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#19 Michigan vs. #6 Ohio State: Saturday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:14:39 -0800

Previews of the top Sears BracketBusters games can be found here.

Saturday's received a lot of attention due to the lion's share of the games in the Sears BracketBusters event being played, but there are also key games in BCS AQ leagues on the slate. One such contest is #6 Ohio State (22-4, 10-3) making the short trek north to take on #19 Michigan (19-7, 9-4) and hoping to leave Ann Arbor as the Big Ten leader. These two teams have already played once, a 64-49 Buckeye win in Columbus on January 29th, so this is a key contest for the Wolverines with regards to possible tiebreakers down the line. Ohio State was able to pull away by shooting 59% from two in the second half, and while Michigan shot 5-for-14 from beyond the arc their 35.7% shooting from inside of the arc proved to be the difference.

The star on that afternoon was the one member of the Ohio State starting lineup who tends to be ignored by many, Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (6.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), who scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the way. The freshman is a player in a mold similar to David Lighty, as his job is to do whatever the team needs at that point in time. He may score more in some games than others, but Smith Jr.'s intangibles and defense are areas that Thad Matta and his staff expect to be present every night. Clearly Michigan will need to pay closer attention to him than they did in the first meeting, and it's expected that they'll make the necessary adjustments.

The main characters for the Buckeyes are well-known, from Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas inside to Aaron Craft and Will Buford on the perimeter. Sullinger (17.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg) was held in check in Columbus as he scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds, but in order for Michigan to do so again they need production from Jordan Morgan. Morgan (7.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is the man the Wolverines rely on inside, and that's more for defensive and rebounding purposes than scoring. Morgan's reached double figures in just three Big Ten games this season and has scored just 12 points in the last two games combined, but Michigan will need more from him on Saturday night.

Michigan does also have Evan Smotrycz and the versatile Zack Novak to call on, as both are versatile players who can do a variety of things within John Beilein's system. Novak's the leader of this team and when Michigan needs a boost he's usually the one to provide it. The other experienced options on the wing are Stu Douglass (7.6 ppg) and leading scorer Tim Hardaway, Jr. Hardaway Jr. (14.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg) may be shooting just 26.7% from beyond the arc but Ohio State won't allow him to fire away at will, and his 2.5 assists per game rank second on the team. How these players fare against Buford will go a long way in determining the outcome.

The battle at the point will bring the most intrigue as Michigan freshman Trey Burke (14.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.5 rpg) has shown himself to be more than capable of taking over for the departed Darius Morris, and he'll need to take care of the basketball against Craft on Saturday night. Burke racked up 13 points and five assists in the first meeting but also turned the ball over five times, and a ratio along those lines won't bode well for the Wolverines. Craft really doesn't have to score a great deal but he does have to be the consummate floor general while also locking down opposing point guards, which he has shown himself to be more than capable of doing.

In addition to the issues cited earlier in this preview, Ohio State attempted 18 free throws (making 15) while Michigan finished the game 3-for-4. Given their reliance on the perimeter shot Michigan isn't going to attempt a high number of free throws on most nights, as they're averaging 14 attempts per game, but Michigan has to be closer to that number if they're to send the fans home happy. If they can do this as well as hold their own on the glass against a far superior rebounding team, Michigan can remain a factor in the Big Ten race.

The Pac-12 battle between Arizona and Washington might as well be considered a "bracket buster" given both team's need for wins at this point in the season. The problem for both is that there aren't many quality wins in the Pac-12 given the league's struggles in non-conference play, but the closer either can get to a regular season title the better.

Washington won the first meeting in Tucson by two and the second battle shapes up to be every bit as close provided the Wildcats have an answer for Tony Wroten. Jesse Perry and Solomon Hill have been key factors in Arizona's run of five straight wins, and along with Kyle Fogg it will be Sean Miller's veterans who will ultimately lead them to the NCAA tournament.

Also out west is a key Mountain West battle between New Mexico and UNLV in Albuquerque, as the Lobos look to increase their lead to two games. The Runnin' Rebels blitzed UNM in the first meeting but this is a different group of Lobos now, with Kendall Williams scoring 21 points in their win at San Diego State and Drew Gordon adding 17 points and 17 rebounds.

Chace Stanback's production will be something to keep an eye on because even with Mike Moser and Anthony Marshall making things happen UNLV needs their senior wing to be a factor as well. Of the three teams at the top of the Mountain West the regular season title may be most important for Steve Alford's team from a resume standpoint, and a win over UNLV would go a long way in that department.

UConn will be looking to bolster their tournament resume with a win over Marquette at home and NC State needs to rebound from their loss at Duke with a win over Florida State in Raleigh. Kansas State visits Baylor in desperate need of a win at this point in the season given their recent struggles, and both Seton Hall and Cincinnati are in search of a resume boost as well.

The Bearcats still have the albatross that is their loss to Presbyterian hanging around, and with their resume and strength of schedule Mick Cronin's team has a lot of work to do between now and the end of the regular season. And the Ivy League race will take a serious turn one way or the other as Yale visits first place Harvard. The Crimson blew out Yale in their first meeting this season, and while the Bulldogs do have big man Greg Magnano this may not be their best matchup. It will take an awful lot for Yale to leave Cambridge with a win.

Top 25 Games
4:00 PM Ole Miss at (1) Kentucky (ESPN3)
2:00 PM (3) Missouri at Texas A&M (ESPN)
8:00 PM Texas Tech at (5) Kansas (ESPN3)
9:00 PM (6) Ohio State at (19) Michigan (ESPN)
4:00 PM Clemson at (7) North Carolina (ESPN)
7:00 PM (9) Georgetown at Providence (ESPN3)
1:45 PM Kansas State at (10) Baylor (ESPN3)
1:00 PM (11) UNLV at New Mexico (CBS)
6:00 PM (12) Florida at Arkansas (ESPN2)
12:00 PM (13) Marquette at Connecticut (ESPN)
6:00 PM (16) Saint Mary's at (14) Murray State (ESPN)
4:00 PM (15) San Diego State at Air Force
12:00 PM (18) Louisville at DePaul (ESPN3)
1:00 PM (21) Florida State at North Carolina State (ESPN3)
1:00 PM Maryland at (22) Virginia (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (23) Mississippi State at Auburn (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (24) Gonzaga at San Francisco (ROOT NW)
9:00 PM (25) Notre Dame at Villanova (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
11:00 AM Drexel at Cleveland State (ESPNU)
11:30 AM Bryant at Saint Francis (PA) (ROOT)
12:00 PM Tennessee Tech at Coastal Carolina
12:00 PM Wichita State at Davidson (ESPN2)
1:00 PM Stony Brook at Northeastern
1:00 PM UTEP at Memphis
1:00 PM Wake Forest at Miami (FL)
1:00 PM Liberty at Morgan State
1:00 PM Buffalo at South Dakota State (ESPNU)
1:00 PM UCLA at St. John's (CBS)
1:00 PM William & Mary at VMI
1:30 PM Tennessee at Alabama (ESPN3)
1:45 PM Oklahoma at Iowa State (ESPN3)
1:45 PM LSU at South Carolina (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Hampton at Delaware
2:00 PM Morehead State at Bowling Green
2:00 PM Akron at Oral Roberts (ESPN2)
2:00 PM Duquesne at Temple
2:00 PM Niagara at Vermont
2:00 PM Marist at Maine
2:00 PM Winthrop at Appalachian State
2:00 PM Southern Illinois at Ball State
2:00 PM Indiana State at Butler
2:00 PM UMBC at Canisius
2:00 PM James Madison at Detroit
2:00 PM North Dakota at Longwood
2:00 PM North Carolina-Wilmington at Manhattan
2:00 PM Northern Illinois at SIU-Edwardsville
2:00 PM Hartford at St. Peter's
2:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Green Bay
3:00 PM Towson at New Hampshire
3:00 PM Drake at New Mexico State (ESPNU)
3:00 PM Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Arizona at Washington (FSN)
3:00 PM Western Carolina at Elon (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Toledo at Sam Houston State
3:00 PM Marshall at Southern Methodist
3:15 PM Mercer at Jacksonville
3:30 PM Campbell at Northwestern State
4:00 PM Saint Joseph's at George Washington
4:00 PM TCU at Boise State (The Mtn.)
4:00 PM Bucknell at Holy Cross
4:00 PM Fordham at Saint Louis
4:00 PM Texas at Oklahoma State (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Fairfield at Milwaukee
4:00 PM Nevada at Iona (ESPN2)
4:00 PM American University at Army
4:00 PM Seton Hall at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Howard at Coppin State
4:00 PM Lamar at George Mason (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Siena at Hofstra
4:00 PM Lafayette at Lehigh
4:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at McNeese State
4:00 PM North Carolina Central at North Carolina A&T
4:00 PM Binghamton at Radford
4:00 PM Florida A&M at Savannah State
4:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at South Carolina State
4:30 PM Rhode Island at St. Bonaventure
4:30 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at North Texas (ESPN3)
4:30 PM Quinnipiac at LIU Brooklyn
4:30 PM Central Arkansas at Louisiana Tech
4:30 PM IUPUI at Nicholls State
5:00 PM Illinois at Nebraska (BTN)
5:00 PM Colorado at Utah
5:00 PM Furman at Samford
5:00 PM Old Dominion at Missouri State (ESPNU)
5:05 PM Wright State at UMKC
5:05 PM Oakland at Illinois State
5:30 PM Prairie View A&M at Mississippi Valley State
6:00 PM La Salle at Massachusetts
6:00 PM Cornell at Princeton
6:00 PM Charlotte at Richmond
6:00 PM Southern University at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Alcorn State at Alabama State
6:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Denver
6:00 PM Charleston at Kent State
6:00 PM Jackson State at Grambling State
6:30 PM Florida Atlantic at Middle Tennessee (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Minnesota at Northwestern (BTN)
7:00 PM Yale at Harvard
7:00 PM Monmouth at Mount St. Mary's
7:00 PM Brown at Dartmouth
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at Ohio (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Columbia at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM Citadel at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Rider at Albany
7:00 PM East Carolina at UCF
7:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Wofford at Charleston Southern
7:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Eastern Illinois
7:00 PM IPFW at Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM Delaware State at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM UTSA at Georgia State
7:00 PM Colgate at Navy
7:00 PM Kennesaw State at North Florida
7:00 PM Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris
7:00 PM BYU at Santa Clara (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Tennessee-Martin at Southeastern Louisiana
7:00 PM Sacred Heart at St. Francis (NY)
7:00 PM High Point at Stephen F. Austin
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Wagner
7:30 PM USC Upstate at Lipscomb (ESPN3)
7:30 PM UNC Greensboro at Georgia Southern
8:00 PM Tulane at UAB
8:00 PM Presbyterian at Jacksonville State
8:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Bradley
8:00 PM Rice at Tulsa
8:00 PM Texas State at South Dakota
8:00 PM Arizona State at Washington State (ROOT NW)
8:00 PM Idaho State at Pacific
8:00 PM Chicago State at Texas-Pan American
8:00 PM Texas Southern at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
8:00 PM Western Michigan at North Dakota State
8:00 PM Texas-Arlington at Weber State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Dayton at Xavier
8:05 PM Western Kentucky at South Alabama (FCS)
8:05 PM Western Illinois at Evansville
8:05 PM Florida International at Arkansas State
8:05 PM NJIT at Houston Baptist
8:15 PM East Tennessee State at Belmont
8:30 PM Youngstown State at Austin Peay
8:30 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Troy
9:00 PM Wyoming at Colorado State (The Mtn.)
9:00 PM Hawaii at Montana
9:00 PM Southern Miss at Houston
9:00 PM Cal Poly at Northern Colorado
9:05 PM UC Santa Barbara at Utah State (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Montana State at Cal State Fullerton
9:05 PM UC Davis at Northern Arizona
10:00 PM Oregon State at California
10:00 PM Southern Utah at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Long Beach State at Creighton (ESPN2)
10:00 PM Eastern Washington at UC Irvine
10:00 PM Portland at Pepperdine
10:00 PM San Diego at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM San Jose State at Sacramento State
10:05 PM Portland State at Idaho
10:05 PM Fresno State at Cal State Northridge

College Hoops Saturday Recap: BYU Completes Season Sweep

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:49:26 -0800

Much of the talk surrounding BYU this season has been about senior guard Jimmer Fredette and rightfully so. Fredette is a surefire First Team All-American and a conservative bet to win his share of National Player of the Year awards. But for those who believed that his scoring is the sole reason why Dave Rose's team ranks among the nation's best the Cougars issued a statement at San Diego State that they're more than just one man. Fredette scored 25 points, making just eight of 23 shots from the field, but also dished out nine assists in BYU's 80-67 win over the Aztecs at Viejas Arena. Charles Abouo led three other starters in double figures with 18 points, and the combination of their win (which essentially puts them two games up on the Aztecs) and losses by Duke and Texas have opened the door to talk of a one seed in the NCAA Tournament. But the most important reward is the driver's seat in the Mountain West, something few expected BYU to leave San Diego with.

"We talked about it all year long; that this is a very good team, with a couple special players," said Coach Rose. "Jimmer is a good offensive player that I think I've coached and Jackson [Emery] is as good of a competitive player and defensive player; the job he did again tonight on their perimeter guys, a big reason we won."

Kawhi Leonard led four Aztecs in double figures with 17 points in addition to a game-high 13 rebounds but San Diego State failed to take full advantage of 15 offensive rebounds, getting outscored by BYU 9-7 in second-chance points. BYU was only a minus-6 (39-33) in rebounding margin on the afternoon, and despite the number of possessions (67) being a little closer to what San Diego State averages on the season (64) the missed opportunities when it came to scoring off of the offensive rebounds proved costly for the Aztecs. And it certainly didn't help matters that the Cougars were on fire from deep, knocking down 14 of 24 three-pointers on the afternoon. Few teams who shoot that well lose much less one ranked in the Top 10 in America.

"Every time we kind of crept up to them, they would make a play, or two, to put the spread backup again," remarked SDSU head coach Steve Fisher about not being able to get over the hump. "And we would fight like crazy to get a couple baskets and get a deflection and a steal and one roll off and they would go down and score a basket.

"Whether they shoot 14-for-24 or not, they are going to be a very, very difficult out for anyone in the NCAA Tournament. I don't care who it is. They are that good." (quotes courtesy of San Diego State Athletics)

The question now is just how beneficial today's results, and not just of their own doing, stand to be for BYU should they win out (including the Mountain West Tournament). The Cougars are now 9-1 against the RPI Top 50 and 10-1 in true road games. The strength of schedule may take a slight hit thanks in large part to their regular season finale against Wyoming but from a computer standpoint BYU compares favorably to some of the other teams vying for a top seed that hail from more publicized leagues. But as last year's tournament showed the most important thing is the draw not the seed, and if BYU can remain west for the second weekend (they'd have to be a near lock to start out in Denver at this rate) all the better. Coach Rose's team had the chance to make a statement in front of a national audience on Saturday and much to their credit they took full advantage of the opportunity.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Colorado and Virginia Tech pick up huge home victories over Top 5 opponents.
Few people who watched Texas at Colorado could be blamed for turning the channel at about the point where Gary Johnson completed a three-point play with 4:39 left in the first half. Up 43-21 the Longhorns looked to be a safe bet to close things out in Boulder, and that remained the case at the half despite their lead being cut to 15. But Tad Boyle's team had different ideas and the end result is a much-needed 91-89 victory that likely revived their at-large hopes. Alec Burks scored 24 of his game-high 33 points in the second half and Levi Knutson knocked down some crucial shots in adding 21 for the Buffaloes, who shot 58% in the final 20 minutes. Add in Texas shooting 5-for-24 from two and an unconscionable comeback became a reality.

Also picking up an important home win was Virginia Tech, who didn't need a wild comeback to take care of top-ranked Duke. While Malcolm Delaney didn't have his best day from the field (4-for-15, 11 points and seven rebounds) the Hokies were able to defend Cassell thanks to all five starters reaching double figures led by Jeff Allen's 18 (and 15 rebounds). Kyle Singler scored 22 to lead Duke and Nolan Smith added 18 but with no other Blue Devils scoring more than nine (Mason Plumlee) the visitors found themselves lacking offense, a strange occurrence given their offensive firepower. In the final 27 seconds of the game and down by just three Duke failed to get off a single shot attempt. Whether the credit goes to the Virginia Tech defense (Duke shot 39.7% for the game) or Duke's late-game execution is up for debate, but there's no dispute over how important the win is for a team that's lost twice to Virginia. When opportunities come to pass for teams like Colorado andV VirginiaTech how they handle them determines their fate.

2. UCLA whips Arizona in the final game before renovations at Pauley, forging a tie atop the Pac-10.
In the final game at Pauley Pavilion before major renovations there was business to be attended to. Arizona had a chance to clinch at least a share of the Pac-10 regular season title with a win over UCLA, who was looking to pull into a tie for the top spot. And by early in the second half it became apparent that the Wildcats had no chance of leaving Los Angeles with a win, eventually falling 71-49 in UCLA's finest performance of the season. Reeves Nelson, who posted a line of 24 points and 10 rebounds in the first meeting, scored 27 points and grabbed 16 rebounds while also being charged with guarding Derrick Williams, who accounted for 15 points and seven rebounds.

Overall UCLA's defense was outstanding as Arizona failed to reach 50 points for just the fourth time in the last 15 years. Josh Smith added 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench, and as his role has changed with Ben Howland using Anthony Stover to start (in part to keep Smith out of early foul trouble), the freshman has improved in recent weeks. Add in 15 from Tyler Honeycutt and the Bruins had more than enough to beat Arizona. And in a fitting occurrence John Wooden's great-grandson Tyler Trapani scored in the final game. While the Pac-10 Tournament will most certainly be entertaining there's still the regular season to be decided.

3. Missouri State wins their first-ever Missouri Valley regular season title.
Before the season began many Wichita State received 33 of a possible 40 first-place votes, with second-place Missouri State getting just one. But that meant nothing to Cuonzo Martin's Bears, who pulled ahead for good on an Adam Leonard three-pointer with 48.2 seconds remaining to beat the Shockers 69-64 at JQH Arena. The win clinched Missouri State's first ever Missouri Valley regular season title and four players reached double figures led by Jermaine Mallett's 18. In addition to Leonard and Mallett there's Kyle Weems, a preseason All-MVC selection who will more than likely receive the end of season honor next weekend with an average of 16.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Coach Martin relies heavily on his experienced starting five and they've rewarded the program handsomely this season. And given the way in which they defend Missouri State could be a tough matchup for someone should they get to the NCAA Tournament.

4. Syracuse completes a week of payback, beating Georgetown at the Verizon Center.
On Monday it was Villanova fell to Syracuse in the return match, and on Saturday rival Georgetown mounted a second half charge but ultimately fell short to the Orange. Scoop Jardine scored 17 points and also racked up seven assists with just one turnover to lead the way, and defensively Syracuse limited the Hoyas to just 36% shooting on the afternoon. Austin Freeman scored 16 and Jason Clark 11 but it became obvious as the Hoyas were making their comeback just where they miss the injured Chris Wright. Without their senior point guard Georgetown lacks a guy who can attack off the dribble late in the shot clock, something they're going to need in March. But Saturday was about Syracuse, who has now won four straight going into their regular season finale next week against DePaul. Rick Jackson's been there all season long and Kris Joseph has played well for much of the season, but when Jardine and Brandon Triche play well the Orange are a tough team to beat.

5. Yale knocks off Harvard, putting Princeton back into the driver's seat in the Ivy League.
The importance of every league game tends to be underestimated in many leagues but the Ivy has no such issue due to the lack of a conference tournament. Harvard falling at Yale 70-69 not only puts Princeton back into the driver's seat with one more full weekend of play left (Princeton visits Penn the following Tuesday) but it also makes the Tigers' game at Harvard on Saturday night the game that likely determines the automatic bid provided both take care of business on Friday night. Jeremiah Kreisberg's layup with 41 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in New Haven as Yale ended a four-game losing streak in the process. Austin Morgan led four Bulldogs in double figures with 16 points and center Greg Magnano added 13 rebounds in addition to his 11 points, and Harvard's Keith Wright struggled from the field. Yale took great care of the ball, turning it over just three times, and as a result Harvard finds themselves looking up at this late point in the season.

Top Five Games

1. Colorado 91, (5) Texas 89

2. Ohio 88, Kent State 87

3. Texas State 82, Texas-San Antonio 80 You hate to see a game end at the foul line but that's exactly what happened in San Marcos as a pair of Ryan White throws with three tenths of a second remaining proved to be the difference. White scored a game-high 25 and Melvin Johnson III, who split a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to tie the game, led UTSA with 21.

4. Iowa State 83, Nebraska 82 (OT) Despite a game-high 27 points from Lance Jeter the Cornhuskers fell in overtime at Iowa State. Diante Garrett led the Cyclones with 17 points as they snapped their 10-game losing streak with the win. A Jeter three with 3.4 seconds left in regulation sent the game into OT but he couldn't call on the same magic late in the extra session, airmailing another game-tying attempt.

5. James Madison 72, VCU 69 Matt Brady's club may have dealt the Rams a crushing blow in regards to their at-large chances, handing VCU their third conference home loss in less than a month. Devon Moore led the victors with 18 points while VCU's Jamie Skeen led all scorers with 20.

Five Notable Performances

1. G Andrew Warren (Bradley) 33 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals in the Braves' 90-64 win over Drake.

2. F Reeves Nelson (UCLA) 27 points, 16 rebounds and three assists in the Bruins' 71-49 win over Arizona.

3. G Jake Thomas (South Dakota) 40 points (11-18 FG, 10-16 3PT), eight rebounds, four steals and two assists in the Coyotes' 105-74 win over Chicago State.

4. F/C Josh Owens (Stanford) 31 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in the Cardinal's 88-71 win at Oregon.

5. G Dwight Hardy (St. John's) 34 points (9-16 FG) in the Red Storm's 81-68 win at Villanova.

Ivy League Notes and Quotes

Jon Teitel — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:30:37 -0800

With Ivy League become fully joined so to speak this weekend it's a good opportunity to take a look at the league to this point in the season. CHN writer Jon Teitel compiled some quotes from the coaches' midseason media teleconference a couple weeks ago, and those will be combined with notes and evaluations of each of the Ancient Eight. This weekend's schedule:

Friday, January 28th
7:00 PM Brown at Princeton
7:00 PM Cornell at Dartmouth
7:00 PM Columbia at Harvard
7:00 PM Yale at Penn

Saturday, January 29th
6:00 PM Cornell at Harvard
6:00 PM Yale at Princeton
7:00 PM Brown at Penn
7:00 PM Columbia at Dartmouth

Harvard (13-3, 2-0)
It's been a good season thus far for Tommy Amaker's Crimson, who boast wins over Boston College and Colorado not to mention a three-point loss at Michigan. Expected to be one of the contenders to win the league, Harvard has lived up to that status despite Kyle Casey missing four games due to injury. Freshman guard Laurent Rivard has been one of the reasons as to why, averaging 12.6 points per game. Forward Keith Wright leads Harvard in both scoring (14.3) and rebounding (8.3), and with four players in double figures Harvard is a difficult team to slow down offensively. Harvard leads the Ivy League in assists per game as well.

Princeton head coach Sydney Johnson on Harvard: "Harvard and Penn are the most talented teams from top to bottom, but everyone is playing good basketball."

Dartmouth head coach Paul Cormier on Harvard: "I hope Harvard is the most talented team we face all year, because they are really, really good."

Columbia (11-5, 2-0)
The Lions have also gotten off to a good start, winning both meetings with Cornell to begin league play with a 2-0 record. As expected Norwua Agho has been the lead option offensively, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Kyle Smith's squad is the best rebounding team in the Ivy League, boasting a margin of plus-6.8 rebounds per game. Columbia's best non-conference victory may be a 74-71 win over Maine, who currently leads America East. Next up for the Lions is that trip to Harvard on Friday night, a significant step up in competition despite Cornell's status as three-time defending league champions.

Head coach Kyle Smith: "Noruwa Agho has been playing great. I have been really impressed with how he passes the ball, as he has changed from a scorer to a playmaker. It is hard to rebound when you are hurt and playing on back-to-back nights, but we have been emphasizing it in practice."

Yale (9-7, 2-0)
James Jones' team has won four straight, most recently sweeping a pair of games from Brown over the last two weeks. Center Greg Magnano has already won or shared three Player of the Week awards while Austin Morgan has one to his credit as well. Freshman Jeremiah Kreisberg has started six games, even winning the Rookie of the Week award for his play last week. Three Bulldogs average double figures, and just like their bitter rival they also own a victory over Boston College this season. Yale visits Penn and Princeton this weekend.

Head coach James Jones on Magnano: "Greg Mangano has been real important for us on both offense and defense: drawing double-teams, making good decisions, etc. It is kind of hard to say whether Greg is best big-man in conference, but if he is not the best then he is one of the best. "

Princeton (12-4, 0-0)
The Tigers have yet to enter league play but they've done a solid job of navigating their non-conference schedule. Forwards Ian Hummer and Kareem Maddox have both played well, each showing off the talent to earn postseason honors in the form of one of the All-Ivy teams. Four Tigers average from 13.1 to 13.8 points per game with Hummer and Maddox being two; the others are guards Dan Mavraides and Douglas Davis and the two forwards are also in the top five in the league in rebounding. Tops in the Ivy League in field goal percentage, Princeton also ranks well in the league with regards to both field goal and three point percentage defense. They get Brown and Yale this weekend, with the latter possibly being a big one if the Bulldogs arrive at Jadwin Gym 3-0 in league play.

Head coach Sydney Johnson on Ian Hummer: "Ian Hummer has gotten more comfortable this season, and has always had the enthusiasm."

Penn (6-8, 0-0)
Penn may have taken on the most ambition non-conference schedule, playing the likes of Kentucky, Pittsburgh and Big 5 rival Villanova, and while they didn't win any of those contests the experience of playing such competition could help them in league play. Zack Rosen and Jack Eggleston lead the way offensively and freshman guard Miles Cartwright has been a good addition to the rotation. But the Quakers will need to improve defensively if they're to contend as they're last in the Ivy in field goal percentage defense (47.3%) and sixth in three-point percentage defense (35.7%). Penn is also sixth in rebounding margin, meaning that they'll need to help out Eggleston (8.1 rpg) in this area as well. Conference play opens with a tough battle tonight as they host Penn at the Palestra.

Head coach Jerome Allen on Rosen: "Zack Rosen does everything for us, and is a great leader both on and off the floor. He wants to be coached and wants to get better."

Allen on Cartwright: "Miles Cartwright has done a tremendous job of blending in with the group on both ends of the court."

Allen on their early-season scheduling: "We do not schedule games to learn lessons. We schedule them to win. We are just trying to establish our identity on the defensive end, regardless of who we are playing. Our three games against Top 10 teams taught us that every possession counts."

Brown (7-9, 0-2)
Brown opened up league play with two games against Yale, dropping both by a combined 13 points, most recently falling 59-51 in New Haven last weekend. Four players average at least 9.4 points per game with senior Peter Sullivan's 13.6 leading the way. Sophomore Tucker Halpern has raised his scoring average three points this season and is shooting higher percentages from both the field and three. Brown's been a middle of the pack team in many of the major statistical categories, which could be an explanation for their current record. But they're also the worst three-point shooting team in the league, and they'll need to become more proficient in that department if they're to finish league play with a solid record. They'll visit Princeton and Penn this weekend, with the latter possibly being the better choice in regards to which game the Bears can win to earn a split.

Head coach Jesse Agel on his rotation: "It takes a village for us to be good. We do not have one specific guy who will carry us. When we win, we usually have 5-7 guys who play very well. It excites me that we still have not hit our peak yet, as we are getting better in every practice."

Agel on Sullivan's change in role: "Peter Sullivan has become more of a facilitator during the season, which is why his free throw attempts have gone down. He is still getting into the lane, but is just kicking it out to an open man once he gets there."

Cornell (4-12, 0-2)
The reigning three-time defending Ivy champs dropped a pair of tough games to Columbia in the beginning of their quest for a fourth crown, and their non-conference slate may have been a bit ambitious given the coach and roster turnover. First-year head coach Bill Courtney has a team that's finally approaching good health and in Chris Wroblewski one of the better guards in the Ivy League. Cornell is second in the league in three-point percentage but just seventh in overall field goal percentage (just 41.5% of their points come on two-point shots). Cornell visits Dartmouth tonight in a matchup of two 0-2 teams in league play and with Harvard on Saturday night the game against the Big Green becomes that much bigger.

Head coach Bill Courtney on Wroblewski: "It has been an adjustment for Chris Wroblewski, as he hurt his ankle early on and was a role player last year, but as of late he has been terrific."

Courtney on the season to date: "We have had some ups and downs, which were expected after losing so many seniors from last season, but we are as healthy as we have been since the start of the season. We have learned a lot about our strengths and weaknesses, both as players and coaches."

Dartmouth (4-12, 0-2)
In their first season under Paul Cormier the Big Green have struggled offensively, ranking at or near the bottom of the Ivy League in many of the major statistical categories. R.J. Griffin, David Rufful and Jabari Trotter all average nine points per game to lead the way but it's tough to win games consistently when as a team you average less than 59 points per game. It also didn't help matters that senior point guard Ronnie Dixon has missed the last six games with a broken hand, and the date of a possible return remains to be seen. Dartmouth's two league games came against Harvard, most recently losing by nine at Harvard last weekend. Just like Cornell the Big Green could have Friday's contest circled as an opportunity to get into the win column conference-wise.

Head coach Paul Cormier on Dixon: "Ronnie Dixon is an important asset to our team. He was starting to have a real good season before breaking his hand last month. One of our biggest weaknesses is shooting, as we seem to be rushing some of our shots. If we are not risking any further injury to Ronnie, we will put him back in there. He is a senior who deserves all the minutes he can get, but he will be out for the bulk of the season. He is only going to be able to play for 1/3 of the season, so it is a real shame."

Player of the Week History

11/15 F Keith Wright (Harvard)
11/22 G Christian Webster (Harvard) and G Austin Morgan (Yale)
11/29 Wright
12/6 F Ian Hummer (Princeton)
12/13 G Norwua Agho (Columbia) and F Kareem Maddox (Princeton)
12/20 Maddox
12/27 G Zack Rosen (Penn)
1/3 G Chris Wroblewski (Cornell)
1/10 Agho and C Greg Magnano (Yale)
1/17 Agho and Magnano
1/24 Magnano

Rookie of the Week History

11/15 G Miles Cartwright (Penn)
11/22 G Sean McGonagill (Brown)
11/29 Cartwright
12/6 G Laurent Rivard (Harvard)
12/13 G Steve Frankoski (Columbia)
12/20 F Gediminias Bertasius (Dartmouth)
12/27 Cartwright
1/3 Rivard
1/10 F Dockery Walker (Brown)
1/17 Rivard
1/24 F Jeremiah Kreisberg (Yale)

Ivy League Coaches Media Conference Quotes

Jon Teitel — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 23:01:13 -0700

Last Wednesday the eight Ivy League head coaches took part in the Ancient Eight's preseason media teleconference, and along with their thoughts the preseason poll results and preseason All-Ivy candidates were unveiled. CHN writer Jon Teitel compiled the thoughts of each coach below, and the preseason poll can be seen there as well.

Brown's Jesse Agel (11-20, 5-9)
"Hopefully we are going to progress from being competitive to winning games. I feel we are pretty good offensively, but a work in progress defensively. I am hoping that our freshmen will grow up during the season to become "February sophomores". The Sullivan brothers (Matt/Peter) are a couple of years apart, and Pete shoulders a lot of the load for us. The biggest part for Garrett Leffelman last year was trying to stay healthy for more than one month at a time. He really burst onto the scene in the second half of the season. With Pete Sullivan being down, we want Garrett to take more shots, and if he can make 55% of his shots again, he is going to have a great season. We want the stars to be stars and let our four freshmen just fill in by playing their roles, while adjusting to college life both on and off the court. They are very coachable and learning extremely quickly. We do not have any juniors in our program, so we have to garner some experience for our young guys."

Columbia's Kyle Smith (11-17, 5-9)
"We have a mostly new coaching staff and several returning players. Noruwa Agho wants to be a good all-around player: I thought he might be just a shooter, but he is willing to pass the ball and make his teammates better. The talent level in this league is excellent. I would not put 7-foot center Max Craig in the same category as Omar Samhan (who was the star of the Sweet 16 squad at St. Mary's last year when Smith was an associate coach), but he has a physical presence and plays hard. Zack Crimmins is another 7-footer we have who is skillful. We do not want to put a lot of pressure on ourselves with wins/losses: we just want to get better every day. Having success on the road is a key for any winning program."

Cornell's Bill Courtney (29-5, 13-1)
"We are a team full of unknowns, so even our returning players will have to step into new roles. I love the work ethic of my players. Losing 3 of the best players in school history means that a guy like Chris Wroblewski will have to take on a lot of leadership, and he has excelled in that role. I definitely can recall the night I scored 31 points as a senior in a two-point win against Cornell; you always remember the games when you scored 30! I always knew I wanted to be a college basketball coach. It is a tremendous honor to be at Cornell with its great reputation in both academics and athletics. My family and I have been embraced by the community. The trickiest part is figuring out the whole process of recruiting without scholarships."

Harvard's Tommy Amaker (21-8, 10-4)
"We feel like we have a good nucleus of returning players, but Jeremy Lin was incredible for us last year, so we will have our work cut out for us this year. Injuries have set us back, but if we can remain healthy and consistent, then I think we can be a very competitive team this year. A lot of on-court success is determined about how things are going for our guys off the court, particularly our younger players. Coach K has not called me to chat about Princeton: he does not have to ask me for any advice related to basketball, as it is the other way around all the time! It has been a neat environment on campus ever since we made the postseason last year (the school's first postseason appearance since 1946), and it has been wonderful to see the growth and excitement take place. We had a lot of sellouts and overflow crowds last year, and I think both our fans and our recruits enjoy our entertaining style of play. We have played MI before, which was part of the contract from before I got here because we had some kids from Boston on our roster at Michigan (Amaker previously was the MI head coach). We would love to continue to play BC since they are a local rival, and BC (and former Cornell) head coach Steve Donahue also wants to see that happen."

Penn's Jerome Allen (6-22, 5-9)
"This will be an interesting year throughout the league due to the good balance, now more than ever. I think our staff has the opportunity to bring back the brand of basketball success we are used to at Penn. They say that you never know how she is until you marry her: we are only a couple of weeks into our relationship, and still have to figure out who are going to be our constant contributors. All of our guys who were injured (such as Tyler Bernardini/Andreas Schreiber) have done a great job in rehab of getting back towards 100%. We have to compete and really respect the game. Whichever team makes the fewest mistakes and plays defense will probably be on top. Nothing has changed from a coaching standpoint in terms of starting the season as coach vs. becoming coach during the season. We just embrace the process of going from point A to point B, and after mastering that first step we will just try to keep playing the right type of basketball."

Princeton's Sydney Johnson (22-9, 11-3)
"Trying to size up our league, I think that Penn will be a very strong team and right the ship immediately. I agree with the talk that it is a wide-open league, and our task is to practice hard and be very hungry. We have told our three seniors (Bobby Foley/Kareem Maddox/Dan Mavraides) the same thing for the past four years, so now they can turn around and tell the younger guys what to do. It is always different going from individual workouts to having the whole gang out there. Marcus Schroeder was the heart and soul of our team, but we have some guys who can fill that void. We want all of our guys to be able to handle the ball, which was a major point of emphasis last spring. Rutgers and Duke will just start our season with a bang. Coach K will more than likely go down as one of the greatest coaches of all-time. Harvard head coach (and former Duke captain) Tommy Amaker has not given me any tips, but I think the Duke basketball family is pretty tight, and they should keep it that way. As we all go out and play different teams, we all represent the Ivy League. It is an interesting dynamic: you want the other seven teams to get some good non-conference wins, but you have to have tunnel vision during conference play."

Yale's James Jones (12-19, 6-8)
"We have a Good mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen, but not a lot of experience outside of Michael Sands/Porter Braswell. We certainly have to take care of home court, but also have to play consistently down the stretch. We don't need a high-scoring point guard; we just need someone to not turn the ball over and be smart with his decision-making. Expectations have been raised so high in our league due to Cornell's convincing run in the tourney. The Connecticut 6 Classic is a tremendous idea. It will not be the first game played at the Mohegan Sun Arena, and I do not think our guys will be anywhere near the casino. I think it is great for fans of all 6 teams to get to see them play there, and hope we can do it for years to come. The only thing I am worried about for the game at BC on November 18th is that my 5-year old son will come with us on the bus, and I just hope he does not burn the house down when playing with my brother Joe's (assistant coach at BC) kid. I suspect the game itself will be a dogfight, as Steve Donahue (former Cornell head coach) is a great coach."

Dartmouth's Paul Cormier (5-23, 1-13)
"I have never seen these kids play before this year and did not recruit them. We started with 20 players and are now down to 14. We have about seven who were on the team last year and the rest are new. This year is about changing the culture a bit and focusing on defense, as we know we will be recruiting some players to fit our offensive style. Some of my fondest memories were coaching in Philly (as an assistant to Rollie Massimino at Villanova): it is a tremendous college basketball environment. In the early 1980s the Big 5 games were absolutely the best. Those games were bloodbaths, as the teams left everything out on the floor. Most teams had at least a few kids from Philly and it was neighbor against neighbor, so you could just throw out any records/predictions. I enjoyed my first go-round at Dartmouth, but I got into the scouting side of the NBA game and stayed there too long. I have been trying to get back into the college game for a few years, and when the Dartmouth position opened up I jumped at the chance. There is nothing better than being back in northern New England at the school that gave me my first chance to be a head coach. I am as excited as hell about being here, and think we will be competitive in the near-future. This is the first time I have ever gone after a job without really needing it. You cannot rebuild from scratch without the commitment from the school. The admissions and financial aid process is much more transparent now."

Preseason Poll
1. Princeton (12 first-place votes) 128 points
2. Harvard (4) 120
3. Cornell (1) 96
4. Pennsylvania 89
5. Yale 57
6. Brown 55
7. Columbia 48
8. Dartmouth 19

Poll: Who Will Win the Ivy League

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:10:43 -0700

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #6

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:06:02 -0800

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 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:23:13 -0800

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 10:32:09 -0800

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

Metro Ranking and Report: Update #3

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:23:55 -0800

Before getting into the team and player of the week honors in the metropolitan area, it's time to acknowledge area players who picked up some praise in their respective leagues.

Atlantic 10: Fordham freshman guard Jio Fontan was named Rookie of the Week after two exemplary games for the Rams. Fontan averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists in the two games, which included a career-high twenty-two in a 69-66 loss to Fairfield.

Big East: Seton Hall guard Jeremy Hazell and St. John's guard Paris Horne were both named to the league's Honor Roll for their play last week. Hazell averaged 19.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg for the Pirates while Horne had numbers of 14.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 64.7% FG for the Red Storm. Both teams went 2-0 last week, with the two sophomores being big reasons why.

Ivy League: Princeton guard Doug Davis was named Rookie of the Week. Davis scored twenty-seven points in the Tigers' loss at Manhattan. It's the second time this season that Davis has won the honor. As for the conference's Honor Roll, four area players were on the list. Columbia's Joe Bova and Noruwa Agho, Princeton's Pawel Buczak and Yale's Ross Morin received the honor for their play.

MAAC: It was a nice haul for area teams in the MAAC, with Fairfield's Anthony Johnson and Manhattan's Chris Smith sharing Player of the Week honors and Iona's Scott Machado being named Rookie of the Week. Johnson averaged a double-double in two Stag wins last week (11.5 ppg, 14.5 rpg), including a fourteen and sixteen effort (not to mention four rejections) in a win over Drexel. Smith earned his honor thanks to a thirty-five point performance in the Jaspers' 70-60 win over Princeton. Machado was the picture of consistency for the Gaels in their 2-0 week, posting averages of 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

Northeast: LIU forward James Boyd was named Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week, averaging 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week for the Blackbirds. In LIU's loss to Iona Boyd posted his first double-double with fourteen points and ten rebounds.

Player of the Week: Anthony Johnson (Fairfield)

Johnson was one of two players in the area to average a double-double last week (St. Francis' Kayode Ayeni being the other), but his team won both games which gives him the edge here. The ability of Ed Cooley's team to make a run at Siena in the MAAC hinged on the improvement of both Johnson and Greg Nero up front when the season began, and the juniors have answered the call so far. Now 8-3 on the season after their win over Drexel on Sunday, Johnson and his teammates are off until the day after Christmas when they take on UConn (the first of five straight road games). The Huskies have some NBA-ready big men, but don't expect Johnson and company to be a pushover inside.

Honorable Mention: Kayode Ayeni (St. Francis), Jio Fontan (Fordham), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), Charles Jenkins (Hofstra)

Team of the Week: Hofstra

The Pride weren't the only team in the area to win both of their games, but you could make an argument that they're the hottest team due to their eight-game win streak. Star guard Charles Jenkins was the focus of attention in their home win over St. Francis (NY) in Saturday, thus a total of eleven points. But unlike score-first guys who would allow their point totals to influence their play, he went out and did other things. Ten rebounds and seven assists as well for the sophomore, and others such as Cornelius Vines (13 points), Greg Washington (9 points, 12 rebounds) and Dane Johnson (8 points, 6 rebounds) did more than enough to wrap up the win. Head coach Tom Pecora may have a CAA contender at his fingertips this season.

Who's Hot: Fairfield, Seton Hall, St. John's

Who's Not: Fordham, Monmouth, NJIT

Schedule (Tuesday-Monday)

Tuesday December 16th

7 PM: Rider @ La Salle this will be a tough game for the Broncs, given the length that Dr. John Giannini's team has at all positions. Rodney Green is one of the better guards in the Atlantic 10 as well, so expect a battle.
7:30: Bethune-Cookman @ LIU

Wednesday December 17th

8 PM: Iona @ Western Michigan the Gaels visit Kalamazoo before taking on ranked Ohio State on Saturday, and this has the looks of decent game. The Broncos are led by guards David Kool (17.7 ppg) and Shawntes Gary (11.3 ppg), but lack overall firepower. WMU may be 2-8, but getting a win on the road is never easy.

Friday December 19th

7 PM: St. Peter's @ Monmouth
Albany @ Sacred Heart This game may not seem like much right now, but a win or loss here could have a big impact on your computer numbers come March. That's what the hidden incentive is for a Sacred Heart team that currently leads the NEC and should contend throughout the season.

Saturday December 20th

Noon: Iona @ #16 Ohio State
2 PM: Columbia vs. Virginia Tech (Aeropostale Holiday Festival)
Bryant @ Rutgers
Manhattan @ Binghamton
3 PM: NJIT @ Rider
4 PM: Hofstra @ UMass if you can find this game on TV, tune in. With the guard tandem of Jenkins and Vines taking on the likes of Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris this one will be played with some pace. But whether or not the Pride leave Amherst with a win will depend on how well their big men play against the resurgent Tony Gaffney, an early candidate for most improved player in America.
4:30: Marist vs. St. John's (Aeropostale Holiday Festival)
7 PM: IUPUI @ Seton Hall

Sunday December 21st

1 PM: VMI @ Army A serious contrast in styles in West Point. The Keydets lead the country in scoring, while Army would rather their games be played in the fifties. It'll be entertaining to say the least.
Lehigh @ Monmouth
4 PM: Brown @ Wagner

Monday December 22nd

7 PM: Seton Hall @ James Madison Last year's game at The Rock was a classic, with the Pirates escaping with a 112-110 overtime win. Eugene Harvey went for 27 in the game, while JMU's entire starting five scored at least fourteen points each.
LIU @ Manhattan
Albany @ St. Francis (NY)

Updated Rankings (previous week in parentheses)

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

NYC Metro Hoops

Metro Ranking and Report #2

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:10:14 -0800

This past week marked the beginning of conference play for metropolitan area schools in the Metro Atlantic and Northeast conferences. While Army, Fordham and St. John's were out picking up non-conference wins tonight, a Garden State rivalry took center stage in the NEC with FDU visiting Monmouth. The Hawks, thanks to an efficient half-court offense and confusing matchup zone, controlled the game for the first twenty-eight minutes or so with a lead as large as fifteen points. But things went south for Dave Calloway's team, with mainstays Sean Baptiste (15 of his 23 points came in the second half) and Cameron Tyler (17 points, 7 assists) making plays alongside big man Alvin Mofunanya (20 points and eight rebounds off the bench).

A Terence Grier follow with just under twenty-four seconds left in the game gave Fairleigh Dickinson their first lead of the game at 69-67, and they went on to win 71-67. Not only does the win get FDU to .500 in the NEC, it's also their first win of the 2008-09 season. This one should be a good confidence booster for a team that took on a tough schedule and wasn't competitive in any of their six defeats. For Monmouth, who drops to 1-9 on the year, this one has to hurt. A split of the opening weekend of NEC play was well within their grasp but they let it slip away.

That's the tricky part of opening conference play in early December. A 2-0 start, such as the one that Sacred Heart was able to get out to, has you feeling good about your chances to contend when league play hits full blast next month. 1-1 and you're OK; of course you wanted to win both games (St. Francis and LIU come to mind here) but you've got one win to lean back on, especially if both games were on the road. Lastly, there's the dreaded 0-2 start. Only Iona was this unfortunate, but in the case of the Gaels you've got to look at how they lost those games to realize that they aren't in as much trouble as they'd be had both defeats been blowouts.

Two losses by a combined three points usually boils down to the other team making the final shot, and that's exactly what happened thanks to Dejuan Goodwin (Marist) and Warren Edney (Fairfield). It's not the ideal start to league play, but it most certainly isn't the death knell for their championship hopes.

Team of the Week: Fairfield

Fairfield (6-3, 2-0 MAAC) picked up a pair of conference home wins last week to open MAAC play at 2-0. A balanced effort in a twenty-point win over St. Peter's (four players in double figures; eighteen assists on twenty-eight baskets) was followed by a thrilling two-point win over Iona on Sunday. Warren Edney answered a Jonathan Huffman three-pointer with one of his own to give the Stags the 78-76 win. Both shots came in the game's final twelve seconds, with the sophomore forward sealing things with 3.7 seconds remaining.

On the season four Stags are averaging double figures with point guard Jonathan Han leading the way. Head coach Ed Cooley has a number of bodies to turn to on this team, one that many expect to challenge in the MAAC. And after last week's league games they look to be on their way.

Honorable Mention

- Sacred Heart (Pioneers also won a pair of conference games at home, taking out defending NEC tournament champ Mount St. Mary's in the opener)
- Hofstra (Pride, winners of six straight, went on the road for their CAA opener and knocked off Towson by eleven)
- Stony Brook (say what you want about the Seawolves playing Mount Ida, but they did precede that win with a 21-point pasting of Lehigh)

Player of the Week: Ryon Howard (Sacred Heart)

The senior forward from the Bronx was named Choice Hotels Player of the Week in the Northeast Conference, and with good reason. In wins over Mount St. Mary's and Fairleigh Dickinson Howard averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Howard was nearly automatic from behind the arc as well, knocking down seven of ten shots from distance. The win over the Mountaineers saw Howard tie his career high with twenty points, which he improved upon to the tune of twenty-five against FDU. Sacred Heart, who struggled in the early going to a 1-3 start, now finds itself atop the NEC standings and at .500 overall, with Howard being one of the primary reasons why.

Team that couldn't catch a break: Iona (last-second shots doom the Gaels in road losses to Marist and Fairfield)

Team that has some explaining to do: Rutgers (days after beating a decent Rider team, they lose by ten to Binghamton)

Team that could get out of their league cellar: Stony Brook (the Seawolves are now 5-3 on the season. Not saying that they'll contend in America East, but they could get out of that 8/9 game)

Team that needs a win this week: NJIT (the streak is now at 41 games, and St. Peter's on Wednesday may be their best shot at ending in within the next month)

Schedule (Tuesday through Monday)

Tuesday December 9th

7 PM: Marist @ Siena the rivals get together in Albany for their first of two meetings. The Saints may have been knocked down a peg by the national media following their 0-3 showing in the Old Spice Classic, but they're still the clear favorite in the MAAC. Also the first conference road game for Marist head coach Chuck Martin.
Columbia @ St. Francis (NY)
7:30 Cal Baptist @ Seton Hall

Wednesday December 10th

7 PM: Yale @ Boston University
Rutgers @ Princeton (ESPNU)
Army @ Penn State (ESPNU)
Iona @ LIU
Monmouth @ Rider
Hofstra @ Stony Brook this game should give better feedback on how much Steve Pikiell's team has improved since last season. Stony Brook has held opponents to fifty-four points per game, a number that's been bolstered by games against NJIT and Mount Ida. We'll see how they do against a Hofstra offense that features Charles Jenkins and Cornelius Vines, among others.
St. Peter's @ NJIT

Thursday December 11th

7 PM: Fairfield @ Fordham Fordham hasn't looked too good thus far, finally picking up their first win of the season against NJIT tonight. So they may not be in the best condition to take on a Fairfield team that is well on its way to competing for a MAAC title.

Saturday December 13th

2 PM: Seton Hall @ St. Peter's this probably won't be the most competitive game in regards to the score, but how often does a Big East school visit the Yanitelli Center? Thanks to renovations needed at the Jersey City Armory, this one will be played on campus. Wesley Jenkins will get to show his skills against the best backcourt in the area.
4 PM: St. Francis (NY) @ Hofstra
New Hampshire @ LIU
7 PM: FDU @ Army
Colgate @ Monmouth
Quinnipiac @ Wagner the Seahawks have yet to play a conference game, so this will be their first taste of life in the NEC without Durell Vinson and Mark Porter. The Bobcats, who are also making adjustments of their own thanks to the graduation of DeMario Anderson, have a trio of guards averaging double figures in scoring led by James Feldeine.
7:30: Cleveland State @ Marist

Sunday December 14th

2 PM: Delaware State @ Rutgers
St. Francis (PA) @ Iona
3:30: Drexel @ Fairfield
4 PM: Princeton @ Manhattan not the most impressive slate of games that you can find, but this could be an interesting game. Manhattan would like to get back on the right track following a close loss to Rider, while the Tigers are still finding out who their big guns will be before they head into Ivy League play. Not sure if the Tigers have enough answers for head coach Barry Rohrssen's talented guard quartet: Devon Austin, Antoine Pearson, Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford.
Bethune-Cookman @ St. John's
7 PM: Hartford @ Sacred Heart

Monday December 15th

7 PM: Stony Brook @ #2 Connecticut Steve Pikiell heads north to take on his alma mater, and it's going to be a serious test for the Seawolves. Should Stony Brook pull off the biggest win in school history, however, it would be safe to call them contenders in America East.

Updated Rankings

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