MAAC Monday: Non-conference wrapup, stat leaders, power rankings

With the earlier start to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play comes an earlier return of MAAC Monday, the weekly look in and around the MAAC that is back for yet another season. While the 2020-21 campaign remains a fluid affair with each passing day, MAAC Monday will attempt to be as well, offering as current an insight as possible while hoping not to be as adversely affected by COVID-19 as some schools unfortunately have over the first three weeks of play thus far.

In this week’s opening segment, the usual team spotlights will be replaced by a general look at how the non-conference season has gone for the seven MAAC schools that were able to obtain game experience before tipping off league play. Two others — Canisius and Manhattan — raised the curtain on the season this past weekend, whereas Monmouth and Siena are still waiting to take the floor. From there, stat leaders and power rankings will follow per usual.

To call this year’s college basketball season unconventional would be an understatement.

With the tenor of the sport seemingly changing on a daily basis and the specter of programs having to pause due to positive COVID-19 tests — something almost everyone in the MAAC has dealt with at one point or another since teams reconvened on campuses for the fall semester — lurking ever so near, the preparation for games has become its own science in more ways than one.

“I’m just happy and blessed to have this opportunity to be coaching basketball, and my team is happy and blessed to have the opportunity to play in these uncertain times,” Saint Peter’s head coach Shaheen Holloway remarked as the Peacocks were able to get four non-conference games in prior to opening league play Friday against Niagara. “We’re just taking it day by day. I didn’t know what to expect going into the first game, it was a whirlwind. Having to practice off-site and not having a home gym, it’s been tough, but I tell our guys every day: Let’s just be grateful to have that opportunity to be out there.”

“We’re just in an environment right now where if you enjoy consistency and predictability, you’re going to be unhappy,” Quinnipiac’s Baker Dunleavy said just days before his Bobcats had to pause for a second time in as many months, which wiped out what would have been the team’s first two sets of MAAC games, against Iona and Manhattan. “We’ve been really fortunate to get a few games in our non-conference, and I think for us, it’s shown us where we need to put more work than we thought, and it just breaks up the monotony of beating up on yourselves all October and November.”

For Greg Paulus, whose Niagara team was thrown into the fire after its own COVID-related shutdown by having to open the year at Syracuse, a daunting task for any team, the joy of simply competing offset the 87-52 loss his Purple Eagles undertook on December 3.

“There’s been so much hard work that so many people have put into giving student-athletes this opportunity,” he said. “I’m just thankful for our administration and leadership here on campus so we can have this opportunity, and for us, I think an area we’re hoping to get better at is our rhythm and timing. I think we’ve just tried to build up, little by little, each day that we’ve been able to get back on the court.”

“I think the basketball part of it has been a challenge for sure,” Fairfield’s Jay Young said of navigating the season amid the pandemic. “At this point, I think we’re used to the three times a week testing. That routine has become sort of normal for us. We’re fortunate we’ve got a pretty good group of guys.”

Rider, picked last in the MAAC’s preseason poll, suffered a season-opening loss at Syracuse before nearly upsetting St. John’s last Tuesday, holding an 11-point second-half lead on the Red Storm at one point. The Broncs have since earned a split of their first conference weekend against Manhattan, but Kevin Baggett was encouraged with what he saw.

“I learned that they took the challenge,” he said of a group that returned only four players from last season. “We’ve been challenging these guys to get better, and we did that. This team has just bought in and trying to do the things we’re asking them to do. Now, we’ve just got to get better. I wouldn’t call it a missed opportunity, I’d call it a learning opportunity.”

Holloway echoed a similar sentiment with his own Garden State program, which has its own mix of returning players and new arrivals.

“I’ve got five new guys,” he said of Saint Peter’s roster. “I’m still trying to learn them and they’re still trying to learn me, so those first four games were definitely big. I thought our guys competed their butts off. Maryland put a beating on us (December 4), but we’re going to learn from it.”

Holloway’s predecessor in Jersey City, John Dunne, was limited to two non-conference games at Marist, but the MAAC veteran went for a prescient approach. Citing the back-to-back nature of the league schedule, Dunne scheduled the Red Foxes for a home-and-home with Binghamton, and came away with greater perspective that will serve his program well throughout the year.

“It was interesting, but it was great to be out there,” he observed. “Fortunately, we pulled out two close games, but the biggest thing was getting a little experience, especially because we’re going to be relying on so many new players. Just to get those minutes in — we were in two tight games — and to be able to get those wins this year is just a positive for us to be able to help our confidence moving forward.”

Scoring Leaders

1) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (23.0 PPG)

2) Isaiah Ross, Iona (21.4)

3) Majesty Brandon, Canisius (18.5)

4) Dwight Murray, Rider (18.0)

T-5) Elijah Buchanan, Manhattan (12.5)

T-5) Malek Green, Canisius (14.5)

T-7) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (12.7)

T-7) Christian Ings, Rider (12.7)

T-9) Jason Douglas-Stanley, Manhattan (12.5)

T-9) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (12.5)

Rebounding Leaders

1) Malek Green, Canisius (10.0 RPG)

2) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (8.3)

3) Dwight Murray, Rider (7.8)

4) Elijah Buchanan, Manhattan (7.0)

5) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (6.8)

6) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (6.4)

T-7) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (6.3)

T-7) Tshiefu Ngalakulondi, Fairfield (6.3)

9) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (6.2)

10) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (6.0)

Assist Leaders

1) Dwight Murray, Rider (6.0 APG)

T-2) Jacco Fritz, Canisius (4.5)

T-2) Matthew Lee, Saint Peter’s (4.5)

4) Savion Lewis, Quinnipiac (3.5)

5) Caleb Green, Fairfield (3.2)

T-6) Jordan Henderson, Canisius (3.0)

T-6) Brendan McGuire, Quinnipiac (3.0)

T-6) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (3.0)

T-6) Kobi Nwandu, Niagara (3.0)

10) Bol Akot, Quinnipiac (2.8)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (.714)

2) Brendan McGuire, Quinnipiac (.625)

3) Warren Williams, Manhattan (.538)

4) Christian Ings, Rider (.522)

5) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (.518)

6) Majesty Brandon, Canisius (.517)

7) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (.514)

8) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (.514)

T-9) Tymu Chenery, Quinnipiac (.500)

T-9) Malek Green, Canisius (.500)

T-9) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (.500)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders

T-1) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (1.000)

T-1) Marques Watson, Manhattan (1.000)

T-3) Taj Benning, Fairfield (.889)

T-3) Armon Harried, Canisius (.889)

5) Justin Roberts, Niagara (.857)

6) Ricardo Wright, Marist (.833)

7) Elias King, Quinnipiac (.818)

8) Isaiah Ross, Iona (.792)

9) Tymu Chenery, Quinnipiac (.786)

10) Jalen Leach, Fairfield (.765)

3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Brendan McGuire, Quinnipiac (1.000)

2) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (.857)

T-3) Romar Reid, Manhattan (.667)

T-3) Marques Watson, Manhattan (.667)

T-5) Rodney Henderson, Rider (.500)

T-5) Jeremiah Pope, Rider (.500)

7) Daryl Banks III, Saint Peter’s (.467)

8) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (.462)

9) Tymu Chenery, Quinnipiac (.455)

10) Majesty Brandon, Canisius (.429)

Steal Leaders

1) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (2.8 SPG)

2) Majesty Brandon, Canisius (2.5)

3) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (2.0)

4) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (1.8)

T-5) Michael Cubbage, Marist (1.5)

T-5) Samba Diallo, Manhattan (1.5)

T-5) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (1.5)

T-5) Dwight Murray, Rider (1.5)

Blocked Shot Leaders

1) Seth Pinkney, Quinnipiac (3.0 BPG)

2) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (2.7)

3) Elijah Buchanan, Manhattan (2.0)

T-4) Armon Harried, Canisius (1.5)

T-4) Warren Williams, Manhattan (1.5)

Power Rankings

1) Saint Peter’s (4-2, 2-0 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 vs. Niagara (W 53-49)

Next Game: Friday 12/18 at Monmouth, 5 p.m.

2) Siena (0-0)

First Game: Tuesday 12/22 at Drexel, 2 p.m.

3) Monmouth (0-0)

First Game: Tuesday 12/15 vs. Hofstra, 7 p.m.

4) Manhattan (1-1, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 vs. Rider (W 87-77)

Next Game: Saturday 12/19 vs. Marist, 2 p.m.

5) Rider (1-3, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 at Manhattan (L 87-77)

Next Game: Friday 12/18 vs. Iona, 7 p.m.

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

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 at Fairfield (L 67-52)

Next Game: Friday 12/18 at Rider, 7 p.m.

7) Marist (3-1, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 at Canisius (W 56-52)

Next Game: Saturday 12/19 at Manhattan, 2 p.m.

8) Quinnipiac (2-2)

Last Game: Sunday 12/6 vs. New Hampshire (W 64-58)

Next Game: Friday 1/1 at Marist, 5 p.m.

9) Canisius (1-1, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 vs. Marist (L 56-52)

Next Game: Friday 1/1 vs. Saint Peter’s, 1 p.m.

10) Fairfield (1-5, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 vs. Iona (W 67-52)

Next Game: Friday 12/18 at Niagara, 4 p.m.

11) Niagara (0-3, 0-2 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/12 at Saint Peter’s (L 53-49)

Next Game: Friday 12/18 vs. Fairfield, 4 p.m.