Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook
by Matthew Moll
The Pepsi Center Looms
With less than a month remaining, most teams are confined to a certain destiny. A much clearer picture of which team’s previous perniciousness will relegate them to flounder in the first round in Albany will emerge this week. Here are things to watch for:
- First round byes: First four teams in the MAAC are awarded first round byes. That means six teams would have to run the gauntlet and win four games in four days.
- Number-5 seed: You heard about the 5/12 upset. This season, a win or loss in the wrong direction could spell an arduous yet fulfilling (see Oakland, the final seed, but same idea, circa 2005) start to the road to Indy.
- Number-1 seed: Three teams are now in the hunt.
A more complete look at what will shake down the last weeks of the season.
BracketBuster
Iona and Marist will be on ESPN as pettifog with fellow single-bid conference members Buffalo (the other MAC) and Old Dominion (CAA).
The Buffalo Bulls hold a 3-2 series advantage while ODU and Marist have never met. Both games will be on ESPN360 on Feb. 18.
BracketBuster weekend is an event scheduled by ESPN before the season begins, pitting prominent “mid-majors” against one another. The teams are certain they will play, but not certain against whom. This is BracketBuster’s fourth installment.
131 times 3 threes
Keydren Clark continues to fill box scores with makes. His latest milestone put him fifth on the NCAA’s all-time made three-pointers list. Clark went 4-12 from outside to put him in the top five.
Hoopville MAAC Player of the Week
Clark, Sr., St. Peter’s 27.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.3 rpg and his team went 3-0.
Hoopville MAAC Newcomer of the week
Devon Austin, F, Manhattan 13.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg. starting for the second consecutive week.
Manhattan Jaspers (14-7 Overall, 10-3 MAAC)
Last week: defeated Siena 63-58, loss versus Niagara 51-67, win over Loyola 86-68
Back in the hunt: Despite going a less-than-stellar 3-2 since the suspension of leading scorer and rebounder C.J. Anderson, the Manhattan Jaspers are atop the MAAC tied with Iona. Bobby Gonzalez’s shorthanded Jaspers (only eight players dressed for the last three match-ups) have received an extra boost from freshman standout Devin Austin, who averaged 13.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, including 19 points in the win over Loyola. Austin has started the last five games for the Jaspers and is adding to the already potent, yet depleted, young lineup. Arturo Dubois and Jeff Xavier each have upped their season scoring averages to 15 points per game this week, previously putting up 10.1 and 4.4 respectively.
The seniors have gotten into the act as well. With the leading assist men out, Jason Wingate has emerged as the team’s leading pace setter, while fellow senior Mike Konovelchick is playing valuable minutes and hitting timely threes.
The Jaspers’ win over Loyola proved they can play still play a balanced brand of ball, as four players scored over 15 points and the team shot 56.6 percent from the field (59.1 percent from beyond the arc). Manhattan will need to continue to fill it up next week against the prolific Peacocks.
Eight men in: Feb. 8 at St. Peter’s and Feb. 11 at Canisius.
Iona Gaels (16-5, 10-3)
Last week: defeated by St. Peter’s 72-76, win over Canisius 95-58, loss to Marist 81-87
Streak snapped: After gliding past seven straight opponents and into first place in the MAAC, Iona is still in first, but the Gaels are forced to share it. Iona’s 1-2 week was supposed to be a chance for the Gaels to capitalize on momentum and defend their home court; instead the Gaels are heading into a three-game road stretch followed by an ESPN BracketBuster with Buffalo at home.
The more discouraging of the two losses this week was to Marist. Iona, like it has all season, answered a large deficit with a comeback, but were unable to completely erase the 15-point margin. The Gaels’ guard tandem of Ricky Soliver and Steve Burtt went for 14 and 28, respectively, and the team shot 51.7 percent from the field. But the Gaels were out hustled on the boards, getting out-rebounded 38-25, and were torched for 54.5 percent from the field.
Burtt did manage his sixth 30-plus point effort against the Golden Griffins earlier in the week. He led the team with 31 and Kiril Wachsmann added 18 while Iona out-scored Canisius 52-24 in the paint. Jeff Ruland’s unyielding defense forced 22 turnovers and scored 33 points to the Griffins’ nine off giveaways.
Leave the past BeHynes: at Loyola Feb. 8, at Fairfield Feb. 11.
Marist Red Foxes (14-7, 8-5)
Last week: defeated Loyola 86-78, loss to St. Peter’s 75-74, defeated Iona 87-81
Two games out: No late season fizzle for the Foxes, at least so far, as Marist went 2-1 last week and evened two season series in the process. Only a runner with 0.3 seconds left stood between the Foxes and a perfect week.
Matt Brady bemoaned his team’s hustle in the last second loss to St. Peter’s, but his team quickly recovered overtaking the first place Gaels at home. The Foxes led early and refused to relive the early previous game’s comeback theatrics, allowing the Gaels to pull within one but not giving up the lead.
Junior James Smith’s career-high 27 paced the Foxes, and he was helped by junior Jared Jordan’s double-double (15 points and 15 assists).
The Foxes are 9-1 in the last 10 games (including an eight game winning streak) and play two underachieving teams this week. It’s “prove it” time for the Foxes, who are within number-one seed striking distance, but they will need help and can’t hurt themselves.
Sure you McCann: hosting Rider Feb. 8, at Niagara Feb. 11.
Saint Peter’s Peacocks (12-10, 8-5)
Last week: W at Iona 76-72, W at Marist 75-74, W over Siena 81-63
Cardiac Kids: Two close ones and a blowout later, St. Peter’s is in the midst of a four-game winning streak with Manhattan coming to town this week. The Peacocks have found a groove, winning games in different ways in this season’s second-longest string of wins.
The first two wins of the week were by a combined five points, including the heart-pounder against Marist. Keydren Clark scored 30 points in the first 39:59.7 of the game, but his last two decided the game. Sophomore Todd Sowell’s 13 points, 12 rebounds (11th double-double of the year) and two blocks kept the Peacocks in the game in the first half while Marist defended home court. The win gave the Peacocks two consecutive character victories on the road heading into a tilt with the Siena Saints.
Sowell’s 12th double-double of the season paced the Peacocks over Siena. Four of Coach Leckie’s starters scored in double figures: Sowell (16), Kaimondre Owes (18), Raul Orta (19) and Clark (23). They shot 61.5 percent in the decisive second half.
Manhattan comes into town limping, so if Kee Kee and Ko. wants to end a career in the NCAA tournament, they know the road to 65 begins with wins against those who stood before.
A game out? Feb. 8 hosting Manhattan, at Loyola on ESPN2 Feb. 11.
Fairfield Stags (8-13, 6-7)
Last week: defeated Rider 77-69 (overtime), defeated Niagara 68-64
A game below: Despite allowing Rider to even the score at the end of the second half, the Stags took control early in the extra session and only permitted one Rider basket en route to the win. Terrance Todd entered the top 10 all-time scoring list at the school with his 20-point game, which included 18 in the second half and overtime.
The Stags won back to back home games for the first time all season after holding the defending MAAC Champions to 5-20 from three point range.
One at the Yard: at Siena Feb. 7, hosting Iona Feb. 11.
Siena Saints (10-11, 5-8)
Last week: loss to Manhattan 63-58, defeated Loyola 89-83, loss at St. Peter’s 81-63
From the heaven above you baby: There may have been tears from above after getting clipped by the Jaspers, but those drops dried on the road against Loyola in ending the Saints’ three-game losing streak. Then the Saints were quickly turned around by the Peacocks, dropping four of the last seven and putting Siena three games below .500.
Antoine Jordan scored a career-high 32 points in the win over Loyola. Siena shot 37 percent from behind the three-point line while holding the Greyhounds to under 35 percent from outside.
The time has come: Feb. 7 against Fairfield, Feb. 12 against Rider.
Niagara Purple Eagles (8-13, 5-8)
Last week: W over Manhattan 67-51, L at Fairfield 64-68
Could not make it three: The 1-1 week was highlighted by a big win over conference leader Manhattan and low-lighted by the loss at Fairfield.
Cliff Brown and J.R. Duffey scored 20 and 21 points, respectively, in the early week win over the Jaspers. Duffy’s flurry of five threes boosted the Eagles into a running for a first round MAAC tourney bye.
In the second game of the week, Brown had a career-high 15 boards and added 22 points in the loss. Niagara could not completely erase the 10-point halftime deficit as the Eagles hit on only 25 percent from the outside.
Cross-town rival: at the Gallagher center vs. Canisus Feb. 8, then Marist Feb. 11.
Loyola Greyhounds (11-10, 5-8)
Last week: L at Marist 86-78, L versus Siena 89-83, defeated at Manhattan 86-88
Not going to say with what it rhymes: An 0-3 week is not good for any team, but for Jimmy Patsos and his Kennel Clubbers these consecutive games in the loss column mean the difference between being two games above .500 and three games below, and from being a second seed contender to a late season question mark.
To go along with the current famine, the Greyhounds have not won on the road in nearly a month (0-6), and the top two teams in the conference defeated them by an average of 19 points, including this week’s loss to Manhattan (the fourth straight to the Jaspers). That leads up to this week’s match-up against Iona.
Return home: Iona and St. Peter’s at Reitz Arena.
Rider Broncos (8-13, 4-9)
Last week: L at Fairfield 69-77, W over Canisius 73-69
Not so fine four and nine: The once-touted sleeper team has fallen asleep as they prepare for mid-term exams. The Broncos were bucked in overtime against Fairfield, but managed to slip by the struggling Golden Griffins.
Terrance Mouton was blanked against the Stags, missing on all 12 of his attempts. Jason Thompson played in the two games, scoring 25 (with 12 boards) and 17, respectively.
No more Z’s? at Marist Feb. 8, hosting Siena Feb. 12
Canisius Golden Griffins (5-16, 4-9)
Last week: Loss to Iona 58-95, loss to Rider 69-73
Six then two, eight of last nine: The Golden Griffins’ are beginning another losing streak not long after ending a six-game skid.
Canisius had no answer for the Gaels’ scoring tandem. The rout was the worst of its kind for the Griffins, who joined the MAAC in 1989. Darnell Wilson led the way in the loss with 17.
Although the week was poor for the team, two individuals surpassed career scoring marks. Senior Kevin Downey surpassed the 1,400-point plateau, while Jon Popofski’s week put him over 800.
From below: at Niagara Feb. 8, Feb. 11 versus Manhattan.
