Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Recap
by Matthew Moll
First Round Recaps
No. 5 Iona 69, No. 10 Siena 51
Despite the absence of second-leading scorer Greg Jenkins, who was out with an injured back, the Gaels were able to hand the Saints their earliest exit from the MAAC tournament in eight years.
The rebuilding No. 10 seed allowed a 20-8 run early in the second half run to make the second round an unattainable aspiration. Steve Burtt and Charles Henson each scored 19 to pace the Gaels.
The win was the rubber match of the three games between the teams this season; the previous two were decided by a total of six points.
For Siena, the 24 losses are the most in school history.
No. 7 Canisius 62, No. 8 Marist 60
It was a season of peaks and valleys that ended in the valley for Marist.
The Red Foxes lead by 10 in the second half before the Golden Griffins splurged, going on a 22-8 run. Dewitt Doss, who led the Griffs with 15, paced Canisius with eight points during the spurt.
Able to make one last push, Marist trimmed the lead to one on a Jared Jordan three with 5.1 seconds remaining to put the game at 61-60. But the game ended without another score.
Marist ended the season reeling losing 10 of their last 11 games, including dropping their last four games.
No. 6 Manhattan 88, No. 9 Loyola 67
Manhattan opened the game with a 35-10 run en route to winning their fifth straight MAAC tournament game. The half ended with the Jaspers leading 45-17, in a game in which the defending champs did not relinquish their lead.
Loyola hit on only five shots in the first half, but recovered to shoot 60 percent for the game. The Greyhounds however could not cut the lead to less than 19.
Jeff Xavier scored 20 points while Jason Wingate added 19 in the victory.
Despite the five-win turnaround from the season before, the Greyhounds were unable to win their first MAAC tournament game since 2001. Linton Hinds led Loyola with 16.
Quarterfinals
No. 5 Iona 97, No. 4 St. Peter’s 73
No. 4 seed St. Peter’s was unable to take advantage of their first round bye and find their touch; missing the first eight shots of the game on their way to being dismantled by Iona. The Gaels began the game with a 17-0 run and did not flounder through the duration.
Steve Burtt of Iona scored 36 points to lead all scorers.
Iona sizzled from the floor shooting 59 percent from the field. The Peacocks however were cold, hitting on only 28 percent for the game. The nation’s leading scorer Keydren Clark was able to connect for 22 points, but he was only 5-20 from the field and 1-for-7 from the arc.
Greg Jenkins, the Gaels’ second leading scorer, returned from a back injury and played only 13 minutes.
No. 2 Rider 79, No. 7 Canisius 59
For the first time in Rider’s eight-year MAAC history they advanced to the tournament semifinals. The Broncos did this by defeating Canisius in their fifth straight meeting.
Rider trailed early in the second half, but responded with a 12-0 run. The run and subsequent comeback was triggered by the play of Jerry Johnson who scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half.
The previous two wins by the Broncos were both single digit wins. With the win Rider won three straight games.
Canisius was lead by Chuck Harris, who scored 20. Dewitt Doss ended his Canisius career with 1,001 points, making him the 26th Golden Griffin to do so.
No. 3 Fairfield 62, No. 6 Manhattan 60
The reign is over for the Jaspers as they were unable to score in the final seconds of the tightly contested match, thus thwarting the team’s chance to add to the string of championships.
Mr. Block Deng Gai scored 14 points and corral 12 boards and added four blocks in the winning effort. With those blocks Gai surpassed Emeka Okafor for seventh on the all-time NCAA list.
The Jaspers were given a chance to send the game into overtime when the Stag’s Dewitt Maxwell was unable to connect on either of his free throws with 3.5 remaining. Peter Mulligan, who could only add 10 points in the game, failed to attempt a shot as time expired.
Semifinals
No. 1 Niagara 69, No. 5 Iona 66
For only the fourth time in their MAAC history Niagara was able to advance to the conference finals. The Purple Eagles needed all of the MAAC POY Juan Mendez’s double-double to squelch the upset-minded Gaels.
A game that saw seven lead changes and seven ties came down to the final two possessions. With the Gaels down by one, looking for the last shot, Steve Burtt turned the ball over forcing his team to foul. David Brooks, who went for 23 points, hit both free throws to end the scoring for the game.
Mendez scored 18 in the win. Burtt led the Gaels with 28.
No. 2 Rider 76, No. 3 Fairfield 74
For the second straight game, two points decided a Fairfield contest. This time though No. 2 seed Rider took the lead and did not give it up.
The game ended with Terrance Todd being fouled down three (76-73). Todd hit the first and intentionally missed the second, which was rebounded by fellow Stag DeWitt Maxwell. Maxwell shot a 12-footer that grazed the side of the rim to end the game.
Robert Taylor scored 16 leading the way for the Broncos who advance for the first time to the MAAC final.
For the Stags, the loss ended a three-game win streak and their season. Deng Gai ended his career sixth all-time on the NCAA blocks list.
Championship
No. 1 Niagara 81, No. 2 Rider 59
For the first time in 35 years, Eagles will be Purple in the NCAA tournament. Mr. POY Juan Mendez and Co. removed any doubt that they were the best team in the MAAC. Mendez’s 27 pushed the Eagles to a 22-point victory, the largest margin in MAAC championship game’s 24 year history. The senior started the game hitting 10 of his first 12 shots en route to the first MAAC championship win in six tries.
The automatic bid is the only the second NCAA appearance for the Purple Eagles.
The championship game started close, but Niagara took the lead for good going up 23-21 in the first half.
For coach Joe Mihalich, it is his first time as a head coach in the NCAA tournament.
Niagara can expect a low seed in the field of 65, without any quality wins over the RPI top 50.
