Canisius

College Basketball Coaching Changes: 2012

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:43:20 -0700

As usual, the 2012 college basketball off-season features a never-ending parade of coaching changes. Some moves make sense, others are questionable, while others are simply head-scratchers. Thanks to collegesportsinfo.com, where a lot of this info was gleaned from. Also, apologies if all the colors give you a headache!

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Power Conferences

Illinois

In - Jim Groce (ohio hc)

Out - Bruce Weber (fired >> kansas st))

Kansas St

In - Bruce Weber (illinois hc)

Out - Frank Martin (resigned >> so carolina)

LSU

In - Johnny Jones (north texas hc)

Out - Trent Johnson (resigned)

Mississippi St

In - Rick Ray (clemson asst)

Out - Rick Stansbury (retired)

Nebraska

In - Tim Miles (colorado st hc)

Out - Doc Sadler (fired)

South Carolina

In - Frank Martin (kansas st hc)

Out - Darrin Horn (fired)

Virginia Teach

Out - Seth Greenberg (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: High-Majors

Air Force

In - Dave Philopovich (asst)

Out - Jeff Reynolds (fired)

Colorado St

In - Larry Eustachy (so miss hc)

Out - Tim Miles (resigned >> nebraska)

Duquesne

In - Jim Ferry (liu hc)

Out - Ron Everhart (fired)

Rhode Island

In - Danny Hurley (wagner hc)

Out - Jim Baron (fired >> canisius)

Southern Illinois

In - Barry Hinson (kansas asst)

Out - Chris Lowery (fired)

SMU

In - Larry Brown

Out - Matt Doherty (fired)

Southern Miss

Out - Larry Eustachy (resigned)

TCU

In - Trent Johnson (lsu hc)

Out - Jim Christian (resigned)

Tulsa

In - Danny Manning (kansas asst)

Out - Doug Wojcik (fired >> charleston)

UAB

In - Jerrod Hasse (unc asst)

Out - Mike Davis (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Mid-Majors

Central Michigan

In - Keno Davis

Out - Ernie Ziegler (fired)

Charleston

In - Doug Wojcik (tulsa hc)

Out - Bobby Cremins (retired)

FIU

In - Richard Pitino (louisville asst)

Out - Isiah Thomas (fired)

Miami (OH)

In - John Cooper (tennessee st hc)

Out - Charlie Coles (retired)

North Texas

In - Tony Benford (marquette asst)

Out - Johnny Jones (resigned >> lsu)

Ohio

In - Jim Christian (tcu hc)

Out - John Groce (resigned >> illinois)

Western Kentucky

In - Ray Harper (asst)

Out - Ken McDonald (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Low-Majors

Brown

Out - Jessie Angel (fired)

Canisius

In - Jim Baron (rhode island hc)

Out - Tom Parrotta (fired)

Eastern Illinois

In - Jay Spoonhour

Out - Mike Miller (fired)

Grambling

Out - Bobby Washington (fired)

Idaho St

In - Bill Evans (montana asst)

Out - Joe O'Brien (resigned)

LIU

In - Jack Perri (asst)

Out - Jim Perry (reisgned)

Mt St. Mary's

In - Jamion Christian (vcu asst)

Out - Robert Burke (reisgned)

NC A&T

In - Cy Alexander

Out - Jerry Evans (fired(

Northern Arizona

In - Jack Murphy (memphis asst)

Out - Mike Adras (resigned)

Samford

In - Bennie Seltzer

Out - Jimmy Tillette (fired)

Southern Utah

In - Nick Robinson (lsu asst)

Out - Roger Reid (retired)

SFPA

In - Rob Krimmel

Out - Don Friday (fired)

Tennessee St

In - Travis Williams (asst)

Out - John Cooper (resigned >> Miami OH)

UNCG

In - Wes Miller (asst)

Out - Mike Dement (fired)

Wagner

In - Bashir Mason (asst)

Out - Danny Hurley (resigned >> rhode island)

Winthrop

In - Pat Kelsey

Out - Randy Peele (fired)

Please email shawn@collegehoops.net if we're missing any transactions

Thursday Recap: Huskies Too Much for Harvard

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:24:49 -0800

In their first-ever game as a ranked team, the Harvard Crimson drew the task of playing the Connecticut Huskies at Gampel Pavilion, a building in which the Huskies have been near unbeatable for non-conference opponents. UConn had won 36 straight non-conference games at Gampel, and under Jim Calhoun the Huskies were 115-4 against New England non-conference opponents. Feel free to add another win to those marks, as the Huskies proved to be too much for Harvard in their 67-53 win. Jeremy Lamb led the way with 18 points but the bigger story for the Huskies was their defense, which limited Harvard to 36% shooting.

"I thought we defensively dominated them," said Calhoun. "I thought there were about five or six rebounds that I would like to see us get. Otherwise, we're getting better. We're just still adjusting."

Kyle Casey led Harvard with 12 points but he and Keith Wright combined to make seven of nineteen shots on the night, and as a team the Crimson were outscored 30-18 in the paint. Harvard made just 38% of their two-point shots and 33% of their threes, with UConn also making seven three-pointers but in seven fewer attempts. Those numbers helped the Huskies overcome a combined 7-for-20 night from Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright. It was a game that played out similar to a boxing match (as noted by the ESPN crew working the game), with UConn using a couple flurries to establish enough distance to win.

How do both teams get better as they approach conference play? For Connecticut freshman Andre Drummond scored 12 points thanks in large part to dunks, but there's still much room for improvement from he and their other big men. It's been noted on multiple occasions that Drummond isn't the best rebounder outside of his area, and Alex Oriakhi still looks as if he's thinking too much while on the floor.

As for Harvard they're going to be more talented than the majority of the teams remaining on their schedule, so the concern for Tommy Amaker's team will likely be to avoid shooting nights like this one and to just continue to improve. They'll be fine; Thursday just underlined the difference between a team that can do some damage come March and one that could win the whole thing.

Other Notable Happenings

1. West Virginia beats Kansas State in double overtime in Wichita.
The matchup between future conference brethren in Wichita proved to be the game of the night, as the Mountaineers needed a three from Kevin Jones in the final seconds of regulation to push their game against Kansas State into overtime. Jones would finish with a career-high 30 points to go along with 12 rebounds in the 85-80 double overtime victory, and as a team WVU made 56% of their two-point shots. Truck Bryant added 24 points for the winners while Rodney McGruder led the Wildcats with 20 points, but a key factor late was WVU freshman Aaron Brown. K-State scored 21 points off of 18 Mountaineer turnovers, and with a number like that more times than not the Wildcats would leave with the win. But that wasn't to be against the Mountaineers, who will need better play from their young guards if they're to exceed expectations in a Big East that's setting up to have quite the logjam in the middle of the league.

2. Eli Holman returns for Detroit and has an immediate impact.
On Wednesday the returns of Festus Ezeli (Vanderbilt) and Erik Murphy (Florida) were key, but neither may be as important to their teams as Eli Holman's return is to Detroit. Starting center LaMarcus Lowe is known more for his defense than offense, with a career average of 3.8 points per game, and when adding to that the season-ending injury suffered by Nick Minnerath it was clear that Ray McCallum Sr.'s team needed a scoring boost. Enter Holman, who scored 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and four blocks in the Titans' 92-81 win over Western Michigan. Holman played just 19 minutes off the bench, and to say this was a nice supplement to the 20 points scored by Chase Simon would be a severe understatement. How will this affect the Titans going forward? Simply put if Holman is a consistent factor offensively they'll be able to account for the 12 points/game that Minnerath accounted for, and that's bad news for the rest of the Horizon League.

3. Nurideen Lindsey announces his intentions to leave St. John's.
As if things weren't going bad enough for the Red Storm, who have lost five of their last six games, things got worse with sophomore guard Nurideen Lindsey announcing that he would be transferring at the end of the semester. Lindsey led the team in assists (2.9) while scoring 11.8 points and grabbing 4.9 rebounds per game, so his departure would be felt on any team much less one with just seven scholarship players. So where does St. John's, who is still without head coach Steve Lavin as he recuperates from prostate cancer treatment, go from here? That's a very difficult question to answer, but at least players such as Maurice Harkless and God'sgift Achiuwa remain. Phil Greene and Malik Stith are going to have to raise their play on the offensive end of the floor; one of those two will need to be a double-figure scorer in order for St. John's to be competitive in Big East play. To say the least, as season that began with such promise in the spring due to a highly-touted recruiting class teeters on the edge.

Quick Hitters

1.The player who could be most capable of steping up for Notre Dame offensively is point guard Eric Atkins. Atkins scored 26 points and dished out six assists in the Fighting Irish's 87-78 win over Maine. Jack Cooley added 22 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks off the bench with Scott Martin out due to illness.

2. Lon Kruger's Oklahoma Sooners moved to 6-1 in the season with a 73-59 win over Summit League favorite Oral Roberts. With second-leading scorer Calvin Newell Jr. leaving the team last week, OU will need to rely even more on scoring balance and that's what they got with three starters scoring either 16 or 17 points.

3. Things have not gone well for Canisius this season, and with guard Gaby Belardo out due to injury the Golden Griffins dropped to 1-6 on the season Thursday night in a 67-55 loss to South Dakota. Canisius shot 31.7% from the field, but the defense has been the bigger issue thus far. Canisius is allowing nearly 80 points per game, and opponents are shooting 49.9%.

4. One freshman who's beginning to make a name for himself is Providence forward LaDontae Henton, who established a new career high for the 5th straight game (21 points) in the Friars' 64-57 win over Boston College. Henton also grabbed nine rebounds and Brice Kofane blocked six shots as Ed Cooley's team moved to 7-2 on the season.

5. Robert Morris outscored them 21-9 over the final 9:34 but Cleveland State did just enough to hang on for the 62-58 victory. Trevon Harmon led the way with a career-high 24 points as the Vikings moved to 9-1 on the season, and right now CSU has to be considered the class of the Horizon League.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
30 points (12-17 FG), 12 rebounds and two blocks in the Mountaineers' 85-80 double overtime win over Kansas State.

2. G Eric Atkins and F Jack Cooley (Notre Dame)
Atkins scored 26 points and handed out six assists while Cooley went for 22 and 14 rebounds in the Fighting Irish's 87-78 win over Maine.

3. C Eli Holman (Detroit)
21 points (10-14 FG), seven rebounds and four blocks in the Titans' 92-81 win over Western Michigan.

Iona's Glover Named Preseason MAAC Player of the Year

Press Release — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:56:02 -0700

Springfield, Mass. - Iona College senior forward Mike Glover has been named the 2011-2012 MAAC Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches.

Glover is joined on the first team by Fairfield University junior guard Derek Needham and senior center Ryan Olander, Iona senior guard Scott Machado and Rider University senior guard/forward Novar Gadson.

Glover, who was named to the Preseason Top 50 List for the John R. Wooden Award, ranked 48th in the nation in scoring last season, netting 18.4 points per game for the Gaels. He also tied for 21st place on the NCAA rebounding chart with 10.1 caroms an outing during his junior campaign. Glover proved he was an expert marksman last season, connecting on a conference-high 61 percent of his attempts from the field.

Needham was an All-MAAC First Team selection last season. He ranked sixth in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per outing for the Stags. He also ranked third in the league in assists (4.5 per game), fifth in steals (1.4 per game) and 13th in free throw percentage (70 percent) during his sophomore campaign.

Olander, an All-MAAC Second Team choice last season, was second on the team in scoring as a junior with 10.4 points per game, good for 21st place on the MAAC scoring chart. He also recorded 6.8 rebounds per game (ninth in the MAAC) along with 2.1 blocks (third) an outing for the Stags. Olander owned a 53.2 percent field goal percentage, ranking him second in the league behind Glover.

Machado was a member of the All-MAAC First Team last season. He is the league's top assists leader, dishing out down 7.6 a night for the Gaels, good for second in the nation. Machado also contributed 13.2 points per game (eighth in the MAAC) and netted 67.5 percent of his shots from the charity stripe (15th).

Gadson, a 2010-11 All-MAAC Second Team pick, fin- ished his junior campaign seventh on the MAAC scoring list,netting13.7pointsanightfortheBroncs. Hefinished 15th in rebounding last season, pulling down 5.8 boards per game. Gadson also ranked ninth in the MAAC with his 47 percent field goal percentage.

2011-2012 Preseason All-MAAC Teams

First Team
Derek Needham, Fairfield Jr. G 5-11 Dolton, Ill.
Ryan Olander, Fairfield Sr. C 7-0 Mansfield, Conn.
Mike Glover, Iona Sr. F 6-7 Bronx, N.Y.
Scott Machado, Iona Sr. G 6-1 Queens, N.Y.
Novar Gadson, Rider Sr. G/F 6-7 Philadelphia, Pa.

Second Team
Gaby Belardo, Canisius Jr. G 6-2 San Juan, P.R.
Rakim Sanders, Fairfield Sr. G 6-2 Pawtucket, R.I.
Erik Etherly, Loyola Jr. F 6-7 Alexandria, Va.
Shane Walker, Loyola Sr. F 6-10 Northampton, England
George Beamon, Manhattan Jr. G/F 6-4 Roslyn, N.Y.

Third Team
Kyle Smyth, Iona Jr. G 6-4 River Edge, N.J.
Jeff Jones, Rider Sr. G 6-4 Chester, Pa.
Daniel Stewart, Rider So. F 6-7 Philadelphia, Pa.
Darius Conley, Saint Peter's Jr. F 6-7 Newport News, Va.
OD Anosike, Siena Jr. F 6-8 Staten Island, N.Y.

2011-2012 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year:
Mike Glover, Iona

MAAC Hoops

Iona Tabbed Preseason Favorite

Press Release — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:21:14 -0700

Springfield, Mass. - Iona College, the runner-up in last year's title game, is the preseason favorite to win the 2012 MAAC Men's Basketball Championship, according to the MAAC Pre- season Coaches' Poll.

Iona received eight of the first-place votes and 97 points, followed by last season's preseason pick Fairfield University,which received two first-place votes and 92 points. Loyola University (Maryland) finished in third with 76 points.

Rider University followed in fourth place with 71 points, while defending champion Saint Peter's College took fifth with 52points. Siena College received 44 points to finish sixth, followed by Niagara University (42 points) in seventh, Manhattan College (33) in eighth, Canisius College (25) in ninth and Marist College (18) in 10th to round out the poll.

Last season, the Gaels made their first appearance in the MAAC Championship final since winning the league crown in 2006 and also reached the title game of the 2011 CollegeInsider. com Postseason Tournament. Iona returns three starters from that squad -- preseason All-MAAC First Team picks Mike Glover and Scott Machado and Third Team member Kyle Smyth. Glover, named to the Preseason Top 50 List for the John R. Wooden Award, is the league's top returning scorer(18.4ppg) and rebounder (10.1rpg).

Machado finished second in the nation in assists per game with 7.6 an outing. Smyth averaged 10.1 points per game during his sophomore campaign, connecting on 45.1 percent of his shots from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range. Second-year head coach Tim Cluess will also look to senior Jermel Jenkins, junior Lamont Jones and sophomore Sean Armand to help lead the Maroon and Gold in their quest for an eighth MAAC Championship.

Fairfield returns four starters and eight letterwinners that helped earn the MAAC regular season title last season. The Stags, who previously registered a league-high scoring defense of 58.3 points per game, will be led by preseason All-MAAC First Team selections Derek Needham and Ryan Olander as well as Rakim Sanders of the Second Team. Needham recorded 14.1 points and 4.5 assists per game during his sophomore campaign, while Olander averaged 10.4 points per game and shot 53.2 percent from the floor.

First-year head coach Sydney Johnson will also rely onthe efforts of juniors Colin Nickerson and Sean Crawford along with sophomores Maurice Barrow and Jamel Fields as the Stags look to earn the program's first MAAC championship title in 15 years.

MAAC Hoops

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends" Series: Loyola (MD) Great Andy O'Donnell

Jon Teitel — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:34:06 -0800

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Loyola (MD) great Andy O'Donnell. A guard who helped lead the Greyhounds to three NAIA Tournament appearances, O'Donnell remains just one of two Loyola (MD) alums to have played in the NBA. Mike Morrison (1990) was the other Greyhound to have reached the NBA.

Jon Teitel: Why did you decide to go to Loyola?

Andy O'Donnell: At the time it was very difficult to get into college due to the number of returning soldiers seeking admission via the GI Bill. I served five campaigns in Europe during WWII and landed on Omaha Beach shortly after D-Day. I ended up receiving the Purple Heart, and was discharged from the Army in 1945. With the help of a relative I got accepted at Loyola for the 1946 term and walked on to the basketball team. I became a starter during my freshman year, and ended up as the second highest scorer on the team.

JT: What are your memories of the three straight NAIA tourneys you went to (1947-1949)?

AO: I am 85 years old, so I am sorry to say I have some difficulty remembering many of those details. I do recall that for the first two tourneys we had to travel all the way from Baltimore to KC by train.

JT: When you graduated you decided to go pro and join the Baltimore Bullets for the NBA's inaugural season (it was previously known as the BAA). What was the public perception of the NBA at that time, and what did your friends/family think about your career choice?

AO: My first contact with the Bullets came in college, when we scrimmaged against them a number of times. They were very popular, and I received a great welcome and much support from the fans in Baltimore. My family, friends, and teammates were very happy for me.

JT: The early years of the NBA featured several future Hall-of-Famers (George Mikan, Dolph Schayes, Ed Macauley, etc.). Did any of them stand out above the others, and were you convinced that the league would survive thanks to such talented players?

AO: At that time the NBA was loaded with great players, but Mikan stood out as 1 of the most exceptional. Every team had standout players, and I do not recall anyone who was concerned about the league's survival.

JT: Your team was led by player/coach Buddy Jeanette, who was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. What was it like to play for a legend like Buddy, and how did he handle the dual roles of player and coach?

AO: Buddy and I played against each other while I was in college, and after I graduated in 1950 he offered me a contract to play for the Bullets. I believe that Buddy signed me to take his place once his own playing days were over. I was offered a $5,000 contract for the following season, but turned it down for personal reasons, which was a decision I came to regret. Buddy was a great player and an equally great coach. All of our players got along very well and had a real sense of purpose.

JT: You later played for the Reading Rangers in the Eastern Professional Basketball League. How did the EPBL compare to the NBA?

AO: The Eastern League was comprised of many fine players, but in my opinion their teams did not compare to NBA teams.

JT: One of the EPBL's notable accomplishments was its inclusion of African-American players: how big a deal was it at the time, and how did the crowds/cities react to this integration?

AO: I recall that African-American players were readily accepted by the fans in the Eastern League.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

AO: I would like people to remember me as a great competitor and "floor general". I came from a small high school (18 people in my senior class!) in a small town, but ended up making it to the big time.

O'Donnell is also on Jon's list of best pro players in MAAC history.

Canisius: Johnny McCarthy (1957)
Fairfield: AJ Wynder (1991)
Iona: Richie Guerin (1957)
Loyola (MD): Andy O'Donnell (1950)
Manhattan: Ricky Marsh (1978)
Marist: Rik Smits (1989)
Niagara: Calvin Murphy (1971)
Rider: Jason Thompson (2009)
Siena: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Saint Peter's: Rich Rinaldi (1972)

College Hoops Monday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:01:17 -0800

The big game on Monday night is a rematch between Texas (18-3, 6-0) and Texas A&M (17-3, 4-2), with the latter needing a win in order to remain a serious factor in the Big 12 race. Texas controlled the first meeting back on January 19th, winning by the final score of 81-60 behind 27 points and eight rebounds from Jordan Hamilton. The presence of Hamilton underlined the issue for Texas A&M but on the other side of the floor: who's their perimeter bell cow to put points on the board in key situations? Khris Middleton scored 16 in the loss but he isn't the kind of player that you isolate on the wing and let go to work despite his skill. The Aggies really don't have that type of player and in most games that's actually fine due to what the likes of Middleton, David Lobeau (10.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Nathan Walkup (10.1, 5.7 rpg) bring to the table. The Aggies get a solid portion of their production on the offensive boards, where they grab 41% of their misses on the average. But in Texas they face a team that can more than match their size inside, and in the first meeting the Longhorns were the ones who got after the offensive boards at a higher rate (41% to 33% for A&M). And with their size Texas can bludgeon the opposition on the glass in a slower game despite the fact that they average 70 possessions per game (A&M has an average of 65 possessions per game). If A&M can break even on the glass while grabbing their share of offensive boards they'll have a chance in front of their raucous home crowd.

Rick Barnes' team put together one of the most impressive 7-day stretches of the season last week, winning at Kansas and Oklahoma State before taking care of Missouri on Saturday. Hamilton gets a good deal of attention for his offensive exploits but there are more weapons than just the sophomore from Los Angeles. Forwards Gary Johnson (11.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Tristan Thompson (12.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg) get the job done on both ends of the floor, possessing both the physicality needed to bang inside and the athleticism to get out and run when the opportunity presents itself. Guards Cory Joseph (11.2 ppg, 2.9 apg) and J'Covan Brown (9.4 ppg) can both score from the perimeter as well, with Brown going off for 17 points in the second half of the win at Kansas, and Dogus Balbay is one of the nation's premier defenders while also boasting an assist to turnover ratio of nearly 2.6:1. Coach Barnes' guys average around 77 points per game while shooting 46% from the field and 38% from three, but they also get it done on the defensive end. Opponents shoot just 36.8% from the field on the season, and while they don't hound teams into a number of turnovers the Longhorns can clamp down in the half court. Texas A&M will need to find quality looks inside and not settle for perimeter shots late in the shot clock as neither B.J. Holmes (37.9% FG) nor Dash Harris (28.1% FG) is that kind of player. Naji Hibbert averages around seven points per game off the bench, and he may need to be that perimeter scorer tonight if the Aggies are to take care of business.

What will Texas A&M need to do in order to win? One task will be to force turnovers, as A&M opponents have a turnover percentage of 21.5% this season. But Texas only turned the basketball over eight times in that first meeting and for much of the season the Longhorns have been sound in taking care of the basketball. They'll need to hound Hamilton into adverse positions with the hope that last year's Hamilton, who took shots with the reckless abandon worthy of rec center pickup games, rises to the surface. The Aggies will also need to hit the glass on both ends, especially offensively as it's an integral part of their offense. Mark Turgeon's team has an offensive efficiency of 110.1, which is actually a couple tenths higher than that of Texas, because of their ability to hit the offensive glass. They're not going to light teams up from deep and if they get into a shooting contest the partisans are Reed Arena won't be going home in the best of moods. And speaking of the crowd, one of the best home court advantages in America will be on display in College Station. Do they have enough energy to give the home team a couple points in the form of momentum? If so Texas A&M could find themselves right back in the Big 12 race, but don't expect Texas to be afraid of the challenge either.

In other action tonight Louisville visits Georgetown with both teams looking to build on the momentum gained in good road victories on Saturday. Austin Freeman went off for the Hoyas in their win at Villanova, scoring 30 points as the Wildcats failed to find an answer for him defensively. Is Chris Wright the barometer for John Thompson III's team? That was the argument for much of the season, especially when the Hoyas began Big East play 1-4, but he didn't score on Saturday while handing out six assists. If Georgetown, like Louisville, can get consistent production from their big men they're a much tougher team to beat. Louisville is also guard-heavy in terms of production, with Peyton Siva accounting for 19 points and seven assists in their win at Connecticut, and Preston Knowles went through a hot stretch where he seemed to do no wrong with the ball in his hands. Add in the likes of Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith (just to name two) on the perimeter and Rick Pitino has a fast group that can pressure all 94 feet of the floor. And in the MAAC Fairfield looks to gain some much needed separation atop the standings as they take on Canisius at home. A wild weekend in the MAAC saw Iona, Rider and Saint Peter's all lose at least once, giving Ed Cooley's Stags a two-game lead in the loss column going into tonight's game. But the Golden Griffins have some talent, most notably wing Julius Coles and forward Greg Logins, meaning that Derek Needham and company need to be ready from the opening tip.

Top 25
9:00 PM (8) Texas at (11) Texas A&M (ESPN)
7:00 PM (19) Louisville at (20) Georgetown (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Davidson at Georgia Southern
7:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Hampton (ESPNU)
7:00 PM UMBC at Stony Brook
7:15 PM Mercer at East Tennessee State
7:30 PM New Hampshire at Vermont (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Campbell at Jacksonville
7:30 PM Canisius at Fairfield (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Kennesaw State at USC Upstate
8:00 PM Norfolk State at Coppin State
8:00 PM North Carolina A&T at Morgan State
8:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina Central
8:00 PM Florida A&M at South Carolina State
8:30 PM Delaware State at Howard
8:35 PM Northern Colorado at Northern Arizona
9:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Jackson State
9:00 PM Alabama A&M at Prairie View A&M
9:00 PM Alabama State at Texas Southern (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Grambling State
10:00 PM Seattle at Loyola Marymount

MAAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:49:27 -0800

The MAAC race should be quite exciting with Niagara, Rider, and Siena all legitimately pushing for the conference title. Expect all three to consistently appear in mid-major rankings.

Conference Rank: 15th

10 year average: 17th

MAAC Conference Page

All-MAAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Ronald Moore	Siena	Sr
G	Tyrone Lewis	Niagara	Sr
G/F	Ryan Thompson	Rider	Sr
F	Edwin Ubiles	Siena	Sr
F	Bilal Benn	Niagara	Sr

Player of the Year - Ryan Thompson Freshman of the Year - Derek Needham (Fairfield)
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Ryan Thompson (3rd Team) Edwin Ubiles (3rd) Tyrone Lewis		Best Scorer Ryan Thompson Best Rebounder Bilal Benn Assists: Ronald Moore

MAAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

34	Siena	MAAC	1	NCAA
65	Niagara	MAAC	2	NIT
84	Rider	MAAC	3	CBI/CIT
143	Fairfield	MAAC	4
182	Manhattan	MAAC	5
209	St. Peter's	MAAC	6
214	Iona	MAAC	7
227	Loyola Md	MAAC	8
259	Canisius	MAAC	9
287	Marist	MAAC	10

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MAAC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the MAAC?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:54:28 -0700

MAAC Tournament: Preview & Odds

Evan Dorey — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:13:59 -0800

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

MAAC

The MAAC tournament gives first round byes to the top two teams, with all games hosted in Siena’s home building, the Times Union Center in Albany.

#	Team	QF	SF	F	W
1	Siena	100.00%	93.01%	84.81%	57.87%
2	Niagara	100.00%	88.73%	73.51%	34.06%
3	Rider	100.00%	65.54%	16.42%	3.50%
4	Manhattan	100.00%	48.97%	5.81%	1.21%
5	Fairfield	100.00%	51.03%	6.25%	1.34%
6	St. Peter's	100.00%	34.46%	5.47%	0.76%
7	Iona	72.09%	9.69%	4.23%	0.66%
8	Loyola MD	64.81%	5.35%	2.58%	0.52%
9	Canisius	35.19%	1.64%	0.55%	0.07%
10	Marist	27.91%	1.58%	0.37%	0.03%

A pretty clear two-horse race sees the hometown team being the favorites, and a good Siena-Niagara final looks awfully likely.

#1 – Siena Saints (23-7, 16-2) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.127

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (2^nd Round)

After beating Vanderbilt to make the 2^nd round of the tournament last year, there were high hopes for a Siena team that returned the majority of that team. The Saints took some losses in non-conference play, but largely cruised thorough their conference schedule, with only a couple of tough road defeats blemishing their record. The Saints have had the MAAC’s best offense, playing a fast style that depends on getting a lot of high-percentage two-point chances on the break, while managing to control their turnovers. Siena’s defense, though, hasn’t been as good, just 4^th in the league. It forces a lot of turnovers, and rarely fouls, but gives up a lot of chances in transition, and has the worst defensive FG% in the conference.

Players to watch:

6-9 SO Ryan Rossiter, 9.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 62.7 eFG% - Rossiter probably won’t be the guy who gets the most plaudits on a strong Siena team, but he’s a player I’d like to see in a slightly larger role, as his current play has been exemplary. He doesn’t necessarily score a lot of points, but his 63% shooting from the field and 82% from the free throw line means he takes his chances very effectively. He’s also an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker who does a lot of important things for the Saints.

6-5 JR Alex Franklin, 13.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 56.6 eFG% - Franklin and Rossiter aren’t the names you’ll hear first when Siena is mentioned (those will probably be Ubiles and Hasbrouck), but they are the two most efficient players on the team. Franklin shares the team lead in rebounding with Rossiter, and is a 57% shooter who gets to the line very often, though his percentage from the stripe is not too good.

#2 – Niagara Purple Eagles (24-7, 14-4) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.142

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

Don’t look now, but while Siena has the league’s best record, Niagara has been the best in efficiency margin, just slightly better than the Saints, and if the conference tourney were held on a neutral court, it’d be the favorite. The Eagles have had the conference’s best defense, despite struggling to stop the three-point shot. They’ve managed to get opponents to take most of their shots inside, where they’ve hit just 42%, and lead the league in forcing turnovers. Offensively, they don’t make a really high percentage of shots, but get a lot of chances, with an excellent record on the offensive glass and in holding onto the ball.

Players to watch:

6-5 SR F Bilal Benn, 14.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 49.4 eFG% - Benn isn’t a huge offensive threat, but is a fairly solid scorer who leads the conference in rebounding. His shooting is right at the level it needs to be to keep him an efficient player, with his chances coming primarily inside, but also having the ability to hit the long-range shot.

5-11 JR Tyrone Lewis, 16.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 44.4 eFG% - Lewis hasn’t been a very good shooter, struggling from inside the arc, but has made up for it with his defensive play, as he leads the conference in steals. Still, he’s the team’s leading scorer, as he takes a lot of shots and does a decent job.

#3 – Rider Broncs (18-11,12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.022

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1994 (1^st Round)

Besides the top two, Rider is the only other team in the MAAC that has a positive efficiency margin on the season, and the only other team to score more than a point per possession. Unfortunately for the Broncs, one of the conference’s worst defenses has really held them back. They are the MAAC’s best three point shooters, hitting just more than 40%, and while their poor performance on the boards keeps them from being equal to the leading pair, they can still put up a lot of points. Their defense has allowed opponents to shoot well from behind the arc, and has been below average in most other areas as well.

Players to watch:

6-6 JR Ryan Thompson, 17.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 57.9 eFG% - The league’s top two teams may have separated themselves from the pack, but the conference’s top player plays on the #3 team in Thompson. He leads the Broncs in points, assists and steals, and is also an excellent rebounder. He’s one of the conference’s best shooters, able to put up a lot of points inside and also shows a good touch from behind the arc.

6-3 SR Harris Mansell, 11.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 52.0 eFG% - Mansell is the closest thing his team has to a three-point specialist, and he does a good job of it, hitting 36% of long-distance shots, and has averaged 16 points over the last four games

#4 –Manhattan Jaspers (16-13, 9-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.023

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2004 (2^nd Round)

Now, things begin to get difficult in the MAAC, as teams 4-8 all finished within .014 of each other in EM, and there isn’t much to separate them. Manhattan, which finished the season with a couple of disappointing road losses, has had a very solid defense, led by the conference’s best rebounding. It’s not great at forcing missed shots, but does grab most of those that do miss. Rebounding is also one of the offense’s few strengths, and the Jaspers get a lot of practice, hitting under 40% of their attempts. They also get to the free throw line quite often, but a 66% showing there sets them back.

Players to watch:

6-4 JR Darryl Crawford, 14.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 47.2 eFG% - An excellent three point shooter, Crawford is peaking at the right time, scoring a career-high 33 in the Jaspers’ final regular season game.

6-3 SO Chris Smith, 13.4 PPG,5.6 RPG, 41.9 eFG% - Smith can put up a lot of points, and is a good rebounder, but his sub-30% on three-pointers, and barely-40% on two-pointers mean that he’s a pretty inefficient player.

#5 – Fairfield Stags (16-14, 9-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.021

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1997 (1^st Round)

The Stags have had the best offense of any team outside the top three, but have also struggled defensively to manage a .500 finish. They are one of the conference’s better teams at defending the three-pointer, but have allowed opponents to score pretty easily inside, and have given opponents a lot of chances with many rebounds and few turnovers. Offensively, Fairfield doesn’t make a lot of its shots, but it manages to do the opposite of its defensive failings, getting a lot of opportunities at the basket by holding onto the ball and getting a lot of rebounds.

Players to watch:

6-7 JR Greg Nero, 12.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 57.1 eFG% - Nero is questionable for the Stags’ games in the tournament, and it will be a huge boost to their hopes if he returns and is healthy. He’s an incredibly efficient shooter who leads the team in scoring and is an excellent rebounder.

6-6 SO Yorel Hawkins, 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 48.2 eFG% - With several Fairfield players facing a variety of injury and disciplinary concerns, Hawkins has been forced to increase his role, and done a decent job in this role. He averaged nearly 15 points in February, though his shooting percentage hasn’t been great and he’s faced a lot of foul trouble.

#6 – St. Peter’s Peacocks (11-18, 8-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.033

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1995 (1^st Round)

St. Peter’s is the worst ranked of the mid-table teams, and is somewhat fortunate to earn the final first-round bye. However, the Peacocks do enter the tournament on good form, winning their last five conference games. They’ve defended the inside pretty effectively, but teams that can shoot threes well can cause them a lot of problems, and they are terrible defensive rebounders, despite playing at quite a slow pace. They make up for it on the offensive glass, and make a lot of threes themselves, but cough the ball up too often for comfort.

Players to watch:

6-7 SO Ryan Bacon, 11.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG, 52.7 eFG% - Bacon is one of the conference’s best big men, third in the MAAC in rebounding and tops in the league in shot-blocking. He doesn’t play a huge role on the offensive end, but he’s a pretty good shooter who really impacts the game defensively.

6-2 SO Wesley Jenkins, 15.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 43.5 eFG% - The Peacocks’ leading scorer has shot better from three than two, but his three-point percentage is just 36%, so that’s more an indictment of his inside shooting than anything else.

#7 – Iona Gaels (12-18, 7-11) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.019

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006 (1^st Round)

Iona basically has the opposite story to the previous team, St. Peter’s, as the Gaels are the best team in this middle group by EM, but come in on a low, having lost eight of their last ten. This comes despite the conference’s second best defense, a unit that thrives in denying opponents possessions, forcing a lot of turnovers and dominating the glass. The problem for Iona has been holding on to the ball itself, as it is the conference’s worst at committing turnovers. It gets to the free throw line as often as any team in the country, but shoots just 66% at the line, which limits how much benefit it gets from these chances.

Players to watch:

6-9 SR Gary Springer, 12.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 58.3 eFG% - Springer was out for much of December, and really gave Iona a big help when he returned to start the new year. He leads the Gaels in scoring and rebounding, and is a 58% shooter, though he has had trouble with fouls.

6-1, FR Scott Machado, 9.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 43.2 eFG% - Machado may not be a big scorer or a very good shooter, but he has one of the best assist rates in the country, even with a fairly tepid cast of characters to get it to.

#8 – Loyola MD Greyhounds (12-19, 7-11) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.029

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1994 (1^st Round)

Greyhounds’ coach Jimmy Patsos may have made his team the only one in the country to hold Stephen Curry scoreless, but it hasn’t been causing that much trouble for many opponents in an up-and down 2009 that has seen the team put up both a six-game winning streak and a seven-game losing streak. Loyola is as quixotic a defending team as you’ll see, leading the MAAC in defending three-pointers, but dead last in defending two-point shots. With most of its opponents’ shots coming from inside, that’s not a good thing for the Greyhounds. They have some good shooters at the free-throw line, sitting near the top of the national rankings at 76%, but haven’t translated that into hitting shots on the floor, where they are one of the league’s worst teams.

Players to watch:

6-3 SO Jamal Barney, 18.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 44.7 eFG% - For a team that made national headlines for shutting down a dominant scorer, it’s a bit of an interesting coincidence that the Greyhounds have their own dominant player, as MAAC leading scorer Jamal Barney takes nearly 40% of his team’s shots when he’s on the floor. This hasn’t been all good, as he’s hit three-pointers at a woeful 28%.

6-1 JR Brett Harvey, 12.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 43.0 eFG% - Harvey has been a terrible shooter from the field, especially from inside the arc, but is an efficient player because he not only gets to the free throw line, but has hit 91% of attempts once he gets there.

#9 – Canisius Golden Griffins (10-19, 4-14) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.079

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

The Griffins’ opponents shouldn’t lulled into too much of a sense of security by their record, as they haven’t been too far behind the rest of the league in EM, and finished strongly, winning three of four and pushing Siena in a four-point loss. Canisius has an excellent team at defending shots, especially inside, as it allows opponents under 45% from two-point range. It gets into problems when it comes to the other facets of defense, especially committing fouls, where it is the worst in the league. The Griffins are poor shooters, struggling from three and from the line, and often have trouble putting up points.

Players to watch:

5-10 JR Frank Turner, 15.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 43.5 eFG% - Turner leads the MAAC in minutes played, and while he also leads the team in scoring, he’s a very inefficient player, shooting just 41% from the field and offsetting his good assist numbers with a lot of turnovers.

6-4 FR Julius Coles, 11.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 46.7 eFG% - Coles is the best three-point shooter for Canisius, but since he’s barely at 33%, that’s hardly a ringing endorsement. He comes into the tournament hot, averaging more than 16 points in his last four games.

#10 – Marist Red Foxes (9-22, 4-14) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.100

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1987 (1^st Round)

Marist sits at the bottom of the conference in both offense and defense, and while it has been somewhat unlucky to have such a poor overall record, it should still expect to be drummed in the first round. Marist has been able to defend shots well, but its inability to force turnovers and its trouble on the boards have meant that it hasn’t mattered much. The Foxes have also been decent at making shots on the offensive end, but have again seen their inability to get possessions go against them.

Players to watch:

6-7 SR Ryan Schneider, 16.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 49.0 eFG% - While his team has struggled, there can be little doubt that the Foxes’ leader in scoring, rebounding, steals and shot-blocking has been one of the league’s better players. He hasn’t been all that efficient, but he’s clearly the best option on a team that has struggled.

6-6 JR David Devezin,10.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, 48.3 eFG% - Devezien has had a couple of stretches during the season in which he’s has been a pretty good scorer, but hasn’t shown a whole lot during the last month. He’s a good percentage shooter, who has one of the best assist rates in the country while attempting very few three-pointers.

My statistical all-MAAC team:

Niagara JR G Tyrone Lewis, 16.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 44.4 eFG%

Siena SR G Kenny Hasbrouck, 14.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 48.0 eFG%

Rider JR F Ryan Thompson, 17.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 57.9 eFG%

Marist SR F Ryan Schneider, 16.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 49.0 eFG%

Niagara SR G/F Bilal Benn, 14.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 49.4 eFG%

Friday Night in the MAAC

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:09:34 -0800

A full slate in the MAAC on tap tonight, with a showdown for first place being the marquee event. A week after Fairfield went to Albany and failed to take down the defending chanmps, 3-0 Rider gets their shot at the Times Union Center in a rematch of last year's MAAC Tournament final. Of course two of the main characters in that chapter are gone (Rider's Jason Thompson and Siena's Tay Fisher) but both teams stand to be a factor in the title chase until the end of the regular season. Fairfield, who lost two league games last weekend, finds themselves in need of a win tonight at Loyola (MD) and the Greyhounds haven't been much better in losing seven of their last ten games.

The other two teams in that 2-2 logjam will meet in Riverdale tonight, with Marist taking on Manhattan. R.J. Hall has gotten better as the season has progressed and Coach Martin has a forward in Ryan Schneider who's played some very good basketball this season. Another bonus for Marist is the return of point guard David Devezin, who will be playing in his fourth game since sitting out five due to injury. But the Red Foxes will have their hands full with Barry Rohrssen's Jaspers, a team that has one of the conference's better quartets (Chris Smith, Antoine Pearson, Devon Austin and Darryl Crawford). Rounding out the schedule is Joe Mihalich taking one of the best backcourt rotations in the MAAC to Jersey City, and an interesting point guard matchup in New Rochelle between quick junior Frank Turner and freshman Scott Machado. With the exception of the Canisius/Iona game (7:30 start) all games are at 7 PM and the Rider/Siena game can be seen on ESPNU.

Rider (8-5, 3-0) @ Siena (10-5, 4-0) on ESPNU

The game of the night in the MAAC, and the individual matchup between two of the conference's most versatile (and best) players will be an entertaining one to watch. Rider's Ryan Thompson and Siena's Edwin Ubiles are outstanding basketball players on the wing for their respective teams, and neither has failed to show why they were preseason All-MAAC selections. I know that some pundits have been quick to note the Saints as a disappointment due to their inability to get a headline non-conference win, but those people need to be honest in regards to the level of that schedule.

Three games in Orlando against teams that should make a run at postseason play, as well as trips to Pitt and Kansas (the Jayhawks may be young, but it's tough to win at Allen Fieldhouse) doesn't look like a lineup of cupcakes to me. Siena has had some trouble in two areas this season: rebounding and three-point shooting. The former can be explained by that schedule for the most part, while Tay Fisher was a key ingredient when it came to accuracy from behind the arc. Another individual matchup to keep an eye on is Mike Ringgold and Alex Franklin inside. Both are a bit undersized for their positions, but they can get the job done inside. These are also two of the best in the MAAC in turnover margin (Siena 2nd, Rider 3rd), and Tommy Dempsey has some capable shooters in his stable as well, most notably senior Harris Mansell. My pick: Siena.

Fairfield (9-6, 2-2) @ Loyola (MD) (5-10, 1-3)

Reigning MAAC Player of the Week Jamal Barney will lead the Greyhounds into battle against a talented Fairfield team looking to end its two-game conference skid. Last year's game was an exciting affair, with the Stags winning it in the final minute. But then Loyola knocked them out of the MAAC quarters for the second year in a row. Ed Cooley's got some very good players to choose from, most notably perimeter mainstays Jonathan Han and Warren Edney, along with forwards Greg Nero and Anthony Johnson. Normally this isn't a team that's going to rack up a lot of points, even though they did score 81 in a loss at Siena. But tonight could offer an opportunity to snap out of their recent shooting doldrums, with the Stags making less than forty percent of their shots in three of their last four games. Loyola is dead last in the MAAC in both field goal and three-point percentage defense, and they also are ninth in rebounding margin. The issue for both teams has to be taking care of the basketball since both rank in the bottom half of the league in turnover margin. My pick: Fairfield.

Canisius (5-9, 0-4) @ Iona (6-9, 1-3)

While the aforementioned Turner vs. Machado matchup should captivate those in attendance at the Hynes Center, Canisius needs this game simply to pick up their first conference win of the season. Last year the Golden Griffins struggled on the defensive end, with their youth routinely being punished by teams all year long. But this year it's been the offense that's to blame, with Coach Parrotta's team ranking ninth in field goal percentage and tenth in three-point percentage. Newcomers Chris Gadley and Julius Coles have helped, but this is a team that quite frankly struggles to consistently get quality looks from the field. The Gaels aren't exactly going to light up the scoreboard either, but they've been a bit more consistent when it comes to knocking down shots. Senior Gary Springer is back in the lineup after missing seven games with an ankle injury, and his double-double against Fairfield last week was instrumental in Iona picking up their first league win. This one should be tight, expecially if Canisius can play well on the offensive end. My pick: Iona.

Niagara (12-3, 3-0) @ St. Peter's (4-10, 1-3)

This could be painful to watch for fans of the Peacocks, a team that is right there with Canisius when it comes to the worst offensive team in the MAAC. St. Peter's is averaging just over fifty-six points per game, and they rank tenth in field goal percentage and ninth in three-pont percentage. But they've got one of the better sophomores in the conference in Wesley Jenkins, and classmate Nick Leon isn't too bad either. This group, however, willl have its hands full with a versatile lineup rotation that can come at you in waves. The talk has been about transfers Bilal Benn and Rob Garrison, but there's also returnees Tyrone Lewis and Anthony Nelson. And I'm willing to bet that I'm leaving someone out, but that's to mention Benson Egemonye inside. Look for this game to provide the largest margin of victory on the schedule tonight. My pick: Niagara

Marist (6-10, 2-2) @ Manhattan (8-6, 2-2)

This one should be a good matchup, fitting for two teams tied in the standings. Marist has won three of their last four with the lone defeat being a two-point decision at Binghamton, and all the Bearcats are doing right now is leading a conference in America East that's better than most people think. Ryan Schneider has been the man, even with the dribble drive motion system that tends to favro guards. Why is that? His versatility, with the ability to score either inside or behind the arc, has been the key for the senior who started out his career at Vermont. Add to his team-high sixteen points per game nine rebounds per contest and you've got a guy who could make a serious run at league honors after not being named to any of the preseason teams. Manhattan's got a versatile forward of their own in senior Devon Austin, but the emergence of guards Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford has meant that he hasn't had to shoulder the offensive load. This game should go down to the final minutes, and it's anyone guess who will win. My pick: Manhattan.

MAAC Hoops