Kevin Willard quote book: St. John’s

On Myles Cale:

“I think this was his best game. He always plays really well here, but I think this was his best game he’s ever played just because he didn’t settle to be a shooter. I thought he was aggressive, I thought he was getting to the rim and I thought he did a phenomenal job on Champagnie, obviously, because Julian’s one of the best players in the league and to have him shoot the night he had, that’s a pretty good compliment.”

On St. John’s offensive play calling for Julian Champagnie:

“He scored 40 games in a row with double-digit points, so I think they’re doing a pretty good job with him. I didn’t have to guard him, you could probably ask Myles.”

On Ike Obiagu’s defense and Jared Rhoden:

“Ikey’s been, ever since we got him back, it’s been a huge difference maker in the way we play, the way he protects the rim, and I think he’s really rebounding the basketball better than he did earlier in the season. Jared’s shooting is a direct correlation to us not running the same stuff we were not able to run in December for a ton of reasons. We played two Big East games with seven guys, but no big men, so we couldn’t run the stuff we were running. And then we got away from that, and it’s been hard to — we didn’t have much practice time — it’s been hard to get back into a rhythm offensively, and some of the things we’re running, he’s getting stuck with the ball late in the shot clock and he’s having to take some tough shots. So I think his struggles are a little bit kind of like our struggles. We’re not as smooth as we were before the COVID pause.”

On Bryce Aiken:

“I have no updates on Bryce.”

On St. John’s pressure defense:

“I can’t talk for Mike, but I think Mike’s stuck a little bit in the same situation we’re in. As much as you’d like to press — he’s playing Champagnie 38, Posh 33, Wusu is playing 30 minutes. It’s hard to press that much and be able to play on the offensive end. We went back and watched last year’s games against them — I think they pressed more than anyone the year before that — to see the press offense we had against them. I think he his minutes balance was much more even within ten guys. Champagnie’s playing 38 minutes and he’s playing really hard. I think Julian’s improved his game tremendously. It’s hard to ask him to press and then come back and be a high-level scorer. I still think they’re a very good defensive team, even when they’re not pressing, because they switch and because Posh is such a good one-on-one defender. I think we’re a little fresher, we’re coming off a bye week and they played at Creighton Wednesday night, and then played at noon here. The way the schedule’s set up now because of all the rescheduling, we’ve gotta play Monday at 9:00 and I’ve gotta play Marquette Wednesday at 8:30 on one day’s rest. Unfortunately, I think you’re going to run into teams that are going to be a little more tired than you were, and I think that’s a big benefit.”

On Alexis Yetna:

“I think Lex has kind of found a groove of what Big East basketball’s all about. He’s doing a lot of junkyard dog work, he’s doing a lot of things — I think he’s playing very well defensively, he’s rebounding the ball really well, I’d like to see him be a little bit more aggressive in the post at times, but I think he’s playing like a typical high-level Big East player.”

On Kadary Richmond:

“I thought Kadary was phenomenal. He obviously got tired in the second half, but I thought he took better care of the ball in the second half even though he was missing shots. He was getting at the rim, he was putting pressure on their defense, and not turning the ball over, I thought was key because it kept them out of transition.”

On surprise of winning despite an off shooting day:

“Yeah, I’d be pretty surprised, Zach. You ask questions that answer themselves, that’s why I love you! Every time you’re at a press conference, you ask a question and it’s like…I thought Myles Cale and Alexis Yetna played phenomenal. I thought Tyrese Samuel started to play like Tyrese Samuel did before he got COVID and obviously was stuck in Canada for 13 days, so I think the addition of Tyrese playing at a high level with Lex and MC being aggressive and doing what we had to do to win the game, we’re not going to win very many games going 5-for-30 (Richmond and Rhoden). I think you’ve gotta get other guys to step up, and defensively, I thought Ikey and Tyrese down low were really, really good, and obviously when you hold one of the best players in the league to a 3-for-14 night, it almost balances out.”

On Monday night’s game at Walsh Gymnasium:

“Jerry, I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest with you. You can call me tomorrow. I’ll think about it on the bus ride home, if you don’t mind. I just haven’t — they’ve been great all year, they’re going to be great on Monday, we have a great student section — but I just haven’t really thought about the Walsh game and how we’re doing it because I haven’t really talked to anybody about it.”

On building momentum in next two home games:

“Well, we need to. Obviously when you’ve been on the road…how many games have we played? Five of our — thanks, Jerry, you have all the stats today — five of the seven have been on the road, so you’ve gotta win home games. Home games are huge, so to Jerry’s point, having an all-student game is kind of cool. I thought about it, there’s your answer.”

A-10 Tempo Thursday: January 20, 2022

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

On Tuesday, four of the top Atlantic 10 teams squared off. Davidson edged VCU, 63-61, in Richmond. It was the Wildcats’ 14th straight win, allowing them to take sole possession of first place. Conference favorite St. Bonaventure went into Dayton and was soundly defeated, 68-50, by the hot shooting Flyers. It was the first loss in A10 play for Mark Schmidt’s Bonnies. VCU, which lost at St. Bonaventure the previous Friday, is now on a two-game losing streak. 

Teams are at or near the quarter mark in conference play. There is time and room for movement in the conference pecking order. At this point in time, it is evident Davidson, in the conference driver’s seat, will be a tough out. The Wildcats already own close road wins over Richmond and VCU. As noted, there is a good three-quarters of the schedule remaining, ample time to figure out how to tame Bob McKillop’s Wildcats.

Efficiency and Records (courtesy of KenPom)

1) Dayton (+22, 4-1)

2) Davidson (+11, 5-0)

3) Saint Louis (+10, 2-1)

4) Rhode Island (+8, 3-1)

5) VCU (+8, 3-2)

6) St. Bonaventure (+3, 2-1)

7) Saint Joseph’s (0, 2-3)

8) George Mason (-2, 0-1)

9) Richmond (-4, 2-3)

10) La Salle (-7, 1-4)

11) Fordham (-8, 2-2)

12) Duquesne (-8, 1-2)

13) UMass (-12, 0-4)

14) George Washington (-22, 1-3)

Offensive Efficiency

1) Davidson 118

2) George Mason 112

3) Dayton 110

4) Rhode Island 108

5) Richmond 104

George Mason has played only one game, a 77-76 loss at George Washington on Martin Luther King Day. That 112 number will have to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Davidson’s numbers are courtesy of a low turnover rate (16 percent) coupled with white hot 3-point shooting (43 percent). 

Defensive Efficiency

1) Dayton 88

2) Saint Louis 90

3) VCU 94

4) Rhode Island 99

5) St. Bonaventure 100

Dayton is shooting 43 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. The Flyers are quite adept at getting it done on the defensive end. They do not force a great number of turnovers (21 percent), but rather, they rely on lockdown defense. Anthony Grant’s group holds opponents to a 44 percent effective field goal percentage, second in the conference. Beyond the arc, the opposition is shooting only 31 percent (second defensively). You do not get to the line as easily against Dayton, as the Flyers allow a 14 percent free throw rate, another figure that is second in the A-10.  

Pace — Fastest and Slowest

Saint Joseph’s 73 possessions per game

Richmond, George Washington and UMass 70

Fordham 69

    

Saint Joseph’s and UMass were first and second in setting the conference pace last season. This season to date, they are both running NASCAR-paced offenses, prime examples of sticking to your philosophy. 

Most Deliberate

Dayton 62

St. Bonaventure 63

Davidson and VCU 66

Saint Louis 67

Interesting to note, while the A-10 average pace is 68 possessions, five of the top teams in the conference all play at a slower rate. With this quintet, you can’t argue with the results.

Rhode Island is connecting on a 43 percent rate beyond the arc. The Rams are obviously a serious perimeter threat. Interestingly, the Rams only attempt 24 percent of their shots from long distance, which is the lowest percentage in the conference. David Cox’s team also has a 34 percent free throw rate, second in the A-10. Adding it up, you have a dangerous team that can bury the three while attacking the basket and drawing fouls. 

Leaders in Percentage of 3-Point Attempts

Saint Joseph’s 43

Davidson 42

Richmond and UMass 41

Fordham 38

St. Bonaventure is not its strong defensive self to date. Mark Schmidt’s Bonnies are allowing a 100 defensive efficiency. Last season, they led the A10 at 93. Not really a team to force turnovers, the Bonnies are seventh in conference in 2-point field goal defense (48 percent) and ninth in defending beyond the arc (39). Three games into the campaign, there is ample opportunity for improvement.

Proficiency from three is a weapon for Davidson and Dayton, but not a guarantee of success for all. UMass leads the conference with a 46 percent 3-point field goal percentage. A porous defense (113 efficiency) largely due to a 56 percent defensive effective field goal mark (13th in league) largely explains the Minutemen’s 0-4 start. UMass has not been in the win column since a December 19 overtime victory over Fairfield.

Fordham suffered a blow when Antonio Daye announced he was leaving the program. Daye’s last game was on January 9, a win over Duquesne. A 6-foot-3 junior guard, Daye led the Rams in scoring at 16.8 points per game. At the time of his departure, Daye showed a 99.9 offensive rating, good for 10th in the conference. 

Top 5 in Offensive Rating

1) Foster Loyer, Davidson (123.4)    

2) Hyunjung Lee, Davidson (119.5)

3) Luka Brakovic, Davidson (118.2)

4) Noah Fernandes, UMass (117.6)

5) Josh Oduro, George Mason (111.2)

Taking a look at the top five, it comes as little surprise that Davidson is such a formidable team. Pick your poison. Who do you try to concentrate on defensively?  

Upcoming Schedule

January 20: Saint Louis at UMass

January 21: St. Bonaventure at Duquesne

January 22: Dayton at George Mason

Davidson at Fordham

George Washington at Rhode Island

Saint Joseph’s at VCU

Richmond at LaSalle

January 23: UMass at Saint Louis

January 25: Richmond at Rhode Island

Fordham at Dayton

all-Kenpom

Hyunjung Lee, Davidson

Jaren Holmes, St. Bonaventure

Luka Brakovic, Davidson

Foster Loyer, Davidson

Vince Williams, VCU

Conference Aggregate Statistics:

Efficiency: 102

Tempo: 68 possessions per game

Effective field goal percentage: 51

Turnover rate: 18 percent

3-point attempt percentage: 36

Home court winning percentage: 50

The home court record is now at the break-even mark. As of last week, home teams were successful at only a 43 percent rate. Expect that 50 percent or above figure to be the norm. With postponements being made up, there could be a greater demand on teams frequently hitting the road, something to consider in the upcoming weeks.

Holloway leading Saint Peter’s out of pause and back into MAAC chase

Shaheen Holloway has navigated Saint Peter’s out of isolation and into winning streak going into Western New York swing. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Four seasons into a head coaching career that seems to evolve and mature years at a time with each passing game, Shaheen Holloway continues to readily admit he is not your run-of-the-mill college basketball coach.

A fierce competitor and equally staunch defender of his program and his players, Holloway’s candor and brutal honesty is often times refreshing, a welcome change of pace from the coachspeak that permeates the airwaves in every sport. And in the midst of a worldwide pandemic that has shown little, if any, sign of letting up in the past two years, the former Seton Hall point guard is learning on the fly, like the rest of us, how to adapt to different situations.

In late December, his program — the only one in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last season without a single positive test — fell victim to the virus for the first time since March 2020, going into a shutdown of its own cause after six stoppages due to contact tracing and being victims of circumstance more often than not. Never one to hesitate voicing his concerns about the mental health and safety of his players, Holloway also did not shy away from admitting he was entering uncharted territory a few short weeks ago.

“I didn’t handle it well, to be honest with you, because I’d never been through it,” he said of Saint Peter’s 26-day hiatus between its last non-conference game on December 18 at Stony Brook and return to competition this past Friday against MAAC rival Monmouth. “I was calling a lot of other coaches and they were running me through things. We never were on pause, so I have no idea.”

“I was going crazy because last year, we were on pause, but it wasn’t us. It was contact tracing with other teams, so we never had to shut down. So, (for) ten days, my wife was looking at me like, ‘get out of the house,’ and I’m looking back like, ‘I can’t go anywhere, I’ve got nowhere to go!’”

Now clear from any health and safety protocols, and able to use 11 players at varying capacities, Holloway and the Peacocks have quickly made up for lost time with three wins in the five days following their return to play, defeating Monmouth, Rider and Canisius to carry a full head of steam into the MAAC’s notoriously difficult Buffalo trip, where Canisius and Niagara welcome Saint Peter’s this weekend, with a journey to Marist on deck shortly thereafter.

Holloway has employed a unique starting lineup since emerging from a three-week quarantine, as the five starters in each of the past three contests — guards Jaylen “Juju” Murray and Latrell Reid, as well as forwards Hassan Drame, KC Ndefo and Oumar Diahame — were the only players not to have to self-isolate, and thus able to go through individual skill workouts while the rest of the Peacocks recuperated.

“I’m proud of the guys because of what they’ve endured,” Holloway proclaimed. “I don’t think it’s normal. I didn’t think we were ready to play. To ask guys to sit in a room for ten days, get three or four practices and come out and play, to me, I think that’s a sign of danger. That’s why we’re playing guys less minutes. The five guys that started are the only guys that didn’t go into isolation. I was working with those guys on their individual skills, and I think it’s shown with Oumar. He’s given us something, and also, I think Juju is getting the confidence that he needs, KC’s starting to be KC again, and once again, we didn’t turn the ball over. This is two games in a row now where we had single-digit turnovers (Saint Peter’s committed just seven turnovers in a 65-57 win over Canisius Tuesday).”

With the change in tactics has come a change in style, at least for the time being. Holloway normally prides himself on an uptempo attack offensively while using his team’s defense to create transition opportunities and fuel offensive explosions. Since the Peacocks have returned to the floor, a more physical and defense-oriented unit has taken shape, grinding out games and finding ways to stifle opposing teams, doing so to the tune of allowing a meager 56.7 points per game in the last three contests.

“Everybody’s in a rush to go nowhere,” Holloway reflected, citing the ever-present desire for most coaches to push the pace while he and his program still regain their footing. “Right now, we’re kind of slowing down and playing our basketball. Do I want to get up and down the court? Absolutely. But right now, that’s not our strength. Our strength is playing defense, getting stops (and) scoring off our defense.”

“It’s who we are. That’s why I was really upset in the beginning. We weren’t playing Saint Peter’s basketball. We had a lot of new guys who had to get used to what we do, and it just wasn’t us. But I knew once we had some time to get it together, we would be locked in.”

Iona survives Monmouth in overtime, now 7-0 in MAAC

Elijah Joiner led Iona with 24 points as Gaels outlasted Monmouth to remain undefeated in MAAC. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Playing its third game in five days after a 22-day hiatus, Monmouth returned home looking to get right. Its opponent, the unquestioned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference favorite, found itself in yet another close game, pushed to the limit like no other encounter in league play to date this season.

The end result was befitting of one of the MAAC’s top rivalries, reprised Tuesday between the consensus top two outfits in the conference, with Iona scraping an 86-85 overtime victory away from a Monmouth squad that acquitted itself well just 48 hours removed from a 36-point loss at Marist that led many to question, albeit prematurely, if the Hawks should be taken seriously.

“This was a tough game for us, and we knew it would be tough,” Iona head coach Rick Pitino confessed as the Gaels (15-3, 7-0 MAAC) won their seventh MAAC game in as many attempts this season, led by 24 points from Elijah Joiner. “Not only do we have great respect for Monmouth, and we knew coming into here they were going to play great tonight.”

“I’m proud of my team,” King Rice countered in an impassioned defense of his program. “We had a bad week last week. We lost a bad game at Marist, and everybody seems to want to pile on. We’re fortunate to get to play. We’re a team of fighters, we want to come after everybody. We feel like we’re one of the better teams in this league, and we still feel that way. Our kids ran into probably the best team in the league, with definitely the best coach, and we gave them a run.”

Still recovering from a late December COVID pause, Monmouth (10-6, 2-3 MAAC) fought back several times in a seesaw affair, even as Iona built a double-digit lead in the second half. The Hawks had a chance to win in regulation, but inefficiency at the free throw line plagued the hosts. Shavar Reynolds, who amassed 21 points, did make a pair at the charity stripe in the final seconds to force a 79-all tie as Iona’s 3-point attempt for the win cut through the air to force overtime.

Once in the extra session, Joiner, who was chastised by Pitino for only shooting 18 percent from 3-point range compared to 55 percent inside the arc, drained a jumper and a triple in succession to open an 84-79 edge for the Gaels, furthering his growth and taking his coach’s challenge to heart.

“Coach told me I wasn’t getting it done, so for me, that was all I needed to hear from him for me to step up and be a better leader,” Joiner said. “I do a lot of things well outside of scoring, so I just wanted to take a good jump in my game for the better of the team.”

“I’m lucky to have him on my team, and I’m excited to coach him,” Pitino added. “I wish it was for more than one year. As good as he was tonight, the two games prior to this, he was just awesome. Tonight, he took over the game. He’s a tough young man, one of the best leaders I’ve had as a coach.”

Estrada’s confidence continues to grow as Hofstra picks up steam in CAA

 

Aaron Estrada (left) and Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton have fed off one another to fuel a resurgence in first half of CAA play. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — A former NBA guard himself, Speedy Claxton knows a thing or two when it comes to developing the next generation of backcourts, having earned a firsthand account of what is necessary to only compete at the highest level, but also to swim in its shark-infested waters and make headway against the dangerous current.

In eight years on staff under Joe Mihalich at Hofstra, the place where Claxton’s gifts spread their collective wings to a larger landscape two decades ago, he had a hand in cultivating the professional careers of a Who’s Who of guards that have come through the Mack Sports Complex doors, players the likes of Dion Nesmith, Juan’ya Green, Ameen Tanksley, Eli Pemberton, Desure Buie, Justin Wright-Foreman — the second-leading scorer in Hofstra history — and the late Zeke Upshaw. Now one chair over on the bench, Claxton’s responsibilities have expanded as the head coach of his alma mater, but the lineage has remained consistent, with a new patch presently being stitched into the quilt of the Pride program.

Aaron Estrada arrived in Nassau County this offseason after a year at Oregon that proved the grass was not necessarily greener on the other side after winning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year honors at Saint Peter’s, where the New Jersey native was on his way to potentially leading the Peacocks to the NCAA Tournament had COVID-19 not wreaked its initial havoc in March 2020. Now closer to home and more integral to his team’s bottom line, the junior has not only backed up the trust from his coach, he has also grown in different areas aside from his reputation as a shooter and slasher.

“I feel like this is a good time for all college players to work on their games,” Estrada said after tallying 26 points and supplementing his scoring with eight assists and five rebounds as Hofstra won its second straight game Monday, defeating reigning Colonial Athletic Association champion Drexel. “Without really having to be worried about school, I’m able to work on my game a lot more. Just working on my game builds a lot of confidence, a lot of repetition.”

Estrada has turned the added reps and pick-me-ups into a team-leading 16.4 points per game, which is buoyed by averages of 5.4 rebounds and an even five assists per contest for an 11-7 Hofstra team that navigated an arduous non-conference schedule that included near-upsets of Houston and Maryland to a win over a Top 25-ranked Arkansas program, to now reclaiming its perch among the CAA’s upper echelon. Moreover, he has done so as the Pride’s primary ball handler in recent games as Zach Cooks has battled injuries, learning his new position and transitioning smoothly more often than not.

“He’s a hell of a player,” Claxton said of Estrada. “He’s a three-level scorer, and when you have a three-level scorer, it’s kind of dangerous because you really can’t stop him in a ball screen situation. He can hit the three, he can hit the pull-up, and he’s shifty enough around the basket where his finishing is strong.”

“I put all my guys in positions to succeed. Not just Aaron, but J(alen) Ray, he’s good coming off screens, Omar (Silverio) is good coming off screens. I try to put all of them in positions where they could excel and play to their strengths. I think if everybody plays to their strengths, we could be in a really good offensive team.”

Claxton’s pedigree, coupled with his knack for pressing the right buttons for everyone to not only find his niche, but also add to his repertoire, is a major factor behind Hofstra being where it currently is. And for Estrada, who began his collegiate career learning from a professional point guard in Shaheen Holloway at Saint Peter’s, his continued education from Claxton has allowed he and his teammates to reap the benefits of the wisdom being passed down to an eager and apt pupil.

“Coach puts me in positions not just to score, but to ultimately make plays for our team,” Estrada echoed. “I’m a willing passer as well, I’m not just a scorer. I feel like (when) I pass the ball, I get guys open and I make the right pass for the most part. Coach putting me in situations to make plays, that really helps our team a lot.”

St. John’s plays its most complete game in rout over Georgetown

By Jason Dimaio (@JasonDimaio1)

NEW YORK — Consistency. 

That is what St. John’s is trying to find and that is what it needs to find to have a chance at an NCAA Tournament bid. 

Consistency is what it got Sunday at Madison Square Garden in a 88-69 rout of Georgetown to bring the Johnnies to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the Big East.

“I didn’t think it could go any better,” head coach Mike Anderson remarked. “Our guys came out and established what we wanted to do.”

Anderson had high praise for his team after what could be considered a must-win game. Posh Alexander finally looked like he returned to his freshman form, lighting up the stat sheet for 17 points, six rebounds, seven assists and six steals. It is games like that that St. John’s needs out of him to win Big East games, especially if Julian Champagnie has an off night. That was not the case in this game, though, as everything clicked for the Red Storm.

Champagnie continued his stellar season, contributing 25 points and six rebounds. Dylan Addae-Wusu went for 17 points and Aaron Wheeler went for 10, his third straight game scoring in double figures. When Anderson was asked about what has gone right for the Purdue transfer he had this to say:

“I didn’t even think about his scoring,” Anderson said of Wheeler. “It’s amazing you say that. I’m thinking about his energy and defense, being a hard matchup. Seeing him now, I think his confidence is really kind of soaring right now.”

As for the game itself, St. John’s was cruising for the majority of the game, getting any shot it wanted on the Hoyas and playing its most complete game of the season, forcing 21 turnovers on the Hoyas and pushing the pace for the entire game. With 10 minutes left, Anderson went to the bench and pulled out Champagnie and Alexander, but in doing so, Georgetown immediately broke off an 11-2 run and a 20-point lead was instantly cut to 11. After a timeout, Anderson put his two stars back in the game and St. John’s did not look back, quickly getting the lead back up to 16. With 2:55 left in the game, Wheeler threw up an alley-oop to Champagnie to shut the door on Georgetown and close out the game with a standing ovation from the Garden crowd. Alexander left the game with three minutes remaining with what seemed to be a leg injury, but he confirmed he is fine and it is nothing serious.

Next up for St. John’s is a road trip to Creighton Wednesday, a chance for the Red Storm to get its first Quad 1 win on the year and get above .500 in conference play, and a chance to turn this season around after what was a very lackluster start.

“I feel like every game we play, we’ve been getting better,” Alexander revealed. “I see us becoming a better all-around team but we need to keep building in practice and then bring that to the game.”

MAAC Monday: Pitino “not pleased” despite Iona’s success, Niagara’s growth, stat leaders, power rankings

 

Even with his Iona team starting 6-0 in MAAC play, Rick Pitino is still not satisfied with Gaels’ performance, citing high expectations. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

MAAC Monday returns from a one-week hiatus with a closer look at Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference favorite Iona, as well as the Niagara team against whom the Gaels improved to 6-0 in league play Sunday afternoon, before refreshing the MAAC’s stat leaders and power rankings moving toward the midpoint of the conference season.

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — With a name the caliber of Rick Pitino arriving nearly two years ago, expectations naturally ramped up for an Iona team that had been no stranger to accolades over the past decade, with Pitino’s predecessor, Tim Cluess, having taken the Gaels’ program to six NCAA Tournaments in his nine years at the helm, winning five MAAC postseason championships and earning just the second at-large bid to the field of 68 in league history. However, the exact magnitude of heightened goals was never fully on display to the public eye, even as Iona emerged from a 51-day COVID pause last season to cut down the nets once more in Atlantic City.

This past weekend provided a closer glimpse.

With MAAC rival Monmouth being swept at the hands of Saint Peter’s and Marist, the Gaels took advantage of the opportunity to distance themselves from the Hawks and the rest of the pack, first powering past Manhattan in an 88-76 final Friday whose ultimate margin was closer than the game let on before running away from a scrappy Niagara unit in the second half on Sunday to score a 78-55 runaway that pushed Iona to 14-3 on the season.

“I didn’t come to Iona for mediocrity,” Pitino declared after the win over Manhattan. “I came for greatness, and greatness is every phase of the game of basketball. I’m not talking about talent, I’m talking about execution, so they executed like great players (Friday), and they shot free throws like a bad basketball team. I’m not happy with the team, I’m just not happy with the team. Not pleased at all.”

“You look at the record. I look at how you’re playing. I’ll take 10-5 or 10-6 if we’re executing, playing great, rather than that, so I don’t think we’re playing great basketball right now, and that bothers me. So where I’m at for the season right now, I’m not pleased.”

A displeased Pitino is only scary for the rest of the MAAC, and the one man who knows him more intimately than anyone else in the league confirmed that the current lack of pride in the results will only make Iona more formidable.

“It’s Rick Pitino,” Manhattan head coach Steve Masiello — Pitino’s longtime deputy at Louisville — simply stated. “I know what’s going on there. I know what those offseasons are like, I know what those preseasons are like, I know what those nights are like after a loss. That’s a serious man right there. He’s the best to ever do it.”

“It’s frustrating to know what he’s going to do, when he’s going to do it, and you still can’t stop it. But at the end of the day, he’s so meticulous with his execution and his detail that it’s really hard to stop what he does. That’s why he’s so good. A lot of people know it’s coming and it’s really hard to stop it, but that’s why he’s Rick Pitino.”

***

Niagara has held opposing teams under 70 points in 10 of its 15 games, a credit to the defensive principles and commitment to connection and cohesiveness that Greg Paulus has spent the past three years on Monteagle Ridge honing to perfection.

“We’re making progress,” Paulus admitted after Sunday’s loss. “And this will be a great opportunity for us. I’m proud of how our group is getting better, and we’ve seen that from when we came back from pauses and breaks and different things like that. We’ve just got to keep getting better, keep learning from these experiences, and hopefully we can be a little bit better in the next few days.”

What Paulus can build upon is a backcourt that has taken shape in lockstep with his front line. The progression of junior college transfer Noah Thomasson has enabled Marcus Hammond to regain his off-ball touch to lead the MAAC in scoring, with Justin Roberts providing a steady complement to the two. Up front, Jordan Cintron and Sam Iorio have used their versatility and rebounding prowess to form one of the more deceptively strong tandems in the paint.

“Noah is a guy who can put pressure on,” Paulus said, praising Thomason’s defensive skills. “He’s somebody that handles the ball, plays the one, plays the two. He’s a good decision maker with the basketball, he’s shooting the ball better and better, so for us, he’s someone that has a lot of responsibilities handling the basketball, and we’ve continued to see progress out of him.”

“We’ve seen their versatility, Jordan a little bit more putting the ball on the floor and attacking guys, he’s also shot the 3-ball. Sam’s a guy who’s probably more outside than inside, but he’s given us some size. He’s doing a great job rebounding, which is important for us, so the different combinations with him and then having Greg Kuakumensah, Touba (Traore) and Nicholas (Kratholm) coming in, each one kind of presents something different. So we’re just trying to find the right combinations at the right times.”

Scoring Leaders

1) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (17.2 PPG)

2) Jose Perez, Manhattan (16.5)

3) George Papas, Monmouth (15.5)

4) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (15.1)

5) Shavar Reynolds, Monmouth (15.1)

6) Tyson Jolly, Iona (14.9)

7) Ricardo Wright, Marist (14.9)

8) Jao Ituka, Marist (14.6)

9) Walker Miller, Monmouth (13.9)

10) Malek Green, Canisius (13.9)

Rebounding Leaders

1) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (10.2 RPG)

2) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (8.6)

3) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (8.1)

4) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (7.9)

5) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (7.6)

6) Jackson Stormo, Siena (7.1)

7) Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson, Rider (6.8)

8) Nikkei Rutty, Monmouth (6.6)

9) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (6.2)

10) Malek Green, Canisius (6.2)

Assist Leaders

1) Jose Perez, Manhattan (5.3 APG)

2) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (4.3)

3) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (4.2)

4) Ahamadou Fofana, Canisius (3.6)

5) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (3.4)

6) Caleb Green, Fairfield (2.9)

T-7) George Papas, Monmouth (2.9)

T-7) Noah Thomasson, Niagara (2.9)

9) Jacco Fritz, Canisius (2.9)

10) Elijah Joiner, Iona (2.8)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (.662)

2) Greg Kuakumensah, Niagara (.623)

3) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (.596)

4) Warren Williams, Manhattan (.593)

5) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (.574)

6) Jao Ituka, Marist (.571)

7) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (.563)

8) Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson, Rider (.548)

9) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (.521)

10) Jackson Stormo, Siena (.510)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders

1) Daryl Banks III, Saint Peter’s (.909)

2) Doug Edert, Saint Peter’s (.893)

3) Shavar Reynolds, Monmouth (.889)

4) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (.871)

5) George Papas, Monmouth (.857)

6) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (.846)

7) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (.844)

8) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (.842)

9) Walker Miller, Monmouth (.825)

10) Quinn Slazinski, Iona (.821)

3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (.467)

2) Samir Stewart, Manhattan (.447)

3) Colby Rogers, Siena (.441)

4) Ricardo Wright, Marist (.430)

5) Nick Hopkins, Siena (.415)

6) Walter Clayton, Jr., Iona (.409)

7) Tyson Jolly, Iona (.403)

8) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (.403)

9) Tyrese Williams, Quinnipiac (.400)

10) Caleb Green, Fairfield (.391)

Steal Leaders

1) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (1.9 SPG)

2) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (1.8)

3) Elijah Buchanan, Manhattan (1.8)

4) Nick Hopkins, Siena (1.8)

5) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (1.6)

Blocked Shot Leaders

1) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (2.4 BPG)

2) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (1.8)

3) Jordan Jones, Marist (1.2)

4) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (1.2)

5) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (1.1)

Power Rankings

1) Iona (14-3, 6-0 MAAC)

Last Week: 1

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 vs. Niagara (W 78-55)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/18 at Monmouth, 7 p.m.

2) Siena (6-6, 3-1 MAAC)

Last Week: 7

Last Game: Friday 1/14 at Marist (W 67-60)

Next Game: Friday 1/21 at Manhattan, 7 p.m.

3) Saint Peter’s (5-6, 3-1 MAAC)

Last Week: 8

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 at Rider (W 58-51)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/18 vs. Canisius, 2 p.m.

4) Quinnipiac (9-6, 4-3 MAAC)

Last Week: 4

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 vs. Fairfield (W 72-66)

Next Game: Wednesday 1/19 vs. Rider, 7 p.m.

5) Manhattan (9-5, 2-2 MAAC)

Last Week: 5

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 vs. Canisius (W 80-75)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/18 vs. Niagara, 7 p.m.

6) Marist (8-8, 3-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 6

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 vs. Monmouth (W 84-48)

Next Game: Sunday 1/23 vs. Fairfield, 2 p.m.

7) Monmouth (10-5, 2-2 MAAC)

Last Week: 2

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 at Marist (L 84-48)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/18 vs. Iona, 7 p.m.

8) Niagara (7-8, 2-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 11

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 at Iona (L 78-55)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/18 at Manhattan, 7 p.m.

9) Fairfield (8-9, 2-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 3

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 at Quinnipiac (L 72-66)

Next Game: Thursday 1/20 vs. Monmouth, 7:30 p.m.

10) Canisius (5-11, 1-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 9

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 at Manhattan (L 80-75)

Next Game: Tuesday 1/18 at Saint Peter’s, 2 p.m.

11) Rider (5-10, 1-4 MAAC)

Last Week: 10

Last Game: Sunday 1/16 vs. Saint Peter’s (L 58-51)

Next Game: Wednesday 1/19 at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.