MAAC Monday: Free throw rates, stat leaders, power rankings

The first MAAC Monday of 2017 continues in our four-part look at the four factors within the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, today shifting to free throw rates among the MAAC's eleven programs before reprising stat leaders and power rankings. As always, any and all statistics reflected within MAAC Monday were gleaned from the individual stat pages of each school's website.

If you are unfamiliar with free throw rates and how to calculate them, here's the inside scoop in a nutshell: A team's free throw rate is the percentage of their possessions that end on the free throw line, either offensively or defensively. It is calculated by dividing the number of team free throw attempts into the number of total field goal attempts. For example, if a team attempts two free throws and three field goals, they possess a 66.7 percent free throw rate.

Ideally, those teams with higher free throw rates tend to play a more physical style conducive to more whistles being blown, which explains why Manhattan is usually the MAAC leader in this department. By wearing their opponents down in Steve Masiello's system, the Jaspers are able to draw fouls at a higher percentage than some of their conference brethren. Conversely, their in-your-face method of play is just as much a curse as it is a blessing, as it allows their opponents to get to the line just as frequently when the frontcourt players are committing the infractions. Here is a breakdown of where each team stands on both sides:

Free throw rates, from highest to lowest:
1) Saint Peter's (41.6%)
2) Manhattan (40.9)
3) Siena (39.4)
4) Niagara (36.5)
5) Canisius (35.8)
6) Monmouth (35.6)
7) Rider (35.3)
8) Quinnipiac (33.2)
9) Fairfield (32.0)
10) Marist (31.7)
11) Iona (27.3)

Opposing free throw rates, from lowest to highest:
1) Fairfield (30.3%)
2) Niagara (31.6)
3) Rider (32.1)
4) Canisius (32.5)
5) Saint Peter's (33.6)
6) Monmouth (37.0)
7) Iona (37.2)
8) Marist (39.3)
9) Siena (40.6)
10) Quinnipiac (43.9)
11) Manhattan (57.4)

Analysis: Saint Peter's has improved by leaps and bounds over the past two years, and their progress at the charity stripe has revealed itself through the non-conference season. Of the Peacocks' 269 attempts at the foul line, 141 of them have been taken by either Quadir Welton or Trevis Wyche, the senior duo responsible for 23 of the 65 points per game averaged by John Dunne's team. Iona's low figure can be attributed to the transition attack the Gaels possess, along with Tim Cluess' innate ability to space the floor. An interesting nugget from New Rochelle: Of the reigning MAAC champions' 232 free throw attempts, Jordan Washington has taken 85, while no other player on the roster has more than 32 on the season thus far.

Next week's MAAC Monday will take a closer look at offensive rebounding percentage, a category in which Quinnipiac has been known to dominate, but teams like Canisius and Siena; both of whom are notorious for crashing the glass, should be near the top of the charts as well.

Scoring Leaders
1) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (20.3 PPG)
2) Justin Robinson, Monmouth (18.1)
3) Jordan Washington, Iona (17.7)
4) Kassius Robertson, Canisius (17.5)
5) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (17.1)
6) Matt Scott, Niagara (16.8)
7) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (16.5)
8) Khallid Hart, Marist (16.1)
9) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (15.8)
10) Micah Seaborn, Monmouth (14.8)

Rebounding Leaders
1) Amadou Sidibe, Fairfield (11.2 RPG)
2) Brett Bisping, Siena (9.6)
3) Kahlil Thomas, Rider (9.5)
4) Quadir Welton, Saint Peter's (8.5)
5) Norville Carey, Rider (7.3)
6) Zane Waterman, Manhattan (7.2)
7) Jordan Washington, Iona (7.0)
8) Matt Scott, Niagara (6.8)
9) Dominic Robb, Niagara (6.7)
10) Brian Parker, Marist (6.4)

Assist Leaders
1) Stevie Jordan, Rider (5.8 APG)
2) Justin Robinson, Monmouth (5.3)
3) Rickey McGill, Iona (4.9)
4) Marquis Wright, Siena (4.8)
5) Jerome Segura, Fairfield (4.5)
6) Malik Johnson, Canisius (3.9)
7) Phil Winston, Quinnipiac (3.8)
T-8) Sam Cassell Jr., Iona (3.5)
T-8) Brian Parker, Marist (3.5)
10) Kiefer Douse, Canisius (3.3)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Amadou Sidibe, Fairfield (.629)
2) Jordan Washington, Iona (.603)
3) Chris Brady, Monmouth (.567)
4) Lavon Long, Siena (.550)
5) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (.539)
6) Chaise Daniels, Quinnipiac (.535)
7) Kahlil Thomas, Rider (.522)
8) Kiefer Douse, Canisius (.518)
9) Zane Waterman, Manhattan (.505)
10) Dominic Robb, Niagara (.490)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders
1) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (.952)
2) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (.910)
3) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (.871)
4) Mikey Dixon, Quinnipiac (.853)
5) Justin Robinson, Monmouth (.836)
6) Phil Valenti, Canisius (.829)
7) Chris Barton, Niagara (.800)
8) Kassius Robertson, Canisius (.786)
9) Austin Tilghman, Monmouth (.767)
10) Matt Scott, Niagara (.750)

Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (.543)
2) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (.500)
3) Je'lon Hornbeak, Monmouth (.488)
4) Jon Severe, Iona (.449)
5) Nick Griffin, Saint Peter's (.444)
6) Calvin Crawford, Manhattan (.438)
T-7) Ryan Funk, Marist (.437)
T-7) Kassius Robertson, Canisius (.437)
9) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (.431)
10) EJ Crawford, Iona (.424)

Power Rankings
1) Monmouth (10-4, 2-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 1
Last Game: Saturday 12/31/2016 vs. Rider (L 93-90)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 at Saint Peter's, 7 p.m.

2) Iona (9-5, 2-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 2
Last Game: Saturday 12/31/2016 vs. Marist (W 93-80)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 at Fairfield, 7 p.m.

3) Rider (9-5, 2-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 4
Last Game: Saturday 12/31/2016 at Monmouth (W 93-90)
Next Game: Friday 1/6 at Marist, 7 p.m.

4) Canisius (8-5, 1-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 5
Last Game: Thursday 12/22/2016 at St. Bonaventure (W 106-101)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 vs. Siena, 2 p.m.

5) Fairfield (6-5, 1-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 3
Last Game: Friday 12/30/2016 at Penn (L 74-68)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 vs. Iona, 7 p.m.

6) Saint Peter's (5-7, 1-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 6
Last Game: Wednesday 12/28/2016 at Notre Dame (L 63-55)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 vs. Monmouth, 7 p.m.

7) Manhattan (5-8, 0-2 MAAC)
Last Week: 7
Last Game: Thursday 12/22/2016 vs. Eastern Kentucky (W 81-54)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 vs. Marist, 7 p.m.

8) Siena (4-9, 1-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 8
Last Game: Thursday 12/29/2016 vs. Vermont (L 76-60)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 at Canisius, 2 p.m.

9) Quinnipiac (4-8, 1-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 9
Last Game: Thursday 12/29/2016 at Brown (L 66-61)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 at Niagara, 7 p.m.

10) Niagara (4-9, 1-1 MAAC)
Last Week: 10
Last Game: Wednesday 12/21/2016 at LIU Brooklyn (W 75-66)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 vs. Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

11) Marist (4-10, 1-2 MAAC)
Last Week: 11
Last Game: Saturday 12/31/2016 at Iona (L 93-80)
Next Game: Monday 1/2 vs. Manhattan, 7 p.m.