Iona

Fran McCaffery Interview/MAAC BracketBusters Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:51:42 -0500

It's BracketBusters weekend and with all ten MAAC teams taking part it's one last respite from the rigors of conference play. Seeing a relatively unfamiliar face allows teams the opportunity to fine-tune things in advance of the upcoming MAAC Tournament. And the teams in the marquee matchups have an opportunity to bulk up their resume in regards to seeding or getting into the NCAA Tournament should they be an at-large possibility. Two MAAC schools earned televised appearances with Iona hosting William & Mary on Friday night (9 PM, ESPNU) and Siena visiting Butler (11 AM, ESPN2) Saturday morning. In advance of Siena's contest head coach Fran McCaffery was kind enough to spend a few minutes on the phone discussing the matchup and his team.

RJ: Talk about this game has centered around a possible at-large berth being on the line. Do you even worry about that at this point?

FM: We don't talk about it. What happens is that the media asks and I say that we don't talk about it, and then I tell the kids that they shouldn't think about it. You can't make too much about this one because you still have to play the next one. But it is a great opportunity to play the 13th-ranked (ESPN/USA Today) team in the nation in Butler.

RJ: Seeing Butler on tape, what's one thing that's impressed you that most people wouldn't notice?

FM: There's a perception that they're not as athletic as most teams. They're extremely athletic; they just happen to be a precision team that can execute. They can get into you defensively (as a result of that athleticism).

RJ: What are the similarities you see between Edwin Ubiles and Butler's Gordon Hayward?

FM: Both can play all five positions and they both really handle the ball well. They've got the ability to affect the outcome of the game even when they aren't scoring, and they're integral to their team's success.

RJ: What's the key in slowing down Hayward?

FM: We can't let him hit the offensive boards and score (in that fashion).

RJ: How do you go about defending Matt Howard inside? Will one guy get the assignment or do you switch it up and use multiple defenders?

FM: We would probably switch between Ryan Rossiter, Alex Franklin and O.D. Anosike. You can't use just one guy to guard him because he can wear your guys down and get them in foul trouble if you aren't careful.

RJ: What's been one area "under the radar" that Ryan Rossiter has improved on since last season?

FM: He's become a scorer. Last season he was a role player, a guy who played defense and rebounded. He's improved his post game and can score with both hands inside.

RJ: And Clarence Jackson?

FM: He's had a terrific year. Before the season began we wondered how consistent he could be as he came off the bench behind Kenny Hasbrouck last year. He's become a complete player and a more cerebral player (on both ends of the floor).

RJ: What does it do for the program to have Ronald Moore be named a finalist for the Cousy Award (given to the nation's best point guard)?

FM: I'm thankful that he's being recognized for his overall body of work. He's a guy who engineers wins and puts wins ahead of his own personal numbers and goals. It's good to see a guy get recognized for that.

MAAC BracketBusters Schedule

Televised Games
Friday: William & Mary at Iona (9 PM, ESPNU)
These two haven't met since 1984 with the Gaels holding a 2-1 series lead. The Tribe are currently tied for third in the CAA and their resume includes wins over Maryland and Wake Forest. Tony Shaver's club still holds out hope for an at-large due to their non-conference achievements (and schedule) so a win here would be crucial for them. David Schneider leads the way with an average of 15.6 points per game while Quinn McDowell and Danny Sumner are behind him in the scoring department. And William & Mary's assist leader should be familiar to some as Sean McCurdy played his high school ball for Bob Hurley Sr. at St. Anthony in Jersey City.

Outside of the rebounding margin and turnovers per game advantages held by the Tribe these are two evenly-matched squads. The key for Iona will be to turn the Tribe over and use their depth to wear the visitors out. To say the least this is a tough matchup for Kevin Willard's young team but a good test with the MAAC Tournament on the horizon. Scott Machado and the rest of the Iona backcourt will be tested by William & Mary's perimeter players, but a player like Alejo Rodriguez or Jonathan Huffman could have an impact up front. Look for this to be an entertaining nightcap to Old Dominion/Northern Iowa.

Saturday: Siena at Butler (11 AM, ESPN2)
The Saints are 3-1 all-time in the event; winning their two other televised appearances (beat Northern Iowa last year). But to take on a nationally-ranked squad that's been tested multiple times in the non-conference schedule may be their toughest test yet. Brad Stevens' club has already clinched the regular season title in the Horizon League with a 17-0 league record and they're essentially playing for NCAA Tournament seeding at this point. Siena, on the other hand, could do themselves a lot of good according to many of the nation's bracketologists should they win at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

But they'll have their hands full with the likes of Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard, and players such as Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored shouldn't be ignored either. Player to watch for the Saints: Clarence Jackson. If he can put up points this becomes a game the Saints can definitely win. He may be at the one position where Siena has an advantage among the starters, meaning that his play will go a long way in determining the outcome. The Saints are a slightly better offensive team and they'll need to get out in the open court and force Butler to play faster than they want to. If you don't care much for "College Gameday" hyping up UCLA/Washington be sure to tune in.

Non-Televised Games
New Hampshire at Loyola (1 PM)
Fairfield at Vermont (2 PM)
Towson at Manhattan (2 PM)
Buffalo at Saint Peter's (2 PM)
Rider at Hofstra (4 PM)
James Madison at Canisius (7 PM)
Marist at UC Irvine (7 PM)
Niagara at Milwaukee (7 PM)

Best Game: Fairfield at Vermont
Two of the better players in the Northeast will be on the floor in Derek Needham and Vermont's Marqus Blakely. Blakely will likely go up against the Stags' Anthony Johnson, and his versatility makes him a tough guard for Fairfield. Can Ed Cooley's team keep Blakely off the boards? Both teams boast multiple scoring options and that should mean an exciting contest.

MAAC Hoops

BracketBusters TV Pairings Announced

Press Release — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:56:58 -0500

ESPN announced today live on ESPNU’s 2010 BracketBusters Selection Show the pairings for the eighth annual BracketBusters – a two-day men’s college basketball event pitting NCAA Tournament hopefuls Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20. The field features two ranked teams, No. 15 Butler and No. 22 Northern Iowa, as well as the return of Siena, which also received votes in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll.

BracketBusters will feature 11 nationally televised games live, selected from a pool of 98 teams. ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network, will televise five BracketBusters games, and ESPN2 will televise six, all simulcast on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s customized broadband service. Three of the ESPN2 telecasts will be in high definition. The matchups are highlighted by Old Dominion at No. 22 Northern Iowa on Friday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m., and Siena at No. 15 Butler on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. ET, both on ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com.

2010 BracketBusters Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup	Network(s)
Fri, Feb 19	7 p.m.	Old Dominion at No. 22 Northern Iowa	ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com
	9 p.m.	William & Mary at Iona	ESPNU
Sat, Feb 20	11 a.m.	Siena at No. 15 Butler	ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com
	Noon	Morgan State at Murray State	ESPNU
	1 p.m.	Louisiana Tech at Northeastern	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com
	3 p.m.	Nevada at Missouri State	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com
	4 p.m.	Akron at Virginia Commonwealth	ESPNU
	8 p.m.	Coll. of Charleston at George Mason	ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com
	8 p.m.	Western Carolina at Kent State	ESPNU
	10 p.m.	New Mexico State at Pacific	ESPNU
	11:59 p.m.	Wichita State at Utah State	ESPN2 / ESPN360.com

This year’s 22 BracketBusters teams represent 10 conferences and:

· Two ranked teams: No. 15 Butler and No. 22 Northern Iowa

· 19 teams in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) top 100: No. Iowa (16); Butler (18); Siena (44); Old Dominion (46); Wichita State (48); William & Mary (51); Utah State (55); Northeastern (56); Virginia Commonwealth (60); Nevada (66); Kent State (69); Western Carolina (73); La. Tech (74); New Mexico State (82); Missouri State (84); Iona (85); Murray State (92); College of Charleston (94); Pacific (95)

· Seven 2009 NCAA Tournament participants: Northern Iowa; Siena; Butler; Morgan Sate; Akron; Virginia Commonwealth; Utah State

· 16 teams with 15 or more wins overall: Old Dominion; Northern Iowa; William & Mary; Iona; Siena; Butler; Morgan State; Murray State; La. Tech; Missouri State; Akron; Virginia Commonwealth; George Mason; Western Carolina; Wichita State; Utah State

· Four teams undefeated in conference play: Butler; Siena; Morgan State and Murray State

College Hoops Monday Recap: Wildcats Defend Bramlage Coliseum

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:01:23 -0500

In order to enjoy success against the top-ranked Texas Longhorns you have to hold your own on the boards. Kansas State, hosting their first matchup of Top 10 teams in school history, may lack in sheer bulk when compared to the Longhorn front line but they had to match (or exceed) the intensity of the visitors if they were to pull off the upset. And thanks to Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly they did just that, leading the way in the Wildcats' 71-62 win in Manhattan. Samuels, a tantalizing talent due to his size and athleticism, led the Wildcats with a game-high 20 points and 12 rebounds while Kelly added 17 points and eight rebounds.

Samuels' production came off the bench but when you combine his and Kelly's production they far exceeded what the tandem of Damion James and Dexter Pittman produced (15 points, 14 rebounds), with James shooting just 3-for-12 from the field and Pittman hindered by foul trouble (just 16 minutes played). And in a game that saw both teams shoot less than 40% from the field it was Kansas State who won the battle on the boards, outreboundng the Longhorns 50-41 and making 62.5% of their free throws while Texas made just nine of twenty-two from the charity stripe. Avery Bradley was the lone Texas player in double figures (11 points) while four Wildcats finished with at least eleven points.

And the guards need to be mentioned as well. Denis Clemente had a bad night from the field (and even worse from the foul line) but his eight assists (three turnovers) far exceeded what Dogus Balbay gave the visitors at the point (four assists, six turnovers). Jacob Pullen was also cold from the field, making just two of fifteen field goal attempts but his clutch foul shooting late sealed the win. The overall performances of Clemente and Pullen should be an eye-opener for the nation: few people would expect Kansas State to win on a night like that for their two most recognizable figures. But with the frontcourt stepping forward, Kansas State has made itself a team that will be heard from in the Big 12 race.

Three Key Happenings

1. The more things change the more they stay the same for Notre Dame. The talk for much of last season was that the Fighting Irish needed a third scoring option to step up alongside Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney. That didn't happen enough for Mike Brey's team, who went from preseason lock to play in the NCAA Tournament to the NIT. And that could once again happen this year with Tim Abromaitis (26 points) replacing McAlarney as that second option. Why? Once again in a big game just two options stepped up against a foe with a variety of weapons as Syracuse pulled away to win 84-71. Luke Harangody was his usual self with 31 points and 14 rebounds but outside of Abromaitis there was little help coming in the scoring department from their teammates, and as a team the Irish shot just 38.8% from the field.

Wesley Johnson led the Orange with 22 points while Andy Rautins (21 points) and Arinze Onuaku (13 points) also finished in double figures, and the Orange's two bench players (Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph) outscored Notre Dame's two reserves (Jonathan Peoples and Carleton Scott) 14-2. Simply put, Notre Dame is by no means safely into the NCAA field and if they expect to get there then a third scoring option will need to be there on a nightly basis. Does it have to be the same person every night? No, but at the least it needs to be someone.

2. Virginia nearly blows the momentum gained in the last week. The Cavaliers have already endured one shocking loss to a CAA school in this academic year (that was to William & Mary in football), and the basketball team nearly joined the club against a bad UNC Wilmington team. Sylven Landesburg rose to the occasion late, knocking down a 15-foot jumper with just over two seconds remaining to ensure survival by the final score of 69-67. How was the game this close? The Seahawks shot 51% from the field and made eleven of twenty-four three pointers to stay well within striking distance despite the Cavaliers attempting nineteen more foul shots.

Chad Tomko (17 points, eight assists) and Ahmad Grant (19 points) led UNCW to the near-upset but the foul line and a turnover margin of minus-5 came back to bite them in the end. Virginia learned a lesson in defending the three-point line, something they'd done a good job of in moving to 3-0 in ACC play. And if they want to keep that roll going they'll need to get back to their "old" ways.

3. Iona is one team the rest of the MAAC may want to avoid. Led by sophomore guard Scott Machado, who scored a game-high 20 points, the Gaels won their fourth straight game 72-59 over a slumping Rider. The Broncs were the ones picked in the preseason to challenge Siena and Niagara atop the Metro Atlantic but while they fade into the background it's the Gaels (and Fairfield) who find themselves in pursuit of the Saints. Kevin Willard's team was efficient offensively while holding Rider to 1-for-15 from behind the arc (Iona was 10-for-21), and they outrebounded Rider 38-23. With three of their last four wins coming by double digits (including two over Rider), Iona is a team that will have to be accounted for when the MAAC Tournament rolls around in early March.

Top Three Games

1. Kansas State 71, Texas 62 See above.

2. Virginia 69, UNC Wilmington 67 See above.

3. Syracuse 84, Notre Dame 71 See above.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Jamar Samuels (Kansas State) Samuels accounted for 20 points and 12 rebounds off the bench in Kansas State's 71-62 win over Texas.

2. F Luke Harangody (Notre Dame) Harangody scored 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Notre Dame's 84-71 loss to Syracuse.

3. F Ryan Rossiter (Siena) Rossiter posted a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds in the Saints' 83-68 win over Manhattan.

MAAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:49:03 -0500

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 11:54:04 -0400

MAAC Tournament: Preview & Odds

Evan Dorey — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:13:35 -0500

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 13:09:10 -0500

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

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #6

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:05:38 -0500

Conference Honors

America East: Despite their loss at Binghamton on Monday night it was a good week for Stony Brook, who won games at Air Force and defending America East champ UMBC. Junior Muhammad El-Amin shared the conference Player of the Week award with New Hampshire's Alvin Abreu, and freshman Bryan Dougher was named America East Rookie of the Week. While El-Amin accounted for 19.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the two wins, Dougher averaged 20.5 points per game.

Big East: St. John's guard Paris Horne was named to the league's honor roll for his play in a 1-1 week for the Red Storm. In their upset of #10 Notre Dame on Saturday Horne scored fourteen points, and he averaged fifteen per game along with three steals for the two games.

Ivy League: Columbia freshman Norwua Agho was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for his play in two tough losses for the Lions. In games against Sacred Heart and Lehigh Agho averaged 14.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Area players named to the conference's Honor Roll include Columbia guard Kevin Bulger, Princeton guard Dan Mavraides and Yale forward Ross Morin.

MAAC: Marist guard R.J. Hall was named the league's Rookie of the Week for his play in games against Binghamton and Rider. Hall averaged 15.5 points per game and shot 55.6% from behind the arc.

NEC: Area players snagged both honors in the NEC this week, with FDU guard Sean Baptiste taking Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week and Long Island's Julian Boyd being named Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week. Baptiste averaged 25.3 points per game last week, while Boyd posted averages of eight points and six rebounds per game.

Weekly Honors

Team of the Week: Stony Brook

What they did: Road wins at Air Force (67-64) and UMBC (69-61)

Head coach Steve Pikiell has this team headed in the right direction, even with a loss on Monday night to a hot Binghamton team on the road. But for the Seawolves to get out of this three-game stretch on the road with a record of 2-1 is something that needs to be acknowledged. Winning in Clune Arena is tough for Mountain West teams, so for Stony Brook to go out west and pull out a close win is pretty impressive. Combine this with their win in Baltimore over the defending conference champions on Saturday and you've got two pieces of evidence that this program is moving up in the America East pecking order.

Newcomers Muhammad El-Amin and Bryan Dougher were both honored by the conference for their play, but the two wins were also results of solid defense (holding UMBC to 35.9% from the field) and rebounding (33-23 edge on the boards at Air Force helped counteract the Falcons shooting 52.8%; Stony Brook attempted nineteen more shots as a result). If the Seawolves can keep this effort up they'll have a serious shot at moving into the middle of the pack in America East.

Also deserving praise for their play last week are Long Island (home wins over Central Connecticut State and Sacred Heart moved the Blackbirds to 3-1 in the NEC), Rider (wins over Iona and Marist have the Broncs at 3-0 in the MAAC) and St. John's (recovering from a serious beating at Providence to knock off then-#10 Notre Dame at MSG).

Player of the Week: Sean Baptiste (Fairleigh Dickinson)

While he didn't start off the week in the best form, scoring just eight points in a loss to Rhode Island, Baptiste more than made up for that in the Knights' win over Quinnipiac on Saturday. 37 points and eight rebounds on 12-18 shooting from the field; simply put the junior guard was in a zone that some would have a hard time believing to be true. FDU may be 2-11 overall, with the newcomers still struggling to mesh in head coach Tom Green's system, but Baptiste has had a major role in both wins that also have the Knights right in the middle of the NEC standings at 2-2. One of the better guards in the metropolitan area, don't let his efforts get lost in the shuffle like the exploits of Manny Ubilla did last year.

Other players who should be mentioned (besides those honored by their conferences) include Rutgers' Mike Rosario (19.3 ppg in losses to North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Connecticut), Seton Hall's Jeremy Hazell (26 ppg in losses to Syracuse and West Virginia) and St. John's D.J. Kennedy (20 points, 10 rebounds in the Red Storm's 71-65 win over Notre Dame).

Schedule (January 6th-12th)

Tuesday January 6th

7 PM: Fairfield @ Army
8 PM: #17 Villanova @ Seton Hall The Pirates weren't done any favors in regards to their conference schedule, and they could be in serious jeopardy of starting Big East play 0-4. Visit a ranked Syracuse, host a West Virginia team that should have been ranked a few weeks ago...and follow those two blowout losses with Villanova. The backcourt matchups should be entertaining, but that's not the area of concern for the Pirates. John Garcia will have to work himself back into shape due to the time he missed with a knee injury, and neither Mike Davis or Brandon Walters have stepped up to fill that void. 6-6, 180-pound Robert Mitchell is playing the four, and while some may cite the fact that Brian Laing played that role at times last season you have to keep in mind that the now-departed Laing was much stronger than Mitchell is. Bobby Gonzalez needs this win in the worst way if the Pirates are to keep alive fleeting hopes of a postseason bid.

Wednesday January 7th

7 PM: St. Bonaventure @ Fordham
Delaware @ Hofstra This sets up to be a key game in the CAA with both teams sporting 1-2 league records. Hofstra was ice-cold from the field in their loss to Drexel on Saturday, but they take on a Delaware team that has allowed 72.6 points per game on the year. That could be enough to snap Tom Pecora's team out of their current slump, but the Blue Hens have a trio of outstanding guards in Jawan Carter, Alphonso Dawson and Marc Egerson, all of whom average at least fifteen points per game. Even with George Mason and Northeastern leading the CAA with 3-0 records, this conference is shaping up to be an absolute dogfight, especially in the middle of the standings.
Bryant @ LIU
Yale @ NJIT
7:30: #15 Marquette @ Rutgers

Thursday January 8th

7 PM: FDU @ Mount St. Mary's
Wagner @ Central Connecticut State
St. Francis (PA) @ Sacred Heart
Maine @ Stony Brook This one sets up to be a test for how much the Seawolves have improved given the fact that on paper they should beat the Black Bears at home. Winning games you're expected to win is another step in going from also-ran to a player in your conference race. If Muhammad El-Amin and Bryan Dougher can continue their solid play of late, look for Stony Brook to pick up another conference win in their first America East home game of the year.

Friday January 9th

7 PM: NJIT @ Columbia
Fairfield @ Loyola (MD)
Marist @ Manhattan
Rider @ Siena Rider is just a half-game behind overwhelming favorite Siena in the MAAC standings, but a look at their three league wins (Manhattan, Iona and Marist) may have some wondering of the Broncs are once again a contender. Ryan Thompson is up to his usual tricks, filling just about every column imaginable on a stat sheet and he's been helped by senior guard Harris Mansell and sophomore forward Mike Ringgold. The individual matchup between Thompson and Siena's Edwin Ubiles should be worth the price of admission itself, and the Broncs may still be smarting over the blowout they suffered in last year's MAAC Tournament final. Rest assured we'll know a lot more about Tommy Dempsey's team after this game.
Niagara @ St. Peter's
Canisius @ Iona

Saturday January 10th

Noon: Hofstra @ VCU
2 PM: Seton Hall @ #13 Notre Dame
Hartford @ Yale
4 PM: Colgate @ Army
Robert Morris @ Sacred Heart While neither team was picked to win the NEC, both are expected to be in the race throughout the season. And with preseason pick (and defending tournament champ) Mount St. Mary's sitting at 0-3 right now the winner stands to pick up some important separation in what should be a hotly-contested race. The Pioneers will have to account for Colonials' guard Jeremy Chappell, who's currently averaging just over seventeen points per game and also leads the team in rebounding. With four players averaging double digits Dave Bike's team is more balanced that Robert Morris, and they'll have to use that to their advantage in this one.
4:30: Mount St. Mary's @ St. Francis (NY)
7 PM: FDU @ Central Connecticut State
LIU @ Wagner
7:30: #9 Syracuse @ Rutgers

Sunday January 11th

Noon: St. John's @ #1 Pittsburgh
1 PM: #18 Xavier @ Fordham
2 PM: Loyola (MD) @ St. Peter's
Iona @ Rider
3 PM: Canisius @ Fairfield
4 PM: Siena @ Manhattan the Jaspers, my pick to be a sleeper in the MAAC this season, get a shot at the defending champs in Draddy Gymnasium. Both Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford have stepped up on the scoreboard this season, but this is a game in which head coach Barry Rohrssen will need outstanding performances from his two established stars (Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin) in order to pull off the upset. The frontcourt will also have to play to its full capability, with Siena having one of the league's best power forwards in Alex Franklin.
Niagara @ Marist

Updated Ranking (previous week in parentheses)

1. St. John's (10-4; 2)
2. Seton Hall (9-5; 1)
3. Rider (8-5; 8)
4. Fairfield (8-6; 3)
5. Rutgers (9-6; 5)
6. Hofstra (9-5; 4)
7. Wagner (9-4; 7)
8. Stony Brook (8-6; 9)
9. Manhattan (8-6; 6)
10. Marist (6-10; 10)
11. Iona (6-9; 11)
12. LIU (6-7; 14)
13. Sacred Heart (4-9; 12)
14. Columbia (4-9; 13)
15. Princeton (3-8; 16)
16. Yale (3-9; 15)
17. Army (4-9; 18)
18. Monmouth (4-12; 20)
19. St. Francis (NY) (3-10; 17)
20. St. Peter's (4-10; 21)
21. FDU (2-12; 19)
22. Fordham (2-10; 22)
23. NJIT (0-14; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #5

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:22:50 -0500

The final days of 2008, for most of the teams in the area (save the Ivies and NJIT), mean a transition into full-time conference play. Some schools still have a game or two outside of conference play later in the season, but for the most part it's all about focusing on the direct way of getting to the NCAA Tournament. Big East play begins early this week, and despite a big win over FDU Seton Hall fans have to wonder what the opener at Syracuse will bring for a team that lacks bodies inside. St. John's has been juggling injuries of late, which has forced some youngsters to step into expanded roles. And Rutgers is making some history, becoming the first school to take on the nation's top three teams in consecutive games. Pitt at home on Wednesday, and then a trip north to take on UConn Saturday.

But that's not the only league that'll require metropolitan area schools to run the gauntlet, with the NEC looking to be wide-open and the MAAC possibly being a deeper league than many expected with the preseason "Siena and the rest of them" prognostications. Hofstra has won nine of their last eleven games and have the look of a serious contender in the CAA, while Steve Pikiell has a much-improved Stony Brook squad looking to make a move up the standings in America East. Can any of these teams, at the least, set themselves up for a run come conference tournament time? That remains to be seen, but these early conference games will set the tone for 2009.

Team of the Week: Marist

The Red Foxes were one of the few teams in the area to play two games last week, and they went ahead and won both while snagging a pair of individual honors in the MAAC as well. Marist was competitive last week while going 0-2 in the Aeropostale Holiday Festival, but it was painfully obvious how important injured point guard David Devezin is. Head coach Chuck Martin will definitely need Devezin back for the lion's share of MAAC play, but he had to be encouraged by the play of freshman R.J. Hall at the point in wins over Delaware and Bucknell. Five and a half assists per game and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.57 is a good way to play heading back into conference play.

And don't forget the stellar play of senior Ryan Schneider, who has taken off in Coach Martin's offensive system. It was known that Schneider can put the ball in the basket, but for him to rebound the ball as well as he has this season (9.3 rpg) and last week (14.0 rpg) could mean that the Red Foxes won't finish in the MAAC cellar. And he'll earn postseason honors as well. There were some growing pains for this program early on, but Marist could very well be a dangerous team for some of the MAAC favorites in the coming weeks.

Player of the Week: G Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall)

The sophomore from Harlem is at it again, cementing his reputation as one of the best scorers in the Big East while also expanding his game. In a 101-70 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Hazell went for 35 points and six rebounds. He currently leads the Big East in scoring at a clip of 22.4 points per game. But despite his scoring prowess, he can still improve as a ballhandler. He had five turnovers and no assists on Saturday, numbers that could make things very difficult for both himself and his team in conference play. Syracuse has played more man-to-man this season than in years past, and that may be a good thing for them heading into Tuesday's conference opener. This man is capable of hanging thirty on just about anyone.

Other outstanding performers last week include FDU's Sean Baptiste, Marist's Ryan Schneider, Rutgers' Mike Rosario and Stony Brook's Muhammad El-Amin.

Conference Honors

America East: Stony Brook juinor Muhammad El-Amin was honored as one of "The Best of the Rest" by the conference following last week's action. In a win over St. Peter's El-Amin tallied twenty-seven points, twenty of which came in the first half.

Atlantic 10: Fordham freshman guard Jio Fontan was named conference Co-Rookie of the Week following his eighteen point performance in the Rams' 60-56 win over New Hampshire on the 23rd. It's the second time winning the award for Fontan, who knocked down the gamewinning shot against the Wildcats.

Big East: Rutgers freshman guard Mike Rosario was named Big East Rookie of the Week due to his play in a 1-1 week for the Scarlet Knights. Rosario followed up a 24-point performance in a win over NJIT with twenty-six in a loss last night at #1 North Carolina. Rosario leads conference freshmen with an average of 17.5 points per game and leads the entire conference in free throw percentage (88.0%).

Ivy League: A pair of Yale Bulldogs were honored by the league for their play in a hard-fought 66-63 loss at Alabama last week. Senior Travis Pinick was named Player of the Week by the Ivy League for his seventeen points and eleven boards, while classmate Ross Morin was named to the Honor Roll for his twenty points against the Crimson Tide.

MAAC: Marist took home a pair of honors due to their 2-0 week. Senior forward Ryan Schneider, who averaged 25.5 points and 14.0 rebounds per game in wins over Delaware and Bucknell, was named Player of the Week. Freshman guard R.J. Hall, who averaged 8.5 points and 5.5 assists in the two wins, was named MAAC Rookie of the Week.

Schedule (December 30th-January 5th)

Tuesday 12/30

7 PM: Seton Hall @ #11 Syracuse this is the first game that will give us an idea of how the lack of size will affect the Pirates within the Big East. In Arinze Onuaku the Orange have one of the better big men in the conference; if it becomes apparent that they forget that and ignore him the look for the Hall to make this game very interesting. Eric Devendorf will also be back for Syracuse after missing time due to a university-imposed suspension. The Pirates will have to force turnovers and get the Orange to play faster than they want to if they're to steal the win on the road.
Rhode Island @ FDU
Princeton @ Lafayette
Marist @ Binghamton
Yale @ Hampton
St. Francis (NY) @ Ohio
Army @ Florida Gulf Coast
7:30: LIU @ Charlotte
8 PM: Wagner @ Kansas State

Wednesday 12/31

2 PM: #3 Pittsburgh @ Rutgers
Sacred Heart @ Boston College
Lehigh @ NJIT
4 PM: Manhattan @ La Salle
St. John's @ Providence Rutgers may be playing the higher-profile opponent on this night, but it's the Red Storm who find themselves in a far more important game within the Big East. No one is suggesting that either the Johnnies or Friars will crack the elite of the Big East, but any slim hopes of postseason play for either can be either helped or hurt in a big way in this game. Freshman TyShawn Edmondson will have to play well on the road against a solid backcourt led by Jeff Xavier.
5 PM: Stony Brook @ Air Force

Thursday 1/1

2 PM: Rider @ Iona
Fairfield @ Siena while most of the nation will focus on the bowl games being played, the top two teams in the MAAC preseason poll will meet in the Times Union Center. The Saints finally picked up a solid non-conference road win this weekend, beating St. Joseph's by a single point. But for as powerful as Fran McCaffrey's team remains, Ronald Moore has been inconsistent at the point thus far which could mean a big game for senior Jonathan Han. Individual matchup to watch: Fairfield's Warren Edney and Siena's Edwin Ubiles, two of the best swingmen in the league.

Friday 1/2

4 PM: Yale @ Bryant
7 PM: Columbia @ Lehigh
7:30: St. Peter's @ Marist these two were picked to finish in the MAAC cellar, but unlike the Peacocks Marist has shown signs recently of exceeding those expectations. As of right now it's unknown if David Devezin will be able to play, but if R.J. Hall can play like he did last week then Marist will be in good shape. St. Peter's has one of the better guards in the area that few people talk about in sophomore Wesley Jenkins.

Saturday 1/3

1 PM: NJIT @ Vermont
2 PM: #10 Notre Dame @ St. John's
Fordham @ Bowling Green
MIT @ Yale
UNC Greensboro @ Princeton
Drexel @ Hofstra the Dragons have struggled this season, but Bruiser Flint's team should still be respected as a possible spoiler in the CAA. As for Tom Pecora's Pride, they'll be looking to build on their win over Towson last month and stay on top of the league standings. Charles Jenkins will have his hands full with a defense that can make hunting for shots as fun as a root canal at times.
CCSU @ LIU
4 PM: West Virginia @ Seton Hall
7 PM: Army @ Dartmouth
St. Francis (NY) @ Wagner
Quinnipiac @ FDU
Manhattan @ Niagara The Purple Eagles are armed with the deepest backcourt in the MAAC, a good reason why they were picked to finish third in the conference. But the Jaspers aren't bad in that area either, with Chris Smith, Antoine Pearson and Darryl Crawford leading the way. The key to this one could be the frontcourt, where Benson Egemonye has been one of the league's best for Joe Mihalich's squad. As for Manhattan, Devon Austin will have to make some things happen for the Jaspers to pull off the win on the road.
Sacred Heart @ Monmouth
7:05: Stony Brook @ UMBC

Sunday 1/4

2 PM: St. Peter's @ Siena
3 PM: Marist @ Rider
3:30: Fairfield @ Iona the Gaels are still looking to find their way as a team, especially with Kyle Smyth and Gary Springer both missing time due to injury in recent weeks. While Springer is expected back soon, this is a key weekend for Smyth since he's only played in one game, leaving head coach Kevin Willard with arguably his best perimeter shooter. Scott Machado has played well recently, and he'll have to bring more of the same in this one.

Monday 1/5

7 PM: Hofstra @ Northeastern
Stony Brook @ Binghamton this game will give a clearer picture in regards to just how improved the Seawolves are this season. The Bearcats were picked to finish fifth in America East despite losing their top three scorers from a season ago, while Stony Brook found themselves in last yet again. The newcomers have played well for Coach Pikiell's team so far, most notably Muhammad El-Amin. This is a winnable game for Stony Brook, but a tight loss could tell us just as much as a win would: this team has improved.
Sacred Heart @ LIU
CCSU @ Monmouth
7:30: Manhattan @ Canisius
Columbia @ American
8 PM: Wagner @ FDU

Updated Rankings (previous in parentheses)

1. Seton Hall (9-3; 2)
2. St. John's (9-3; 1)
3. Fairfield (8-4; 3)
4. Hofstra (9-3; 4)
5. Rutgers (9-4; 5)
6. Manhattan (7-4; 7)
7. Wagner (7-3; 8)
8. Rider (6-5; 6)
9. Stony Brook (6-5; 11)
10. Marist (5-8; 13)
11. Iona (5-8; 9)
12. Sacred Heart (4-6; 10)
13. Columbia (4-7; 12)
14. LIU (4-6; 14)
15. Yale (2-7; 15)
16. Princeton (2-7; 16)
17. St. Francis (NY) (3-8; 17)
18. Army (3-8; 18)
19. FDU (1-9; 19)
20. Monmouth (2-12; 20)
21. St. Peter's (4-8; 21)
22. Fordham (2-9; 22)
23. NJIT (0-12; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #4

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:31:46 -0500

With the end of 2008 just over a week away, it isn't too hard to figure out the main storyline for metropolitan area teams in the first half of the 2008-09 season: injuries. It's as if the run that began with Monmouth's Whitney Coleman going down for the season in the first nine minutes of the Hawks' season opener hasn't stopped, with teams all over the area being hit with key injuries. In fact, you could have a rather formidable six-man rotation with guys currently sitting out. At the guards, go with Marist's David Devezin (heel), Coleman (knee) and St. John's Anthony Mason Jr. (foot). Columbia's Patrick Foley (knee) can come off the bench, with St. John's Justin Burrell (hairline fracture to his face) and Seton Hall's John Garcia (knee) up front.

All six are either out for the year or have missed extensive time in recent weeks, with Devezin and possibly Burrell (he will play against Miami, but Malik Boothe won't) due back the quickest. Foley and Garcia seem to have the most time left in their recovery processes, while Mason Jr. and Coleman are both medical redshirt candidates due to their season-ending injuries. So which one is the most important? Judging by their last two games, it would go to Seton Hall's Garcia. Two games out, two losses to IUPUI (at the buzzer) and James Madison last night. And with the NCAA not clearing freshman Melvyn Oliver (he can practice and receive a scholarship this season, however), head coach Bobby Gonzalez will have to lean on Mike Davis and Brandon Walters inside.

Hopefully Garcia will be back in time for Big East play, maybe missing the opener next week at Syracuse, but even with him back navigating that loaded league with a limited number of bodies inside could be a serious problem. But despite the recent injury woes, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the area this past week, as another Manhattan player earned some MAAC recognition and some hot shooting sparked a Columbia run past Marist at the Aeropostale Holiday Festival.

Honors earned last week

- Manhattan guard Darryl Crawford was named MAAC Co-Player of the Week due to his twenty-nine point performance in the Jaspers' win over Binghamton last week. Also honored by the conference was Iona guard Scott Machado, who was named MAAC Rookie of the Week.

- The Ivy League named three area players to its weekly honor roll. Princeton guard Doug Davis, who could be well on his way to winning the league's Rookie of the Year award, and Columbia's Joe Bova and Norwua Agho were all pegged for the distinction.

- St. John's forward Sean Evans was named to the Big East Honor Roll, thanks to his averaging a double-double in two games at the Aeropostale Holiday Festival.

- Stony Brook freshman forward Danny Carter was named conference Rookie of the Week after he posted twenty points and six rebounds in the Seawolves 91-57 loss at Connecticut.

- St. John's D.J. Kennedy and Sean Evans, along with Columbia's K.J. Matsui, were named to the All-Tournament team at the Aeropostale Holiday Festival. Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney (MVP) and A.D. Vassallo rounded out the squad.

Team of the Week: Manhattan

The Jaspers picked up a pair of wins last week, knocking off Binghamton on Saturday and then turning around to beat a pesky LIU team on Monday night. While it was the aforementioned Crawford who was the catalyst for Barry Rohrssen's team against the Bearcats, leading scorer Chris Smith got the job done in the second half of Manhattan's 65-61 win over the Blackbirds last night. Smith scored twenty points in the second half, knocking down five three pointers in the run. What's encouraging about this team is that they can go to Crawford for scoring off the bench, and even though their numbers may not be that impressive at first glance people know what Devon Austin and Antoine Pearson are capable of. Sleeper in the MAAC? Why not.

Player of the Week: Darryl Crawford (Manhattan)

It was a lean week on the schedule for the area, so this honor may as well go to a guy who earned conference distinction for his effort. The numbers for Crawford in Manhattan's win over LIU weren't as impressive as the 29 points against Binghamton, but if he can give the Jaspers ten points and five rebounds per night then they could finish higher than their predicted sixth place (having seen Loyola, they should at least finish fifth). Other players with solid games last week included Danny Carter of Stony Brook (20 pts vs, UConn), Monmouth's Yaniv Simpson (25 pts against Lehigh) and the Rutgers freshman tandem of Mike Rosario (18 pts vs. Bryant) and Gregory Echinique (11 pts, 11 boards vs. Bryant).

Schedule (December 23rd-29th)

Tuesday 12/23

7 PM: Marist @ Delaware
Sacred Heart @ Penn State
Rider @ Binghamton
New Hampshire @ Fordham
Iona @ Hofstra The best game in the final day of games before Christmas break in the area, as the Pride will look to begin another win streak after falling at UMass on Saturday. The Gaels return to the area following a loss at ranked Ohio State, and they need a win following the road losses to the Buckeyes and before that Western Michigan. Keep an eye on both Iona's backcourt (especially Scott Machado) in how they deal with Charles Jenkins and Cornelius Vines, and a Hofstra frontcourt that has received better contributions from Greg Washington and Dane Johnson of late.
FDU @ St. Peter's
7:30: NJIT @ Rutgers

Friday 12/26

Fairfield @ #2 Connecticut no one will expect the Stags to win this game, but they've got the depth to make this one interesting for a little while. A very good test for Ed Cooley's team heading into MAAC play next week, and it could also be a preview of the type of team they could run into early in the NCAA Tournament should they earn the league's automatic bid in March. If Warren Edney and Jonathan Han can hold their own in the backcourt and forwards Anthony Johnson and Greg Nero avoid foul troubl, look for Fairfield to hang around. But it would be a little much to expect them to win this game.

Saturday 12/27

Noon: Miami (FL) @ St. John's there's no such thing as overstating the importance of this game to the Red Storm. They've been tested twice this season, and of course those games against Boston College and Virginia Tech are their only blemishes on the season. Now Jack McClinton and a Miami offense that can put some points on the board visits MSG, but unfortunately for the Red Storm Malik Boothe is out due to injury, but Justin Burrell will be available for this one. A final test before Big East play begins next week.
3 PM: Drexel @ Rider
4 PM: Hofstra @ New Hampshire
7 PM: FDU @ Seton Hall
Iona @ USF I'm not even going to lie to you about this game: this is very winnable game for the Gaels. The Bulls have had some moments of ineptitude this season, and working in transfers Mike Mercer and Augustus Gilchrist is still a work in progress. If Iona can force players other than Jesus Verdejo to rely too much on the perimeter shot they can leave Tampa with the win. Sorry, but USF frankly cannot shoot the ball with consistency from either behind the arc or at the foul line.

Sunday 12/28

2 PM: Stony Brook @ St. Peter's
Wagner @ NJIT
4 PM: Bucknell @ Marist
7 PM: Tennessee-Martin vs. Fordham The Rams are taking part in an in-season tournament at FIU, and they could be running into a buzz saw in this game. Lester Hudson is one of the nation's best perimeter scorers, and the Skyhawks are averaging just under seventy-seven points per game. Fordham doesn't have that kind of offensive punch, so they'll have to rely on their defense to win this one.

Monday 12/29

2 PM: Fordham @ Florida International
7 PM: Sacred Heart @ Columbia
American @ Manhattan the Jaspers host the defending Patriot League champs and the backcourt matchup should be entertaining at the least. Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer have been through it all during their careers at American, and the same can be said for the Jasper backcourt of Antoine Pearson, Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford. The wild card: Devon Austin. I think he can have a big game in this one.

Updated Ranking (previous ranking in parentheses)

1. St. John's (9-2; 2)
2. Seton Hall (8-3; 1)
3. Fairfield (8-3; 4)
4. Hofstra (8-2; 3)
5. Rutgers (8-3; 5)
6. Rider (6-3; 6)
7. Manhattan (7-3; 7)
8. Wagner (6-3; 10)
9. Iona (4-7; 9)
10. Sacred Heart (3-4; 9)
11. Stony Brook (5-5; 12)
12. Columbia (4-6; 14)
13. Marist (3-8; 11)
14. LIU (4-6; 13)
15. Yale (2-6; 16)
16. Princeton (2-7; 15)
17. St. Francis (NY) (3-7; 17)
18. Army (3-8; 19)
19. FDU (1-7; 20)
20. Monmouth (2-12; 22)
21. St. Peter's (3-7; 18)
22. Fordham (1-7; 22)
23. NJIT (0-10; 23)

NYC Metro Hoops