Lionel Simmons, a 6-foot-7 forward who played at former league member La Salle from the 1986-87 through the 1989-90 season, is the league's transcendent star; the Michael Jordan of the MAAC, if you will.
And, now, Simmons has a female counterpart,.
Simmons remains the only male player in conference history to be named its Player of the Year over three different seasons.
And, now, Marist's 6-foot-0 senior forward Rachele Fitz joins him, becoming the first female player to capture the conference's top award for three straight seasons.
Fitz was named this season's award winner at ceremonies Thursday evening at the Times Union Center.
Fitz claims she never expected this type of career, despite considerable interest from programs higher than the mid-major level.
"I got letters from Duke, Indiana ... a lot of big schools," said Fitz. "But I never got offers from them because I never responded. I didn't want to go to those schools."
So, why did Fitz, arguably the best female player in MAAC history, wind up at Marist?
"My career ambition is to be a fashion designer, and Marist has one of the best fashion design programs in the country," said Fitz. "So, I guess in that respect coach (Brian) Giorgis got lucky."
Has Fitz ever directly told her coach that he "got lucky" when he landed Fitz.
"No, I've never told him that," said Fitz, smiling. "But, I guess it's OK if I say it now ... he doesn't have much longer to get mad at me."
Fitz already owns 13 career or single-season records at Marist, but her work transcends her school.
She currently has career totals of 2,385 points and 1,033 rebounds.
The point total is third-highest in league history. She needs 33 more points to move into second place and 83 to become the MAAC's all-time point leader.
Her rebound total is eighth-best of all-time in conference history.
This year's male Player of the Year is Siena's 6-foot-5 senior forward Alex Franklin, who becomes the second Siena player in two seasons to capture that honor. Kenny Hasbrouck, a senior a year ago, was last year's top player.
Other award winners:
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
- MEN: Derek Needham, Fairfield's 5-11 freshman guard.
- WOMEN: Kayla Stroman, Niagara's 5-5 freshman guard.
SIXTH-MAN AWARD WINNER
- MEN: Mike Evanovich, Fairfield's 6-8 senior forward.
- WOMEN: Ali Morris, Niagara's 5-8 sophomore guard.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- MEN: Anthony Johnson, Fairfield's 6-8 senior forward.
- WOMEN: Stephanie Geehan, Fairfield's 6-2 senior center.
COACH OF THE YEAR
- MEN: Iona's Kevin Willard.
- WOMEN: Niagara's Kendra Faustin.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Siena, Canisius Women Win Openers
And, so, the games of the 29th annual MAAC post-season tournament have begun.
They started with two women's first-round games Thursday afternoon at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y.
Siena beat Rider, 45-25; and Canisius knocked off Saint Peter's, 65-57.
Both contests included some noteworthy happenings.
In the opener, Rider played without 6-foot-2 freshman center Caitlin Bopp, the league's second-best rebounder (9.6 per game). Without her, the Broncs struggled mightily on the offensive end against a Siena team that has stressed defense (its 56.5 points allowed per game is second-best in MAAC play).
Rider shot just 8-for-55 from the field (14.5 percent). The result being that its 25 points were the fewest every scored in a MAAC tournament game, men or women. And, the combined score of the two teams, 70 total points, was the fewest ever by two teams in a game.
Siena had struggles of its own in the first half, making just 7-of-31 (22.6 percent) from the field, but was better in the second half, behind second-team all-MAAC player 6-1 forward Serena Moore (15 points, 10 rebounds). Senior forward Allie Lindemann added 13 points.
No Rider player scored more than five points in the contest.
Siena advances to meet second-seeded Iona in today's 9:30 a.m. semifinal-round "eye-opener."
Large quantities of coffee are advised.
Thursday's other first-round contest was a battle of which team would do fewer wrong things.
Saint Peter's committed 25 turnovers in the game, including 10 in the final 8:30 of play.
Canisius, meanwhile, countered by a failure to put the game away from the foul line. At one point, the Golden Griffins made just 4-of-10 from the stripe down the stretch before eventually nailing down the victory when it made its final six free throws.
"They kept giving it to us, and we kept giving it back," said Canisius coach Terry Zeh, afterwards.
Canisius got a big boost from 6-foot-0 senior forward Ellie Radke, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, one point and one rebound below her personal career highs.
Guard Brittane Russell added 12 points, three assists and three steals for the Griffs, who advance to meet top-seeded Marist today at 1:30 p.m.
They started with two women's first-round games Thursday afternoon at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y.
Siena beat Rider, 45-25; and Canisius knocked off Saint Peter's, 65-57.
Both contests included some noteworthy happenings.
In the opener, Rider played without 6-foot-2 freshman center Caitlin Bopp, the league's second-best rebounder (9.6 per game). Without her, the Broncs struggled mightily on the offensive end against a Siena team that has stressed defense (its 56.5 points allowed per game is second-best in MAAC play).
Rider shot just 8-for-55 from the field (14.5 percent). The result being that its 25 points were the fewest every scored in a MAAC tournament game, men or women. And, the combined score of the two teams, 70 total points, was the fewest ever by two teams in a game.
Siena had struggles of its own in the first half, making just 7-of-31 (22.6 percent) from the field, but was better in the second half, behind second-team all-MAAC player 6-1 forward Serena Moore (15 points, 10 rebounds). Senior forward Allie Lindemann added 13 points.
No Rider player scored more than five points in the contest.
Siena advances to meet second-seeded Iona in today's 9:30 a.m. semifinal-round "eye-opener."
Large quantities of coffee are advised.
Thursday's other first-round contest was a battle of which team would do fewer wrong things.
Saint Peter's committed 25 turnovers in the game, including 10 in the final 8:30 of play.
Canisius, meanwhile, countered by a failure to put the game away from the foul line. At one point, the Golden Griffins made just 4-of-10 from the stripe down the stretch before eventually nailing down the victory when it made its final six free throws.
"They kept giving it to us, and we kept giving it back," said Canisius coach Terry Zeh, afterwards.
Canisius got a big boost from 6-foot-0 senior forward Ellie Radke, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, one point and one rebound below her personal career highs.
Guard Brittane Russell added 12 points, three assists and three steals for the Griffs, who advance to meet top-seeded Marist today at 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Is This The Year Marist Women Falter?
Is this finally the year someone other than Marist wins the MAAC women's post-season tournament?
Maybe. At least it seems that this might the most-vulnerable the Red Foxes have been entering the conference tournament since the start of their four-year run of success in this event beginning with the 2005-o6 season.
It's been more than 1,800 days since anyone other than the Red Foxes represented the MAAC in the NCAA tournament.
Will this be the year that changes?
If you want to seek signs of the program's vulnerability, they're there.
Like a 69-59 loss at Niagara on Jan. 31, coming against an opponent that was 1-17 in conference play the previous year.
Or, like a 61-60 setback to Fairfield on Feb. 9, coming against an opponent that lost four starters off last season's team.
Or, like this past weekend when the Red Foxes needed overtime to hold off Iona, 82-80, on Friday in a game that clinched the program's seventh consecutive conference crown and, then, lost a 65-62 decision against Manhattan, an opponent that currently has an overall record just a single game over the .500 mark.
"People talk about that, but you have to realize that they finished 15-3 in league play this season," said Fairfield coach Joe Frager. "Every other coach in our league would kill to have a 15-3 league record."
Still, it's a drop off from records of, starting with 2008-09 and going backwards, 16-2, 18-0, 17-1 and 16-2 in league play.
And, Marist has suffered heavy graduation losses over its stretch of success of recent years: Fifi Camera after the 2005-06 season, Meg Dahlman and Alisa Kresge after the 2006-07 season, and Julianne Viani after last season.
Through that, though, Marist just continued to reload. But its ammunition doesn't seem quite as potent this season.
This might be the most-vulnerable Marist team of the last five seasons. That, though, doesn't mean the Red Foxes aren't anything other than a typically heavy favorite to win the women's event that begins with play-in games on Thursday and concludes with Sunday's championship game.
After all, it did win the regular season crown with a two-game margin, and its 23-7 overall mark dwarfs other league members. Iona and Fairfield, both at 17-12, have the next best overall records.
Still, Marist has an 8-3 record in its last 11 MAAC games, a very un-Marist like performance.
Non-Marist teams with the best chance of cutting down the nets on Sunday?
Probably second-place Iona (13-5 in league play) and Fairfield (11-7).
Iona seems to have the required pieces ... height, strong guard play and depth ... to play with Marist.
But, surprisingly, it's Fairfield that has had the most success in recent years against the Red Foxes as the only team to beat Marist in each of the past two seasons.
Fairfield's secret? Nothing really, except to turn in your best game.
"Marist is so good that in order to have a shot to compete with them you can't turn it over and you have to get a good look almost every time down court," said Frager. "Then, you have to shoot a good percentage and your outside shots have to fall. Your interior defense needs to be strong, too.
"And, even if you do those things ... they can still beat you. They are really well coached, they're talented and they're very poised. Even though three teams have beaten them in league play this year, they're still the favorite.
"The thing with them is that they're so hard to guard. They have so many 3-point shooters that you have to get out on them. Then, though, they've got Rachele Fitz inside."
Fitz is expected to be honored as the league's Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.
But, Fairfield has an answer. If Fitz is the league's best player, then the Stags' 6-foot-2 center Stephanie Geehan, who ranks fourth nationally in rebounding and blocked shots, might be next.
And, Fairfield enters the tournament as the conference's hottest team, riding a seven-game winning streak.
"We knew coming off a good year and, then, losing four of our top six players that it was going to be tough for us this season and that we were going to be young," added Frager. "Then, we got banged up early. But I'm very pleased with the way the girls handled things.
"At one point we were 10-12 overall and 4-7 in league play, but we never lost faith. Still, if you told me before the season that we'd finish 11-7 in the MAAC and finish with a seven-game winning streak ... considering all the players we lost from the previous year, I might not have believed it."
Not many likely believe Marist, after earning its seventh straight regular-season chamionship, will lose the conference tournament this weekend.
But, as Fairfield's unlikely season and its recent successes over the Red Foxes might indicate .... maybe it's not all that unlikely that someone other than Marist wins this season's MAAC tournament title.
Maybe. At least it seems that this might the most-vulnerable the Red Foxes have been entering the conference tournament since the start of their four-year run of success in this event beginning with the 2005-o6 season.
It's been more than 1,800 days since anyone other than the Red Foxes represented the MAAC in the NCAA tournament.
Will this be the year that changes?
If you want to seek signs of the program's vulnerability, they're there.
Like a 69-59 loss at Niagara on Jan. 31, coming against an opponent that was 1-17 in conference play the previous year.
Or, like a 61-60 setback to Fairfield on Feb. 9, coming against an opponent that lost four starters off last season's team.
Or, like this past weekend when the Red Foxes needed overtime to hold off Iona, 82-80, on Friday in a game that clinched the program's seventh consecutive conference crown and, then, lost a 65-62 decision against Manhattan, an opponent that currently has an overall record just a single game over the .500 mark.
"People talk about that, but you have to realize that they finished 15-3 in league play this season," said Fairfield coach Joe Frager. "Every other coach in our league would kill to have a 15-3 league record."
Still, it's a drop off from records of, starting with 2008-09 and going backwards, 16-2, 18-0, 17-1 and 16-2 in league play.
And, Marist has suffered heavy graduation losses over its stretch of success of recent years: Fifi Camera after the 2005-06 season, Meg Dahlman and Alisa Kresge after the 2006-07 season, and Julianne Viani after last season.
Through that, though, Marist just continued to reload. But its ammunition doesn't seem quite as potent this season.
This might be the most-vulnerable Marist team of the last five seasons. That, though, doesn't mean the Red Foxes aren't anything other than a typically heavy favorite to win the women's event that begins with play-in games on Thursday and concludes with Sunday's championship game.
After all, it did win the regular season crown with a two-game margin, and its 23-7 overall mark dwarfs other league members. Iona and Fairfield, both at 17-12, have the next best overall records.
Still, Marist has an 8-3 record in its last 11 MAAC games, a very un-Marist like performance.
Non-Marist teams with the best chance of cutting down the nets on Sunday?
Probably second-place Iona (13-5 in league play) and Fairfield (11-7).
Iona seems to have the required pieces ... height, strong guard play and depth ... to play with Marist.
But, surprisingly, it's Fairfield that has had the most success in recent years against the Red Foxes as the only team to beat Marist in each of the past two seasons.
Fairfield's secret? Nothing really, except to turn in your best game.
"Marist is so good that in order to have a shot to compete with them you can't turn it over and you have to get a good look almost every time down court," said Frager. "Then, you have to shoot a good percentage and your outside shots have to fall. Your interior defense needs to be strong, too.
"And, even if you do those things ... they can still beat you. They are really well coached, they're talented and they're very poised. Even though three teams have beaten them in league play this year, they're still the favorite.
"The thing with them is that they're so hard to guard. They have so many 3-point shooters that you have to get out on them. Then, though, they've got Rachele Fitz inside."
Fitz is expected to be honored as the league's Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.
But, Fairfield has an answer. If Fitz is the league's best player, then the Stags' 6-foot-2 center Stephanie Geehan, who ranks fourth nationally in rebounding and blocked shots, might be next.
And, Fairfield enters the tournament as the conference's hottest team, riding a seven-game winning streak.
"We knew coming off a good year and, then, losing four of our top six players that it was going to be tough for us this season and that we were going to be young," added Frager. "Then, we got banged up early. But I'm very pleased with the way the girls handled things.
"At one point we were 10-12 overall and 4-7 in league play, but we never lost faith. Still, if you told me before the season that we'd finish 11-7 in the MAAC and finish with a seven-game winning streak ... considering all the players we lost from the previous year, I might not have believed it."
Not many likely believe Marist, after earning its seventh straight regular-season chamionship, will lose the conference tournament this weekend.
But, as Fairfield's unlikely season and its recent successes over the Red Foxes might indicate .... maybe it's not all that unlikely that someone other than Marist wins this season's MAAC tournament title.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
No. 10 Marist Likely to Be Out Quickly
Another installment of the series looking at the chances of teams in the upcoming men's conference tournament.
Up now, Marist.
No. 10 Marist (1-17 in MAAC play, 1-28 overall)
RPI: 332
SEASON ANALYSIS: Whew ... I guess you could say the wheels fell off this year. The team was never expected to be anything more than a last-place finisher in the conference this year and, then, things got even worse.
Start with three academic suspensions and, then, the defection of one of the suspended players, 6-10 Villanova transfer Casiem Drummond, to an NAIA school. Marist might have been a little better with Drummond. Another academic casualty, Sam Prescott, had a solid first semester of his freshman season. When he had to leave the team for the remainder of the season, the fill-ins were more freshmen. It's good for player development, but it's not the optimum formula for winning games.
Marist is the MAAC's only team without a double-figure scorer. Your blogger hasn't researched this, but there probably aren't more than a half-dozen teams nationally, if that many, without a double-figure scorer.
It all adds up to Marist arguably having the worst single season in conference history.
On top of everything else, Boston College transfer Daye Kaba, a talented reserve with one more year of eligibility, announced he would forego his last season to play professionally overseas a year from now.
HOW MARIST CAN WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Divine intervention?
OK, let's get serious. The Red Foxes can't win this event. It won one game the entire season. There's a better chance I'll win the lottery than there is of Marist winning four straight games this weekend.
WHY MARIST WON'T WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Do we need to count the ways? Suffice to say not enough offense, not enough experience, not enough height, not enough talent, not enough of anything.
PREDICTION: Despite the year-long woes, Marist was still playing hard when it lost at Siena on Sunday. It will play hard in its play-in game here, too, before losing to Canisius.
WHAT'S NEXT: The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel might be an oncoming train. Kaba, who could have helped next season, won't be back. Two freshmen looked decent this year. Devin Price looks like he could be an effective point guard, and Candon Rusin is a talented long-range shooter. But, both got shoved into roles this season before their time. Maybe that will make them better a year from now. DeJuan Goodwin is a good role player at guard. Korey Bauer is a role-playing inside performer. There is no "impact" player in the program, not the type that helps teams play at least at a consistent competitive level. The program somehow needs to find one or more. It tried the transfer route (Drummond/Kaba), and that didn't work. Marist is looking at the bottom of the MAAC standings for the foreseeable future.
Up now, Marist.
No. 10 Marist (1-17 in MAAC play, 1-28 overall)
RPI: 332
SEASON ANALYSIS: Whew ... I guess you could say the wheels fell off this year. The team was never expected to be anything more than a last-place finisher in the conference this year and, then, things got even worse.
Start with three academic suspensions and, then, the defection of one of the suspended players, 6-10 Villanova transfer Casiem Drummond, to an NAIA school. Marist might have been a little better with Drummond. Another academic casualty, Sam Prescott, had a solid first semester of his freshman season. When he had to leave the team for the remainder of the season, the fill-ins were more freshmen. It's good for player development, but it's not the optimum formula for winning games.
Marist is the MAAC's only team without a double-figure scorer. Your blogger hasn't researched this, but there probably aren't more than a half-dozen teams nationally, if that many, without a double-figure scorer.
It all adds up to Marist arguably having the worst single season in conference history.
On top of everything else, Boston College transfer Daye Kaba, a talented reserve with one more year of eligibility, announced he would forego his last season to play professionally overseas a year from now.
HOW MARIST CAN WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Divine intervention?
OK, let's get serious. The Red Foxes can't win this event. It won one game the entire season. There's a better chance I'll win the lottery than there is of Marist winning four straight games this weekend.
WHY MARIST WON'T WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Do we need to count the ways? Suffice to say not enough offense, not enough experience, not enough height, not enough talent, not enough of anything.
PREDICTION: Despite the year-long woes, Marist was still playing hard when it lost at Siena on Sunday. It will play hard in its play-in game here, too, before losing to Canisius.
WHAT'S NEXT: The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel might be an oncoming train. Kaba, who could have helped next season, won't be back. Two freshmen looked decent this year. Devin Price looks like he could be an effective point guard, and Candon Rusin is a talented long-range shooter. But, both got shoved into roles this season before their time. Maybe that will make them better a year from now. DeJuan Goodwin is a good role player at guard. Korey Bauer is a role-playing inside performer. There is no "impact" player in the program, not the type that helps teams play at least at a consistent competitive level. The program somehow needs to find one or more. It tried the transfer route (Drummond/Kaba), and that didn't work. Marist is looking at the bottom of the MAAC standings for the foreseeable future.
No. 9 Manhattan Needs More Than Guards
Another installment in the series looking at conference teams for the upcoming men's MAAC tournament.
Up now, Manhattan.
No 9 MANHATTAN (4-14 in MAAC play, 10-19 overall)
RPI: 237
SEASON ANALYSIS: The addition of guard Rico Pickett, a transfer who began his career at Alabama, provided much-needed offense. But, it wasn't anywhere near as much. Darryl Crawford, surprisingly omitted from post-season honors, also had a very good senior season.
That was enough to earn regular-season wins over No. 3 seed Iona and No. 4 Saint Peter's. And, there wasn't enough to avoid being the only conference victim of Marist during league play.
Also, the Jaspers struggled late. After a 2-3 start to MAAC play, it only managed two more wins over its final 11 contests.
HOW MANHATTAN CAN WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: It would need offensive explosions by Pickett and Crawford and for at least a third option to somehow emerge on the offensive end. It would also benefit if its inside players, who have had their moments (albeit not many of those), could step up consistently. The Jaspers, though, are rarely out of games. They played a controlled style in hopes of keeping games close and, then, hoping it can do enough near the end.
WHY MANHATTAN WON'T WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Just not enough firepower. Actually, just not enough of just about everything. As talented as Pickett and Crawford might be ... they're both perimeter players. And, without a third option, opponents pretty much can concentrate on containing those two. Its rebounding and interior defense have also been such that it doesn't look like championship caliber.
PREDICTION: A competitive performance, but a loss to Loyola in the play-in round.
WHAT'S NEXT: It wasn't that long ago when Manhattan was dominating the MAAC (it had a 48-13 record over the 2003-04, 2004-05 seasons), but it looks like the climb to get back there will continue. Crawford is gone after this year as are forward Brandon Adams, the program's best inside player, and Antoine Pearson, an effective backcourt role player. Pickett is back and he'll be counted on to score even more next season. But, there isn't a lot else here in terms of proven talent. Someone (probably several someones) will need to step up their games and the program will also need an impact freshman or two if it hopes to escape lower portions of the league standings.
Up now, Manhattan.
No 9 MANHATTAN (4-14 in MAAC play, 10-19 overall)
RPI: 237
SEASON ANALYSIS: The addition of guard Rico Pickett, a transfer who began his career at Alabama, provided much-needed offense. But, it wasn't anywhere near as much. Darryl Crawford, surprisingly omitted from post-season honors, also had a very good senior season.
That was enough to earn regular-season wins over No. 3 seed Iona and No. 4 Saint Peter's. And, there wasn't enough to avoid being the only conference victim of Marist during league play.
Also, the Jaspers struggled late. After a 2-3 start to MAAC play, it only managed two more wins over its final 11 contests.
HOW MANHATTAN CAN WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: It would need offensive explosions by Pickett and Crawford and for at least a third option to somehow emerge on the offensive end. It would also benefit if its inside players, who have had their moments (albeit not many of those), could step up consistently. The Jaspers, though, are rarely out of games. They played a controlled style in hopes of keeping games close and, then, hoping it can do enough near the end.
WHY MANHATTAN WON'T WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Just not enough firepower. Actually, just not enough of just about everything. As talented as Pickett and Crawford might be ... they're both perimeter players. And, without a third option, opponents pretty much can concentrate on containing those two. Its rebounding and interior defense have also been such that it doesn't look like championship caliber.
PREDICTION: A competitive performance, but a loss to Loyola in the play-in round.
WHAT'S NEXT: It wasn't that long ago when Manhattan was dominating the MAAC (it had a 48-13 record over the 2003-04, 2004-05 seasons), but it looks like the climb to get back there will continue. Crawford is gone after this year as are forward Brandon Adams, the program's best inside player, and Antoine Pearson, an effective backcourt role player. Pickett is back and he'll be counted on to score even more next season. But, there isn't a lot else here in terms of proven talent. Someone (probably several someones) will need to step up their games and the program will also need an impact freshman or two if it hopes to escape lower portions of the league standings.
No. 8 Loyola Finally Gets Pieces Together
Another installment in a series looking at the chances of teams in the upcoming men's MAAC tournament.
Up now, Loyola.
No. 8 LOYOLA (6-12 in MAAC play, 13-16 overall)
RPI: 211
SEASON ANALYSIS: The top scorer in the MAAC last season, guard Jamal Barney, missed several games at midseason due to personal issues. The next best player, guard Brett Harvey, missed several midseason games with a shoulder injury and played most of the second half at less than 100 percent. All things considered, maybe 13-16 overall wasn't that bad a final result.
Along the way, Barney returned, Harvey is getting close to 100 percent, 6-10 sophomore center Shane Walker has shown improvement and 6-8 freshman Robert Olson was good enough to make the MAAC's all-rookie team.
Also, the Greyhounds had an 8-5 start including an impressive victory at Indiana before losing Harvey and Barney. After that it was 5-11 in its last 16 games.
HOW LOYOLA CAN WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Head coach Jimmy Patsos calls the MAAC a "scoring league," and knows it will take a lot of points to win this event. Whether his team can score a lot in the tournament remains to be seen, but it appears a lot more capable of doing that now than it was a month ago.
Both Barney and Harvey are back. Barney has been particularly effective in a 6th-man role late in the season. He had 24 points and nine rebounds and 20 points and eight rebounds in Loyola's two games this past weekend. For Loyola to do any damage here, those two would both have to have terrific games, Olson would need to contribute something offensively and Walker would need to be a defensive presence.
WHY LOYOLA WON'T WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Two players, even ones as talented as Barney and Harvey, aren't enough to carry a team through four games, the scenario the Greyhounds face trying to come out of the play-in round. The team really doesn't have another capable scorer. Walker remains inexperienced and Oloson is a freshman. Also, a key player, 6-7 sophomore Anthony Winbush who was emerging as the team's third offensive option, suffered a mid-season injury and won't play again until next season.
PREDICTION: Loyola has enough to get past No. 9 Manhattan in the play-in round game, but then faces the unenviable task of meeting Siena in the quarterfinals. Loyola, without both Barney and Harvey, played Siena close (losing 67-61) in its one appearance here, but aren't likely to duplicate that in this setting.
WHAT'S NEXT: The only key departure will be Harvey. The young guys ... Walker and Olson, particularly ... come back with a year's experience. Winbush will be back. And, Patsos always seems to find players. At worst, Loyola will get back to the middle of the pack next season.
Up now, Loyola.
No. 8 LOYOLA (6-12 in MAAC play, 13-16 overall)
RPI: 211
SEASON ANALYSIS: The top scorer in the MAAC last season, guard Jamal Barney, missed several games at midseason due to personal issues. The next best player, guard Brett Harvey, missed several midseason games with a shoulder injury and played most of the second half at less than 100 percent. All things considered, maybe 13-16 overall wasn't that bad a final result.
Along the way, Barney returned, Harvey is getting close to 100 percent, 6-10 sophomore center Shane Walker has shown improvement and 6-8 freshman Robert Olson was good enough to make the MAAC's all-rookie team.
Also, the Greyhounds had an 8-5 start including an impressive victory at Indiana before losing Harvey and Barney. After that it was 5-11 in its last 16 games.
HOW LOYOLA CAN WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Head coach Jimmy Patsos calls the MAAC a "scoring league," and knows it will take a lot of points to win this event. Whether his team can score a lot in the tournament remains to be seen, but it appears a lot more capable of doing that now than it was a month ago.
Both Barney and Harvey are back. Barney has been particularly effective in a 6th-man role late in the season. He had 24 points and nine rebounds and 20 points and eight rebounds in Loyola's two games this past weekend. For Loyola to do any damage here, those two would both have to have terrific games, Olson would need to contribute something offensively and Walker would need to be a defensive presence.
WHY LOYOLA WON'T WIN THE MAAC TOURNAMENT: Two players, even ones as talented as Barney and Harvey, aren't enough to carry a team through four games, the scenario the Greyhounds face trying to come out of the play-in round. The team really doesn't have another capable scorer. Walker remains inexperienced and Oloson is a freshman. Also, a key player, 6-7 sophomore Anthony Winbush who was emerging as the team's third offensive option, suffered a mid-season injury and won't play again until next season.
PREDICTION: Loyola has enough to get past No. 9 Manhattan in the play-in round game, but then faces the unenviable task of meeting Siena in the quarterfinals. Loyola, without both Barney and Harvey, played Siena close (losing 67-61) in its one appearance here, but aren't likely to duplicate that in this setting.
WHAT'S NEXT: The only key departure will be Harvey. The young guys ... Walker and Olson, particularly ... come back with a year's experience. Winbush will be back. And, Patsos always seems to find players. At worst, Loyola will get back to the middle of the pack next season.
No. 7 Canisius Could Cause Problems
Another installment in a series looking at the chances of teams in the upcoming men's MAAC tournament.
Up now, Canisius.
No. 7 CANISIUS (8-10, 14-16)
RPI: 198
SEASON ANALYSIS: The 2008-09 team improved five games overall from the previous year, won four of its last six games and had every key player returning. This was supposed to be the year the Golden Griffins made an even bigger jump. Instead, the jump was a smaller one ... three more wins so far over 2008-09. None of any disappointment about this season can be traced to stellar senior guard Frank Turner, the do-everything dynamo who, to this blogger, was a first-team talent even though league coaches relegated him to third-team honors.
Canisius was a little better, but not a lot, because it was relatively easy to defend. Turner is the only player with any creativity handling the ball and he also had to do much of the scoring. Julius Coles is the only other competent scorer. The inside players are solid, but not spectacular. But, there was some joy this year ... a Jan. 29 overtime victory over proximitous rival Niagara, only the Griffs' second victory over the Purple Eagles in seven years.
HOW CANISIUS CAN WIN THE TOURNAMENT: With heady play from a group of upperclassmen who have exhibited that trait for short periods throughout the year, with superlative play from Turner and Coles and with rugged inside play. Canisius needs to make games ugly, get scores in the low-60's to have any chance.
That said, coach Tom Parrotta was almost jubilant, in a recent conference call with coaches, to have avoided the Siena side of the bracket. It doesn't mean his team has an easy route to the championship game, just a less-difficult one.
WHY CANISIUS WON'T WIN THE TOURNAMENT: It begins in the play-in round, so it would need to win four times here. It has a relatively easy first-round game with Marist and, then, faces No. 2-seed Fairfield in the quarterfinals with the winner of the Iona-Niagara game looming in the semis.
Canisius is 1-7 against the top four teams in the final standings and 7-3 against everyone else. Realistically, it just isn't good enough to expect to win three consecutive games in (beyond the play-in round) as a decided underdog. There just isn't enough offensive fire power here to win four straight games.
PREDICTION: Canisius wins with ease over Marist in the play-in round and plays tough against Fairfield before losing to the Stags in the quarterfinals.
WHAT'S NEXT? Probably more of the same. Canisius became competitive this season after several years of being an easy victory for most opponents, and the Griffs are likely to remain competitive next season. The only real loss is Turner, but that's a big one. Still, the team has South Florida transfer Gaby Belardo to step in next season. He won't duplicate what Turner did, but he'll be another solid piece.
Up now, Canisius.
No. 7 CANISIUS (8-10, 14-16)
RPI: 198
SEASON ANALYSIS: The 2008-09 team improved five games overall from the previous year, won four of its last six games and had every key player returning. This was supposed to be the year the Golden Griffins made an even bigger jump. Instead, the jump was a smaller one ... three more wins so far over 2008-09. None of any disappointment about this season can be traced to stellar senior guard Frank Turner, the do-everything dynamo who, to this blogger, was a first-team talent even though league coaches relegated him to third-team honors.
Canisius was a little better, but not a lot, because it was relatively easy to defend. Turner is the only player with any creativity handling the ball and he also had to do much of the scoring. Julius Coles is the only other competent scorer. The inside players are solid, but not spectacular. But, there was some joy this year ... a Jan. 29 overtime victory over proximitous rival Niagara, only the Griffs' second victory over the Purple Eagles in seven years.
HOW CANISIUS CAN WIN THE TOURNAMENT: With heady play from a group of upperclassmen who have exhibited that trait for short periods throughout the year, with superlative play from Turner and Coles and with rugged inside play. Canisius needs to make games ugly, get scores in the low-60's to have any chance.
That said, coach Tom Parrotta was almost jubilant, in a recent conference call with coaches, to have avoided the Siena side of the bracket. It doesn't mean his team has an easy route to the championship game, just a less-difficult one.
WHY CANISIUS WON'T WIN THE TOURNAMENT: It begins in the play-in round, so it would need to win four times here. It has a relatively easy first-round game with Marist and, then, faces No. 2-seed Fairfield in the quarterfinals with the winner of the Iona-Niagara game looming in the semis.
Canisius is 1-7 against the top four teams in the final standings and 7-3 against everyone else. Realistically, it just isn't good enough to expect to win three consecutive games in (beyond the play-in round) as a decided underdog. There just isn't enough offensive fire power here to win four straight games.
PREDICTION: Canisius wins with ease over Marist in the play-in round and plays tough against Fairfield before losing to the Stags in the quarterfinals.
WHAT'S NEXT? Probably more of the same. Canisius became competitive this season after several years of being an easy victory for most opponents, and the Griffs are likely to remain competitive next season. The only real loss is Turner, but that's a big one. Still, the team has South Florida transfer Gaby Belardo to step in next season. He won't duplicate what Turner did, but he'll be another solid piece.
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