Around The MAAC: Season Preview

October is approaching, which means that college basketball is right around the corner.

I will be covering the Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference this season, with weekly reports on the league. I know the season is still a month and a half away, but I figured I would get my season preview over and out.

The preview will go in order of last year’s conference standings.

Enjoy:

Siena College Saints (23-11, 13-5)

The Saints are the defending MAAC champs, and go into this season as the favorite to finish atop the standings. 

Coach Fran McCaffery returns his entire starting lineup from the team that upset Vanderbilt in the first round of last year’s tournament. Freshmen Owen Wignot and Kyle Downey will be welcomed aboard, replacing sharp-shooting guard Tay Fisher.

Of the returning players around the MAAC, Edwin Ubiles, Kenny Hasbrouck, and Alex Franklin hold three of the four top spots in scoring. The Saints, who as a team scored the second-most points per game last year, will probably be the most offensively productive team in the MAAC this year.

Ronald Moore who was second in assists last season, averaging 5.3 dimes per contest, will be distributing the ball to Ubiles, Hasbrouck, and Franklin.

The Saints also have a strong defense, as four of the five starters averaged more than one steal per game last year. Hasbrouck led the MAAC with 2.3 steals per contest.

Siena’s only weakness is their bench. The talent on the bench is undefined because of lack of playing time. Ryan Rossiter and Corey Magee were the only bench players to log double-digits in minutes. Neither were spectacular on the rare occasion that they were involved in a play, but Magee shot 44 percent from three-point range. Both managed to pick up fouls quickly, something that McCaffery will have to work on with his bench.

Part of the reason that the Saints were so successful last season was because they managed to avoid fouling. That is how the starting lineup logged so many minutes. Staying out of foul trouble again will be crucial to the success of the Saints.

Despite having a very harsh non-conference schedule, consisting of games against Tennessee, Pittsburgh, St. Joseph’s, and Kansas, the Saints will build up their confidence against the powerhouses and come into league play with a record a little over .500, ready to dominate the conference.

Rider University Broncs (23-11, 13-5)

Jason Thompson, the 2007-08 MAAC player of the year, was selected 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2008 NBA draft. Thompson led Rider in points, rebounds, blocks, and minutes played. The Broncs revolved around their 6’11” center, and will need to find a new offensive method for the 2008-09 season.

The new offense will likely run through Jason’s younger brother, Ryan, who was the Broncs second-leading scorer with 15 points per game. The younger Thompson, standing at 6’6”, is an all-around player. He shoots, drives, boards, and distributes. Last season, Thompson averaged 6 rebounds, 3.4 assists per game, and shot 44 percent from three-point range.

Tommy Dempsey is bringing in Jermaine Jackson, the  No. 48 power forward according to ESPN, in order to fill the hole left by Thompson. It will be impossible to replace Thompson, but scouts say that Rider got a steal in Jackson.

Rider is returning their third best scorer, Harris Mansell. Mansell averaged 13.7 points per game, and shot 44.7% from beyond the arc last season.

Forward Mike Ringgold and guards Mansell and Justin Robinson will compliment Thompson, keeping Rider in the top tier of the MAAC.

Niagara University Purple Eagles (19-10, 12-6)

Coach Joe Mihalic, who took the Purple Eagles to the tournament in 2007, intends to be playing in the middle of March of 2009.

Despite losing the league’s leading scorer, in Fisher, the Purple Eagles have three solid players to run their offense. Anthony Nelson and Tyrone Lewis will be the two starting guards for Mihalic this year, with Benson Egemonye at center.

Nelson only averaged five points per game last season, but managed to record five assists per contest. Lewis scored 16.1 points per game, and can definitely add to his average now that Fisher is not ahead of him in the offense’s priorites.

In a league dominated by guard-play, Benson Egemonye averaged 9 points and 6.6 boards in 25 minutes per game last season. Egemonye’s minutes were limited because of foul trouble, but if he can avoid fouling he can be a major threat for the Purple Eagles.

He will be vital to Niagara’s success because he will attract attention down low, allowing Lewis to get more space behind the arc. Egemonye will need to become more aggressive on the boards, as the Purple Eagles will be without Fisher’s 9.5 rebounds per contest. Niagara led the MAAC in rebounds last season.

Niagara will welcome the nation’s 95th best shooting guard, Austin Cooley, to the mix.

Mihalic will certainly miss Fisher and Stanley Hodge, who combined for 40 points per game for the Eagles in 2007-08, but he will find a way to keep the Purple Eagles competitive.

Loyola College (Md.) Greyhounds (19-14, 12-6)

Another MAAC school to lose key players, Jimmy Patsos saw three of his top five scorers play their final game as Greyhounds in a two point semifinal loss to Siena. Gerald Brown, Michael Tuck, and Omari Isreal all graduated after last season. Brown was the teams top scorer, and Tuck was the top rebounder.

Brett Harvey, Marquis Sullivan, and Brian Rudolph win need to run the offense and attempt to pick up the slack left by last year’s seniors. However, Harvey and Rudolph did not average double-digits in scoring last season. Behind them, Joe Miles has the next highest average of 4.6 points per game.

Loyola did not sign any recruits and is in serious trouble for this upcoming season.

Do not expect the Greyhounds finish in the upper half of the MAAC.

Marist College Red Foxes (18-14, 11-7)

Matt Brady left Marist for James Madison University. Louie McCroskey, Spongy Benjamin, Ryan Stilphen, Ben Farmer, and Shae McNamara all graduated. If that wasn’t enough of a blow to the Red Foxes, Jay Gavin and David Devezin transferred upon Brady’s departure.

In total, Marist lost seven players, and compensated by signing three recruits, two of whom are expected to be good. However, Marist does not return any of their top six scorers, rebounders, and assisters from last season.

The Red Foxes are left in a hole that will be nearly impossible to climb out of this season. Their starting lineup will consist of inexperienced bench players and their two freshmen guards, R.J. Hall and Dorvell Carter.

There is no point in discussing the Red Foxes any further because a team with zero experience cannot be expected to finish in the top half of the MAAC.

Fairfield College Stags (14-16, 11-7)

Like Siena, the Stags return their best players from last season.

Fairfield led a balanced offensive attack, in which seven players scored between 6 and 12 points per game, led by Jonathan Han. Han also led the MAAC in assists with 6.2 per game.

After starting 2-8 last season, the Stags figured out their problems, getting hot in MAAC conference play. It was evident that Fairfield’s players finally learned how to gel together. Being able to gel as a team is crucial, and the Stags will bring that team chemistry into the 2008-09 season.

Along with experience, the Stags bring back three starters who all shot over 40% from three-point range. The Stags weakness is defense, finishing near the bottom of the MAAC with 6.6 team steals per game and 32 rebounds per game.

The Stags know that they have a chance to compete for the MAAC title this season, but they will have to beat Siena. It is not out of the question, but Siena would probably win the matchup eight times out of ten.

Iona College Gaels (12-20, 8-10)

Since Steve Burtt Jr. and Ricky Soliver graduated after the 2005-06 season, the Gaels combined for a 14-47 record over the next two years. Now, the rebuilding process has been completed. Kevin Willard brought in two Big East transfers, in shooting-guard Kashif Pratt and 7-foot center Jonathan Huffman, who will be eligible to play for Iona this season.

Pratt didn’t have many opportunities at Seton Hall, and Huffman didn’t have many under Coach Pitino at Louisville, but Iona will offer many minutes to both. Any 7-foot center will get playing time in the MAAC, a league that rarely sees players above 6’10,” and Huffman must be good if Pitino signed him. Despite being a presence in the paint, Huffman also has a good touch from behind the three point line.

The transfers are not the only plusses from this offseason. Willard went after some of the best recruits in the New York area, signing Trinity Fields, Jermel Jenkins, Kyle Smyth, Scott Machado, Derek Wolfley, and Keon Williams. Williams will redshirt this season due to a torn Achilles tendon.

Fields was the No. 44 point-guard recruit in America, so Iona is ecstatic to introduce a player of such high caliber to the MAAC. Four of the five recruits are guards, Williams being the only forward. Iona is overloaded at the guard position, so other than Fields, it is unclear as to how many minutes some of the other guard recruits will see.

Senior forwards Gary Springer and Devon Clarke are the veterans on the team. Both Springer and Clarke saw a good share of minutes in Iona’s 2005-06 tournament season. Springer started at power-forward that season.

Springer averaged 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season, along with Clarke’s 10 points and 4.2 boards. The two will be joined in the front-court by Huffman, posing a menacing threat to those driving through the lane. Huffman should not expect to have a field day down low because MAAC guards are wont to challenge a 7-foot presence.

Rashon Dwight, Springer, and Huffman are the only definite starters for Willard’s inexperienced team. The two guard positions are left wide open, Fields, Machado, and Jenkins being the top candidates for point-guard and Milan Prodanovic for shooting-guard.

Iona SID Brian Beyrer believes that Fields will be transformed into a shooting guard. "Coach Willard feels he's a true scorer and when he gets used to not having to have the ball all the time as a point guard, he will have a great career at Iona," claims Beyrer. Assuming this transformation occurs, Fields will play most of his minutes at the two.

Clarke and Alejo Rodriguez will be the first big men to come off the Gaels bench. Rodriguez sat out last season, and Beyrer says, "He is back to 100%." Rodriguez, a 6'8" forward, averaged 7.1 points and 5.9 boards per game in his freshman season.

Iona has a relatively tough eleven-game non-conference schedule, opposing Wisconsin, Valpo or San Diego, Ohio State, Hofstra, and South Florida, before MAAC play. Unlike the Saints who have proven themselves against powerhouse schools, Iona will try to make a name for themselves early on in the 2008-09 season.

In MAAC play, the Gaels can be expected to be a tough competitor against the other top teams in the conference.

Manhattan College Jaspers (12-19, 5-13)

Like Iona, the Jaspers have spent the last two seasons rebuilding. Coach Barry Rohrssen has done a solid job with recruiting, but hasn’t nailed transfers like Willard did at Iona. Rohrssen is bringing in one recruit.

Center Djibril Coulibaly was supposed to be a Jasper last season, but could not get a visa to come over to America from Africa in time for the 2007-08 season. Coulibaly can help the Jaspers tremendously. He was the 50th best center in his recruiting class, and the Jaspers are weak down low.

Laurence Jolicoeur was Manhattan’s center last season, but he needs to become a more powerful presence down low instead of a want-to-be shooter. Assuming that Jolicouer has not hit the weight room, Coulibaly will see immediate minutes as a freshman.

Although the Jaspers did not lose any key seniors, Rashad Green transferred to the University of San Francisco after his freshman season. Green was a key aspect to Manhattan’s offense, and showed signs of potential. The Jaspers and their fans will certainly miss Green, who averaged 7.8 points and 5 boards per contest.

Senior Devon Austin will need to step up his game in his final season with the Jaspers. He showed tremendous potential in his first two seasons, but stopped looking for his shot last season. This may have been as a result of not having room on the perimeter, provided by having a big man attract defenders down low, in which case Austin will benefit from Coulibaly. Despite not shooting as much, Austin managed to score 11.6 points per game. The small forward also grabbed 4.2 rebounds per game.

Junior Antoine Pearson will be the point-guard for the third year in a row now. Pearson led the Jaspers in scoring last year, averaging 12.2 points per game. Pearson is good at penetrating the defense, opening the ability for a kick-out or for a drive to the basket.

Like Austin, Pearson will need to take advantage of his scoring ability. In most games last season, Pearson did not begin looking for the basket until the second half. The Jaspers can really benefit from a combined offensive effort from Austin and Pearson.

Chris Smith, younger brother of the Nuggets’ J.R. Smith, will start his sophomore season at shooting-guard. Smith joined the Jaspers towards the end of conference play last season, and averaged 10 points per game as a freshman.

The Jaspers definitely have potential to be an offensive threat in the MAAC, if Rohrssen lets the team run. Last season, Manhattan was able to compete with running teams like Siena by running with them. In fact, Manhattan beat Siena 72-71 by running. Rohrssen says that Coulibaly runs the floor well, so maybe he will let the team play a fast-paced game.

Manhattan has a large bench of players who can all step up big on any given night. Guards Darryl Crawford and Patrick Bouli provide a lot of energy, on both the offensive and defensive sides, off the bench.

Nick Walsh, who hit 51 percent of his three-point attempts, will provide quick scores for Manhattan, when needed. Big men Brandon Adams and Jolicouer can come off the bench to give Andrew Gabriel and Coulibaly a rest.

The Jaspers have potential to finish in the top half of the MAAC.

Saint Peter’s College Peacocks (6-24, 3-15)

The Peacocks are coming off a season that did not produce many happy moments. St. Peter’s lost nine games by five points or less.

Despite returning their leading scorer, in Wesley Jenkins, the Peacocks graduated Todd Sowell and Raul Orta. Sowell averaged a double-double with 12.7 and 10.4 rebounds per game. Orta was a sharpshooter, averaging 8.2 points on 35.7% three-point shooting.

St. Peter’s did not sign any outstanding recruits, so three sophomores will lead the Peacocks. Jenkins, Darrel Lampley, and Nick Leon all scored at least ten points per game in their freshman season. The problem with these three guards is that Lampley and Leon are under 6-feet tall, and Jenkins is only 6’2.”

John Dunne’s team will be able to upset a top MAAC opponent, but, “The Peacocks will not win on a regular basis because of their lack of height,” according to MAAC analyst Larry Siegel.

Canisius College Golden Griffins (6-25, 2-16)

Junior Frank Turner will be the leader of this mediocre Canisius team. Turner averaged 13 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game last year. Greg Logins is the only big man on Canisius who has shown potential at his position. In his freshman season, Logins averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds per contest.

Other than Turner and Logins, the Golden Griffins don’t have much more defined talent on the team. Jovan Robinson and Bob Bevilacqua both shot around 38% from three-point range last year, scoring most of their points on treys.

Canisius does not stand much of a chance against the upper tier of the MAAC because of their lack of talent.

Overview

The MAAC will be an exciting conference this year, as every team will look to defeat the favorite, Siena.

My projected MAAC standings are as follows:

Siena

Iona

Fairfield

Niagara

Rider

Manhattan

St. Peter’s

Loyola Md.

Canisius

Marist

Once the season starts, look for “Around the MAAC,” as I will be posting a weekly edition of updates and analysis.