Saint Peter's hopes to build on late win streak with productive MAAC tourney run

John Dunne and Saint Peter's take two-game win streak into Albany to begin MAAC Tournament, giving longtime Peacocks head coach signs of encouragement as postseason begins Thursday. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

In the wake of graduating four seniors instrumental in the program's first-ever postseason championship, John Dunne knew it was not going to be an easy rebuild in Jersey City, yet remained upbeat as Saint Peter's began the road back to prominence in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Almost eleven months to the day of the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, the Peacocks' record may not have been in line with what the program's 12th-year head coach desired going into the year, but the effort has been far beyond a simple description of satisfactory.

"We felt like we had a good core returning and some nice pieces joining the program," Dunne said as Saint Peter's (12-17) heads into Albany to begin the MAAC Tournament, contesting the first of three opening-round games Thursday evening against in-state rival Monmouth at 5 p.m. "We thought we'd be in a little bit better position with the record, but we feel we had a competitive spirit through the MAAC season. I think really, you look at maybe one or two MAAC games where we were subpar defensively, but I would say in most of them, we really competed on the defensive end. We've been shooting the ball better right now, but we're still trying to grind on the defensive end, and we're feeling pretty good."

"For us, it comes down to trying to be low-turnover," he elaborated. "Usually when we're low-turnover, we're right in games. And then you've got to shoot the ball. Defense doesn't win, balance wins."

While much of the attention on the Peacocks is focused on their rigid and suffocating defense, Dunne has received significant contributions on the offensive end, led chiefly by senior guard Nick Griffin and the continued emergence of forwards Sam Idowu and Quinn Taylor. As of late, a fourth option has joined the fray, freshman Elijah Gonzales, who arose from backup point guard to starting floor general as a result of his dedication and hustle.

"What I loved about him is when he wasn't playing early in the year, he never pouted, he never put his head down," said Dunne of Gonzales. "He never felt like it was his right to be on the court and have the ball in his hands. All he did every day was work, even when he wasn't playing. He seized the moment and played really well, and eventually we started starting him because he's a guy that gets other guys baskets."

"He makes up for his height with energy, deflections, (and) steals," Dunne said. "He's just a tough kid, and we're happy to have him."

Saint Peter's enters a rubber match with Monmouth on the heels of two controlling victories over Quinnipiac and Siena, each being held under 50 points as the Peacocks clamped down and tightened the screws on the defensive end. But after defeating the Hawks in Jersey City and then coming away on the losing end in West Long Branch, Dunne is aware that the offensive aspect of the basketball cannot be ignored, especially with Micah Seaborn back in full swing for a Monmouth team that had his services for less than 25 of the 80 total minutes the two schools competed against one another.

"We're going into a big battle, considering we had won in our gym and had our guys ready to play," said Dunne. "Their guys gave it to us in the second half in their arena, so I anticipate a grind-it-out game. Both teams are going to play hard, give an extra effort, and try to defend. At the end of the day, we've got to get the ball in the basket. We did that the last two games, and we're heading to Albany with some confidence."

Monmouth enters MAAC Tournament not as team to beat, but team to watch

Set to appear in his third game back from hamstring injury, Micah Seaborn leads Monmouth into MAAC Tournament Thursday, where Hawks open in Albany against Saint Peter's. (Photo by the Asbury Park Press)

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament has brought on a different set of circumstances and implications for Monmouth in each year of the Hawks' membership in the league, beginning in the 2013-14 season.

Before that year even began, head coach King Rice and his top assistant, Rick Callahan, were in Springfield scouting the competition fresh off their exit from the Northeast Conference. Year one in the MAAC brought about an adjustment period and valuable lessons learned through experience and defeat. Year two was one of upward trajectory, highlighted by an 18-win campaign and a potential for much greater things. The next trip to Albany, preceded by the hype of multiple victories against high-major opposition and a bench that caught the eye of national media outlets for their innovative celebrations, made the Hawks the media darling before their narrow loss to Iona in the MAAC championship game. And last year, Monmouth repeated as regular season conference champions, only to be done in by Nico Clareth's second-half explosion for Siena in the semifinals, again relegating the Jersey Shore powerhouse to the National Invitation Tournament.

This March, the Hawks are once again taking on a new role, that of reputed name brand, but partially overlooked challengers. Having endured an arduous non-conference schedule that included the likes of Seton Hall, Virginia, and Kentucky all before the Christmas holiday, the former two-time No. 1 seed has soldiered on, fighting off multiple injuries to Micah Seaborn and relying on the evolution of a multifaceted freshman class meshed with returning veterans who know the lay of the land as a circuitous road awaits, beginning with Saint Peter's on Thursday evening.

"You have to be ready to know they're going to guard you as well as anybody," Rice said of the Peacocks and the challenge they represent for Monmouth (11-19) in a matchup where the winner will advance to face top seed and regular season co-champion Rider. "They're going to play at a pace where you're going to have to play solid defense for 25 seconds, and their kids are really, really together. They don't take bad shots, they don't try to do things that you can tell the coaches don't want them to do."

Monmouth and Saint Peter's split their two regular season meetings, with the home team holding serve on each occasion. In the first skirmish between the two New Jersey rivals on December 31, the Peacocks used a 24-6 run in the early stages of the second half to put the Hawks away, before Monmouth returned the favor with a victory in West Long Branch on February 13. The common thread between those two games is that Micah Seaborn, the former first team all-MAAC talent, was either limited or unavailable each time; injuring his ankle three minutes removed from halftime in December, then missing the second Saint Peter's game due to a hamstring injury. But the junior wing is back and ready to go, and has made up for lost time even if his most recent impression was not indicative of such.

"Micah did play great against Rider," Rice said of Seaborn's return to action on February 22, when he scored 30 points in a 91-77 win over the Broncs. "I thought Fairfield had a good plan against him (Seaborn did not score), and I didn't help him enough. But Micah's had a tough year because of injuries. When he's healthy, he's one of the top guys."

Seaborn, along with senior point guard Austin Tilghman and an emerging crop of younger players headed by freshman and MAAC All-Rookie selection Deion Hammond, will no doubt be prepared for their first step on the road to what could be an unlikely championship, coming against the one team Rice admitted hardly anyone wants to see on the other side of the court simply because of their commitment to fundamentals.

"Everybody knows in any game, you don't want to see Saint Peter's, and especially when it's an elimination game," he cautioned. "This game is going to be a defensive game. Both teams think they can guard each other. I think the first time, they guarded us better; the second time, we guarded them better. I've been looking at their scores and they've been holding people under what they normally score, and that's just what John Dunne does. We just have to play a solid game, not take bad shots, not take quick shots, and try to get great shots every time, which will be a struggle to do."

LIU Brooklyn vs. Sacred Heart Photo Gallery

Photos from LIU Brooklyn's 88-77 victory over Sacred Heart on February 24, 2018:

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

MAAC Monday, Part II: MBB award and tournament predictions, final stat leaders and power rankings

The second part of our final MAAC Monday of 2017-18 will offer a longer opening segment than usual. In fact, it will actually be two opening segments since we will be sharing our award and tournament predictions with you in advance of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship, which begins Thursday inside Albany's Times Union Center. And just as we did on the women's side, we will give you our votes for who should win, who will win, and who will cut down the nets one week from tonight before we refresh stat leaders and power rankings for the last time this season. Let us begin.

Player of the Year
Who Should Win: Isaiah Reese, Canisius (16.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, 46% FG, 88% FT, 36% 3-pt FG)
Who Will Win: Reese

This season has yielded one of the most interesting Player of the Year races in recent memory, a far cry from last year's Justin Robinson repeat coronation and the duel between the Monmouth legend and A.J. English the year before. There are as many as seven players with realistic and legitimate cases to bring home the MAAC's top individual honor, with Preseason Player of the Year Tyler Nelson perhaps being thought of as the leader in the clubhouse after having led the conference in scoring and lifted a resurgent Fairfield into the tournament on a four-game win streak. However, very few players in the league possess the all-around talent Reese has demonstrated at full strength this season, and the sophomore has been arguably the biggest part of the Golden Griffins' resurgence from a team picked ninth in the MAAC's preseason poll to one who shared the regular season crown with Rider, a team picked sixth. There will be a slew of challengers for this distinction, but at the end of the day, Reese will stand atop them all.

Rookie of the Year
Who Should Win: Takal Molson, Canisius (12.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 45% FG, 39% 3-pt FG)
Who Will Win: Molson

Along with Reese and Jermaine Crumpton, Molson has been the third key cog in the Griffs' triumvirate, and a homegrown talent whose bloom has been right on schedule. Initially outshined by Rider's Jordan Allen at the start of league play, Molson's more consistent tone and weekly efficiency took root shortly after Canisius proved its stay near the top of the MAAC leaderboard was a permanent one. Allen still holds the edge on the scoreboard between the two, but a closer look at how much more Molson impacts and facilitates makes the Buffalo native the wise choice here.

Sixth Man of the Year
Who Should Win: Roland Griffin, Iona (10.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 52% FG)
Who Will Win: Frederick Scott, Rider (13.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 52% FG, 38% 30-pt FG)
The second two-horse race among MAAC honors is a closer one than that in the Rookie of the Year field. While Griffin has gotten stronger as of late for Iona and become a more integral piece of the Gaels' puzzle, the prevailing feeling here is that MAAC coaches will reward Rider's winning; especially after being snubbed for top player and freshman recognition, which gives Scott the nod here. That does not necessarily indicate that Scott is not deserving, because he certainly is, and his ability to run the floor like a point guard while defending and playing as many as four different positions over the course of a game is largely unmatched.

Defensive Player of the Year
Who Should Win: Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (6.7 RPG, 2.6 BPG)
Who Will Win: Paulicap

Many coaches and MAAC analysts have called Paulicap Manhattan's best interior presence and rim protector since Rhamel Brown, and it is visible almost instantaneously when watching the sophomore on the defensive end. Paulicap puts up a solid offensive stat line as well, but it is his impact in the paint and on the blocks that make him seem as though he were tailor-made for Steve Masiello's system. A team captain in his first year in the program, something unheard of in Riverdale, Paulicap has made short work in making a name for himself, and his evolution is one that adds a new layer with each game.

Coach of the Year
Who Should Win: Reggie Witherspoon, Canisius
Who Will Win: Kevin Baggett, Rider

When two teams finish tied among the conference standings and split a head-to-head season series with one another, there is very little ground to separate them on. With that said, Witherspoon deserves his share of accolades for taking a Canisius team picked third-to-last at the beginning of the year and turning them into a championship-caliber outfit, but so too does Baggett for taking a Rider team picked seventh and establishing them; perhaps a year ahead of schedule, as one of the MAAC's most complete outfits. And with Canisius winning out in the Player and Rookie of the Year races, Baggett makes up the deficit with his second Coach of the Year honor, bookending his 2015 selection.

First Team All-MAAC
Isaiah Reese, Canisius (Player of the Year)
Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius
Kahlil Dukes, Niagara
Tyler Nelson, Fairfield
Dimencio Vaughn, Rider

Second Team All-MAAC
Stevie Jordan, Rider
Rickey McGill, Iona
Matt Scott, Niagara
Rich Williams, Manhattan
Cameron Young, Quinnipiac

Third Team All-MAAC
Takal Molson, Canisius
Brian Parker, Marist
Marvin Prochet, Niagara
Frederick Scott, Rider
Austin Tilghman, Monmouth

MAAC All-Rookie Team
Takal Molson, Canisius (Rookie of the Year)
Jordan Allen, Rider
Deion Hammond, Monmouth
Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac
Jacob Rigoni, Quinnipiac

MAAC Tournament Predictions (bracket graphic via Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)

First Round
Monmouth over Saint Peter's
Quinnipiac over Siena
Fairfield over Marist

Quarterfinals
Monmouth over Rider
Canisius over Quinnipiac
Fairfield over Niagara
Manhattan over Iona

Semifinals
Manhattan over Monmouth
Fairfield over Canisius

Championship
Manhattan over Fairfield

Most Valuable Player: Rich Williams, Manhattan

I don't normally do this, but allow me to impart some brief analysis here to defend my prediction of absolute anarchy in Albany. First, Monmouth finally has its full complement of players once again, and does so at the most opportune time. A healthy Micah Seaborn is one of the most explosive players in the MAAC, and his outburst against Rider this past Thursday in West Long Branch is something to consider should the Hawks and Broncs meet again this week, which I believe will be the case in Friday's quarterfinals. Winners of four straight, Fairfield is perhaps the hottest team in the conference, and the Stags have a very favorable draw awaiting them in a Marist team that has struggled to find itself before facing a Niagara team that may still be without Matt Scott after the senior sprained his ankle in the Purple Eagles' win over Iona. Since adding Aidas Kavaliauskas to their lineup midway through the year, Fairfield has slowly become a much more disciplined team, to the delight of Sydney Johnson. That efficiency should carry the Stags past Niagara, and even past a Canisius team that will be in largely uncharted territory. Finally, there is the oddity of an Iona-Manhattan quarterfinal, something that is hard to believe when you look back at the championship trilogy between the bitter rivals, producing three classics that are the MAAC basketball equivalent of the Barrera vs. Morales boxing wars. As great as the Gaels have looked against the Jaspers this season, and since the 2015 title game in which Manhattan defended its league crown, this matchup just has that feel of Steve Masiello reaching into his bag of tricks and catching the two-time defending champions off guard just enough to turn the tables. Rich Williams and Zavier Turner have both taken their game to another level over the past two weeks, which is what teams expect from their seniors this time of year. Look for the experience and familiarity with the tournament terrain to finally reveal itself in spades as Manhattan holds off Monmouth to get back to Monday night. In keeping with the theme of expecting the unexpected, a Manhattan-Fairfield final fits right into that wheelhouse, and in a MAAC season where all hell has broken loose, a former champion circling the wagons to an improbable third title will be the outcome here. This could blow up in my face, but the one sure thing going into Albany is that there really is not a sure thing.

Scoring Leaders
1) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (21.8 PPG)
2) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (21.1)
3) Matt Scott, Niagara (19.5)
4) Cameron Young, Quinnipiac (18.9)
5) Brian Parker, Marist (17.0)
6) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (16.9)
7) Isaiah Reese, Canisius (16.8)
8) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (16.1)
9) Rich Williams, Manhattan (14.7)
10) Rickey McGill, Iona (14.5)

Rebounding Leaders
1) Marvin Prochet, Niagara (7.8 RPG)
2) Matt Scott, Niagara (7.4)
3) TK Edogi, Iona (7.1)
4) Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (6.7)
5) Frederick Scott, Rider (6.6)
6) Zane Waterman, Manhattan (6.6)
7) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (6.6)
T-8) Tyere Marshall, Rider (6.6)
T-8) Cameron Young, Quinnipiac (6.6)
10) Tobias Sjoberg, Marist (5.9)

Assist Leaders
1) Stevie Jordan, Rider (6.0 APG)
2) Rickey McGill, Iona (5.6)
3) Austin Tilghman, Monmouth (5.5)
4) Isaiah Reese, Canisius (4.8)
5) Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac (4.8)
6) Malik Johnson, Canisius (4.6)
7) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (4.2)
8) Brian Parker, Marist (3.4)
9) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (3.3)
10) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (3.2)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Jonathan Kasibabu, Fairfield (.669)
2) Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (.560)
3) TK Edogi, Iona (.558)
4) Chaise Daniels, Quinnipiac (.537)
5) Frederick Scott, Rider (.524)
6) Roland Griffin, Iona (.523)
7) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (.514)
8) Tyere Marshall, Rider (.508)
9) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (.486)
10) Prince Oduro, Siena (.483)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders
1) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (.904)
2) Isaiah Reese, Canisius (.875)
3) Tyler Nelson, Fairfield (.874)
4) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (.821)
5) Schadrac Casimir, Iona (.813)
6) Jermaine Crumpton, Canisius (.813)
7) Samuel Idowu, Saint Peter's (.808)
8) E.J. Crawford, Iona (.789)
9) James Towns, Niagara (.787)
10) Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac (.776)

Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders
1) Schadrac Casimir, Iona (.467)
2) Louie Pillari, Monmouth (.454)
3) Jacob Rigoni, Quinnipiac (.448)
4) Khalil Richard, Siena (.441)
5) Rich Williams, Manhattan (.439)
6) Spencer Foley, Canisius (.436)
7) Zavier Turner, Manhattan (.435)
8) Kahlil Dukes, Niagara (.428)
9) Jonathan Sanks, Canisius (.420)
10) Ryan Funk, Marist (.406)

Steal Leaders
1) Isaiah Reese, Canisius (2.3 SPG)
2) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (1.8)
3) Stevie Jordan, Rider (1.6)
4) Jesus Cruz, Fairfield (1.6)
5) Rickey McGill, Iona (1.5)

Blocked Shot Leaders
1) Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan (2.6 BPG)
2) Dominic Robb, Niagara (1.4)
3) Samuel Idowu, Saint Peter's (1.2)
4) TK Edogi, Iona (1.2)
5) Chaise Daniels, Quinnipiac (1.0)

Power Rankings
1) Canisius (21-10, 15-3 MAAC)
Last Week: 2
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 vs. Marist (W 98-74)
Next Game: Friday 3/2 vs. Quinnipiac or Siena, 9:30 p.m.

2) Rider (22-8, 15-3 MAAC)
Last Week: 1
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 vs. Iona (W 110-101)
Next Game: Friday 3/2 vs. Monmouth or Saint Peter's, 7 p.m.

3) Niagara (19-12, 12-6 MAAC)
Last Week: 3
Last Game: Friday 2/23 vs. Marist (W 100-76)
Next Game: Saturday 3/3 vs. Fairfield or Marist, 7 p.m.

4) Iona (17-13, 11-7 MAAC)
Last Week: 4
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 at Rider (L 110-101)
Next Game: Saturday 3/3 vs. Manhattan, 9:30 p.m.

5) Fairfield (14-15, 9-9 MAAC)
Last Week: 6
Last Game: Saturday 2/24 vs. Monmouth (W 69-66)
Next Game: Thursday 3/1 vs. Marist, 9 p.m.

6) Manhattan (14-16, 9-9 MAAC)
Last Week: 5
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 vs. Quinnipiac (W 92-86)
Next Game: Saturday 3/3 vs. Iona, 9:30 p.m.

7) Monmouth (11-19, 7-11 MAAC)
Last Week: 8
Last Game: Saturday 2/24 at Fairfield (L 69-66)
Next Game: Thursday 3/1 vs. Saint Peter's, 5 p.m.

8) Quinnipiac (10-20, 7-11 MAAC)
Last Week: 7
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 at Manhattan (L 92-86)
Next Game: Thursday 3/1 vs. Siena, 7 p.m.

9) Saint Peter's (12-17, 6-12 MAAC)
Last Week: 11
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 vs. Siena (W 65-48)
Next Game: Thursday 3/1 vs. Monmouth, 5 p.m.

10) Siena (8-23, 4-14 MAAC)
Last Week: 9
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 at Saint Peter's (L 65-48)
Next Game: Thursday 3/1 vs. Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

11) Marist (6-24, 4-14 MAAC)
Last Week: 10
Last Game: Sunday 2/25 at Canisius (L 98-74)
Next Game: Thursday 3/1 vs. Fairfield, 9 p.m.

MAAC Monday, Part I: WBB award and tournament predictions

Just as it was a year ago, our final MAAC Monday of the season is a two-part edition as the field and pairings have been set for the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships, held once again at Albany's Times Union Center beginning Thursday morning. Before we offer our speculation and predictions on how the bracket will unfold, we first apologize for our lack of women's basketball coverage to this point compared to past seasons, and attempt to make up for some of it by taking a closer look at who will be honored with conference recognitions in Friday's award show:

Player of the Year
Who Should Win: Victoria Rampado, Niagara (20.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 45% FG, 83% FT)
Who Will Win: Rampado

The fifth-year senior has been virtually unstoppable for the Purple Eagles this season, leading the MAAC in scoring and finishing a close second in the conference in rebounding. Although Niagara finished sixth in the regular season, Rampado was a full nine points and four rebounds clear of her next closest teammate in each category, which begs the question of just where Jada Pierce's team would be without the leadership of her Canadian veteran.

Rookie of the Year
Who Should Win: Toyosi Abiola, Iona (11.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG)
Who Will Win: Abiola

Losing Marina Lizarazu has proven to be a major hurdle for Iona to overcome just two years after cutting down the nets and reaching the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament, but in Abiola, Billi Chambers (née Godsey) has found a potential program-changing freshman in a similar vein to how her predecessor, Tony Bozzella struck gold two years in a row with Damika Martinez and Joy Adams. Abiola is lightyears ahead of her fellow freshmen, and should win this award going away.

Sixth Player of the Year
Who Should Win: Alexis Lewis, Iona (14.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 2.0 SPG)
Who Will Win: Lewis

Initially, our first thought was to champion Manhattan's Gabby Cajou, who has made excellent strides as a sophomore while learning from one of the MAAC's best point guards in Amani Tatum, but then we looked at the stats across the conference and saw Lewis only started eight games for Iona. Once thought of as a Player of the Year contender, the junior has done for the Gaels what David Laury did for Tim Cluess in his junior year: Make a transition to a reserve capacity for the greater good while maintaining an impact worthy of a star player. Lewis still ranks in the top ten among the conference in both scoring and rebounding, and asserts herself just as much on the defensive end, which makes her selection here a no-brainer.

Defensive Player of the Year
Who Should Win: Stella Johnson, Rider (6.1 RPG, 2.5 SPG)
Who Will Win: Paula Strautmane, Quinnipiac (4.4 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 1.8 SPG)

Johnson has done it all for Rider this season and deserves to be recognized as such, but with Rampado taking home Player of the Year, Quinnipiac needs to be recognized for the amount of players that have banded together to produce an immovable object. And after being snubbed for this award last season, Strautmane makes up for it this year with her versatility to both alter shots and jump-start the Bobcat transition game, something that gets overlooked far too often.

Coach of the Year
Who Should Win: Tricia Fabbri, Quinnipiac
Who Will Win: Fabbri

If you have followed us over the years, you know our reverence of Quinnipiac's legendary mentor and her seemingly effortless work to keep her dominant program atop the mid-major landscape. Going into the season, the one question on everyone's minds was this: After reaching the Sweet 16 last year, just what would the Bobcats do for an encore? The answer was a 19-game win streak to go into Albany, with only three of those victories coming by less than 11 points as Quinnipiac ran its record in MAAC games; including tournament contests, to a truly unbelievable 96-14. Nothing else needs to be said other than the following three words: Fearless. Focused. Fabbri.

First Team All-MAAC
Victoria Rampado, Niagara (Player of the Year)
Samantha Cooper, Fairfield
Jen Fay, Quinnipiac
Rebekah Hand, Marist
Aryn McClure, Quinnipiac

Second Team All-MAAC
Alana Gilmer, Marist
Kayla Grimme, Manhattan
Stella Johnson, Rider
Alexis Lewis, Iona
Kollyns Scarbrough, Siena

Third Team All-MAAC
Maura Fitzpatrick, Marist
Sara Hinriksdottir, Canisius
Kamila Hoskova, Rider
Kaylee Stroemple, Niagara
Amani Tatum, Manhattan

MAAC All-Rookie Team
Toyosi Abiola, Iona
Willow Duffell, Marist
Jayden Eggleston, Iona
Jaiden Morris, Rider
Danielle Sanderlin, Canisius

MAAC Tournament Predictions (bracket graphic via Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)

First Round
Canisius over Monmouth
Manhattan over Iona
Niagara over Saint Peter's

Quarterfinals
Quinnipiac over Canisius
Marist over Manhattan
Siena over Niagara
Rider over Fairfield

Semifinals
Quinnipiac over Rider
Marist over Siena

Championship
Quinnipiac over Marist

Most Valuable Player: Jen Fay, Quinnipiac

Jaspers win senior night thriller, will face Iona in MAAC tourney quarters

Rich Williams and Zavier Turner combined for 54 points as Manhattan outlasted Quinnipiac in double overtime to clinch final first-round bye in MAAC Tournament. (Photo by Vincent Dusovic/Manhattan College Athletics)

RIVERDALE, NY -- With one simple text message, Zavier Turner reinforced the mindset for Manhattan in its regular-season finale Sunday.

"I texted Rich (Williams) before the game, and I told him, 'let's lay it on the line right now for this last home game," he revealed after he and three of his senior classmates walked off the Draddy Gymnasium floor for the final time as winners, defeating Quinnipiac in a 92-86 double-overtime victory that guaranteed the Jaspers the No. 5 seed in next week's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, and a bye into the quarterfinals, where they will face archrival Iona. "That's what happened."

Honored in a pregame ceremony along with fellow graduating seniors Calvin Crawford and Zane Waterman, Turner and Williams combined for 54 points as Manhattan (14-16, 9-9 MAAC) held off a determined Quinnipiac team in a manner symbolic of how the quartet of Jasper upperclassmen made a name for itself over the past four -- five in Williams' case -- seasons and two championship runs.

After a low-scoring first half that ended with the hosts taking a 26-23 lead into the locker room and Cameron Young -- Quinnipiac's leading scorer -- being held without a point in a classic case of the Jasper defense daring the Bobcats' second and third options to beat them, Turner was held scoreless as well, and took it upon himself to change the narrative in a revelatory moment during the intermission.

"I thought about everybody in this room right here," he said before erupting for 31 points between the second half and two overtime periods. "We put in a lot of work in this gym, you know what I mean? I was thinking about every one of these guys right here and I felt like I was letting them down in the first half. I put my thoughts together, and put everything on the line."

Turner's first points came on a jumper with 12:40 remaining in regulation, breaking a 36-all tie and setting the stage for a stretch duel with Young, who led Quinnipiac (10-20, 7-11 MAAC) with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort. Not to be outdone amid the cavalcade of seniors on both sides, freshman Rich Kelly made his presence known with a three-pointer that put the visitors ahead, 56-54, with 3:36 to play. Manhattan would respond with five straight, capped by a Tom Capuano three, to retake a lead they would soon stretch to four points with just over a minute on the clock before a pair of triples from Isaiah Washington, and then Kelly, gave Quinnipiac a 65-63 edge with 16 seconds to go.

After a timeout by head coach Steve Masiello, Turner drove the lane for a game-tying layup with four seconds left, then survived a misfire from Young for the win just before the buzzer, signifying the need for an extra five minutes.

The Bobcats struck first in the extra session, on a jumper by Young, but Williams; whose Draddy swan song included a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double, provided the answer with a layup to knot the score at 67. The fifth-year senior did so again with a three on the ensuing possession following a go-ahead Jacob Rigoni basket, putting the Jaspers up one. The two teams traded blows once more, with Turner draining a three to swing the pendulum again, then Chaise Daniels and Kelly scoring four unanswered points before a Williams triple in the left corner with seven ticks on the clock squared the match at 76 apiece.

"Fortunately, throughout the season, we've been put in those types of positions," said Williams of the possession in which he extended the game from beyond the arc. "It was just about being in that position before and keeping our poise as an organization. Coach drew up a great play, and that's what happened."

With 5.7 seconds left in the first overtime, the Bobcats had a chance to break the Jaspers' hearts, but a Young three for the win was once again errant, requiring a second extra frame. The Bobcats, even after Rigoni (18 points, 9 rebounds) and Turner traded threes about a minute apart, emerged the aggressor, but the Manhattan seniors made one valiant last stand. Waterman's one-handed baseline dunk sparked a game-ending 9-0 run, with a block at the other end on a Young dunk attempt setting up a Turner three on the next trip down the floor to give the Jaspers the lead for good. Williams and Turner would go on to hit two free throws each to provide the final margin of victory in a coda to their four years of sacrifice and perseverance that will not soon be forgotten in the northwest corner of the Bronx. 

"I think it's very fitting that these four seniors go out that way," Masiello remarked. "It's a culmination of their careers of adversity, being under-recruited, just everything. They weren't going to go out with an easy win. It was going to have to be a representation of their careers, and I just thought that their will to win, their character, and their toughness was just something really special tonight."

Final MAAC seeding and tiebreaker scenarios

Updated after Sunday's victories by Canisius, Manhattan, Rider and Saint Peter's, here are the final Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference seeding and tiebreaker scenarios leading up to next week's MAAC Tournament in Albany:

Rider (15-3 MAAC): Has clinched share of regular season MAAC championship and automatic bid into National Invitation Tournament, and will face No. 8 seed Monmouth or No. 9 seed Saint Peter's in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 2.

Canisius (15-3 MAAC): Has clinched share of regular season MAAC championship and No. 2 seed, and will face No. 7 seed Quinnipiac or No. 10 seed Siena in quarterfinals at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, March 2.

Niagara (12-6 MAAC): Has clinched No. 3 seed, and will face No. 6 seed Quinnipiac or No. 11 seed Marist in quarterfinals at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.

Iona (11-7 MAAC): Has clinched No. 4 seed, and will face No. 5 seed Manhattan in quarterfinals at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.

Manhattan (9-9 MAAC): Has clinched No. 5 seed, and will face No. 4 seed Iona in quarterfinals at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 3.

Fairfield (9-9 MAAC): Has clinched No. 6 seed, and will face No. 11 seed Marist at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.

Quinnipiac (7-11 MAAC): Has clinched No. 7 seed, and will face No. 10 seed Siena at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.

Monmouth (7-11 MAAC): Has clinched No. 8 seed, and will face No. 9 seed Saint Peter's at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.

Saint Peter's (6-12 MAAC): Has clinched No. 9 seed, and will face No. 8 seed Monmouth at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.

Siena (4-14 MAAC): Has clinched No. 10 seed, and will face No. 7 seed Quinnipiac at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.

Marist (4-14 MAAC): Has clinched No. 11 seed, and will face No. 6 seed Fairfield at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 1.

5 Thoughts: Seton Hall essentially locks up NCAA berth with overtime win at St. John's

Khadeen Carrington's 22 points, capped off by fast-break dunk in final seconds of overtime, lifted Seton Hall past St. John's and firmly into NCAA Tournament field. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

NEW YORK -- Considering the odyssey Seton Hall endured just to get to Madison Square Garden Saturday afternoon, perhaps it was only fitting that the Pirates needed five extra minutes to secure one of their most important victories of the season.

Less than 48 hours removed from having to complete a suspended game at Providence on the Friars' campus Thursday afternoon after the floor at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was deemed unsafe, and without Desi Rodriguez after the senior sprained his ankle in the first half of the Providence game Wednesday evening, Seton Hall clinched its third straight 20-win season and all but guaranteed themselves an at-large spot in next month's NCAA Tournament, defeating St. John's by the final score of 81-74, using an 11-4 run to dominate the overtime period.

In a back-and-forth battle that neither side led by more than five points until Khadeen Carrington scored the last of his 22 points on a breakaway dunk in the final seconds of overtime, Seton Hall (20-9, 9-7 Big East) was able to use its depth, even without Rodriguez, to wear down a six-man St. John's rotation that was led by 25 points from Shamorie Ponds, a deciding factor behind the Pirates winning their third consecutive game to erase any lingering doubts after dropping four in a row to begin February.

Up next for Seton Hall is a much-anticipated rematch with Villanova Wednesday night at the Prudential Center, a contest where Angel Delgado already predicted the Pirates would execute better in the wake of their loss to the Wildcats three weeks ago in Philadelphia. Currently the No. 3 seed in the Big East Tournament if the season ended today, momentum is once again coming back to South Orange, with even more to be gained from the final stretch of the regular season as we offer our traditional handful of takeaways from Saturday's midtown Manhattan matinee:

1) Deep Impact

Without Rodriguez and given the fact that Seton Hall's bench was in need of a breakthrough to match some of their earlier success in the non-conference season, Kevin Willard handled this game extremely well, all things considered. Largely an eight-man rotation Saturday, not counting the brief action seen by Jordan Walker and Eron Gordon, the Pirates' X-factor on this day was one hardly anyone could have envisioned, as walk-on Philip Flory provided arguably the biggest lift for the Pirates, logging 17 minutes.

"When Desi went down, Myles (Cale) is technically his backup defensively and offensively, and Phil's the only one that really knows what he's doing from the offensive side from that spot, whether it's zone, whether it's underneath out of bounds plays," head coach Kevin Willard assessed of Flory, a former commit to Marquette. "I think we all have a lot of confidence in Phil when he's out there, because he's tough, he'll defend and rebound, and when he's open, he could make a shot."

2) Myles and Myles
Making his first career start Saturday in place of Rodriguez, Myles Cale did not disappoint, scoring 10 points to offset three first-half fouls and offer a positive outing on the whole. Sophomore Myles Powell made more of an impact off the ball than Pirate fans are accustomed to seeing, supplementing his 18 points with eight rebounds and six assists to outduel Justin Simon of St. John's, whose Swiss Army knife capabilities were neutralized by the Pirate defense, held to just eight points, five assists and four rebounds.

3) Sa-no-go for Shamorie Ponds.
The talented sophomore still managed to put 25 points on the board, but had to take 22 shots to get there, all the while fighting off Ismael Sanogo and his suffocating defense as Willard switched the stalwart onto Ponds to keep Angel Delgado hidden in the pick-and-roll against a smaller Red Storm lineup.

"We tried to hide the big fella a little bit because they went small, and I think they really did a good job of kind of switching," said Willard. "We moved Angel around so they couldn't just get Angel in a pick-and-roll, which is tough when they're that small, and obviously Ish is; as we think, one of the best defenders in the country and Shamorie's one of the best guards, so it was a good matchup."

4) Homeward Bound
Not only does Seton Hall return to Newark Wednesday night, they were able to win a quasi-home game today in front of 18,840 patrons at the Garden, many of whom were clad in St. John's red. Still, that did not stop the Pirates from recapturing the magic at the World's Most Famous Arena, a success that has translated into an 8-3 record for this year's senior class inside the home of the New York Knicks, and forebodes a bright future heading into March.

"I think I learned how deep we can go," Carrington said in a revelatory moment for Seton Hall. "Everybody played absolutely well today, and I just talked to the guys -- I said everybody's got to step up since Desi's sitting out -- and I think everybody did a great job. Phil came in and gave us great minutes, Myles Cale played terrific, I stepped my game up. Myles (Powell) didn't shoot it well, but he made some big plays down the stretch, and we got the big fella right here (Delgado), so I'm proud of my team."

"I definitely think we regained it," he added with regard to the Pirates' swagger. "I don't think I was really worried when we went on that little (losing) streak, because every team hits walls during the season. It just happened that ours came late."

5) "I'm a warrior."
Delgado opened the game on a roll, scoring the first six Seton Hall points before letting the game come back to him in the second half and in overtime, ending the day with 14 points and 13 rebounds for his 20th double-double of the season, and 70th of his career. There was also a brief scary moment in which the senior center, who has battled through a dislocated kneecap, was inadvertently elbowed by Sanogo late in the second half, but the All-America candidate shook it off and did what he does best.

"I'm a warrior," Delgado declared. "I'm always going to come right back. I'm not letting my team down right now just because something hurts. If something hurts, it's gotta go away at some point, so I'm always there. I'm always ready to play."

Seton Hall outlasts St. John's in overtime for 20th win of season

Khadeen Carrington, Jordan Walker and Ismael Sanogo celebrate at center court after Seton Hall's overtime victory over St. John's. (Photo by Jason Schott/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Jason Schott (@JESchott19)

NEW YORK -- Seton Hall notched their 20th victory of the season, as they outlasted St. John's in overtime, 81-74, Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

A de facto magic number for an NCAA Tournament bid, the Pirates are now 20-9 overall and 9-7 in the Big East, tying them with Butler and Providence for third in the conference. St. John's has now dropped two straight after their magical four-game winning streak, falling to 14-15 overall and 3-13 in the Big East, now in last place in the conference since DePaul beat Marquette Saturday afternoon.

Seton Hall was led by Khadeen Carrington, who had 22 points with eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal. Angel Delgado got another double-double, the 70th of his career and 20th on the season, as he had 14 rebounds on a superb 7-9 from the field and 13 rebounds. Myles Powell came close to a double-double of his own, as he had 18 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Myles Cale, who started for the first time in his career in place of the injured Desi Rodriguez, had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, and two rebounds. Ismael Sanogo also had 10 points on 5-of-7 from the field, with six rebounds. St. John's was led by Shamorie Ponds, who finished with 25 points. Just as it was Wednesday against Marquette, Ponds' point total was impressive, but was kept in check as he shot 9-for-22 from the field and was 0-for-6 from behind the arc. The sophomore did finish with six assists, two rebounds, and two steals as well. Marvin Clark II had a double-double with 19 points on 8-12 from the field and 3-5 on threes, and 10 rebounds. He also had three steals and three turnovers.

This game was a very even battle, with seven lead changes and the score tied 15 times. Seton Hall got the edge in the first half, powered by 12 points from Carrington and 10 from Delgado to take a 38-34 lead into halftime. In the second half, the Pirates opened up a 63-58 lead on a Cale layup with 6:13 remaining in regulation. St. John's came right back, as Clark drained a three right after that, and eventually tied it at 68 on a Ponds layup with 51 seconds left. On Seton Hall's ensuing possession, Ponds was called for a reach-in foul on Powell with 38 seconds left, an ambiguous call as it did not appear to the live crowd that Ponds had made contact on Powell.

Powell went to the foul line and drained both free throws to make it 70-68 Seton Hall. He then fouled Ponds as he went up for a shot with 16 seconds left, and Ponds made both free throws to tie it at 70. Seton Hall had plenty of time to get a game-winning shot, but Powell's three-point attempt rimmed out to send the game to overtime.

The extra period began with Delgado and Ponds trading baskets to start, followed by Delgado getting a layup to make it 74-72 Pirates one minute into the extra session. St. John's then had three chances on their ensuing possession, as Clark and Ponds missed threes and Bashir Ahmed missed a layup.

The most consequential play happened with 1:02 on the clock, when Clark fouled Carrington. The senior made both ensuing free throws to extend the Seton Hall lead to five, at 77-72. Ponds then responded with a pair of free throws with 55 seconds left to make it 77-74, and Ahmed got to the line for a one-and-one with 28 seconds left, but missed the front end. St. John's then took too long to foul, finally sending Carrington to the line with 16 seconds left, where he made both shots to seal the victory before adding a dunk in the final seconds to provide the final margin.

Seton Hall outscored St. John's, 11-4, in the overtime period.

Kevin Willard quote book: St. John's

On Seton Hall's response to the past 72 hours, including the suspended game against Providence and Friday's report involving Tiny Morton and Isaiah Whitehead:
"I'm really proud of the way these guys focused in and were able to really restart their minds on Thursday, because we were playing so well Wednesday night when the game stopped, and then really a light practice yesterday. But we were very focused, and I think they really respect this St. John's team. We knew how good they've been playing, we knew how good they are, and then I think anytime you play at the Garden, you have to respect the greatest venue ever, and I knew these guys would come out and play their hardest."

On Friday's report being a factor:
"Absolutely nothing. It had nothing to do with them. They had -- these guys -- have practiced, we had a nice team meal and they played video games."

On the short turnaround between Providence and St. John's, and being a helpful factor in the Big East Tournament:
"I think these guys are pretty used to the quick turnaround by now. I think for the younger guys they were a little bit mentally tired, but Myles Cale did a phenomenal job, Sandro played really well, so I thought all of them really kind of bounced back nice."

On walk-on Philip Flory playing 17 minutes:
"When Desi went down, Myles (Cale) is technically his backup defensively and offensively, and Phil's the only one that really knows what he's doing from the offensive side from that spot -- whether it's zone, whether it's underneath out of bounds plays -- and I think we all have a lot of confidence in Phil when he's out there, because he's tough, he'll defend and rebound, and when he's open, he could make a shot."

On his reaction to Friday's report published by Pete Thamel of Yahoo:
"The school has put out a statement. The only thing I'll say is that we've already hired an outside law firm to come in and do an investigation, and as a staff and as the head coach, I am looking forward to having them come in. We're going to be 100 percent open, we're going to be 100 percent honest, and I have a lot of confidence in my staff and ourselves in what we've done in the past, and I'm glad the school has moved quickly on this so we can move on from it."

"I have no other comment besides that. I can't comment on anything else because there's nothing else to comment about. There's just nothing else. That's my comment. I've got great players in my program with great kids and a perfect graduation rate and guys doing a lot of great stuff. I like where my program is."

On whether he addressed the report with the players:
"No, I don't think we talked about that. When I walked into the locker room -- I mean, you can't get away from it, it's on ESPN, it's on FS1, it's everywhere -- but we're focused on this team and what we're doing, and I'm focused on -- I'm enjoying coaching these seniors the last few weeks I'm going to have them. I'm enjoying every second with them because I'm going to miss them tremendously, and that's our focus."

On confidence that people connected to ASM sports are involved with this group of Seton Hall players:
"Again, I'm not going to comment on that. The only thing that I've seen is the Yahoo report, and I don't know -- there's no other facts or details about anything else out there -- so I can't comment on that, and I can't comment on something -- we haven't done our investigation and there's nothing to do. We were confident, we went through an investigation one other time early on that came out clear, and we'll go through it again. I'm confident -- again -- we'll come out, everything that we did and that we're supposed to do, we did the right way."

On Ismael Sanogo's defense on Shamorie Ponds:
"We tried to hide the big fella a little bit because they went small, and I think they really did a good job of kind of switching. We moved Angel around so they couldn't just get Angel in a pick-and-roll, which is tough when they're that small, and obviously Ish is; as we think, one of the best defenders in the country and Shamorie's one of the best guards, so it was a good matchup."

On Angel Delgado sitting out in practice:
"We didn't practice this week, so --  we played four games, technically, this week -- we played Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday. We'll take off tomorrow, he'll practice Monday, he probably won't practice Tuesday that much, but no one really practices much this time of year days before a game. But he likes to practice, I like when he's out of practice because he really is a pain in the butt in practice, (joking) but for the most part, I think his knee's doing pretty good. His shoulder's a little banged up, but for the most part, I think he's playing pretty well."

On Seton Hall's senior class accomplishments being vacated and any possible concern:
"Absolutely not. This has been a phenomenal group that has done tremendous things on and off the court, community service, they're all going to graduate, they've all played this game tremendously and again, I'm looking forward to getting the outside law firm in and then moving forward."