Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook
by Matthew Moll
Still a single bid
Conference play is upon us and now the MAAC’s season will begin. The previous two months has been relegated to preseason largely because MAAC participants were unable to deliver any big-ticket upsets to large school juggernauts. Georgetown, Villanova, Kentucky, Seton Hall, Syracuse, and Florida (regrets to overrated Iowa State), to name a few, all escaped the small school syndrome, leaving the MAAC to lament its single bid for another season. Now the slugfest can commence for MAAC tournament seeding and the push for the sole automatic bid.
Wait… isn’t this the team lost like 75 in a row?
Well not quite 75, but it was substantial (31). Let’s not kid ourselves: each team has played a max two conference games, but the Loyola Greyhounds are playing as well as any team who has not had season with double-digit wins in the country. Jimmy Patsos is turning his pseudo-Maryland team into the MAAC’s emotional representative come March. Eleven-losing-seasons-and-counting appears to be in danger of losing its later moniker.
Too early, but may be the only chance to toot said horn
Iona, Manhattan, and St. Peter’s are 2-0. A certain Hoopville writer chose these teams to compete throughout. Here they are; who knows if it will hold.
Fairfield’s Maxwell is back
Senior guard DeWitt Maxwell was activated Dec. 23 after having to sit out the season up to that point. Maxwell became eligible after Fairfield reevaluated his status through the Office of the Dean of Students. Maxwell was forced to sit after being declared ineligible for a violation of the Student Conduct Code. Maxwell scored 13 points in Fairfield’s Dec. 30 win over Cal State Northridge.
Hoopville Player and Newcomer of the So-Far-This-Season
Andre Collins, Sr., Loyola 24 points per game.
Game of the week: Battle of the MAAC unbeatens Jan. 6 Manhattan at Iona.
Iona Gaels (7-2 Overall, 2-0 MAAC)
Where they belong: As expected, the senior-heavy Gaels are atop the MAAC and looking for more. The Gaels began the season with a seven-game winning streak, including a 2-0 start in the MAAC. The 7-0 mark matched the Gaels’ 1984-1985 start. Most notably, the Gaels defeated a ranked team for the first time in two years, upsetting then No-23 Iowa State in the American Family Insurance Cyclone Challenge in Ames, Iowa, also known as the toughest home court in the Big 12. After faltering in a 67-73 heartbreaker to college powerhouse Kentucky, the Gaels’ next game began the first losing streak of the season as they fell to Seton Hall 59-73.
The 2-0 MAAC start includes wins over last season’s MAAC tournament runner-up Rider followed by a victory over the Marist Red Foxes. Iona used a 25-2 run in the second half to seal the game early over the Broncos. Ricky Soliver’s team-high 19 points included his 1,000th career point in the 80-59 blowout. The second MAAC win was a character game for the Gaels, who spotted the Red Foxes a 10-point lead in the second half before junior Justin Marshall’s three-pointer put his team ahead for good at 79-76. Steve Burtt led the way with 28.
Burtt is second among all MAAC in scorers at a 23.9 point per game clip, while Soliver is second in steals (3.1 per game) and assists (5.2 per game) and is second in the nation in hair, sporting a Kendall Gill-meets-Billie Joe Armstrong mohawk. Team captain Kiril Wachsmann leads the Gaels with 8.0 rebounds per game.
This week: Jan. 3 at Fresno State, Jan. 6 Manhattan, and Jan. 8 Niagara.
Manhattan Jaspers (6-4, 2-0)
An early season of streaks: Bobby Gonzalez’s crew played the part of a young team in starting the season 0-4. But now, they are in the midst of a six game winning streak, which has put the Jaspers at the top of the MAAC. Manhattan’s 0-4 start was a shot away from being 1-3, taking intrastate mainstay Syracuse to overtime and nearly propelling the Draddy dwellers into national prominence. But the Jaspers did not need “almosts” in the past six games, all of which were wins.
The streak began with a 90-79 win over Marist, which meant a 1-0 MAAC start for the Jaspers. Senior Jason Wingate stopped the losing and started a new career scoring mark in leading Manhattan with 33. Manhattan was able to stave off the Foxes’ runs with a season-high 61.5 percent shooting from the field. Only two days later, the Jaspers traveled to Baltimore to squelch the suddenly dangerous and once unbeaten Loyola Greyhounds. C.J. Anderson’s double-double paced the Jaspers (20 points, 12 boards).
Manhattan since has rattled off four more wins, defeating North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Fordham, and St. Francis (NY).
So far this season, the sophomore Anderson has led his team in scoring at 19.7 per game, leads the MAAC in rebounding at 10.6 per game, and is also the team’s leader in assists with 3.4 per game. Three other starters are averaging double-digit points: Jeff Xavier (14.1), Wingate (12.8), and Arturo Dubois (11.2).
The transit strike is over: Jan. 6 at Iona on ESPNU, hosting St. Peter’s Jan 8.
St. Peter’s Peacocks (6-5, 2-0)
Brought back to life: The Peacocks are another team needing to recover from a rocky start before vaulting back into contention. St. Peter’s began the season losing to three teams who will be playing in the field of 65 come March in Florida (currently unbeaten), Pittsburgh, and Seton Hall. The Peacocks were able to recover from the 0-4 start and go on a five-game winning streak, which was halted by UMass at the Panasonic Holiday Festival in New York City, 66-49. St. Peter’s was consoled in the following game with a 63-56 win over Columbia.
Included in the Peacocks’ five-game win streak was a 2-0 start in the MAAC with wins over Canisius and Niagara. Sophomore forward Todd Sowell paced the Peacocks with 19 points in the 69-64 Dec. 9 win over Canisius. It took overtime and Keydren (Kee Kee) Clark’s fifth 40-point game of his career to beat Niagara for the first time since 1999, 86-84. The last time the Jersey City kids defeated both Canisius and Niagara on the road was 1995 – the same season St. P’s won the MAAC tourney and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
The wins are coming despite Kee Kee’s slight struggles. Clark has labored a bit from the field, averaging 3 points less than his nation-leading average of a year ago, but still leading his team at 22.9 points per game. Clark’s shooting percentage has taken the largest hit: so far in 2005-2006, he is shooting a pedestrian 35.5 percent. He has not shot this low since his freshman season, when was good on 39.6 percent for the season. But Clark has seen some improvements, as he is connecting with more frequency from the free-throw line: 91.5 percent compared to 83.5 from a season ago. Clark is still dishing well, hitting his teammates an average of 4.2 times a game. Clark is getting help from Sowell, who is averaging 13.0 point per game in his second season at St. Peter’s, and Raul Orta, the transfer from Puerto Rico, is scoring 10.8 per game.
MAAC 4-0? Jan. 4 Rider, Jan. 8 at Manhattan.
Loyola MD Greyhounds (7-2, 1-1)
Not your brother’s Greyhounds: Already the Greyhounds have surpassed their win total from last season and are on pace to win more this season than the last two combined. The season began unlike the others in the recent past: with a winning streak, a five-game winning streak at that. After the unbeaten run, the Greyhounds ran into the Manhattan Jaspers and the Virginia Cavaliers, and into the first Loyola losing streak of the season. Before anyone could mention the historic (rhymes with freak) the Jimmy Patsos led his team to two more wins, defeating VMI and Delaware, bringing the Greyhounds record to where it is today.
The MAAC schedule has brought early challenges to the Kennel Clubbers. First, Loyola traveled to Fairfield and went into an extra session to win on the road 90-85. The Greyhounds hit 16 threes to set a school record in the win. Andre Collins led the way with a buzzer-beater to send the game into overtime, finishing the game with 23. The win started Loyola 1-0 for the first time in MAAC play in 10 years. On Dec. 11, Loyola lost a game for the first time, falling to Manhattan 85-73 at Reitz Arena. Loyola was led by Maryland transfer Andre Collins’ career high 39 points, hitting six threes in the loss.
Transfers from Patsos’ last coaching job have changed the make-up of the Greyhounds. Maryland transfer Collins has been a pleasant addition and has been the Greyhounds difference maker. Forward Hassan Fofana played four games last season for the Terrapins before becoming a Greyhound. Fofana has started all three games he has played in and is now the team’s second-leading scorer (14.0 ppg) and is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game.
MAAC minus the M, one A, and double the C’s: Jan. 3 at Providence, Jan. 6 vs. Niagara, and Jan. 8 versus Marist.
Siena Saints (5-4, 1-1)
Better than advertised: It is early but if Siena began the season 0-9 few would speculate past another single-digit win season. Since it’s a successful start, skeptics immediately question the validity of the record, but either way the Saints are a win away from matching last season’s win total and many believed matching that total would be an accomplishment. The Saints have done it by defeating Patriot League power Holy Cross and last season’s MAAC champ Niagara as well as three other unsuspecting opponents.
Siena’s MAAC contests include a 76-74 win over Niagara and a 67-50 loss to Canisius. Kojo Mensah scored 29 points in the come-from-behind win at Niagara. Antoine Jordan went for 16 while Kenny Hasbrouck added 15. Thirty-seven percent shooting decided the latter game for the Saints as Cansisius forced the Saints to a 1-1 record.
Sophomore Kojo Mensah is leading the way for the Saints. He is averaging 19.4 ppg and 7.0 rebounds per game. Mensah also recorded the school’s first triple-double in a win over Albany. Jordan is the team’s leading rebounder at 8.8 per game and is averaging 17.2 ppg.
Angels play basketball: Jan. 5 vs. Fairfield, Jan. 7 Rider
Canisius Golden Griffins (1-8, 1-1)
The one win was an important one: It could be worse for the Griffins. Canisius’ one win this season gave Mike MacDonald his 100th career win and for now keeps the Griffins in the early MAAC picture. The Buffalo private school began the season 0-5, and after the lone win Canisius has dropped two straight.
The Golden Griffins’ two MAAC games were split between a loss against St. Peter’s and a win over Siena. In the 69-65 defeat by the hands of the Peacocks, Darnell Wilson scored 22 points and had 12 rebounds. Wilson, Kevin Downey and Chuck Harris each scored double-digits (16, 12, 15 respectively) in the 67-50 win over Siena.
Downey is averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Wilson is averaging 13.7 points and 5.4 boards per game.
101: Jan. 3 at Brown, and Jan. 5 at Marist.
Rider Broncos (4-5, 0-1)
Again, it’s early: Rider’s early schedule has pitted the Broncos against some of the toughest teams in single-bid conferences (Drexel, Boston University, and Bucknell, who defeated the Broncos in the final seconds) and also a Final Four contender (Villanova, no it was not close). The result was a 1-4 (win over America East’s Boston University) start, from which the Broncos have since recovered to be a game below .500 heading into intensified league play.
In the lone MAAC game of the season, Rider fell 80-59 to league favorite Iona. Terrance Mouton paced Rider with 14.
Most improved candidate sophomore Jason Thompson is averaging 15.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Thompson all but disappeared during the Iona game, taking only four shots and scoring six points. Thompson has shown flashes early and should be prepared to assert himself now. Senior Edwin Muniz and Mouton, a junior, are averaging 13.5 and 11.8 points per game respectively.
Yeeeehaaaa: Jan. 4 at St. Peter’s and Jan 7 at Siena.
Fairfield Stags (2-7, 0-1)
He’s back: Dewitt Maxwell is back, and his team is back in the win column after the Stags defeated Cal State Northridge 66-65. The only other win of the season for the Stags was an 80-68 decision over Tulane.
In the only MAAC game so far this season, the resurgent Greyhounds took out Fairfield in overtime in Bridgeport. Seniors Terrance Todd and Michael Bell scored 21 and 19 in the loss.
Fairfield’s fortunes are poised to change with the return of Maxwell. Last season, Maxwell averaged 11.3 points per game. With his return, the Stags will have five players averaging double-digits at Tim O’Toole’s disposal. Terrance Todd is averaging slightly less than last season, but is still the team’s leader at 13.2 points per game.
Remember 1986: Jan. 5 versus Siena and Jan. 7 versus Canisius.
Marist Red Foxes (5-4, 0-2)
It starts with three: The Red Foxes are in the middle of an early season winning streak, except this season the winning is not happening at the front end of a MAAC schedule. The Red Foxes defeated St. John’s (56-53), St. Bonaventure (69-51), and Florida Atlantic (84-75) during the current string of wins.
The MAAC record may look better now that the Foxes have found a groove. So far, losses at the favored Manhattan Jaspers and against Iona are mere blemishes considering the preseason spectrum of expectations for all three teams.
Four Red Foxes average double figures, led by junior Jared Jordan with 15.7 per game.
Back in the MAAC: Jan. 8 vs. Loyola.
Niagara Purple Eagles (3-7, 0-2)
Fall from the top: Starting the MAAC title defense with a six-game losing streak is not what Joe Mihalich envisioned, and beginning the MAAC season losing to last season’s last-place team and beginning the season in MAAC’s cellar are hardly ideal.
The 0-2 record is also deceptive. Both losses were decided in the closing minutes of each game. Siena dropped Niagara 76-75 as the Purple Eagles allowed a second half vice grip on the game to loosen: Siena stormed back and closed out the game in the final 30 seconds. Sophomore Charron Fisher led the Eagles with 19. It took overtime and 42 points from Keydren Clark for St. Peter’s to defeat the new-look Purple Eagles. James Mathis’ double-double (16 points and 17 rebounds) was the highlight in that loss.
Not too far: Jan. 6 at Loyola and Jan. 8 at Iona.
