MAAC Monday: Assist rates and assist/turnover ratios, stat leaders, power rankings

MAAC Monday profiles the value of sharing the basketball in the opening segment, first looking at assist rates before delving further into assist-to-turnover ratios, then reprising the standard stat leaders and power rankings. Again, any and all statistics reflected within MAAC Monday were gleaned from the individual stat pages of each school's website.

Assist rates are among the more simpler statistics to calculate, as it is merely the number of assists divided by the number of made field goals. For example, a team with six assists on ten field goals has a 60 percent assist rate.

Assist rates, from highest to lowest:
1) Canisius (64.3%)
2) Iona (56.7)
3) Niagara (52.8)
4) Fairfield (52.3)
5) Quinnipiac (50.7)
6) Saint Peter's (50)
7) Siena (49.9)
8) Marist (48.9)
9) Monmouth (48.5)
10) Rider (48.3)
11) Manhattan (47.2)

Opposing assist rates, from lowest to highest:
1) Fairfield (44.7%)
2) Canisius (48.9)
3) Siena (50.8)
4) Rider (50.9)
5) Saint Peter's (51.1)
6) Marist (53.6)
7) Niagara (53.7)
8) Iona (54.1)
9) Quinnipiac (54.4)
10) Monmouth (55)
11) Manhattan (60.2)

Analysis: Canisius' wide-open attack makes the Golden Griffins adept when the ball is in their hands, and Reggie Witherspoon has preached a community effort when it comes to scoring and distribution. Having five players who average more than seven points per game is impressive enough, but five players with 50 or more assists on the season is an even greater proof of the difference that the Griffs' new coaching staff has made on a team who has spent the entire MAAC season in contention for a first-round bye in March's conference tournament. Iona is in its usual spot near the top of the charts, and Niagara has benefited immensely from the arrival of Kahlil Dukes and Chris Barton to give Matt Scott the protection he has desperately needed for two years on Monteagle Ridge. On the defensive end, Canisius makes it harder for teams to get going with their transition game taking away opportunities to not only score, but spread the wealth equally, as the Griffs' second-place figure trails only Fairfield. Sydney Johnson preaches a love for sharing the ball, which is evident in the Stags' numbers, and even greater when Fairfield is on the defensive end disrupting their opponents from asserting their will on a game.

Assist-to-turnover ratios, from highest to lowest:
1) Canisius (1.35:1)
2) Iona (1.28:1)
3) Monmouth (1.06:1)
4) Niagara (1.02:1)
5) Saint Peter's (0.952:1)
6) Quinnipiac (0.95:1)
7) Fairfield (0.94:1)
8) Siena (0.93:1)
9) Rider (0.91:1)
10) Marist (0.87:1)
11) Manhattan (0.66:1)

Opposing assist-to-turnover ratios, from lowest to highest:
1) Saint Peter's (0.83:1)
2) Monmouth (0.90:1)
3) Rider (0.92:1)
4) Canisius (0.94:1)
5) Fairfield (0.96:1)
6) Manhattan (1.01:1)
7) Siena (1.05:1)
8) Quinnipiac (1.15:1)
9) Iona (1.16:1)
10) Marist (1.33:1)
11) Niagara (1.39:1)

Analysis: Seeing John Dunne's team atop a defensive statistic is not shocking, but what sets Saint Peter's apart is just how stingy the Peacocks are when the ball is not in their hands. The suffocating man-to-man pressure Dunne's group applies makes it difficult for any passes to get out, hence the minuscule 0.83:1 ratio yielded to their opponents. Monmouth has locked down on the defensive end this season as well, credited largely to Justin Robinson and Josh James in the backcourt as the Hawks continue to build off their 28-win breakout last season. We would be remiss if we failed to mention Canisius here as well. The Golden Griffins may be fourth in defensive ratios, but their plus-0.41:1 assist-to-turnover ratio margin belies their defense surrendering 80 points per game by making sure they keep the damage inflicted upon them to a minimum. In fact, only two Griffs; Jermaine Crumpton and junior Selvedin Planincic, have negative assist-to-turnover figures on a team whose season has been highlighted by their exceptional facilitation.

Scoring Leaders
1) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (19.1 PPG)
2) Justin Robinson, Monmouth (18.4)
3) Kassius Robertson, Canisius (17.9)
4) Jordan Washington, Iona (17.4)
5) Matt Scott, Niagara (17.3)
6) Jermaine Crumpton (17.2)
7) Khallid Hart, Marist (17.0)
8) Mikey Dixon, Quinnipiac (16.6)
9) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (15.7)
10) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (15.7)

Rebounding Leaders
1) Amadou Sidibe, Fairfield (10.2 RPG)
2) Brett Bisping, Siena (9.5)
3) Kahlil Thomas, Rider (9.3)
4) Quadir Welton, Saint Peter's (7.8)
5) Jordan Washington, Iona (7.3)
6) Matt Scott, Niagara (7.0)
7) Dominic Robb, Niagara (6.8)
8) Zane Waterman, Manhattan (6.7)
9) Norville Carey, Rider (6.7)
10) Chris Brady, Monmouth (6.6)

Assist Leaders
1) Stevie Jordan, Rider (5.5 APG)
2) Rickey McGill, Iona (5.2)
3) Justin Robinson, Monmouth (5.2)
4) Marquis Wright, Siena (4.4)
5) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (4.2)
6) Jerome Segura, Fairfield (4.2)
7) Malik Johnson, Canisius (4.0)
8) Trevis Wyche, Saint Peter's (3.5)
9) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (3.3)
10) Brian Parker, Marist (3.3)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Chris Brady, Monmouth (.586)
2) Jordan Washington, Iona (.571)
3) Amadou Sidibe, Fairfield (.569)
4) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (.523)
5) Kahlil Thomas, Rider (.513)
6) Javion Ogunyemi, Siena (.512)
7) Brett Bisping, Siena (.507)
8) Zane Waterman, Manhattan (.498)
9) Kiefer Douse, Canisius (.497)
10) Lavon Long, Siena (.493)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders
1) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (.942)
2) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (.892)
3) Mikey Dixon, Quinnipiac (.862)
4) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (.860)
5) Rickey McGill, Iona (.844)
6) Justin Robinson, Monmouth (.835)
7) Kassius Robertson, Canisius (.824)
8) Micah Seaborn, Monmouth (.812)
9) Zane Waterman, Manhattan (.788)
10) Trevis Wyche, Saint Peter's (.783)

Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (.444)
T-2) Je'lon Hornbeak, Monmouth (.442)
T-2) Jon Severe, Iona (.442)
4) Kassius Robertson, Canisius (.440)
5) Nick Griffin, Saint Peter's (.434)
6) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (.430)
7) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (.425)
8) E.J. Crawford, Iona (.420)
9) Schadrac Casimir, Iona (.419)
10) Ryan Funk, Marist (.403)

Power Rankings
1) Monmouth (17-5, 9-2 MAAC)
Last Week: 1
Last Game: Friday 1/27 vs. Quinnipiac (W 95-76)
Next Game: Monday 1/30 at Marist, 7 p.m.

2) Iona (15-8, 8-4 MAAC)
Last Week: 5
Last Game: Sunday 1/29 vs. Saint Peter's (W 69-66)
Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Rider, 7 p.m.

3) Saint Peter's (12-10, 8-4 MAAC)
Last Week: 3
Last Game: Sunday 1/29 at Iona (L 69-66)
Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Monmouth, 7 p.m.

4) Canisius (13-9, 6-5 MAAC)
Last Week: 2
Last Game: Saturday 1/28 vs. Manhattan (W 78-64)
Next Game: Monday 1/30 vs. Rider, 7 p.m.

5) Siena (9-13, 6-5 MAAC)
Last Week: 6
Last Game: Friday 1/27 vs. Iona (L 77-66)
Next Game: Monday 1/30 at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

6) Rider (12-10, 5-6 MAAC)
Last Week: 4
Last Game: Saturday 1/28 at Niagara (L 80-67)
Next Game: Monday 1/30 at Canisius, 7 p.m.

7) Quinnipiac (8-13, 5-6 MAAC)
Last Week: 8
Last Game: Friday 1/27 at Monmouth (L 95-76)
Next Game: Monday 1/30 vs. Siena, 7 p.m.

8) Fairfield (9-10, 4-6 MAAC)
Last Week: 7
Last Game: Saturday 1/28 vs. Marist (W 72-62)
Next Game: Tuesday 1/31 vs. Manhattan, 7 p.m.

9) Niagara (8-15, 5-7 MAAC)
Last Week: 10
Last Game: Saturday 1/28 vs. Rider (W 80-67)
Next Game: Thursday 2/2 at Fairfield, 8 p.m.

10) Manhattan (8-15, 3-9 MAAC)
Last Week: 11
Last Game: Saturday 1/28 at Canisius (L 78-64)
Next Game: Tuesday 1/31 at Fairfield, 7 p.m.

11) Marist (6-16, 3-8 MAAC)
Last Week: 9
Last Game: Saturday 1/28 at Fairfield (L 72-62)
Next Game: Monday 1/30 vs. Monmouth, 7 p.m.