Peach Belt Conference tournament preview

By Richard Martin (@Ricardo_Knows)
Special To Daly Dose of Hoops

March might be the greatest month of the year if you’re a sports fan, especially if you’re a fan of college basketball. The month begins with conference tournaments, full of teams who know their postseason fate, teams who need help to continue playing, and teams who need a miracle.

While everyone knows about the history of the major conference tournaments such as the Atlantic Coast Conference in Greensboro and the Big East in Madison Square Garden, and even the smaller tournaments such as the Missouri Valley’s Arch Madness, in the southeast at the Division II level, one can argue that the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, especially on the women’s side, has become a must-see event.

What is the Peach Belt Conference?

The Peach Belt Conference is headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, and has teams located in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. 

The conference was founded in 1990 with just two sports, men’s and women’s basketball, with seven teams. Five of those founding teams still play in the PBC.

Former PBC members include USC Upstate of the Big South Conference, and North Florida and Kennesaw State of the Atlantic Sun Conference. KSU won the 2004 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship in its last season in the conference. 

Notable graduates of PBC schools include University of Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson (UNC Pembroke) and former President Jimmy Carter (Georgia Southwestern). 

First Round Results

The first round of the PBC tournament was played at campus sites on Wednesday, March 4. Due to the No. 1 seed on the women’s side of the bracket Lander defeating Young Harris, the semifinals and championship game will be played at Finis Horne Arena in Greenwood, South Carolina. 

Men’s Results 

#1 UNC Pembroke defeated #8 North Georgia 90-62

#5 Columbus State defeated #4 USC Aiken 87-65

#7 Georgia College defeated #2 Augusta 85-75

#3 Lander defeated #6 Flagler 83-60

Women’s Results

#1 Lander defeated #8 Young Harris 66-50

#4 Columbus State defeated #5 USC Aiken 75-64

#2 North Georgia defeated #7 Augusta 82-47

#3 Clayton State defeated #6 Francis Marion 71-44

Women’s Preview

#1 Lander

Kevin Pederson is the one of the best college basketball coaches that you don’t know about. 

In his 15 seasons at Lander, Pederson has taken the Bearcats to 10 NCAA Tournaments in the past 12 seasons and the Cats made the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in school history last season, upsetting Pederson’s former school Anderson University on its home court in the second round. 

The Cats began the season with an upset of ACC member Clemson in an exhibition game. After a rough start out of conference, Lander won 16 straight games, including going 9-0 in the month of January. 

Statistically, Lander is lead by senior Tabitha Dailey, who is averaging 15.8 PPG and 7.0 rebounds while shooting a blistering 64% from the floor. Her senior teammate Jessica Harris is averaging 14.9 PPG and has 93 assists, while freshman Zamiya Passmore has burst onto the scene, averaging 14.8 PPG and has lived up to her last name with 123 assists. 

#4 Columbus State

In his first year as head coach for Columbus State, Matt Houser has kept the ship going for the Cougars. 

The Cougars have improved their mark from 16-13 in 2018-19 to 19-8 this season, and are an upset away from their first 20-win season since 2016, when CSU finished 31-2 and won the PBC Championship. 

Junior LeeAysia Williamson leads the Cougs with 16.3 PPG, 61 assists and 61 steals. Senior Aujana Dawkins has shown leadership in her freshman season with 10 PPG and 8.8 rebounds per game. 

#2 North Georgia

The North Georgia Nighthawks are the force to be reckoned with in PBC Women’s Basketball.

Last season, UNG finished 30-5, won the PBC Championship, and made the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history after defeating conference rival Lander. 

This season, the Nighthawks finished 15-0 at home and were one of only two teams to beat Lander in the Peach Belt Conference.

Julianne Sutton leads the team in points with 18.4 PPG, but Abbie Franklin has been a sharpshooter all season long, shooting 41.1 percent from behind the arc. 

#3 Clayton State

The Lakers of Clayton State reached the mountaintop in 2011, going 35-1 and winning the NCAA Division II National Championship. The Lakers repeated as PBC Champs in 2013 and finished 32-1, falling in the Sweet 16.

Since then, the Lakers have come just short of winning the Peach Belt Championship, but have proved that they are the dark horse in the southeast, and have already defeated North Georgia once this season.

The Lakers are lead by senior Taneria Wilson, who is averaging 16.5 points per game and has 105 steals. 

Men’s Preview

#1 UNC Pembroke 

The UNC Pembroke Braves won their first ever PBC regular season championship in school history, going 23-5 and 16-3 in the conference. Oddly enough, however, UNCP won the last PBC Tournament Championship in Greenwood as the No. 2 seed in 2017.

The Braves have done this all with Tony Jones climbing the ranks, first as a student assistant in 2014 and now the interim head coach, winning the title in his first season at the reigns.

Akia Pruitt has done it all for UNCP, shooting a remarkable 52.8 percent from the floor, pulling down 240 rebounds, and soaring through the sky for 36 blocks.

#5 Columbus State Cougars

One of two teams to pull off the upset in the first round of the men’s bracket, Columbus State is looking for revenge for the last time the Braves and the Cougars met in the Peach Belt Tournament, in Greenwood, in the championship game, an 89-77 win for UNCP. 

CSU went just 17-12 in the regular season, but shot 51.5 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc in the Cougars’ first-round upset of USC Aiken. 

Senior Landrius Horton leads the team with 16.5 PPG and has shot a blistering 50.4 percent from the floor. His teammate Anthony Moore also has the hot hand, shooting 55 percent, and has 40 steals.

#3 Lander

The job Drew Richards has done in his first season at Lander is nothing short of incredible. Richards has led the Bearcats to their first 20-win season since 2016, and the Cats are 13-1 in the confines of Finis Horne Arena. 

Juniors Deon Berrien and Sidney Robinson have lead the team in scoring, while Tyler Brevard has helped set them up with 74 assists.

#7 Georgia College 

The biggest upset in the Peach Belt Tournament so far has been Georgia College, who finished the regular season at 13-15, upsetting 21-7 Augusta, 85-75, on the road in the first round. The Bobcats earned their first PBC tournament win since 2009 thanks to shooting 48 percent from behind the arc. 

Jordan Thomas is averaging an astounding 19.3 PPG and has 72 assists.

Seton Hall vs. Villanova Photo Gallery

Photos from Seton Hall’s 79-77 loss to Villanova on March 4, 2020: 

(All photos by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

4 Thoughts: Villanova spoils Seton Hall’s senior night

Myles Powell and Kevin Willard share emotional hug during senior night ceremony prior to Seton Hall hosting Villanova. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Jason Guerette (@JPGuerette)

NEWARK, N.J. — Whenever Seton Hall and Villanova have played each other since the reformatting of the Big East, it is more often than not one of the games of the year. Wednesday at Prudential Center was no different, albeit a little unique in terms of how it played out, as the Wildcats survived a bout of missed free throws to edge the Pirates, 79-77, denying the Hall a chance to clinch the Big East regular season title outright on its home floor.

On a night where the Pirates honored a four-man senior class, here are my four thoughts from Newark:

1. You've Got Me Feeling Emotions

A record 16,863 fans packed into the Rock to witness this game for themselves, and the majority of those fans were in their places when the Pirates honored Asiah Avent, Quincy McKnight, Romaro Gill, and Myles Powell. The Pirate faithful were full-throated in its cheers for each and every one of them.

The loudest cheers, of course, were reserved for Powell, the All-American scoring machine. As he made his way onto the court and embraced head coach Kevin Willard, he teared up in the arms of the man who is like a second father to him. The emotions of the moment were palpable.

"Coach just said a few things to me," Powell said of the embrace at center court. "Basically, he told me that he loved me, and I just heard the crowd start cheering, and it just caught up to me. I love this building, I love my fans, I love the university. It was an emotional night for me. I just wish it could have turned out a little better."

It's been said before, but it seems like this year I've heard it more. The emotions of a senior night game at home are something that more often than not actually make it tougher to win, particularly in the early part of the game.

"I personally hate senior night, I really do," Villanova head coach Jay Wright said after the game. "It's emotional, there's so much going on, there's so much in the kids' heads. I saw Myles Powell just crying. That’s how much this program means to him. I'm watching that and thinking to myself, 'if this kid comes out and busts our butt after being that emotional, he's an absolute killer.' It's hard. Senior  nights are hard. It's much more taxing on the home team."

Kevin Willard's gone through a number of such nights the last few years, and knows the feeling all too well.

"Our senior nights have turned into something very special for these kids," Willard said. "We've had guys come into the program for four years, we've had guys stay for a long time. They become like (your) children. We've built something really good here. Kids love coming back, they love playing here, love being in the program, and when you see them for the last time on your home court, it's emotional. It's hard."

The comments are not sour grapes by any means. Willard is spot-on. When you build programs the right way like Willard and Wright have done, with good kids and good support around them, and they have those final moments in front of the fans that cheered for them the whole way, it's going to be hard. But you also wouldn't have it any other way. It's the very definition of a good problem to have.

2. Into The Great Wide Open

For a large chunk of this game, the stats were essentially even. Both teams got off to good shooting starts, they were just about even on the glass and in terms of turnovers, they both even cooled off in the later stages of the second half.

But the end, what decided the game was the amount of wide-open shots that Villanova was able to take, and make. The Wildcats are a program and a team that thrives off open shots, particularly threes. They finished with just 22 points in the paint of 79 total in this game, but boy, did they have some phenomenal looks at the basket on jumpers. This problem most notably materialized when they were able to get offensive rebounds (16 second-chance points off only seven opportunities), but the Wildcats got open looks anyway, and even canned a few that were contested.

It's hard to do, but giving that good of a team such good looks is never a recipe for success. Villanova ended up shooting 41 percent from deep (13-for-32) in the contest, and many of its biggest makes of the game were from the outside. Give especially huge credit in this regard to...

3. Moore Money, Moore Problems

Justin Moore could have fooled me tonight. He may be listed as a freshman, but every single time the Pirate crowd got really loud on defense, it was Moore who had the answer like a seasoned veteran. He finished with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-8 from downtown, showing uncommon poise for a player that young.

"He's getting better every game," Wright said. "He's starting to grow into not playing like a freshman. He’s just learned how hard you have to play at this level, how important every possession is, how physical you have to be."

They needed every single one of those shots tonight, as it turned out, because Villanova kept the door propped open for much, much longer than it should have been thanks to poor free throw shooting in the game's waning moments. The Wildcats hit just 4-of-11 shots at the charity stripe down the stretch, and if not for a couple off-target moments on the other end for the Hall, this game would be quite a different one now. Give credit to the Pirates for not backing down and continuing to play on.

4. Running Against The Wind

Stop me if you've heard this before: The Pirates now have to go on the road and take on a hostile environment in a big game with a lot on the line.

You obviously should have stopped me in the middle of that sentence. This team has proven what their level of toughness is time and time again. It's the reason that their road record going into Saturday's contest at Creighton is 7-1 in Big East play. If there's a team that can pull off a win in Omaha with the outright Big East regular season crown on the line, it's Seton Hall.

“Emotionally, it’s going to take us a long time to get over this one just because of senior night, but absolutely," Willard said when asked whether he has confidence that the Pirates will put the loss behind them quickly. "No matter what happens on Saturday, we’re still (Big East) co-champions... This will hurt tomorrow, but I have a lot of confidence in this team to kind of bounce back, and I think that’s the biggest thing."

How will the Pirates re-focus to take on a Bluejays squad that, aside from a loss to St. John's earlier this week, has played brilliant basketball over the last few weeks?

"The same way we've been re-focusing after we've taken a loss and bounced back," McKnight said. "We've done that all year- we've taken a loss, and bounced back the next game. Fortunately for us, it's on the road, and we love playing on the road."

"I feel we play better with our backs against the wall anyway," Powell said. "We always tend to make it harder for ourselves, but we're going to come back, do what we have to do, and look forward."

The stakes are even larger. With their win tonight, the Wildcats also crept within a game of the Pirates in the Big East standings, and play Georgetown in their final game of the regular season. A Wildcats win over the Hoyas, coupled with a Seton Hall loss at Creighton would forge a three-way tie for first place, and because of head-to-head tiebreakers, would drop the Pirates down to the No. 3 seed in the Big East Tournament.

A win, however, would get the Pirates the title outright, and the No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament that comes with it, along with a noontime tipoff at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. 

It all comes down to one game. Buckle up, everyone. March is officially here.

Kevin Willard quote book: Villanova

On the final play of the game:
“With four seconds left, you have to look at it two ways: If you miss it and don’t get the rebound — which the odds are about 0.4 percent of total teams miss a free throw — and then you foul and they make both free throws, the game’s over. So by making both free throws and now they’re having trouble getting the basketball in, it gives you a chance at least to now have a shot if they make both, you could still tie it. If there was two seconds left in that range, then you have to miss it, but it couldn’t have worked out any better. We almost got a 5-second call and then they miss a free throw, we do exactly what we’re supposed to do and get a wide open shot. Again, pretty good for only having 3.4 seconds left.”

On using Wednesday’s loss as motivational fuel:
“Emotionally, it’s going to take us a long time to get over this one just because of senior night, but absolutely. It’s what I told the team. I said, ‘Guys, you know this was a great college game, two of the top teams in the country played against each other.’ I have so much respect for what Jay does with them and how they play, and this hurts right now, but it doesn’t take away anything from what this team has done all year long — the schedule we’ve played, the road wins we have — no matter what happens on Saturday, we’re still (Big East) co-champions, so to be in that situation? This will hurt tomorrow, but I have a lot of confidence in this team to kind of bounce back, and I think that’s the biggest thing. I’m struggling with Quincy and Myles a little bit, I’ve put a lot of miles on them and I’m trying to get them emotionally charged back up. This has been a grind, and our schedule has not helped the fact that we’ve played such a hard schedule and so many big games. My biggest goal right now is just to get those two guys emotionally charged back up, because it’s been a very emotional season for both of them.”

On Wednesday’s home crowd:
“It has nothing to do with me, but I think a lot of people just enjoy how hard this team has played and what type of kids they are. They’re fun to watch. Everywhere I go, recruiting, it doesn’t matter where we are, it’s amazing how many compliments we get about how the team plays. It’s the greatest compliment you can get as a coach when someone that’s not alumni or a fan just comes up to you and says, ‘Hey, we love the way your kids play.’ The crowds have been great all year, they really have. Our fans have come out, the crowd tonight was phenomenal. Emotionally, we were a little wrecked early on, and that really hurt us.”

On Villanova’s offense:
“Jay went back to an old package which he used against St. John’s a little bit. He just went back to his old keep series, which he fakes a dribble handoff and he posts up and runs back for a re-screen, and they’re so good at moving and passing, getting to the lane and jump-stop. He kind of went away from Gillespie running as many pick-and-rolls, because I think Collin has had a phenomenal year, but I think he’s a little worn out too with that. So I think the biggest thing I’ve seen in the last three games is he’s kind of come back to his post package, kind of what he did with (Kris) Jenkins and that team, and that really threw us off. (Jeremiah) Robinson-Earl was being a pain in our butt, to be honest with you. Ro’s had a phenomenal year and he didn’t play great tonight, but he’s done so many great things for us.”

On senior night and Myles Powell:
“Myles is like my third son, so it’s different. I got a little emotional, but I’d been prepared for this for a while. This is different. We’ve gone through so many ups and downs off the court together and we’ve always stayed together, I think that’s why I love the kid so much. No matter what happens, we’ve always had each other’s back. It was emotional for me, but I got emotional last night at dinner, so for me, last night was more emotional than tonight. He was worse last night than he was today. I thought his dad was going to kill him when he started crying.”

“Our senior nights have turned into something very special for these kids. I’ve had now — starting with Angel and Desi’s senior night, Mike’s senior night last year — we’ve had guys come in the program for four years, we’ve had a lot of guys stay for a long time. They become like your children, I hate to say this. I just saw Mike outside, and we’re talking about the stock market and what we’re going to do after the season. We’ve built something really good here, and kids love coming back here, kids really love playing here. Kids love being in the program, and when you see them for the last time on your home court, it’s emotional, it’s hard.”

On bouncing back Saturday at Creighton:
“I have — I’ve said this, I’m just repeating myself — I have tremendous confidence in this team. It’s a tough loss. Villanova’s great, man, they’re a good basketball team. We had a shot to beat them at the buzzer for the (Big East) championship, it happened last year and we missed one. It happened this year — damn, hopefully one of these days, we’ll make one — but I love this basketball team, I love their heart. I love how much it means to them, I love the fact that they’re all hurting right now. If they didn’t care and it didn’t hurt, then they wouldn’t bounce back. But they do. They’re all in there crying, and I was like, ‘Everyone just chill out, we’ve still got a game left and we’ve got a Big East tournament, we’ve got an NCAA Tournament, we’re going to have the best seed we’ve ever had.’ I’ve got very high expectations for this basketball team.”

On Villanova’s Saddiq Bey and the challenges he presents:
“Everything. That kid can play. I can’t wait to see him in the NBA next year. I hope the Knicks get him, because obviously everyone knows I’m a huge Knicks fan, but man, that kid is the real deal. If you go big on him, he can take you on the outside, if you go small on him, he’s going to post you up. I think the biggest thing is just his confidence in shooting the basketball, the difference from last year to this year is night and day. Every time he steps in to shoot the basketball, it looks like it’s going in, and that doesn’t happen very often. He’s a special player. He’ll be in the NBA next year.”

Updated MAAC seeding and tiebreaker scenarios: March 4, 2020

Updated after tonight’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games, here are the latest seeding and tiebreaker scenarios for each team in the conference:

Siena (14-5): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 1 or 2 seed. Can clinch No. 1 seed with a win Friday at Monmouth OR a Saint Peter’s loss Friday vs. Iona.

Saint Peter’s (13-6): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 1 or 2 seed. Can clinch No. 1 seed with a win Friday vs. Iona AND a Siena loss Friday at Monmouth.

Monmouth (12-7): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 3 or 4 seed. Can clinch No. 3 seed with a win Friday vs. Siena.

Rider (12-8): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 3 or 4 seed. Can clinch No. 3 seed with a Monmouth loss Friday vs. Siena.

Quinnipiac (10-10): Can finish as No. 5 or 6 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with a Niagara loss Friday at Canisius AND an Iona loss Friday at Saint Peter’s.

Niagara (9-10): Can finish as No. 5, 6, 7, or 8 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with a win Friday at Canisius.

Iona (9-10): Can finish as No. 5, 7, or 8 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with a win Friday at Saint Peter’s AND a Niagara loss Friday at Canisius.

Manhattan (8-11): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10 and will finish as No. 6, 7, 8, or 9 seed. Can clinch No. 6 seed with a win Friday vs. Fairfield, a Niagara loss Friday at Canisius, AND an Iona loss Friday at Saint Peter’s.

Fairfield (7-12): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10 and will finish as No. 8 or 9 seed. Can clinch No. 8 seed with a win Friday at Manhattan.

Canisius (6-13): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10 as No. 10 seed.

Marist (6-14): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10 as No. 11 seed.

These scenarios will be updated both on this site and on Twitter (@DalyDoseOfHoops) in the days leading up to the opening-round games on Tuesday, March 10.

After four years of memories, Powell set to leave one more lasting impression on senior night

Myles Powell’s Prudential Center finale takes place Wednesday, beginning closing chapter to one of Seton Hall’s greatest careers. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

He came to Walsh Gymnasium, a one-hour drive from his native Trenton, 45 pounds overweight and nowhere near 100 percent physically. Little did he, or anyone else for that matter, know that this would be far from the only transformation he would experience over the four years that followed, evolving from out of shape to out of this world one shot at a time.

Myles Powell will take the stage one last time at Prudential Center Wednesday, amid a capacity crowd as his Seton Hall team, ranked eighth in the country – the program’s highest placement in a national poll in nearly two decades – host Big East Conference rival Villanova with a chance to clinch an outright conference championship for the first time since 1993, when an equally unforgettable guard named Terry Dehere solidified the Pirates’ exploits and put South Orange on the national map for college basketball powerhouses. Much has been made of Powell’s prowess for scoring, but as head coach Kevin Willard frequently attests, there is way more to the makeup of the Dan Marino of the Seton Hall brand – Powell, much like the Hall of Fame quarterback, wears No. 13 – than meets the eye.

“I think we got a pretty good player,” Willard said on a conference call earlier this season when recounting Powell’s recruitment, first at Trenton Catholic before the senior superstar played a post-graduate season at South Kent Prep in Connecticut, where Willard and former assistant Shaheen Holloway, now the head coach at Saint Peter’s, continued to track Powell and his upward trajectory. “But he was 250 pounds and coming off a broken foot, so I knew we had a lot of work to do with him. But I also thought he was a special player, with the fact that he had a great ability to shoot the basketball and score the basketball.”

When Powell arrived on the Seton Hall campus for the first time, his nascent super powers were put to the test, not on the hardwood, but in the weight room, with an unflattering nickname to put his determination on the fast track.

“They used to call me Butterball,” Powell recalled at Seton Hall media day prior to his junior season, the moniker given to him by strength and conditioning coach Jason Nehring in a ploy to get him into game shape. “Jason said, ‘When you get to 200, then I’ll call you Myles.’”

“You never know how a kid’s work ethic is going to be once he gets to you, and his work ethic for the last three-and-a-half years has been second to none,” said Willard. “I think that’s why he’s turned himself into such a great player. He’s embraced coaching and he’s really embraced the work we put in – the work HE had to put in – and I think when you combine a kid that’s got a great attitude and a great work ethic, you’re seeing the results of a guy turning himself into a special player.”

For those familiar with Seton Hall and the face the Pirate program dons in the public eye, no explanation is necessary for the level at which Powell serves as its ambassador. Always extroverted and displaying an outsized personality as big as his heart and his once-voracious appetite, Powell is always looking to not only include his teammates – almost always referred to in interviews as his brothers – but also any live being with whom he comes into contact in his life, allowing each the opportunity to savor an experience that most 22-year-olds would likely desire to keep to themselves. Yes, Powell is a rare breed, but the encore of the past four months was nearly left on the cutting room floor.

Myles Powell’s decision to withdraw from NBA Draft afforded senior guard one last season to add to rich legacy at Seton Hall. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Following a junior season in which he was an honorable mention on the Associated Press All-America list and recipient of the Haggerty Award, bestowed annually upon the best player in the New York metropolitan area, Powell tested the waters of taking his talents to the professional ranks, entering his name in the NBA Draft. But unlike fellow Seton Hall guard Isaiah Whitehead, who hired an agent and thus closed the door on returning to New Jersey for his final two seasons and passing on the chance to play with Powell, who began his freshman year several months later, Powell kept his options open and did not sign with an agent, ultimately deciding to write the final chapter in a legacy that has grown all the more illustrious by the day. And while his decision – announced via social media – was the best thing to happen to his team and its fan base, perhaps the greatest blessing in the process was the deeper cultivation of his bond with Willard, of whom he speaks reverently, a second father of sorts.

“I didn’t think we could get any closer, but I was wrong,” Powell said of the relationship between he and Willard when the subject was broached this past October at Big East media day. “This summer, I feel like we took that final step of Coach Willard really being like my backbone. With him helping me get through that process and then him pretty much taking a month-and-a-half off from his family to go out to Peru (for the Pan-American Games) to spend that time not only with me, but with Myles (Cale) and other kids in the Big East, it just shows how much Coach really cares about the conference and the kids that he’s dealing with.”

“When I went in there and I first told him that I wanted to do it (enter the draft process), he said, ‘Well, if you’re going to do it, you’re going to do it as (if) you’re staying in.’ I was out there in California getting ready for my pro day, and I just needed somebody to lean on. Coach Willard was the first person I called, and I just told him that I needed him there. He hung up, he called me back in about 30 minutes, and he said, ‘I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon,’ so just for somebody that I could rely on like that, that meant a lot to me.”

The admiration is clearly a two-way street, as Willard has a mutual love for his latest pupil to join the likes of Whitehead, Angel Delgado and Khadeen Carrington as precocious talents who have progressed to one-of-a-kind superstars. On numerous occasions, Powell has effusively praised Willard, saying he would not be the man he has become without his coach’s patient guidance and steady hand, but would Willard be the same coach without Powell?

“Not at all,” he shared. “Every day in practice, he has a level of enthusiasm that’s contagious. It’s one of those things that you love coaching a kid that loves to be in gym, wants the big moment. As a coach and as a person, we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve grown together, and I think that’s why he is where he is. For me, he’s been like a third son.”

“I feel like Coach would give me his last (breath) just like I’d give him my last,” Powell reaffirmed. “I’ve got his back just like how he has mine. I love Coach Willard with all my heart, and he’ll always be my guy for life. I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be the Myles Powell I am today, if it wasn’t for Kevin Willard. I’m not afraid to say that, and I’ll say it to every reporter in here. None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for him believing in the fat kid that was 250 pounds three years ago.”

Nor would any of what he has accomplished since his debut on November 11, 2016 be possible without the adulation he has received from the blue-and-white-clad fans over the years, the levels of which figure to reach triple-digit decibel readings when public address announcer Tim McLoone begins to highlight the accomplishments of Seton Hall’s third-all-time leading scorer, with program legend Nick Werkman within reach for second place behind Dehere in career points before the final buzzer sounds on a once-in-a-generation career. In fact, outside of a sense of unfinished business stemming from last March’s NCAA Tournament exit, the outpouring of support Powell has received may be the second-most alluring reason why he eschewed a chance to ply his wares at a higher level last summer. What could possibly supersede that? Walking across the stage in May to receive a degree in the same building that produced so many other timeless memories.

Myles Powell’s 3-pointer late in second half against Villanova last March ranks as one of many iconic moments in Seton Hall great’s four years. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

“The bad taste was still in our mouth from us losing in the (Big East) championship and then losing to Wofford in the first round, especially wanting to play Kentucky again,” said Powell. “So I just felt like it was still a piece that was missing, and I still felt unaccomplished. I had to go back to school for basketball to accomplish some more, and I’ll be the first person in my family to graduate. So for me to be the first person to say that I graduated and I have a diploma in my family, it’s bigger than me and it means so much more to me than just the basketball part as well.”

“With all the love they’ve given me, truly, deep down in my heart, I feel like I made the right decision. This was the best decision for my career.”

Thousands of fans, many of whom figure to be on hand in Newark to pay one last homage to a native son that has taken them along for the ride of a lifetime, would concur.

MAAC Monday: Seeding scenarios, stat leaders, power rankings

By Jaden Daly (@jadendaly) and Vincent Simone (@VTSimone)

The penultimate MAAC Monday of the 2019-20 season opens, as it usually has in the next-to-last editions of our weekly Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference recaps, with a look at all possible seeding scenarios for next week’s MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship, held at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City from March 10-14, 2020. Presently, no seeds have been clinched, but three teams — Siena, Saint Peter’s and Monmouth — have each clinched first-round byes into the quarterfinals. In addition, Fairfield, Marist and Canisius have all been locked into opening-round games at this time. Updated stat leaders and power rankings will follow the seeding scenarios, which will he listed in order of each team’s MAAC record, from top to bottom:

Siena (13-5): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 1 or 2 seed.

Saint Peter’s (13-6): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 1 or 2 seed.

Monmouth (11-7): Has clinched a first-round bye and will finish as No. 3, 4, or 5 seed.

Rider (11-8): Can finish as No. 3, 4, 5, or 6 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with win Wednesday vs. Manhattan.

Niagara (9-9): Can finish as No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with wins Wednesday at Siena AND Friday at Canisius.

Iona (9-9): Can finish as No. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with wins Wednesday vs. Quinnipiac AND Friday at Saint Peter’s.

Quinnipiac (9-10): Can finish as No. 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with win Wednesday at Iona AND the following:

- A second Iona loss Friday at Saint Peter’s.
- Niagara losses Wednesday at Siena AND Friday at Canisius.
- A Manhattan loss Wednesday at Rider OR Friday vs. Fairfield.

Manhattan (8-10): Can finish as No. 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 seed. Can clinch first-round bye with wins Wednesday at Rider AND Friday vs. Fairfield, AND the following:

- A Niagara loss Wednesday at Siena OR Friday at Canisius.
- An Iona loss Wednesday vs. Quinnipiac OR Friday at Saint Peter’s.

Manhattan holds tiebreakers in 3-way ties with Niagara and Iona, as well as in 4-way ties with Niagara, Iona and Quinnipiac.

Fairfield (7-11): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10. Can finish as No. 7, 8, or 9 seed.

Marist (6-13): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10. Will finish as No. 10 or 11 seed.

Canisius (5-13): Has clinched an opening-round game on Tuesday, March 10. Will finish as No. 10 or 11 seed.

These scenarios will be updated both on this site and on Twitter (@DalyDoseOfHoops) in the days leading up to the opening-round games on Tuesday, March 10.

Scoring Leaders
1) E.J. Crawford, Iona (18.8 PPG)
2) Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac (16.7)
3) Deion Hammond, Monmouth (16.2)
4) Jalen Pickett, Siena (15.5)
5) Tajuan Agee, Iona (14.8)
6) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (14.7)
7) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (14.6)
8) Elijah Burns, Siena (14.3)
9) Ray Salnave, Monmouth (13.9)
10) Manny Camper, Siena (13.8)

Rebounding Leaders
1) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (13.2 RPG)
2) Manny Camper, Siena (10.0)
3) Tyere Marshall, Rider (8.0)
4) Tajuan Agee, Iona (7.3)
5) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (6.5)
6) Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (6.2)
7) Michael Cubbage, Marist (6.0)
8) Malik Johnson, Canisius (5.8)
9) Elijah Burns, Siena (5.8)
10) Vincent Eze, Fairfield (5.7)

Assist Leaders
1) Malik Johnson, Canisius (6.0 APG)
2) Jalen Pickett, Siena (5.6)
3) Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac (4.5)
4) Stevie Jordan, Rider (4.0)
5) Isaiah Washington, Iona (4.0)
6) Michael Cubbage, Marist (3.4)
7) Samuel Chaput, Monmouth (3.2)
8) Tajuan Agee, Iona (3.2)
9) Ray Salnave, Monmouth (3.1)
10) Samir Stewart, Manhattan (3.0)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Elijah Burns, Siena (.617)
2) Tyere Marshall, Rider (.599)
3) Warren Williams, Manhattan (.593)
4) Tajuan Agee, Iona (.541)
5) Jordan Jones, Marist (.524)
6) Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (.500)
7) Vincent Eze, Fairfield (.497)
8) Greg Kuakumensah, Niagara (.495)
9) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (.494)
10) Manny Camper, Siena (.486)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders
1) George Papas, Monmouth (.896)
2) Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac (.891)
3) Ray Salnave, Monmouth (.854)
4) Elijah Burns, Siena (.847)
5) E.J. Crawford, Iona (.839)
6) Donald Carey, Siena (.824)
7) Taj Benning, Fairfield (.821)
8) James Towns, Niagara (.808)
9) Deion Hammond, Monmouth (.784)
10) Tajuan Agee, Iona (.780)

3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Doug Edert, Saint Peter’s (.464)
2) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (.432)
3) Justin Roberts, Niagara (.412)
4) Matt Herasme, Marist (.409)
5) Isaiah Ross, Iona (.407)
6) Jacob Rigoni, Quinnipiac (.405)
7) Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac (.395)
8) Frederick Scott, Rider (.392)
9) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (.386)
10) Jalen Pickett, Siena (.383)

Steal Leaders
1) Malik Johnson, Canisius (2.0 SPG)
2) Isaiah Washington, Iona (1.8)
3) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (1.7)
4) Christian Hinckson, Manhattan (1.6)
5) Stevie Jordan, Rider (1.5)

Blocked Shot Leaders
1) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (2.4 BPG)
2) Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (1.9)
3) Seth Pinkney, Quinnipiac (1.5)
4) Tajuan Agee, Iona (1.3)
5) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (1.2)

Power Rankings
1) Siena (17-10, 13-5 MAAC)
Last Week: 2
Last Game: Friday 2/28 at Marist (W 52-50)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 vs. Niagara, 7 p.m.

2) Saint Peter’s (16-12, 13-6 MAAC)
Last Week: 1
Last Game: Saturday 2/29 at Canisius (W 69-68)
Next Game: Friday 3/6 vs. Iona, 7 p.m.

T-3) Monmouth (17-12, 11-7 MAAC)
Last Week: 3
Last Game: Sunday 3/1 vs. Manhattan (W 80-60)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 vs. Fairfield, 7 p.m.

T-3) Rider (17-12, 11-8 MAAC)
Last Week: 5
Last Game: Sunday 3/1 at Fairfield (W 65-51)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 vs. Manhattan, 7 p.m.

T-5) Iona (11-14, 9-9 MAAC)
Last Week: 4
Last Game: Saturday 2/29 at Niagara (L 100-91)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 vs. Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

T-5) Niagara (11-18, 9-9 MAAC)
Last Week: 10
Last Game: Saturday 2/29 vs. Iona (W 100-91)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 at Siena, 7 p.m.

7) Quinnipiac (14-15, 9-10 MAAC)
Last Week: 8
Last Game: Sunday 3/1 vs. Marist (W 71-52)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 at Iona, 7 p.m.

8) Manhattan (12-15, 8-10 MAAC)
Last Week: 6
Last Game: Sunday 3/1 at Monmouth (L 80-60)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 at Rider, 7 p.m.

9) Fairfield (11-18, 7-11 MAAC)
Last Week: 7
Last Game: Sunday 3/1 vs. Rider (L 65-51)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 at Monmouth, 7 p.m.

10) Marist (7-21, 6-13 MAAC)
Last Week: 9
Last Game: Sunday 3/1 at Quinnipiac (L 71-52)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 vs. Canisius, 7 p.m.

11) Canisius (10-19, 5-13 MAAC)
Last Week: 11
Last Game: Saturday 2/29 vs. Saint Peter’s (L 69-68)
Next Game: Wednesday 3/4 at Marist, 7 p.m.

Record-setting performance shows why Hofstra could be lethal weapon in March

Eli Pemberton's 35 points led Hofstra to third CAA regular season championship in five years. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Nineteen years have passed since Hofstra last heard its name announced by Greg Gumbel as a participant in the NCAA Tournament.

The drought has been well-documented, with numerous near-misses littering Hempstead Turnpike as the Pride left the America East Conference for the Colonial Athletic Association, each one more heartbreaking than that which preceded it. But on days like Saturday, much like the November night in which 88-78 became a forever moment when UCLA was defeated at Pauley Pavilion, you get a sense that this time, this team, is just different.

Maybe it was the emotion in sending Desure Buie, Eli Pemberton and Connor Klementowicz — the latter a three-and-a-half-year walk-on before finally earning a scholarship last month, yet no less important than his two all-conference guard teammates — out winners on senior day in Hofstra’s regular season finale, a 97-81 pummeling of James Madison that atoned for last year’s senior day disappointment, when Matt Lewis and the Dukes rained on Justin Wright-Foreman’s parade with a crushing double-overtime upset.

“We had two things in mind,” Pemberton said. “Payback and championship.”

The first was twofold, as Hofstra took the Mack Sports Complex floor not only seeking revenge for James Madison’s win last year, but also less than 48 hours removed from an 11-point loss to Towson that head coach Joe Mihalich likened to the proverbial younger brother being bullied by his elder sibling, as the Pride was outrebounded and physically decimated by the Tigers’ old-school, smashmouth style in the paint. The second was not the ultimate goal, but one that furthered just how far the renaissance on Long Island has come since Mihalich arrived in 2013 four months after four players were dismissed from the program in Mo Cassara’s star-crossed final campaign at the helm, with Hofstra having clinched its third regular-season CAA crown in five years, second straight, and first outright clinch on its home floor since joining the conference in the summer of 2001, in the wake of the last taste of March Madness to hit Nassau County.

Maybe it was the scorching offensive display that broke numerous records. Hofstra’s 61 first-half points were the most the Pride has amassed against a Division I opponent in any half under Mihalich. The 20 3-point field goals made shattered the previous school record of 17, and came one shy of matching a conference best. Pemberton’s 35 points were a career-high, eclipsing his previous personal high-water mark of 28.

“We’re more than a team,” an emotional Mihalich stated. “It’s not just about the basketball, it’s not just about the winning. It’s where we’re at. These guys have been there, I think that helps. There’s a lot of good things, but also that feeling we had in the hallway down in Charleston after we lost that championship game (last year against Northeastern).”

Desure Buie has spearheaded Hofstra’s resurgence with superstar senior season. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Maybe it was the latest refuse-to-lose display from a veteran group that has always bounced back from whatever adversity has knocked on its door with a resounding effort the next time it suited up. Following a 27-point annihilation at the hands of William & Mary, Hofstra returned two days later with a commanding victory by the same margin against Elon, anchored by 44 points from Buie in the game that turned the stalwart point guard into a legitimate superstar. After back-to-back losses to Charleston and Delaware in late January, the Pride defeated Drexel to kick-start an eight-game win streak that saw a comeback against Northeastern and systematic takedowns of Charleston and Delaware in the process. Then, there was Saturday, in which Hofstra took its frustration from the Towson setback out on the nets, connecting on over 60 percent of its attempts in the first half and finishing at a 54 percent clip.

“These guys hate to lose,” Mihalich matter-of-factly reiterated. “They hate to lose and everybody loves to win, but only true winners hate to lose. It’s not only that, but also owning those losses. Everybody looked in the mirror — we all did, myself included — and said, ‘I’m the reason we lost, and I’m going to be the reason we’re going to win the next game.’ That’s the culture we have, that’s the attitude we have, and that’s the way this team is. This is why we do what we do.”

Or maybe it was the look of a veteran team that has stood at the precipice before — or in the case of fifth-year senior Buie, twice before — and knows what it takes to get over the hump after experiencing life on the short end of the stick and going through the less glamorous parts of town before reaching the promised land.

“I think we learned,” said Buie. “Now it’s just three games in three days. It’s going to take a lot of focus when times get rough. We’ve been there. We know what it’s like to get there, but every single game is a battle, no matter who we play.”

“We’ve got to go in expecting everybody’s A-game, especially being the No. 1 seed,” Pemberton added. “We like having that target on our back, and that’s going to make us play even harder. It feels good, but it’ll feel better in 10 days when we get one more.”

Maybe this time, this team will not be denied.