Manhattan's "BracketBuster" vs. Towson: Sign of Barry Rohrssen's Failure

Notice "BracketBuster," not BracketBuster.

Notice Towson, not Northeastern, Wichita State, or Akron.

A meaningless game that's not going to bust anyone's bracket. A game against a 7-19 team. 

These are just two signs of how far the Manhattan College basketball program has fallen since Barry Rohrssen replaced Bobby Gonzalez at the helm. 

For four years now, Manhattan's "BracketBuster" has been played only because the Jaspers are in a participating conference. Not because the Jaspers have been on the bubble.

When Bobby Gonzalez roamed Draddy Gymansium's sidelines, the Jaspers consistently posted records capable of drawing the best mid-majors on ESPNU's BracketBuster weekend.

In 2005-06, Manhattan finished 20-11 and hosted a Long Beach State team that went 18-12 and fell eight points shy of a Big West championship. The Jaspers drew George Mason a year before that and Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2003-04.

Under Rohrssen, Manhattan has lost by double-digits to Eastern Michigan and Binghamton and beaten an anemic William & Mary program. Not what most would call impressive.

Obviously the BracketBuster scheduling committee won't slate a 9-17 Manhattan team against an 18-9 Northeastern squad, but the problem is inherent in the statement. How could Manhattan possibly be 9-17 in its coach's fourth season?

Well, the list of answers could fill a book, but to summarize, Coach Rohrssen has been incapable of maintaining his best recruits. He hasn't signed a decent post players in his four years. With the exception of Darryl Crawford, none of Rohrssen's Jaspers have developed under his instruction.

Rohrssen was also a notorious New York City recruiter as a Pitt assistant, but he hasn't brought any of the Big Apple's best high school seniors to Riverdale. Until this past spring, when Rico Pickett signed his Letter of Intent, Rohrssen had not signed MAAC-plus talent like Bobby Gonzalez so frequently did.

If Manhattan's Athletic Director, Bob Byrnes, thinks three of four losing seasons and two appearances in the MAAC tournament's opening round isn't enough evidence that Rohrssen will never be successful at Manhattan, maybe he can look at the Jaspers' BracketBuster history.

Then, he might notice the difference between his current coach and a winner. If Byrnes wants his school to have a team capable of busting brackets, he'll find a new head coach this spring.

For more Manhattan, MAAC, and mid-major basketball, follow Ari Kramer on Twitter by clicking here .

Photo from Aaron's UK Basketball Blog