MAAC Monday: Midseason all-MAAC, quick hits, stat leaders, power rankings

MAAC Monday returns today at the midpoint of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference season, with each of the 11 MAAC teams having played at least 10 of 20 conference games. Therefore, instead of a team spotlight in the opening segment, I will reveal my picks for all-conference honors through the first half of the MAAC slate before reprising quick hits from around the league, stat leaders and power rankings. Without any further ado:

First Team All-MAAC (in alphabetical order)

Supreme Cook, Fairfield

Daniss Jenkins, Iona

Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona

Javian McCollum, Siena

Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider

Second Team All-MAAC (in alphabetical order)

Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona

Mervin James, Rider

Dezi Jones, Quinnipiac

Jackson Stormo, Siena

Noah Thomasson, Niagara

Third Team All-MAAC (in alphabetical order)

Jalen Benjamin, Mount St. Mary’s

Patrick Gardner, Marist

Anthony Nelson, Manhattan

Ike Nweke, Quinnipiac

Josh Roberts, Manhattan

MAAC All-Rookie Team (in alphabetical order)

Isaiah Brickner, Marist

Cruz Davis, Iona

Michael Eley, Siena

Tahj Staveskie, Canisius

Corey Washington, Saint Peter’s

Player of the Year: Daniss Jenkins, Iona

Rookie of the Year: Michael Eley, Siena

Sixth Man of the Year: Samir Stewart, Manhattan

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Billups, Siena

Coach of the Year: Carmen Maciariello, Siena

Quick Hits Around the MAAC

“(Friday) wasn’t just about my dad and our team. It was about Evan Franz as well.”

— Siena forward Michael Baer on the emotions surrounding Siena last week following the deaths of his father, John, and honorary team member Evan Franz last Sunday and Monday

“We beat them here last year. I think maybe the past people have some sort of boogeyman mentality about Iona in the conference tournament. When I played against them, I didn’t worry about playing Iona.”

— Carmen Maciariello on whether Siena defeating Iona would be a confidence booster for the Saints in February's rematch and a potential MAAC tournament meeting

“He’s an animal. I told you, he’s MAAC Defensive Player of the Year.”

— Maciariello on Jared Billups’ defense against Daniss Jenkins and Walter Clayton, Jr.

“I thought we took their best punch and we were standing. It was just a matter of our guys relaxing and just playing with energy. We weren’t playing with any energy, and once the bench gave us a lift, I think our starters ended up building on that.”

— Kevin Baggett on Rider's second unit banding together to erase an early 14-point deficit in Friday’s win over Marist

“He’s not focused on scoring because I asked him to focus on the other things…assists, defending, talking, being a leader. If you can do all of those things, then the scoring will take care of itself. He’s not just a shooter, he’s a complete player coming from where he was three years ago.”

— Baggett on Allen Powell’s transition into a leader by example

“I just think we didn’t execute and our situational awareness was not where it needed to be. I just think we didn’t do what we were supposed to do.”

— Reggie Witherspoon assessing what went wrong for Canisius in Sunday’s overtime loss to Manhattan

“We got embarrassed (Friday) and stuff like that simply can’t happen. Over the weekend, it was tough, but our focus immediately went to the Quinnipiac game. We had to get our revenge.”

— Walter Clayton, Jr. on Iona turning the page after Friday’s loss to Siena by coming back to defeat Quinnipiac Sunday

“I’ve been handcuffed a little bit with all the injuries with pressing, and I had to wait more for the latter stages of the second half to do it, but it was a gutty performance. We were down 17 at the half and I just told them, possession by possession wins this game. This was an incredible comeback.”

— Rick Pitino on Iona’s second-half effort to defeat Quinnipiac

“When I moved him to the two guard, it really helped us. His size determines one, but he’s really not a one. He’s a combo guard, but he’s better at the two because he can move and sprint away for his jump shot. Trying to create the offense at the one is not his thing.”

— Pitino on moving Anton Brookshire off the ball

“I made a mistake, because as I watched Siena with like, 10 upperclassmen, I went with five freshmen and that was a mistake. I was building for the future. You can’t build for the future anymore. It’s free agency, it’s the portal and you gotta have juniors and seniors. So I made a mistake. I didn’t expect Quinn Slazinski to go down, I didn’t expect Walt to go down for three weeks, Berrick to go down for three weeks, but lesson learned. It’s new times, I understand it, and there’ll be no more freshman recruiting except one or two a year.”

— Pitino on the shifting landscape in college basketball

“They’re a tough team to guard, because I’ve never seen so many guys with an ability to shoot the basketball.”

— Pitino on Quinnipiac

Scoring Leaders

1) Noah Thomasson, Niagara (18.4 PPG)

2) Patrick Gardner, Marist (18.3)

3) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (16.5)

4) Javian McCollum, Siena (15.8)

5) Daniss Jenkins, Iona (15.6)

6) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (15.5)

7) Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona (15.3)

8) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (15.3)

9) Jalen Benjamin, Mount St. Mary’s (14.5)

10) Isiah Dasher, Saint Peter’s (14.1)

Rebounding Leaders

1) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (8.9 RPG)

2) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (8.9)

3) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (8.7)

4) Paul Otieno, Quinnipiac (7.6)

5) Mervin James, Rider (6.9)

6) Jared Billups, Siena (6.7)

7) Ike Nweke, Quinnipiac (6.3)

8) Patrick Gardner, Marist (6.3)

9) Xzavier Long, Canisius (6.2)

10) George Tinsley, Mount St. Mary’s (6.1)

Assist Leaders

1) Daniss Jenkins, Iona (4.8 APG)

2) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (4.7)

3) Jalen Benjamin, Mount St. Mary’s (4.0)

4) Luis Kortright, Quinnipiac (3.9)

5) Latrell Reid, Saint Peter’s (3.8)

6) Javian McCollum, Siena (3.8)

7) Dezi Jones, Quinnipiac (3.5)

8) Noah Thomasson, Niagara (3.4)

T-9) Savion Lewis, Quinnipiac (3.0)

T-9) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (3.0)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Corey Washington, Saint Peter’s (.750)

2) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (.731)

3) Paul Otieno, Quinnipiac (.600)

4) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (.554)

5) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (.545)

6) Jackson Stormo, Siena (.541)

7) Allan Jeanne-Rose, Fairfield (.526)

8) Patrick Gardner, Marist (.505)

9) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (.504)

10) Sam Iorio, Niagara (.496)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders

1) Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona (.981)

2) Mervin James, Rider (.879)

3) Dezi Jones, Quinnipiac (.855)

4) Javian McCollum, Siena (.848)

5) Jackson Stormo, Siena (.821)

6) Jalen Benjamin, Mount St. Mary’s (.813)

7) Caleb Fields, Fairfield (.808)

8) Isiah Dasher, Saint Peter’s (.791)

9) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (.776)

10) Jared Billups, Siena (.747)

3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Andrew Platek, Siena (.458)

2) Jamir Moultrie, Canisius (.414)

3) Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona (.398)

4) Jalen Benjamin, Mount St. Mary’s (.395)

5) Dakota Leffew, Mount St. Mary’s (.394)

6) Dezi Jones, Quinnipiac (.393)

7) Nick Brennen, Manhattan (.392)

8) Noah Thomasson, Niagara (.388)

9) Bryce Moore, Niagara (.383)

10) Jaylen Murray, Saint Peter’s (.366)

Steal Leaders

1) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (2.0 SPG)

2) Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona (1.6)

3) Luis Kortright, Quinnipiac (1.5)

4) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (1.5)

5) Caleb Fields, Fairfield (1.4)

Blocked Shot Leaders

1) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (1.9 BPG)

T-2) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (1.6)

T-2) Jackson Stormo, Siena (1.6)

4) Osborn Shema, Iona (1.6)

5) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (1.4)

Power Rankings

1) Siena (15-7, 9-2 MAAC)

Last Week: 1

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 at Marist (W 70-55)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Manhattan, 7 p.m.

2) Rider (11-9, 8-3 MAAC)

Last Week: 4

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 at Fairfield (W 78-69)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 vs. Saint Peter’s, 7 p.m.

3) Iona (14-7, 7-3 MAAC)

Last Week: 2

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 vs. Quinnipiac (W 78-72)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 vs. Mount St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.

4) Quinnipiac (15-6, 6-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 3

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 at Iona (L 78-72)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/31 vs. Marist, 7 p.m.

5) Niagara (11-9, 6-5 MAAC)

Last Week: 7

Last Game: Friday 1/27 vs. Manhattan (W 68-62)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 vs. Canisius, 8 p.m.

6) Fairfield (10-11, 6-5 MAAC)

Last Week: 5

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 vs. Rider (L 78-69)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

7) Manhattan (7-13, 5-6 MAAC)

Last Week: 6

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 at Canisius (W 81-74)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 vs. Siena, 7 p.m.

8) Saint Peter’s (9-12, 4-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 11

Last Game: Saturday 1/28 at Mount St. Mary’s (L 73-62)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Rider, 7 p.m.

9) Mount St. Mary’s (7-15, 3-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 8

Last Game: Saturday 1/28 vs. Saint Peter’s (L 73-62)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Iona, 7 p.m.

10) Marist (7-13, 3-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 9

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 vs. Siena (L 70-55)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/31 at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

11) Canisius (5-15, 3-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 10

Last Game: Sunday 1/29 vs. Manhattan (L 81-74)

Next Game: Friday 2/3 at Niagara, 8 p.m.