompson (Rider) – 20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg

Player of the Year for these rankings as well as the MAAC, Thompson was the focal point for the Broncs this season. Even when injuries to key contributors during the MAAC Tournament threatened to derail their run towards an NCAA Tournament berth, it was JT who led the way to the MAAC final. Yes, they lost to Siena with the automatic bid on the line, but it’s safe to say that they’re nowhere near that position without Jason’s efforts.

Final Rankings 1-5

1. Rider (23-11)

The Broncs, who were in the top spot for most of the season once they were added in January, finish the year atop the polls. They’re going to have to replace Jason Thompson (along with classmates Kam Warner and Kevin Hickman), but with player such as Ryan Thompson, Harris Mansell and Mike Ringgold slated to return Tommy Dempsey’s team should be in the middle of things in the MAAC.

2. Seton Hall (17-15)

It was an interesting ride for the Pirates, with a five-game winning streak and the resulting optimism giving way to the harsh reality that this team lacked the depth inside needed to make a move up the Big East standings. Add to this the suspension of head coach Bobby Gonzalez for next season’s conference opener due to his behavior during and after the home loss to Rutgers and you’ve got a program with some questions to answer in the off-season. Jordan Theodore is an outstanding guard who should help…but he’s a guard. Look for the Pirates to go after some size in the final days before the spring signing period ends.

3. Wagner (23-8)

Coach Mike Deane will have to replace a pair of first-team All-NEC honorees in Durell Vinson and Mark Porter, but he will have some others returning, such as Joey Mundweiler and Jamal Smith. I would peg this team as middle of the pack candidate right now, but you never know, especially when you factor in the drop Wagner took last year when they were without Vinson.

4. Marist (18-14)

So, who’s the head coach going to be next year? Matt Brady moved on to take the job at James Madison, immediately taking two assistants with him. The third, Rob O’Driscoll, will join him if he’s not chosen to take over the reigns of the Marist program. Besides changing coaches, they’ll have to figure out how to replace mainstays Ryan Stilphen, Spongy Benjamin and Ben Farmer. But there is a talented backcourt slated to be back in the form of MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year Jay Gavin and David Devezin.

5. Sacred Heart (17-13)

A team predicted by some to be the best that Dave Bike has coached in Sacred Heart’s Division I era (they won a national title at the Division II level) fell one game short of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Four seniors leave the program; most notably guards Drew Shubik and Brice Brooks, and forward Luke Granato. Joey Henley was granted an additional season by the NCAA, making him a prime option in 2008-09. But has the window closed on the Pioneers? We’ll have to see about that.

Next: NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Two

Ranking 6-11

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Three

Ranking 12-1

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Four

All-Rookie & Ranking 18-23

A Saint's Welcome: Siena Advances to NCAA Tournament

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:08:10 -0700

Albany, NY - Given the tight nature of the MAAC title race throughout the regular season, one that saw six teams finish within two games of first place, it would have been natural to expect a close final between co-champs Rider and Siena. However, the Saints' lone senior and birthday boy Tay Fisher made sure there would be no such drama. Taking all ten shots from behind the arc and making six, Fisher scored twenty-one points and helped lead Siena (22-10) to a 74-53 win in tonight's MAAC Tournament title game. Kenny Hasbrouck, named tournament MVP for his work over the weekend, finished with seventeen points and Edwin Ubiles scored fifteen.

Jason Thompson attempted to put Rider (23-10) on his back, but his 22 and 12 effort went for naught as the Saint pressure took control from about five minutes left in the first half on. "I thought they were disruptive with it (the trapping), but their offense was the difference," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey, and he had a point there as well. Siena shot 51.9% from the field for the game and knocked down nine three pointers. The Saints also forced sixteen Rider turnovers, scoring twenty-one points off of those Bronc miscues. But the true story on this night was the lone player to stick around after Fran McCaffrey took over for the recently removed Rob Lanier.

"He believed. He stayed (when everyone else left). Hasbrouck knew me for two weeks. I told him if he came, we'd do something special," said McCaffrey.

On Fisher's exploits tonight, Rider head coach stated that he "thought he broke open a competitive game late in the first half" with twelve points that helped move the Siena lead from 23-22 to 37-26 with 3:31 remaining in the half. From there the Saints rode a strong defensive effort to a 41-30 lead at the half. Siena also outscored Rider 17-4 in bench points, a stat that underlined both Fisher's shooting and the fact that the Broncs were without Ryan Thompson and had a hobbled Justin Robinson. On this night, however, it wouldn't have mattered who was on the floor. This was Tay's night.

So while Siena moves on to the NCAA Tournament, Rider is hopeful of receiving an NIT bid. And to be frank, they should.

"I hope it's not over. I think this team gets an NIT bid," said Coach Dempsey, and with a first-round draft pick and a school-record twenty-three wins as part of their resume there's no reason why the NIT wouldn't take the Broncs. There's also the newly-formed CBI, but no disrespect to the Gazelle Group I don't see a team turning down the NIT for the CBI. "I just told Tommy 'you're getting a bid'. They're a program that clearly deserves a postseason bid," said McCaffrey after the game.

Thus ends an exciting season of MAAC basketball. Expecting the birthday boy to blow out the candles? Sure. But a blowout in the title game? I don't think even the most optimistic of Saints supporters expected that.

Possible seed for Siena: 14 or 15.

MAAC Semifinals Recap: Rider to Face Siena

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:47:53 -0700

ALBANY, N.Y.- To say that things didn't look good from a depth standpoint heading into tonight's MAAC Tournament semifinal for Rider would be an understatement. Both Ryan Thompson and Justin Robinson missed the game due to injury, but Jason Thompson showed the Times Union Center crowd why he's Player of the Year and Matt Griffin and Kamron Warner stepped up to get the Broncs a 76-71 victory over Marist.

Thompson put up 32 points and 18 rebounds for the regular season conference co-champions, and the freshman Griffin (8 points and 4 assists) and senior Warner (10 points) took full advantage of their expanded roles. Harris Mansell shook off an ankle injury suffered last night to score 16, including six straight from the foul line in the game's final thirty-five seconds.

The Red Foxes were led in scoring by freshman Jay Gavin, who posted twenty-one. Ryan Schneider, barely used in Friday's quarterfinal win over Niagara, scored all eighteen of his points in the first half as Marist went into the break ahead 39-32.

Rider ran off a 9-0 run to start the final stanza, capped by a Griffin three-pointer. Averaging around twelve minutes per game for the season, Griffin played thirty-two minutes in the semifinal. As for his objective heading into the game, Griffin aimed to "be aggressive, play within myself and lead the team". He did just that for Tommy Dempsey's squad, but the star of this one was Thompson, who was virtually unstoppable at times.

During one stretch late in the second half, Thompson scored ten straight Rider points, the last three coming on a three-point play with 1:57 remaining to put Rider ahead 70-64. From there it was all about the junior Mansell, who finished off the win from the foul line. Marist, who attempted forty-one three pointers on the night, shot 28% from the field in the second half and finishes their season with a record of 18-14.

Siena 65, Loyola (MD) 63

With the score standing 38-21 Loyola with 3:29 to go in the first half, it looked as if the Siena Saints were going to have to wait a couple more years to win the MAAC Tournament on their floor for the first time since 2002. But a team that ranked in the bottom half of most of the conference's defensive categories throughout the season put together its best defensive effort of the season to catch the Greyhounds at the end for a 65-63 win.

Forward Alex Franklin, who led the Saints with 22 points, made up for two missed free throws by blocking a shot that would have tied the game with three seconds remaining. Loyola's tip attempt to tie missed, and the Saints move on to Monday night's final. Kenny Hasbrouck scored all seventeen of his points in the second half, including Siena's first seven of the half. Marquis Sullivan scored fourteen to lead the Greyhounds (19-14), but the story was the Saint pressure that eventually negated Loyola's advantage on the boards.

"We scrambled a lot on defense. As we got more pressure on them we felt (that) we could come back," said Siena forward Edwin Ubiles. And to be frank, as Siena made their run you had the feeling that the Saints were in control even though it took them a while to get the game back within two possessions. Once they did, all it took to get the win was a Josh Duell layup on a good pass from Hasbrouck.

Siena outscored the Greyhounds 18-7 in points off turnovers, and 36-22 in the
paint. Loyola shot 33% from the field in the second half.

MAAC Tournament Final
Rider vs. Siena
7PM EST, ESPN2

MAAC Quaterfinals Recap: Rider Survives, Niagara Dethroned

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:22:20 -0700

ALBANY, N.Y.- On paper, the matchup between conference co-champion Rider and last-place Canisius looked like an absolute snoozer. The Broncs, in sweeping the Golden Griffins, won the two games in blowout fashion. The second of which was a 102-51 whipping that underscored just how bad Canisius has been all year. But a not so funny thing happened: Canisius didn't fold.

Thanks to eighteen points and eleven rebounds from MAAC Player of the Year Jason Thompson, Rider fought off Canisius by the final score of 75-71 Saturday night. The Golden Griffins had three players in double figures, led by Greg Logins with twenty. However, the victory may have been a Pyrrhic one for Rider as both Ryan Thompson (concussion) and Justin Robinson (leg) went down with injuries that could keep them out of tomorrow's semifinal against Marist.

All of a sudden, a team that was able to capitalize off of its depth due to their healthy season has to juggle the possible absence of two key starters. "If it could've gone wrong it did go wrong tonight," said head coach Tommy Dempsey.

Thanks to 56% shooting in the second half, the Golden Griffins were tied at 71 with 1:14 remaining. But a Patrick Mansell three-pointer put the Broncs up for good. The differences in the game were free throw shooting and rebounding. Rider, although they shot a sub-standard 57.7% from the charity stripe, made 15 of 26 while Canisius was 4-7. The Broncs also enjoyed a 38-30 rebounding edge.

Canisius finishes the season with a record of 6-25.

Marist 66, Niagara 62

In a ragged game more suited to the Red Foxes tempo, three players reached double figures as Marist defeated the defending tournament champions 66-62 in the fourth quarterfinal of the day in Albany. Charron Fisher, who played all forty minutes, went for 23 and 16 in a losing effort.

Niagara, even though they're ranked third in the MAAC in points per game, is ninth in field goal percentage. But the tempo that normally allows the Purple Eagles to make up for it wasn't to be found on this night as the MAAC's premier defensive team held NU to 36% from the field and won the battle on the boards 43-38. A team with six seniors is using last season's disappointing MAAC Tournament as motivation, and now faces a possibly shorthanded Rider team on Sunday night.

Afternoon quarterfinals-

Loyola (MD) 64, Fairfield 59

Gerald Brown converted an inbounds pass into a layup, moving the Loyola lead to five with seventeen seconds left to seal the victory for the Greyhounds. Brown led the Greyhounds with eighteen, but they also received help from Brett Harvey (16 pts) and Michael Tuck (14 and 8 boards).

Loyola won the rebound battle 37-28, and the Stags helped them out by not taking advantage of numerous opportunities (including the foul line) to overtake the Greyhounds. Fairfield, who was led by Jonathan Han's 14 points and eight assists, finishes their season at 14-16. Loyola will take on top seed Siena Sunday night.

Siena 66, Manhattan 58

Alex Franklin was unstoppable for the Saints, dropping 26 and 9 rebounds on the Jaspers in Siena's eight-point win. Devon Austin led the young Jaspers with seventeen. Kenny Hasbrouck, who only scored nine points, suffered a shoulder injury but was able to return later in the second half.

Even with the substitution of Laurence Jolicoeur for Andrew Gabriel, who did well on Friday against Todd Sowell of St. Peter's, Manhattan had no answer for Franklin. Manhattan also didn' help their cause by shooting a frigid 5-12 from the charity stripe and 3-14 from behind the arc. The Jaspers end their season with a record of 12-19.

While Marist, led by David Devezin with fourteen, had scoring balance while no player other than Fisher or Tyrone Lewis (21) scored more than seven.

NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Rider Impresses

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:48:34 -0800

Team of the Week: Rider

Results: W 88-76 vs. St. Peter’s, W 87-59 vs. Fairfield

Two home wins to close out the regular season for the Broncs, and as a result they earned a share of the MAAC’s regular season title. Due to a tiebreaker, Siena will be the top seed in the conference tournament this coming weekend, but that doesn’t take away from Rider’s first conference title since 2005. With twenty-one wins on the season, the 2007-08 edition has tied the school record for wins in a single season, which was originally set in 1993-94. In Friday’s win over St. Peter’s senior center Jason Thompson went for thirty-three points (a career-high) and twelve rebounds, and received help from three other teammates in double figures: Harris Mansell (18 points), Mike Ringgold (13 points) and Ryan Thompson (12 points). Rider shot 53% from the field and outscored the Peacocks in the paint 54-30.

Sunday’s win on “Senior Day” was amplified by the fact that a conference title was on the line, and Harris Mansell certainly didn’t disappoint. Coming off the bench so Coach Tommy Dempsey could start all of his seniors, Mansell went for 17 points (5-7 from behind the arc) and Jason Thompson added sixteen and twelve in the blowout. Fairfield, thanks to point guard Jonathan Han, jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead, but was done in by some questionable shot selection (the Stags went 4-25 from behind the arc) and Rider’s efficiency on the other end. Once again the Broncs shot over fifty percent from the field, finishing at a 51.8% clip (55.6% from three-point range).

Winners of 13 of their last 16 games, the Broncs are headed to Albany in good form. However, the MAAC Tournament will be a hotly-contested affair with any of the top six teams having a shot at winning the whole thing. And with Iona possibly on the horizon Saturday (provided the Gaels get past Canisius Friday night), an off night could mean the end of their season. But with their ability to find (and make) good shots, the Broncs are in prime position to earn their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1994.

Honorable Mention: Army (wins over Lafayette and Bucknell move the Black Knights from 8^th to 5^th (tournament tiebreakers) in the Patriot League); Marist (two wins; home win over Loyola (MD) cost the Greyhounds a share of the MAAC title); Wagner (2-0 week caps the most successful season (22 wins) in Seahawk history).

Player of the Week: Manny Ubilla (Fairleigh Dickinson)

Numbers: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists @ Wagner; 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists vs. St. Francis (PA).

The numbers for Ubilla this past week were good, as they have been all season long. But the key to his selection was the prayer he hit at the buzzer to knock St. Francis (PA) out of contention for the NEC Tournament. Dribbling to his right in the game’s final 2.5 seconds, Ubilla slipped and fell to the ground. Red Flash wins, right? Wrong. Ubilla let fly off of one knee, and the shot fell at the horn for the 72-70 Knights win. Of course, Ubilla would like to be playing in the conference tournament this week, but I don’t think you can draw up a better way to cap your “Senior Day”. The shot gave head coach Tom Green his 400^th win, and I don’t think he’ll forget how he got it anytime soon.

Honorable Mention: Jason Thompson (Rider): two double-doubles (33 and 12 vs. St Peter’s, 16 and 12 vs. Fairfield); Durell Vinson (Wagner): two double doubles (11 and 14 vs. FDU, 21 and 13 vs. Quinnipiac); Jaytornah Wisseh (LIU): 31, 8 and 5 assists vs. SFNY, followed by 21, 6 and 4 vs. Robert Morris.

Other notes from this past week

- St. John’s keeps their Big East Tournament hopes alive with a win over Seton Hall.

Anthony Mason Jr. got hot in the second half, hitting all five shots he attempted from behind the arc in the Red Storm’s scintillating 65-62 win. Mason Jr., who wore a headband in the first half as a tribute to senior Eugene Lawrence, finished with 24 points and hit the game-winning trifecta with 1.7 seconds remaining. Jeremy Hazell answered with a shot from beyond half-court…but head coach Bobby Gonzalez had called a timeout before the ball was inbounded. Seton Hall didn’t get off a shot, and the win put the Johnnies in a three-way tie for twelfth in the Big East with Providence and DePaul.

But the road to MSG won’t be easy for the Red Storm, with their final two coming at Notre Dame and the finale in the Garden against a West Virginia team that will need all the wins it can get to make the NCAA Tournament. As for the Pirates, any hopes of making a run (a long-shot before this game anyway) at an NCAA bid are gone unless they can create some Gerry McNamara-like magic in the Big East Tournament. A good win for SJU given the announcement on Friday that Norm Roberts would be back as head coach next season.

- Monmouth squeaks into the NEC Tournament due to FDU’s win over St. Francis (PA).

The fans at the game in Teaneck weren’t the only ones celebrating Manny Ubilla’s game-winner. Even though they dropped their regular season finale 81-67 at Mount St. Mary’s, Dave Calloway’s Hawks won a four-way tiebreaker for the right to take on Robert Morris Thursday night. Monmouth was swept by the Colonials this season, losing 59-44 at RMC back in January. But the second meeting was a much closer affair, with the Hawks dropping a 61-60 nail biter. I don’t think the Hawks will win, due to the significant difference between the two teams in regards to offensive efficiency, but at least they got into the tournament after last season’s absence.

- Fordham still has work to do if they want to qualify for the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

If the season were to end today, Fordham would edge out George Washington for the 12^th and final slot in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. With games at Richmond and home to St. Bonaventure, the Rams need the wins to not only ensure their invitation to Atlantic City but also to possibly improve their seeding. With only three games separating third from twelfth, the race to Atlantic City (and where everyone will fall in regards to seeding) is still up for grabs. And missing the conference tournament would be a bitter pill to swallow for the senior-laden Rams. Fordham has struggled for much of the season in regards to field goal percentage (11^th in the conference), field goal percentage defense (13^th) and rebound margin (13^th), a good place to start when trying to figure out what’s gone wrong this year.

- With Louie McCroskey back from an injured ankle, look out for Marist in the MAAC Tournament.

The senior guard (when healthy) gives the Red Foxes a slasher in the midst of some guards who can really shoot the ball from the perimeter, adding a dimension to their attack. In their 67-60 win over Iona, his first game back after missing the last ten, McCroskey went for eighteen points on 6-10 shooting from the field. His return, along with the play of Ryan Stilphen and Spongy Benjamin inside, could pose a problem for opponents this coming weekend. Thus far McCroskey hasn’t been able to do what many predicted before the season began due to injuries, but the MAAC Tournament would be the perfect place for him to leave his mark.

Games to keep an eye on

Regular season

- Fordham @ Richmond (Wednesday 7 PM) & St. John’s @ Notre Dame (Wednesday 7:30 PM, ESPN Full Court)

Big games for two area teams in that still aren’t guaranteed a conference tournament spot. While the Spiders will look to limit the number of possessions against Fordham, St. John’s won’t encounter anything like that in South Bend when they take on the Irish (led by Big East Player of the Year candidate Luke Harangody).

- Syracuse @ Seton Hall (Wednesday 7 PM, ESPN2)

The second-to-last home game of the season will give the Pirates an opportunity to punch their ticket to the Big East Tournament. With the Orange going into “The Rock” with their NCAA Tournament hopes on life support, they should show up ready to play. Led by Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Donte Green, Syracuse won’t have a problem running up and down the court with the Pirates. Should be an entertaining affair.

- Columbia @ Princeton (Friday 7:30 PM)

A win for the Lions would guarantee a conference record above .500, while the Tigers will be looking to end their current nine-game skid. Princeton, the Ivy’s worst offensive team (averaging 57.2 points per game), will have its collective hands full with Columbia forward John Baumann (15.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg).

- West Virginia @ St. John’s (Saturday Noon, ESPN Full Court)

Depending on what happens in South Bend, the Red Storm could either still be in the mix for a Big East Tournament spot. If not, then the regular season finale presents a chance to play spoiler to West Virginia’s NCAA Tournament hopes (WVU’s win over Pittsburgh on Monday should help them out). While he’s not being talked about in regards to conference player of the year, forward Joe Alexander is one of the Big East’s best athletes. And he’ll be coming off of back-to-back 32-point efforts.

- Rutgers @ Seton Hall (Sunday 2 PM ESPN Full Court)

The Scarlet Knights will be looking for some revenge in their season finale. Seton Hall won the first meeting in overtime back on January 30^th, with Eugene Harvey scoring 26 for the winners. Rutgers, due to its collective youth and the recruits slated to come in next year, clearly has better days ahead of it. But to head into the off-season with a win over your in-state rival could do wonders for the momentum of Fred Hill Jr.’s program.

Conference Tournaments (more in-depth previews to come later in the week)

- Army @ Lehigh (Wednesday 7:30 PM) Patriot League quarterfinal

The Black Knights take their two-game win streak into Stabler Arena in hopes of moving one step closer to an NCAA Tournament bid. The Mountain Hawks won both meetings this season: 57-52 at West Point (January 20^th) and 58-83 in Bethlehem (February 16^th). The two teams met in last season’s quarterfinal round, with Army getting their one win in the last seven visits to Stabler. In order to get the road win, Army will have to slow down guards Marquis Hall and Patriot League Rookie of the Year Rob Keefer.

- Monmouth @ Robert Morris (Thursday 7 PM), Central Connecticut State @ Sacred Heart (Thursday 7 PM) and Long Island @ Wagner (Thursday 7:30 PM) Northeast Conference quarterfinals

Not going to go into too much detail on these games right now, but with the reseeding of teams that takes place after the quarters Monmouth is a serious long-shot to win this league (as the 8 seed, they’d have to win three road games). The other two matchups were regular season splits, with Sacred Heart hosting CCSU just four days after giving up 100 in their loss to the Blue Devils. Wagner won a three-point game over LIU back on January 31^st, a game that was the complete opposite of their first meeting (85-65 LIU win on January 17^th).

- St. Peter’s vs. Manhattan (Friday 7:30 PM, ESPN Full Court/MAAC TV) and Iona vs. Canisius (Friday approx. 10 PM, ESPN Full Court/MAAC TV) MAAC Tournament first round

Point blank, the Jaspers and Gaels should move on to Saturday’s quarterfinals. But if Manhattan displays some of the same defensive indifference that came out of the locker room in the second half of their loss at Iona on Sunday, the Peacocks could spring an upset. The two teams split their two meetings, with the home team holding serve in both games. As for Canisius, even with a point guard like Frank Turner they’ll face an uphill battle against an Iona team that has more options on offense. Iona swept the season series, 66-59 in New Rochelle (February 8^th) and 57-52 in Buffalo (February 18^th).

- Maine vs. Stony Brook (Friday 7 PM) America East first round

The two teams tied at the bottom of the America East standings get together to decide who will take on regular season champ UMBC on Saturday. Of Stony Brook’s three league wins, two came against the Black Bears: a 75-59 blowout at home (January 6^th) and a 56-51 in Orono (February 23^rd). While neither team will set the nets on fire with their shooting (Maine is 6^th in field goal percentage, Stony Brook 9^th), each holds an advantage in a statistical category that they’ll hope to exploit (Maine in rebounding margin, Stony Brook in turnover margin).

- Fairfield vs. Loyola-MD (Saturday 2:15 PM, ESPN Full Court/MSG), Siena vs. Manhattan/St. Peter’s winner (Saturday 4:30 PM, ESPN Full Court/MSG), Rider vs. Iona/Canisius winner (Saturday 7:30 PM, ESPN Full Court/MAAC TV), Niagara vs. Marist (Saturday 10 PM, ESPN Full Court/MSG) MAAC quarterfinals

A full day of basketball for area teams up in Albany in what promises to be an exciting tournament. Fairfield and Loyola played twice within a week back in early January (they split the meetings with the road team winning both), and both have been playing better basketball of late. Siena, playing on their home court in this tournament, split with Manhattan while making short work of St. Peter’s in sweeping their season series. The Saints will have two First-Team All-MAAC players on display in guard Kenny Hasbrouck and forward Edwin Ubiles.

The evening doubleheader will begin with the Broncs taking on either the Gaels or Golden Griffins. While Rider did sweep both teams, at least Iona put up a fight in their two losses (72-64 and 68-63 in overtime). Canisius simply doesn’t match up well with Rider, a good reason why the Broncs pasted them twice (82-58 and 102-51). The final game of the day will match up Marist and the defending tournament champion Purple Eagles. Niagara has the nation’s leading scorer in senior Charron Fisher, and he’s got the green light from just about anywhere on the floor. The two teams split in the regular season, with the home team holding serve in both games.

Remaining Conference Tournament schedules

-America East runs through the semifinals on Sunday, with the title game to be played next Saturday (March 15^th) in the higher remaining seed’s arena.

-The MAAC Tournament will run through Monday (March 10^th). All games will be played in the Times Union Center in Albany, NY.

-The NEC semifinals will be played on Sunday afternoon, with the winners advancing to Wednesday’s final. The higher remaining seed will have home court.

-The Patriot League quarters will take place on Sunday, with the winners moving on to Friday’s championship game. The higher remaining seed will have home court in each game.

Updated Rankings

1. Rider

2. Seton Hall

3. Marist

4. Wagner

5. St. John’s

6. Fairfield

7. Fordham

8. Sacred Heart

9. Columbia

10. LIU

11. Rutgers

12. Yale

13. Hofstra

14. Iona

15. Army

16. Manhattan

17. FDU

18. St. Peter’s

19. Monmouth

20. St. Francis-NY

21. Stony Brook

22. Princeton

23. NJIT

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)

An explanation for one biased fan (and anyone else out there with the same viewpoint)

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:22:42 -0800

Well, needless to say this week's NYC Metro Ranking and Report has opened some eyes. More specifically one set, a gentleman who does not think that Seton Hall should have dropped from first to second in the poll. No need to worry about the fact that they went 1-1 while Rider, this week's number one, won two games against chief competitors for the MAAC crown. On the road no less, but to this individual this doesn't matter because they don't play in a "showcase conference". Can someone explain this logic to me? What happens in the national poll every week? You lose, you drop. Plain and simple. Your conference affiliation has nothing (or at least shouldn't) to do with the ranking of teams. If so, then I'd just rank Seton Hall, Rutgers and St. John's 1-2-3 every single week. Now would that be fair? No. More importantly, would that be intelligent? Definitely not. The main premise for this man's argument: Seton Hall, who plays in the Big East, beat Rider in a closed-door scrimmage before the season began. How about this: since Grand Valley State beat Michigan State in an exhibition, they are far and away better than the Spartans. Yeah, good reasoning right there. Look, I know full well what the numbers are in terms of the RPI (SHU 45, Rider 105) and strength of schedule (SHU 41, Rider 270). But what happened over the last week? Seton Hall beat a mediocre Rutgers team in overtime and lost at Georgetown. Rider won on the road at both Marist and Siena. To quote Herm Edwards, "Hello?!!". Maybe it's just me in this world of college basketball who doesn't give out brownie points for losing to a ranked team by twelve. But for some strange reason I seriously doubt that. But here's what's going to happen if Seton Hall wins both games this week and Rider happens to lose my inbox will be filled with "Johnny Come Latelys" and this gentleman looking to type the words "I told you so" without taking the time to understand what exactly was written. Here is the exact statement: "No disrespect to the fans who decided to spark the “We Own Jersey” chant at the end of the Seton Hall/ Rutgers game Thursday night, but this may be the Garden State’s best team right now." Key words: RIGHT NOW. Nowhere in this statement does it mention the scrimmage, early season games, what conference they play in, or any other numbers (most notably a recent five-game win streak that included one good win against a team that no one has been able to figure out for nearly two years (Louisville), one against an early surprise...yet mediocre Cincinnati, one against a candidate for the most disappointing team in the Northeast (Providence), and two wins against teams under .500 (Rutgers, USF)) that could be trotted out for the sake of one's argument. Am I mad? No. I'm just glad people took the time to read the article. I just wish they took as much time to comprehend it. Next up: National Signing Day! Good night.