A-10 Tempo Thursday: February 17, 2022

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

Heading down the stretch, several teams are in serious contention. Davidson has been on top nearly the entire conference season, but the Wildcats are hearing footsteps. Dayton and VCU are close behind on a hot streak. Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure are still in the hunt after rebounding from prior losses. Even Richmond and George Mason are still in it.

The regular season title is important. Not to be forgotten is the battle for one of the top seeds with the corresponding double bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament. It all adds up to some exciting scenarios to be played out prior to everyone meeting in Washington in March.

Efficiency and Records

1) Dayton (+18, 10-3)

2) Saint Louis (+14, 9-4)

3) Davidson (+7, 11-2)

4) St. Bonaventure (+7, 8-4)

5) VCU (+6, 10-3)

6) Richmond (+4, 8-5)

7) George Mason (+1, 6-5)

8) Rhode Island (-2, 4-8)

9) Saint Joseph’s (-3, 4-9)

10) George Washington (-7, 6-6)

11) Fordham (-7, 4-8)

12) UMass (-8, 4-8)

13) La Salle (-11, 2-11)

14) Duquesne (-18, 1-11)

Tough times in Amherst: UMass got off to a rough start, dropping its first four conference games. To date, the Minutemen have been unable to post back-to-back victories in A-10 play. Matt McCall’s group pushes the pace with the fastest tempo in the conference, with an average possession length of 17 seconds, the fastest in the conference. It all adds up to an offense predicated on shooting fast and often from three. Individually, Rich Kelly (12.8 ppg) and Trent Buttrick (11.7) are the most active among several perimeter threats. The two have exactly 109 attempts each, adding up to 36 percent of the Minutemen’s long-range shots.

UMass’ efficiency is 103 on offense (7th in A-10), while the defense is at the bottom of the conference with a 111 mark. The following numbers reveal more about UMass’ shot selection and defense:

3-point field goal percentage: 37% offense (4th in A-10)

35% defense (6th in A-10)

2-point field goal percentage: 42% offense (last in A-10)

57% defense (last in A-10)

Point distribution:

3-point field goals: 39% for (first in A-10)

31% against (9th in A-10)

2-point field goals: 40% for (last in A-10)

56% against (4th in A-10)

It all adds up to an offense reliant on the 3-pointer. On the other side is the concern over a defense having difficulty stopping opponents closer to the basket.

The 3-pointer, though, can keep you in and win games. Attempting too many can possibly shoot you out of a game and the win column.

Offensive Efficiency Leaders:

Davidson 113 

Saint Louis 111 

St. Bonaventure 109 

George Mason and Dayton 107

Defensive Efficiency Leaders:

Dayton 89

VCU 94

Rhode Island 96 

Saint Louis 97

Fordham 98

There is a simple formula behind Dayton’s defensive success, the ability to limit opponents into low shooting and offensive rebounding percentages. The two categories noted are very closely related. Not allowing many second shots on defense affords the opposition less of an opportunity to extend possessions. Offensive rebounds also may mean a second shot from a high field goal percentage area. Again, eliminating those opposing offensive rebounds gives your opponent less chances at a higher-percentage shot.

Tempo:

Fastest: UMass (70 possessions per game)

Saint Joseph's and George Washington 69 

Rhode Island and Saint Louis 68

Deliberate:

Dayton 63 possessions per game

St. Bonaventure, Davidson and George Mason 65 Duquesne 66

There are two groups. Several teams are right at the 70-possession threshold, a decidedly uptempo pace. On the other side, there is a group content with a slower tempo. The difference between UMass’ 70 possessions and St. Bonaventure’s 63 is seven in number, but significant in terms of game pace.

Experience may not be necessary: Dayton and Saint Louis are serious contenders for A-10 honors. Both have relatively young squads that instantly began making their mark. The following is the list of A-10 teams ranked in KenPom’s national list of 358 teams in order of experience:

St. Bonaventure 10

Richmond 19

George Mason 92

UMass 109

Fordham 146

Davidson 178

George Washington 186

La Salle 216

Saint Joseph’s 222 

VCU 234 

Rhode Island 272 

Saint Louis 345 

Duquesne 353 

Dayton 358

While offensive rebound percentage was cited in discussing Dayton’s defense, it’s appropriate to list the team leaders in that category on both offense and defense. Individual leaders are also included.

Saint Louis 33 percent

Dayton 31

St. Bonaventure and La Salle 30

Duquesne 28

Individual Leaders:

1) Francis Okoro, Saint Louis 13.6

2) Osun Osunniyi, St. Bonaventure 11.9

3) Chuba Ohams, Fordham 10.8

4) Christian Ray, La Salle 10.1

5) Ejike Obinna, Saint Joseph’s 9.9

6) Davonte Gaines, George Mason 9.3

7) Toumani Camara, Dayton 9.3

8) Hason Ward, VCU 9.3

Looking at the list, one can see why some teams are among the leaders. La Salle was a surprise until you see the numbers of Christian Ray. Interestingly, Duquesne is in the top five with no one in the leading eight among the individuals. The Duquesne leader is Toby Okani with a percentage of 8.5, good for a 12th-place tie with Davidson’s Luka Brajkovic.

Opposing Offensive Rebound Percentage:

Davidson 22 

Dayton and George Mason 23

Saint Joseph’s 24 

La Salle and Saint Louis 26

Quick Hitters:

James Bishop of George Washington is averaging 17.7 points per game, good for second in the A-10. The junior guard utilizes 28 percent of the possessions while attempting 31 percent of the team’s shots. Both figures lead the Colonials.

A major reason for Duquesne’s struggle is on the offensive end. Keith Dambrot’s Dukes are at the bottom of the conference with a 91 offensive efficiency. A silver lining is ranking fifth nationally in fouls committed at just 13.4 per outing.

George Mason’s Josh Oduro leads the A-10 in scoring. While the 6’9” Oduro affords Kim English an inside presence, the Patriots are second in the A-10 (19th nationally) with nine 3-point field goals made per game.

Saint Joseph’s is proving the old axiom of it being hard to get to the line when you live on the perimeter. The Hawks are scoring 39 percent of their points from long distance, but only 14 percent from the charity stripe.

In St.Bonaventure’s 83-71 victory over UMass on Wednesday, Kyle Lofton, the Bonnies’ senior point guard, set a school record with 17 assists.

Saint Louis also romped over La Salle, 90-64, on Wednesday. In that contest, Travis Ford’s Billikens found their range inside and beyond the arc. They shot 65 percent from 2-point range and were 63 percent (10-of-16) dialing long distance. Saint Louis posted a white-hot 73 percent effective field goal percentage on the night.

Upcoming Schedule:

February 18: Richmond at VCU

February 19: La Salle at UMass 

Dayton at Saint Joseph’s

Saint Louis at Davidson

Duquesne at St. Bonaventure 

Rhode Island at George Washington

February 20: George Mason at Fordham

February 22: Richmond at George Washington 

Rhode Island at St. Bonaventure

Saint Joseph’s at Saint Louis

February 23: George Mason at VCU 

UMass at Dayton

Davidson at Duquesne

La Salle at Fordham

All-KenPom

Josh Oduro, George Mason 

Luka Brajkovic, Davidson 

Yuri Collins, Saint Louis 

Grant Golden, Richmond 

Vince Williams, VCU

A-10 Aggregate Numbers:

Efficiency: 102

Tempo: 67 possessions per game

Effective field goal percentage: 50

Turnover percentage: 18

Offensive rebound percentage: 28

Home court winning percentage: 55

Close game percentage: 24 

Blowout percentage: 15

As the season has progressed, the homecourt advantage is increasing and the number of blowouts decreasing. With postponements seemingly over, teams are settling into a rhythm, and as we progress, games take on greater meaning as places in the standings are up for grabs.

Rutgers’ latest Top 25 win a symbol of its potential, growth

Cliff Omoruyi slams door on Illinois during Rutgers’ fourth straight win over ranked opponent Wednesday. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Steve Pikiell stepped to the podium at Rutgers media day in October, and proclaimed he liked his team as it then stood, even after the departures of Jacob Young and Myles Johnson from last year’s NCAA Tournament squad.

Media and critics alike dismissed the optimism, citing the inability to replace two of the Scarlet Knights’ most integral pieces. After non-conference losses to Lafayette and UMass, the dissent grew louder. On December 3, following an 86-51 pasting at the hands of Illinois, it reached the proverbial crescendo.

Two months later, Pikiell was vindicated, perhaps no more than he was Wednesday at Jersey Mike’s Arena, when his Rutgers team dominated the same Illini team who handed it one of his worst beatings in six years at the helm and returned the favor from pillar to post in a commanding 70-59 rout that was never once close.

“I told you guys I like this team, and I think you’re starting to see that,” Pikiell said after Rutgers crushed Illinois on the glass by a 46-28 margin and forced one of the most offensively gifted teams in the Big Ten to go away from Kofi Cockburn and hoist 13 straight 3-point attempts that misfired. “They get along great, they share the game, they play the right way and it’s really showing.”

“We’ve certainly gotten better. They’ve gotten better defensively, all these guys have gotten better offensively, and you learn from games like that. We learned a lot from the game, and I think it helped us tonight.”

So exactly what was it that changed in the past 75 days since that low point in Champaign?

“We’ve evolved a lot,” Cliff Omoruyi shared after a double-double against Cockburn proved Pikiell’s effusive praise for his own big man legitimate. “Compared to the team that played two months ago, we’re together now through everything. We play as a team, everybody’s in the gym doing their own work personally, so we just work on team chemistry.”

“Just our whole attitude and our preparation for games has been awesome,” Caleb McConnell added. “Since then, we just got better because we stuck with the course and we understand what kind of league we’re playing in. We just keep going up.”

McConnell established himself yet again as the emotional leader and backbone of this scrappy Rutgers team, scratching and clawing his way to 11 points that he supplemented with seven rebounds and four steals, the last of which perhaps saving the game and quashing a late Illinois rally when he stripped Trent Frazier to start a runout that ended in an Omoruyi dunk that summarized his role and value in ways no numbers ever could.

“I kind of laugh because every time there’s a big play or something defensively, this kid ends up getting the ball somehow and I’m like, ‘Jesus!’” Paul Mulcahy gushed, reiterating McConnell’s goal of becoming Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. “Caleb’s been great. I’ve seen it for three years. I like it when he’s on my team in practice so I don’t have to go against him, but I’m really proud of him. He deserves it.”

“Caleb’s just so active, he just does so many things,” Pikiell echoed. “He’s 6-foot-7, he’s got great length, he anticipates. He likes the challenges of playing the best players, and that’s awesome for a coach because everyone always talks about points. There’s so much on the other side of the ball that means winning or losing. He does all those things, and that’s why we’re winning.”

Player development is only part of the equation, with hard work beating talent when talent does not work hard serving as another piece of the puzzle. Much like Tom Izzo 11 days ago, another head of a conference heavyweight shared a similar perspective.

“That was something my team hasn’t seen in a long, long time,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said of Rutgers. “And that was getting punched in the face. I’m almost in disbelief at how lackadaisical my team was tonight. We had no answer, no life, no spirit, no fight.”

“That’s a team that’s very capable of making a really good run. They’re playing harder than 90 percent of the competition I’ve seen on film, and they’re playing their ass off.”

Now on the positive side of the bubble, Rutgers will attempt to further the momentum it has with trips to Purdue and Michigan Sunday and Wednesday, respectively. The Scarlet Knights currently stand one game out of the Big Ten lead, which begs the question:

What would it mean to potentially win the regular season conference crown?

“We’ve all thought it was possible since we’ve been here,” a confident Mulcahy shot back. “I hate the outside things that don’t expect that and don’t believe in that, but it doesn’t really matter. We want more than just a shot. We want to win. We hold ourselves to that standard.”

“He had a vision and we all believed in that vision,” McConnell said of Pikiell and his unwavering faith. “And we’re still buying in now. It just shows you that we can play with anybody and against anybody with what we’ve got. It’s just us.”

As for whether or not Rutgers is good enough to hear its name announced as one of 68 next month? While the Scarlet Knights are trending in the right direction, their leader is making sure the team gets neither too high nor too low.

“We’ll know on March 13,” Pikiell reiterated. “That’s the only day that matters.”

Road tough Gaels get easier road in AC, clinch bye with win over Peacocks

Nelly Junior Joseph goes up for jumper as Iona clinched MAAC tournament bye with win over Saint Peter’s. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Just when two unexpected losses seemed to threaten Iona’s stranglehold on the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference lead, Sunday’s rebound over Monmouth went a long way toward restoring order atop the standings.

Tuesday provided more of the same.

After spotting Saint Peter’s a fast start in which the host Peacocks imposed their will on Iona, the Gaels let the game come to them through the middle of the first half and dictated tempo after the intermission, muscling their way to a 70-61 victory inside Run Baby Run Arena to sweep Saint Peter’s, and more importantly, clinch a first-round bye in next month’s MAAC tournament.

“After the losses, we just had to come here to play our ass off and do our best and get a win,” Nelly Junior Joseph said after amassing 17 points and 12 rebounds. “My coaches always tell us to stay calm and play hard, take it one by one, one step at a time, every game.”

“We were road tough tonight,” Rick Pitino added as Iona (21-5, 13-2 MAAC) limited Saint Peter’s — the best 3-point shooting team in the MAAC — to just seven attempts from long range, of which it only made two. “What we told them before the game was if you control the backboard and you stop the three, they will not beat us. And we did. We only gave up six points from the 3-point line, and we beat them on the glass by five.”

Saint Peter’s (11-10, 9-5 MAAC) opened the game with a fast and physical start, punching the Gaels square in the jaw in the opening minutes before Iona found its rhythm and went on a 20-4 run to take the lead for good. The Peacocks did pull within two points midway through the second half, but were ultimately unable to string together a consistent defensive effort to come away with the victory.

“I thought they out-toughed us,” head coach Shaheen Holloway lamented. “And I’m disappointed because I was looking forward to it, I thought it would be a good, grind-it-out, physical game, and they just out-toughed us. We didn’t come out and play the way we were capable of playing. We just didn’t get stops when we needed them.”

The Peacocks, still third in the MAAC at 9-5 and a half-game behind Siena — who hosts Saint Peter’s on Sunday — for the second spot, now embark on a finishing stretch where four of their last six games are on the road. And while KC Ndefo, who scored 16 points in defeat Tuesday, carries the load, Holloway is counting on Fousseyni and Hassan Drame, as well as Daryl Banks III, to step up.

“We need more,” he bluntly stated. “I’ve got to get the twins back playing well, get DB back playing good. When they’re playing well, we’re a difficult team to match up with, but right now, those three guys gotta find it, and I’ve got to get them back in their rhythm.”

As for Iona, the Gaels appear to be back on the right track after last week’s missteps, moving closer to a regular season championship, which could be clinched as early as next week.

“It’s what you do coming out of losses,” Pitino said when assessing how to refocus his team. “It’s very tough to go undefeated in a 20-game schedule. The guys are having a great year, and this game, I was very impressed with. I wasn’t very impressed with the last home victory against Monmouth, because we let them back in the game. Tonight, I was very impressed with what we did. We were mentally tough, physically tough, we were trying to dunk the ball. Walter Clayton is really a special freshman, he’s got stones bigger than church bells. Nelly was big, but the guys were really tough tonight, and I’m proud of them.”

“Everybody wants to win, but we want to get better going into March. I’ve been rating the guys a five-six, and tonight, they played like a six-seven. If we can get to an eight, look out.”

MAAC Monday: Monmouth’s supporting cast, stat leaders, power rankings

Marcus McClary (13) helps defend Manhattan's Jose Perez. McClary’s defense has kept Monmouth in top half of MAAC standings. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

MAAC Monday focuses on the Jersey Shore in this week’s team spotlight, as Monmouth is profiled further this week before stat leaders and power rankings are refreshed. With two games later today, the team stat supplement that was posted last week will return next week, and will be a recurring feature moving forward.

Much has been made of Monmouth’s two senior transfers, Walker Miller and Shavar Reynolds, and the immediate contributions the two graduate students have made in West Long Branch, but the Hawks’ identity and modus operandi has been defined by the core that has stayed with the program through a rebuild from the highest points of King Rice’s tenure on the sideline, through the helter-skelter nature of playing college basketball in a pandemic, to now gearing up for one last shot at a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship before joining the Colonial Athletic Association in July.

The emergence of George Papas as a secondary scorer behind Deion Hammond last season gave the Jersey City native the confidence to come into his own as a leader. Papas has done that to the tune of leading Monmouth in scoring, where he ranks fifth in the MAAC, as well as off the floor. But with great power comes great responsibility, and Rice made sure to remind him of that in between the Hawks’ 25-point loss to Marist Tuesday and win at Manhattan Friday, the latter seeing Papas bounce back with 23 points, eight rebounds, and six steals.

“When you’re one of the best players in our league, breaking records at our school, there’s a responsibility of how you lead the group,” Rice recalled. “And he didn’t do that in the Marist game, so I got on him and it was heavy, a day and a half of it. But then I also put my arm around him and I told him he knows how me and him get down. He can do anything out there, man, and I’m gonna support it. And he never has to doubt if I got him. I have that much faith in him, but I also need him to teach these young guys what it’s all about.”

“Coach Rice knows he can get on me, and he knows at the end of the day, I know it’s just basketball,” Papas said, asserting the bond between he and his coach. “All I really care about is winning, because we’ve got too many losses right now. There’s no better feeling than winning.”

Monmouth’s surge can also be attributed, to some degree, to the defensive prowess of Marcus McClary. Now playing at his natural wing position, McClary — a fifth-year senior like Papas — continues to guard each opposing team’s best players, and has held most in check this season. In a conference where KC Ndefo and Dimencio Vaughn command most of the attention on defense, McClary should be mentioned in the same breath with his Garden State brethren, and that was before he limited Manhattan’s Jose Perez — the MAAC’s leading scorer — to 4-of-15 shooting Friday.

“I think what happened is, Marc played center for us, so people would say, ‘you didn’t understand all the things he was getting done,’ Rice said of McClary’s skill set. “People don’t understand when you’ve got Marcus out there, you can switch all your ball screens, and there’s just so many things you can do with him. Now we’re seeing him on perimeter guys. You didn’t see that for four years. He’s always had to guard the four or the five, now he’s guarding guys that he probably should have been guarding, and I’ll take that matchup every time, no matter who he’s got. In our league, I’ll take Marcus to guard the guys that are the best guys in the league, and we’ll see how it goes.”

The Hawks’ bench has not been employed as much this season due to the immense experience of the starting lineup, but Myles Foster and Myles Ruth were significant contributors Friday night against Manhattan. In fact, the two sophomores scored 11 consecutive points between them in the first half, leading Rice to praise the maturation each has showed, even in the wake of being displaced in the rotation by the arrivals of Miller and Reynolds.

“They’re grown up,” Rice said of Foster and Ruth. “Those two kids are both big-time players. I think this year, I needed them to grow up because if Walker doesn’t come, (Foster) might start at the five. Shavar doesn’t come, (Ruth) started last year. Him and Chaput would have had to battle, but now you go from maybe being the first to the third, and most kids don’t handle that well. (Foster) might be our best low-post scorer, he might even score it better than Walker. He just has to learn and keep changing his body, but we love what he brings. And little Myles can guard almost anyone, he can get steals while you’re bringing it up. We’re just looking for that next step in maturity for him, because on offense, we’ve gotta get him to see the things that sometimes, he isn’t seeing when we need him to see them. We’re going to get him right.”

Scoring Leaders

1) Jose Perez, Manhattan (19.2 PPG)

2) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (17.8)

3) George Papas, Monmouth (15.4)

4) Jao Ituka, Marist (15.1)

5) Walker Miller, Monmouth (15.0)

6) Tyson Jolly, Iona (14.8)

7) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (14.7)

8) Colby Rogers, Siena (14.6)

9) Ricardo Wright, Marist (14.2)

10) Shavar Reynolds, Monmouth (13.9)

Rebounding Leaders

1) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (10.6 RPG)

2) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (8.2)

3) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (8.0)

4) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (7.9)

5) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (7.2)

6) Anthony Gaines, Siena (7.1)

7) Nikkei Rutty, Monmouth (7.1)

8) Jackson Stormo, Siena (7.0)

9) Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson, Rider (6.5)

10) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (6.3)

Assist Leaders

1) Jose Perez, Manhattan (4.6 APG)

2) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (4.4)

3) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (4.0)

4) Noah Thomasson, Niagara (3.6)

5) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (3.2)

6) Elijah Joiner, Iona (3.1)

7) Ahamadou Fofana, Canisius (3.1)

8) Matthew Lee, Saint Peter’s (3.1)

9) George Papas, Monmouth (3.0)

10) Caleb Green, Fairfield (3.0)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (.711)

2) Jordan Jones, Marist (.651)

3) Warren Williams, Manhattan (.570)

4) Jao Ituka, Marist (.557)

5) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (.545)

6) Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson, Rider (.543)

7) Jackson Stormo, Siena (.543)

8) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (.537)

9) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (.533)

10) Malek Green, Canisius (.491)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders

1) Daryl Banks III, Saint Peter’s (.912)

2) Doug Edert, Saint Peter’s (.872)

3) Shavar Reynolds, Monmouth (.865)

4) Quinn Slazinski, Iona (.843)

5) George Papas, Monmouth (.838)

6) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (.814)

T-7) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (.813)

T-7) Taj Benning, Fairfield (.813)

9) Jose Perez, Manhattan (.800)

T-10) Samba Diallo, Manhattan (.778)

T-10) Elijah Joiner, Iona (.778)

3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Doug Edert, Saint Peter’s (.446)

2) Colby Rogers, Siena (.417)

3) Tyrese Williams, Quinnipiac (.397)

4) Caleb Green, Fairfield (.396)

T-5) Daryl Banks III, Saint Peter’s (.393)

T-5) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (.393)

7) Nick Hopkins, Siena (.392)

8) Ricardo Wright, Marist (.391)

9) Tyson Jolly, Iona (.388)

T-10) Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona (.387)

T-10) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (.387)

Steal Leaders

1) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (1.8 SPG)

2) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (1.8)

3) Nick Hopkins, Siena (1.7)

4) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (1.6)

5) George Papas, Monmouth (1.4)

Blocked Shot Leaders

1) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (2.6 BPG)

2) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (1.9)

3) Jackson Stormo, Siena (1.3)

4) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (1.1)

5) Jordan Jones, Marist (1.1)

Power Rankings

1) Iona (20-5, 12-2 MAAC)

Last Week: 1

Last Game: Sunday 2/13 vs. Monmouth (W 70-62)

Next Game: Tuesday 2/15 at Saint Peter’s, 7 p.m.

2) Siena (12-9, 9-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 4

Last Game: Sunday 2/13 at Rider (W 76-75)

Next Game: Friday 2/18 vs. Marist, 7 p.m.

3) Saint Peter’s (11-9, 9-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 2

Last Game: Friday 2/11 vs. Rider (L 58-49)

Next Game: Tuesday 2/15 vs. Iona, 7 p.m.

4) Monmouth (16-9, 8-6 MAAC)

Last Week: 3

Last Game: Sunday 2/13 at Iona (L 70-62)

Next Game: Friday 2/18 vs. Rider, 7 p.m.

5) Quinnipiac (12-11, 7-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 6

Last Game: Sunday 2/13 vs. Manhattan (L 83-66)

Next Game: Sunday 2/20 at Marist, 2 p.m.

6) Rider (10-14, 6-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 9

Last Game: Sunday 2/13 vs. Siena (L 76-75)

Next Game: Friday 2/18 at Monmouth, 7 p.m.

7) Fairfield (11-13, 5-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 8

Last Game: Saturday 2/12 vs. Niagara (W 73-53)

Next Game: Monday 2/14 vs. Canisius, 7 p.m.

8) Niagara (11-12, 6-8 MAAC)

Last Week: 5

Last Game: Saturday 2/12 at Fairfield (L 73-53)

Next Game: Monday 2/14 at Marist, 7 p.m.

9) Manhattan (12-11, 5-9 MAAC)

Last Week: 7

Last Game: Sunday 2/13 at Quinnipiac (W 83-66)

Next Game: Wednesday 2/16 at Fairfield, 1 p.m.

10) Marist (10-13, 5-9 MAAC)

Last Week: 11

Last Game: Saturday 2/12 vs. Canisius (W 71-70)

Next Game: Monday 2/14 vs. Niagara, 7 p.m.

11) Canisius (8-17, 4-10 MAAC)

Last Week: 10

Last Game: Saturday 2/12 at Marist (L 71-70)

Next Game: Monday 2/14 at Fairfield, 7 p.m.

Seton Hall-Villanova delivers another classic, even in disappointing ending for Pirates

Even after narrow loss to Villanova, Kevin Willard had no regrets about Pirates’ effort. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

PHILADELPHIA — It was what everyone has come to expect from the rivalry that is now considered the premier clash between Big East Conference foes.

Yes, Saturday’s latest reprisal of the Villanova-Seton Hall series produced a similar result when the Wildcats emerged 73-67 victors over a Pirate side that has only gotten the better of the national power twice since winning the Big East tournament championship at Villanova’s expense six years ago, but a sense of respect and admiration has pervaded both sides over the years, leaving Seton Hall’s coach to walk away with a positive feeling in defeat.

“I’m not frustrated at all,” Kevin Willard remarked. “I’m proud of my guys, they battled. If you look over the last seven years, the games we’ve had against each other have been a battle. I’ve talked about how much respect I have for (Collin) Gillespie and (Jermaine) Samuels, and what they’ve done for the league, so it’s definitely a battle every time we play each other.”

“I thought we had opportunities at the rim. We just didn’t come up with two key rebounds. We did a good job scrambling and getting them to take tough shots at the end, but give them credit. They made two huge offensive rebounds that penalized us.”

The first of the caroms came with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, with Villanova leading by two and Eric Dixon having missed a point-blank look under the rim before Brandon Slater fought off Alexis Yetna to secure the ball, tipping it out to a wide-open Chris Arcidiacono for a left arc 3-pointer that extended the lead to five, at 62-57.

But Seton Hall was not done, eventually retaking the lead on the strength of back-to-back Tray Jackson threes in the latest heavyweight showdown with the Wildcats. Again trailing by two inside the final minute, Caleb Daniels missed what would have been a dagger before Collin Gillespie climbed the ladder and fed the ball to Justin Moore, who ultimately drew a foul and iced the game at the line. Where Willard kept his head held high, one of his veteran leaders lamented the lack of execution in a critical moment after harping on it in the days of practice leading up to Saturday’s action.

“It’s very frustrating,” Myles Cale admitted. “We talked about it a lot going into the game. They crash the boards very well, that’s how they beat us at our house (January 1). We were very light, we only had seven players that game, so we were trying to make an emphasis on offensive rebounding and them crashing a lot.”

That said, Seton Hall is still in a very favorable position heading to another road battle Wednesday against Connecticut. At 15-8 on the year, the Pirates are still on the positive side of the bubble despite not having Bryce Aiken available for the past seven games as he recovers from a concussion suffered at Marquette last month. There is no timetable for when the point guard will officially return, but one of his fellow seniors carries the same positivity Willard conveyed as far as a big-picture perspective.

“I feel good,” Cale said of Seton Hall’s long-term prospects. “We went through adversity coming off that stretch coming out of COVID, so I feel like we found ourselves again and we’re in a very good spot. We’re not trying to have a domino effect and let this affect us the whole rest of the season. We’ve just got to come back to work on Monday, have a good head on our shoulders and prepare for UConn.”

Kevin Willard quote book: Villanova

On what decided the game:

“They made two huge plays on the offensive glass. I thought we did a good job scrambling and getting them to take tough shots at the end, but give them credit. They made two huge offensive rebounds that penalized us.”

On the rivalry with Villanova being the best in the Big East:

“Yeah, I think it is. If you just watch, look over the last seven years, the games we’ve had against each other have been, it’s been a battle. I’ve talked about how much respect I have for Gillespie and Samuels, and what they’ve done for the league, so it’s definitely a battle every time we play each other. I guess Jay and I have been in this league a long time. I know what Jay’s gonna do, Jay knows what I’m gonna do. I think that’s one reason us, Providence with Eddie, we just know each other so well, and so to prepare your team to play against someone you know inside and out — I mean, I know Jay’s plays better than Jay does — we go into the games and we know what we have to do, and I think that’s what makes this league unique is the fact that we’ve had some guys in the league for so long.”

On the loss being frustrating:

“I’m proud of my guys. I’m not frustrated at all. I’m proud of my guys, they battled, the atmosphere was great. That’s probably one of the best atmospheres I’ve been at ’Nova for a while, even two years ago when we won here. I thought the student section was the loudest I’ve heard this building probably ever since I’ve been here.”

On what he learned from today:

“I haven’t watched film yet. I can’t learn anything in 37 seconds from walking from the court to the podium.”

On missing Bryce Aiken:

“Obviously, we miss him, but what are we going to do? Kadary’s been playing great and again, I thought we had opportunities at the rim. We just didn't come up with two key rebounds. I thought we executed pretty good, we just didn’t come up with two key rebounds. I have to go back and watch the film, Jerry. You can call me tomorrow, I’ll give you an update.”

On Villanova getting away with a push-off on Chris Arcidiacono’s 3-pointer:

“No! Villanova? Come on! We didn’t get in the bonus. I haven’t been in the bonus in three games against them, so it’s like, a push?”

On his message to the team:

“I’m proud of my guys. We go on the road, we had a tough one Wednesday night, so Thursday, we didn’t do much, yesterday was a short, quick turnaround and an early game. I’m proud of my guys. Like I said, I love this team, I love their effort. We had our chances, and again, you’ve gotta give them credit. They made plays at the end, and you have to give them all the credit. They made two huge plays, two huge rebounds, and that’s kind of — if you watch ’Nova, what I love about Jay’s teams and I love about the kids on his teams. They make a lot of winning plays.”

5 Thoughts: Rider stays hot, wins fourth straight in upset over Saint Peter’s

Allen Powell (2) moves past Daryl Banks III as Rider defeated Saint Peter’s Friday. (Photo by Ray Floriani/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Rider avenged an early season loss by defeating Saint Peter’s, 58-49, at Run Baby Run Arena on Friday. The Broncs took advantage of a Saint Peter’s second half dry spell to win their fourth straight MAAC contest. Rider (10-13) is 6-7 in the MAAC, while Saint Peter’s (11-9) falls to 9-4.

Allen Powell paced all scorers with 13 points. Saint Peter’s, without a double-digit scorer, was led with nine each from Matthew Lee and Isiah Dasher. The five points of emphasis:

The first four minutes: Coaches preach the axiom that the first four minutes after halftime are crucial. If you are ahead, you want to keep the momentum. If you have a deficit, the first four minutes can be utilized to get back on track. Trailing 28-26 at the intermission, the first four minutes saw the Broncs go on a 10-5 run to forge ahead, 36-33. In the process, Rider scored twice off offensive rebounds, sending a message to Saint Peter’s. 

“The second-half start gave us a chance to do what we wanted in our game plan,” Kevin Baggett said. “Their pressure took us out of a few things we wanted to do. We just had to play with our heads up and settle down.”

Edert exudes energy: In his freshman year, Doug Edert was known for his outside shooting. Now, Saint Peter’s junior guard contributes a great deal more than the perimeter shot. Edert pushes the ball in transition, gets in the lane and passes to an open teammate on the weak side and attacks the basket. Playing aggressively, he constantly gets in the opposition passing lanes to get steals or deflections. In the first half, Edert’s play energized the Peacocks as they built an eight-point lead, largely due to his presence.

Turnovers: A recurring problem for the Peacocks. Entering the game, Shaheen Holloway’s team gave the ball away at a 20 percent rate, the third-highest in the MAAC. On the evening, Saint Peter’s committed 19 miscues for an outlandish 27 percent rate. Rider scored only nine points off those turnovers, but the damage was done, as turning the ball over meant wasting a possession and an opportunity to score.

Dry spell: With 12 minutes remaining, the hosts held a 41-36 lead. From that point, the Peacocks scored only one field goal, An uncontested layup by Daryl Banks III with 12 seconds to play and Rider comfortably in the lead. During that stretch, Saint Peter’s was able to produce that one field goal and six free throws. 

“It wasn’t anything Rider surprised us with on defense,” Holloway lamented. “It was just one of those nights.”

One at a time: Rider has now captured four straight and five of its last six. 

“Our guys know all we talk about is one at a time,’ Baggett observed. “I will say, we have come a long way this season.”

Holloway subscribes to a similar theory, taking it even farther. The Saint Peter’s mentor prefers to take it one day at a time, focusing on each individual practice, each individual game. When asked about an upcoming meeting against Iona on Tuesday the coach responded, “all I am concerned with is looking at the tape, seeing what needs to be fixed and how we can get better. We’ll go over that as a team tomorrow.”

Monmouth punches back, sweeps Manhattan

George Papas led Monmouth with 23 points as Hawks completed season sweep of Manhattan Friday. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

NEW YORK — Even with a record good enough to place it among the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's best programs in recent years, there was once a time when Monmouth was unable to solve the riddle Manhattan presented with its pressure defense and matchup zone.

Any meeting with the Jaspers usually sees a car crash of sorts, due to the physical nature and breakneck speed at which Steve Masiello’s program conducts its hardwood symphony, so King Rice had a message for his Monmouth team Friday, a simple one on the heels of a 25-point home loss to Marist.

Slow down.

Monmouth heeded the advice of its head coach Friday, leading for nearly the entirety of the evening in a 75-65 victory that, coupled with losses by Iona and Saint Peter’s — the top two teams in the MAAC standings — propelled the Hawks closer to the league lead.

“We got hit first when we played Marist,” Rice reflected, citing the need to be the primary aggressor. “For the level of the game, we got knocked on our heels. When you come to Manhattan, you better be ready for that part of it. I don’t care who the kids are on the team, they’re going to be physical, they’re going to be aggressive and you’d better be ready for that part.”

“I like how we’re doing now. We tried to understand the physicality was coming, be physical right there with them, and then just keep playing basketball, get lost in the game.”

The latter part of Rice’s screed was echoed by one of his stalwart seniors, who reminded a mercurial fellow classmate to simply take it all in as they enter the initial stages of the codas to their respective careers in West Long Branch.

“Marcus (McClary) has been kind of telling us, ‘just slow down, think about all we’ve been through,’ said George Papas, who solidified his case for first team all-MAAC recognition with an all-around effort that included a game-best 23 points that were supplemented with eight rebounds, four assists, and six steals. “We’ve got eight games left, so just cherish every moment. That’s basically what I did today.”

“Everyone’s to going to try to deny me, face-guard me and get in my head, so as long as I’m remaining calm, that’s the best way for me to do my thing, for me to what’s best for our team. That’s really the mentality I kind of walked in here today with.”

Monmouth (16-8, 8-5 MAAC) spotted Manhattan a pair of early leads, but a 17-3 run in the early part of the first half swung the pendulum once and for all as Rice used the contributions of Myles Ruth and Myles Foster — who combined for 11 consecutive points between them at one point in the opening stanza — to build equity on a night where the Hawks controlled the ball to the tune of just three turnovers against the Manhattan press. The visitors also saw Marcus McClary harass Jose Perez, the MAAC’s leading scorer at 19 points per game, into missing his first seven shots from the field en route to an atypical 4-for-15 performance, and most notably, a game from Papas that allowed the mercurial veteran to regain some confidence after a lackluster showing against Marist in which his head coach demanded accountability, but also reaffirmed his faith in his leader.

“George is a baller,” Rice proclaimed with regard to Papas. “I’ve made it so clear. I love this kid. On the basketball court, he knows with me, he can almost do anything. He’s earned that right. I knew he’d bounce back. George is one of the best players, if not the best player. He means as much to our team as anybody means to their team. He’s going to get shots as long as I’m his coach, he’s going to get shots that other guys can’t get.”

Manhattan (11-11, 4-9 MAAC) closed the first half with a late rally to pull within six of Monmouth, and ultimately got as close as two points in the second half, but was ultimately unable to get over the hump as the Jaspers lost their seventh of eight games amid an inconsistent and incomplete game that Masiello hopes will be rectified entering the final three weeks of regular season play.

“I think we took some questionable shots,” the longtime Jasper coach conceded. “They got out in transition, and you can’t let that team get out in transition. That’s where they’re at their best. Shot selection is your best defense against them. You’ve got to play for 40 (minutes), and we’re not doing that, but we’ll find our way. We’ll get back to it.”

As for Monmouth, the Hawks’ struggles with Manhattan were well-documented several years ago when the program’s ascent to the pinnacle of the MAAC was marked with a winless record in five attempts against what was then viewed as a conference titan. Over the past six seasons, Monmouth has now won eight straight encounters with the Jaspers, and 11 of 12 since a January 2016 defeat that was viewed as one of the deciding factors in the Hawks being left out of the NCAA Tournament.

“When I first got in this league, we didn’t handle it that well,” Rice said of Manhattan's natural challenges. “We always overreacted from their physicality. I think now, we’ve got older guys, I’ve coached against them a little bit, I try to not let it get to me and then it doesn’t impact their guys as much. Today, our guys handled it. We handled the pressure, we handled the physicality, and we were able to hold them off long enough to get this win.”

Villanova, Seton Hall heating up entering pivotal Big East showdown

Jay Wright has Villanova defending at elite level entering matchup with Seton Hall. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Since the Big East assumed its current form nine years ago, no rivalry has arguably been as fierce or competitive as that of Villanova and Seton Hall.

The Wildcats may still hold the overall edge in the series, but no other Big East team has stymied the two-time national champion or pushed it to the limit more than the Pirates, who seek a second straight Wells Fargo Center victory Saturday afternoon.

“They’re always a tough game for us,” head coach Jay Wright said in advance of the 1:00 tipoff against Seton Hall. “I don’t know if it was last year or the year before, they beat us at our place at the Wells Fargo Center — maybe it was the year before — but Seton Hall-Villanova games are always a battle. You just come to expect this, and you try to grind them out in this league.”

Seton Hall may once again be without point guard Bryce Aiken, who has missed the past six games while in concussion protocol, but with a 4-2 record in his absence, the Pirates have relied on their resilient core to resume their gritty stance as they climb back up the Big East ladder.

“It just shows what Seton Hall is about, picking one up when someone’s down,” said Jared Rhoden of the mantra within the Pirate program. “Bryce has been supporting us, we rock with him always. He’s going to be back available real soon and I’m looking forward to it, but we always have guys stepping up. Jamir has done a great job filling in at the point guard position as the backup. One man down is another man up, and I think we’re such a deep team that we’re able to do that.”

“It says we’re a really close-knit group,” Jamir Harris echoed. “We go to war for one another day in and day out, in every practice, in every game. No matter what guys we have available, we believe in everyone on this team. We have the utmost faith in everyone that’s on the court, and on the bench as well. We believe that everyone who has the ball can make a play.”

Seton Hall will need all hands on deck against a Villanova team getting more out of Eric Dixon in the paint to supplement the production of Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore in the backcourt. And on the other end of the floor, the Wildcats are as good as they have been in recent years. Per Ken Pomeroy’s rankings, Villanova’s defense stands 21st in the nation, the highest ranking on the Main Line since Wright won a second national championship in 2018 with the country’s 11th-beat defense.

“I do like where we are defensively,” the newly-minted Hall of Fame coach conceded. “Part of your defensive numbers are based on if you turn the ball over and you’re out in transition. That counts against you, right? But our half-court defense, I thought, has been really good.”

So, too, has Dixon, a potential all-Big East player who has also drawn praise from Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard as he matures into a cornerstone big man that gets better with each passing night.

“He’s just playing great basketball,” Wright said of Dixon. “He’s playing smart basketball, he’s defending, rebounding, scoring, he knows our scouting reports as well as anybody. He’s just developing into a hell of a player, and honestly, he’s just scratching the surface, he really is. I’m proud of him.”

Dixon and the rest of the Wildcats will have to stop Rhoden, who comes into Saturday’s contest on the heels of a dominant 25-point, 8-rebound effort Wednesday over Xavier that served as an affirmation of his dedication to becoming not just a better player, but a better leader as well.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of extra work,” Rhoden revealed. “I’ve been really killing myself just grinding it out, getting a lot of shots up, watching a lot of film. When things go bad, you’ve just gotta keep putting in that work, take one step harder, keep going harder. One more shot, one more shot.”

“It’s great,” Harris gushed, recognizing his teammate’s commitment to honing his craft. “The amount of work Jared puts into the game, his work ethic, his intensity, there’s nothing like it. As much as work as he puts into the game and as much passion as he has for it, for him to have nights like this, it’s just special, man. He deserves it, for sure.”

A-10 Tempo Thursday: February 10, 2022

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

A little over three weeks remain in the regular season. Davidson, after surviving an overtime scare from Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday, remains in the Atlantic 10 lead, with Saint Louis, Dayton and VCU on the heels of Bob McKillop’s Wildcats.

In consecutive losses to Davidson and Richmond, St. Bonaventure yielded defensive efficiencies above 100. Defense has been a staple under Mark Schmidt, but the Bonnies, as noted, had been struggling at that end as of late. On Tuesday, the Bonnies defeated Fordham, 76-51, limiting the Rams to a 74 efficiency. Upcoming games against Saint Louis on Friday and Monday will give us a better indication that the Bonnies may be back on track.

La Salle recently posted a noteworthy 83-78 victory over George Mason. For the season, though, it’s been a struggle for coach Ashley Howard’s Explorers. In conference, La Salle has suffered through losing streaks of three and five games. In early January, heartbreaking losses to St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island sandwiched a win at Saint Joseph’s. Losses to Richmond, UMass, Davidson and George Washington were decided by three possessions or less. Tuesday’s 75-57 defeat to a hot Saint Louis team was the Explorers’ first double-digit setback in a month.

Howard, in his fourth year at the school, has shown signs of closing the gap. Still, there is an appreciable amount of work to be done. The Explorers are in the bottom half of the A10 in offensive (100, 8th) and defensive efficiency (107, 10th). The latter metric is largely due to a defense allowing opponents to shoot 40 percent (second-worst in the A-10) from beyond the 3-point arc. Individually, the Explorers have three players averaging 11 or more points per game: Clifton Moore, Josh Nickelberry, and Jack Clark (11.2). Moore and Clark are the rebounding leaders. Among the trio, only Moore is a senior, while Nickelberry and Clark are juniors, providing talent to bank on for the future. The discussion here, however, is the present. La Salle is a team not shooting well, not forcing turnovers and not stopping opponents from shooting well.

VCU has won five of its last six, despite having Vince Williams out several games with a calf injury. The lone blemish, an 82-52 home loss to Dayton last Wednesday, was mitigated by a 73-64 win Tuesday over Rhode Island. KeShawn Curry sparked VCU with a career-high 28 points, but head coach Mike Rhoades still needs to address turnovers. The Rams’ 21 percent offensive turnover rate places them at the bottom of the A-10. Conversely, the Rams pace the conference with a defensive turnover rate of 25 percent.

George Mason and Richmond had a three game stretch not for the faint of heart. On Monday, the host Spiders defeated George Mason, 62-59, on a Jacob Gilyard 3-pointer at the buzzer. Two nights later in Fairfax, in a game that may have set a NCAA record for trips to the monitor, the Patriots returned the favor, defeating Richmond in overtime, 87-84. D’Shawn Schwartz hit several big shots for George Mason, pacing all scorers with 24 points.

Efficiency and Records

1) Dayton (+17, 8-3)

2) Saint Louis (+16, 8-2)

3) Davidson (+8, 10-1)

4) VCU (+4, 8-3)

5) St. Bona (+4, 5-4)

6) Richmond (+3, 7-5)

7) George Mason (+3, 5-4)

8) Rhode Island (-2, 3-7)

9) Saint Joseph’s (-3, 4-7)

10) La Salle (-7, 2-9)

11) George Washington (-8, 5-5)

12) UMass (-5, 3-7)

13) Fordham (-9, 3-7)

14) Duquesne (-18, 1-8)

Offensive Efficiency:

Davidson 115 

Saint Louis 110 

George Mason 108 

Dayton 107 

St. Bonaventure 106 

Richmond 104

Defensive Efficiency:

Dayton 90 

VCU and Saint Louis 94 

Rhode Island 95 

Richmond and Fordham 100

The offensive numbers among the leaders are impressive. To date, the aggregate efficiency of the league is an impressive 102. As the season comes closer to its conclusion, with teams battling for position and defenses tightening up, it remains to be seen if some of the offensive leaders will keep turning out those numbers.

Rhode Island is one of the leaders on the defensive end. The Rams, 3-7 and mired in a six-game losing streak, are struggling on the offensive end with an efficiency of 92 and a turnover rate of 20 percent, both third-worst in the conference.

Fastest Tempo:

Saint Joseph’s, Rhode Island and UMass: 70 possessions per game

George Washington, Saint Louis and La Salle 68

Deliberate:

Dayton: 63 possessions per game

St. Bonaventure and George Mason 65

Davidson 66

Duquesne 67

On the uptempo side, almost half the conference is now pushing the pace. The faster pace is to the liking of George Washington, especially as of late. Jamion Christian’s Colonials, after defeating UMass on the road Wednesday night, have now captured three of their last four, the lone setback being a close contest at the hands of Davidson.

Team Effective Field Goal Percentage Leaders

Davidson 57

George Mason 56

VCU, Saint Joseph’s and Dayton 52

Effective Field Goal Percentage Defense Leaders

Saint Louis 45 

Dayton and VCU 46

Rhode Island 47 

Saint Joseph’s and Fordham 49

The last two weeks gave a look at 3-point shooting, then 2-point accuracy. It’s only appropriate to put it all together. Effective field goal percentage takes into account 2-point and 3-point proficiency.

Looking at the individual leaders, there is no surprise Davidson and George Mason lead in team percentage. George Mason leads the A-10, shooting 40 percent from deep. In Josh Oduro, the Patriots have an inside threat who will step out on the perimeter. Oduro is hitting 33 percent from beyond the arc. Davidson is hitting 39 percent from distance while leading the conference with an impressive 56 percent mark from 2-point range.

Individual Effective Field Goal Percentage Leaders

Luka Brajkovic, Davidson: 66

DeRon Holmes, Dayton: 65

Michael Jones, Davidson: 65

Davonte Gaines, George Mason: 62 

Josh Oduro, George Mason: 59 

Ejike Obinna, Saint Joseph’s: 59

Makhel Mitchell, Rhode Island: 59

Rich Kelly, UMass: 59

Devon Cooper, George Mason: 58

Taylor Funk, Saint Joseph’s: 58

Upcoming Schedule

February 11: St. Bonaventure at Saint Louis

February 12: Saint Joseph’s at UMass

George Washington at Dayton

Davidson at Rhode Island

VCU at George Mason

Fordham at Duquesne 

La Salle at Richmond

February 14: Saint Louis at St. Bonaventure

Duquesne at Davidson 

Dayton at Rhode Island

February 15: VCU at Fordham

February 16: UMass at St. Bonaventure 

George Mason at Saint Joseph’s 

George Washington at Duquesne 

La Salle at Saint Louis

All-KenPom

Luka Brajkovic, Davidson 

Josh Oduro, George Mason 

Yuri Collins, Saint Louis

Tyler Burton, Richmond 

Grant Golden, Richmond

Conference Aggregate Numbers

Efficiency: 102

Tempo: 68 possessions per game

Effective field goal percentage: 50

Turnover rate: 18 percent

Home court winning percentage: 55

Close games: 25 percent

Blowouts: 14 percent

Kevin Willard quote book: Xavier

On Jared Rhoden:

“I think Jared’s starting to get back to the way he was playing before the COVID shutdown. He’s playing really simple basketball, letting the game come to him, he’s not forcing it and I think he’s just playing nice and simple. He’s stepping in, shooting the basketball, and he’s just playing simple basketball, which when he does that, I think he’s as good as anybody. We just put more time in him understanding what, more or less trying to make the game simpler, to be honest with you, Zach.”

“We came out of COVID — he had it, he spent 13 days in his house — and I think everyone was excited to get back playing, but you lose a rhythm. And I think he’s just finally getting back into a rhythm. I think it takes that time…Tyrese Samuel is just now getting back into a rhythm and he spent 13 days with COVID. So I think his frustration is a little bit of the fact that he was trying to do things that he was able to do in December, and when he came back out in January, you’re not able to do that, you start pressing. And I think for him, it was just him understanding, ‘I gotta get back to just being simple, I gotta get back into really good shape,’ which was really hard for us in January.”

On whether or not Seton Hall is back to its old form:

“I think we’re close. I don’t think we’re quite back. If we get BA back, I think that’ll be a big boost. I think Kadary Richmond’s playing phenomenal, but he’s logging a lot of minutes and Jamir’s doing a really good job of kind of being that second guard, but I’d like to have Jamir being a little bit more aggressive on the wing and getting some more shots. I like the way we’re progressing, I like the way — for the most part — we’re defending. We’re getting there, Jerry.”

On Rhoden’s refusal to be denied:

“I think Jared’s progression as a leader, again, I think he’s gotten in much better shape. He understands he’s going to be out there for 36 minutes, and I think he’s worked really hard on just simplifying the game.”

On Seton Hall’s 17 offensive rebounds:

“When we rebound and defend the three, we’re pretty good. I don’t know what our numbers are, I think they’re pretty darn good when we outrebound and defend the three. I think we’re undefeated or we only have one loss, and that was when we only had seven guys, so I think our front line guys are really, really playing well. Tyrese is back, Lex is really playing aggressive, Tray was out two days of practice with a sprained ankle, so I thought he looked a little bit rusty today, but I think all four of them are really doing a great job.”

On Bryce Aiken:

“There’s no update, Adam. He won’t be back Saturday, I don’t expect him back anytime soon. The human brain is a crazy thing, so he’s doing all the exercises, he’s doing everything he needs to do — everything — he got hit really, really hard and it’s just taking him some time. I have no timetable on the injury, on anything. I have no idea. He could be back next Saturday or he might not be able to back, I have no idea.”

On how Seton Hall has adapted without Aiken:

“I think getting back on a regular schedule, Jerry, more than anything, has been huge. Getting two good days of practice, playing, lifting…those three games in five days without him was really hard to adjust. It was impossible to adjust, so the fact that we got one of those and then we’re able to get Jamir to play some backup point guard, able to get him back into a rhythm, able to get Jared back into a rhythm, I think more than anything, has given us a chance to be the team we were in December.”

“This is a great group, this is a fun group to coach. They could be frustrating at times just like any other group, but they’ve had a great attitude the whole time, they really have. They practice hard, they’ve gotten after each other, and Myles and Jared — and even BA, even though he’s been out, he’s been around practice — he’s been talking to these guys. So the senior leadership has really been huge.”

On looking forward to facing Villanova and UConn:

“No. I know you guys love that s***, but no. I gotta spend the next four hours watching film and breaking everything down, and have everything ready by tomorrow at 8 a.m., so if you find that enjoyable, I’ll switch and I can ask you questions. Are you going to enjoy your subway ride?”

“I know where my team is at. It’s definitely going to be a measuring stick, I think it’s the two toughest road places I think we play. I think Eric Dixon, the way Eric Dixon’s playing is off the charts. He could be a first team all-Big East guy right now, to be honest with you, and I think Brandon Slater, the way those two guys are playing, have made them kind of almost like a Villanova team that reminds me of my first couple years in the league, where they pound it inside and just made you defend. They’re such a good passing team, and I think UConn’s athleticism and length is off the charts. So it’s going to be two big tests, but no, I’m not looking forward to it.”