MAAC Monday: Team capsules, stat leaders, power rankings

Rick Pitino presided over MAAC favorite as Iona returns to league play. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

MAAC Monday returns with the Christmas holiday now in the books and the resumption of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play slated to take place Friday, barring any COVID-related postponements or cancellations. On that note, the MAAC announced last week it would uphold its decision regarding instances where a team that does not have the minimum amount of scholarship players available for a league contest would forfeit the game, with all forfeits counting as wins and losses in the conference standings, thereby affecting seeding for the MAAC tournament in March.

Before the usual listing of stat leaders and initial set of 2021-22 power rankings is unveiled, the first segment of MAAC Monday will focus on a review of the season’s first two months, including the first two games of league play earlier this month. Teams will be listed in the order in which they were predicted to finish in the preseason coaches’ poll, beginning with the favorite.

Iona: With a full offseason for Rick Pitino to install his schematics and further develop his players, it was not a question of if the Gaels would establish themselves as the MAAC’s alpha, but rather, one of when. Iona made short work of a formidable non-conference schedule, bettering this writer’s prediction considerably while earning the first win over a Top 10 opponent in MAAC history when it upset Alabama on Thanksgiving night in the ESPN Events Invitational. What makes this Gaels outfit so dangerous is that no two wins have been exactly the same, and each game has given rise to a new way to win. Whether by defensive lockdown (Appalachian State), shootout (Harvard), resiliency (Hofstra), second-half comebacks (Liberty, Marist and Delaware), or domination (North Alabama and Rider), Iona has proven itself as up to the task. While Nelly Junior Joseph commands most of the attention, it has been Tyson Jolly who has been the Gaels’ most complete player more often than not with Elijah Joiner and Quinn Slazinski serving as capable third options on any given night. Dylan van Eyck also looks like the frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year recognition at this point.

Saint Peter’s: The Peacocks, as Shaheen Holloway has traditionally designed, also played a strong non-conference slate, taking VCU to the wire in their season opener before going on to face St. John’s and Providence. A split of the MAAC’s opening weekend — defeating Quinnipiac before losing to Siena — has kept Saint Peter’s within earshot of the top half of the league, but the lack of production to this point from preseason Player of the Year honoree KC Ndefo is undoubtedly glaring and concerning. Still, the Peacocks remain a unit in which the sum of the whole is greater than the parts, and a healthy Doug Edert has helped bridge the gap in Ndefo’s numbers from his stellar junior season to the start of his senior campaign. Jaylen Murray, a lethal outside shooter, has blossomed off the bench to lead the team in assists and provide a steady complement to Matthew Lee at the point guard position.

Marist: John Dunne has demonstrated his overachieving 2020-21 season was no fluke, as the Red Foxes have rebounded out of the blocks to be one of the hotter teams in the league going back into conference play, which opened in the Hudson Valley with a heartbreaking loss to Iona before righting the ship with a decisive victory over Rider. Ricardo Wright has picked up where he left off as a freshman, as has Raheim Sullivan, and the addition of Samkelo Cele to the frontcourt alongside Jordan Jones has given Marist a more physically imposing look than in years past. The biggest revelation in Poughkeepsie, though, has been Jao Ituka. Dunne was effusive in his praise of the freshman guard in the offseason, and with good reason. Ituka already has a 34-point game on his ledger and owns a stellar 59 percent clip on his field goal attempts, and could very well be the first MAAC player to win both Rookie and Sixth Man of the Year since Nico Clareth did it at Siena in 2015-16.

Monmouth: Aside from Iona, no team has been as commanding in its performances as Monmouth. In fact, the Hawks have looked like the prohibitive top choice in the MAAC on some nights, including in their high-major victories over Cincinnati and Pitt. Just 13 points away from being 13-0 on the way back to league play, which began with a sweep of the notoriously difficult Buffalo trip against Niagara and Canisius, Monmouth’s experience has served it well as King Rice has played a shorter rotation than most fans have grown accustomed to over the years. Walker Miller and Shavar Reynolds have not missed a beat since transferring in, and have fused seamlessly with the likes of George Papas and Marcus McClary to offer a dangerous four-man combination that, when at the top of its game, is unmatched. If the Hawks can continue to get production from Nikkei Rutty, Myles Foster, and a recently returned Jarvis Vaughan, the trademark depth in West Long Branch may once again manifest itself for a special February and March.

Rider: The Broncs are not as young as a year ago, but are still learning how to win games and develop on the fly. With losses in both of their MAAC contests against Iona and Marist, they return to the league slate looking to make up ground, but have already improved in several facets such as free throw shooting and defense, the latter looking more like the Kevin Baggett teams of old with each passing night. Allen Powell has made strides in being Rider’s secondary ball handler this season alongside Dwight Murray, Jr., and the return of Dimencio Vaughn has gone almost exactly how most envisioned thus far. If Mervin James and Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson can ramp up their numbers down low, the Broncs could crack the top half of the standings quicker than expected.

Fairfield: Jay Young continues to do a masterful job of turning the Stags into a deceptively strong contender built on suffocating opposing teams defensively and making smart, efficient plays on the offensive end. It is this combination that enabled Fairfield to leave Buffalo with a sweep of Canisius and Niagara, while also keeping almost every non-conference affair relatively close. Those who question the lack of a standout scorer need not be alarmed, as the Stags have a number of players who can step up as evidenced by seven players averaging seven or more points per game, with an eighth — Chris Maidoh — being one of the more improved players in the conference from a physical and conditioning standpoint as well. Two games this weekend against Manhattan and Iona will be key indicators of just how much this group has tapped into its vast and rich potential.

Manhattan: In what could be a make-or-break year for Steve Masiello and the Jaspers, in search of their first winning season since the MAAC championship year of 2014-15, Manhattan has become much more adept at shooting and scoring the basketball this season en route to an 8-3 start that includes a win over Siena, the best for the program since a 10-2 beginning in 2013-14. The emergence of Jose Perez, seemingly destined to play for Masiello when you consider his passion and nonstop motor, has given the Jaspers a throwback toughness to pair with the imposing interior presences of Warren Williams and Josh Roberts, while also allowing Anthony Nelson to do more work off the ball and Elijah Buchanan to be more of a defensive presence. Manhattan’s top seven is as deep as it has been in recent years, and this year’s torrid start will only raise the confidence levels in Riverdale.

Siena: The Saints took a few weeks to get rolling, but after rebounding from a league-opening loss to Manhattan with a win over Saint Peter’s and another victory over Holy Cross, Carmen Maciariello may have this team exactly where he wants it going into the new year. Colby Rogers has blossomed in the backcourt while Jackson Stormo has lived up to expectations in the paint, but Siena has been bitten by the injury bug at various points this season as well. Anthony Gaines and Aidan Carpenter have made progress as well, and if the Saints get back to a full complement sooner rather than later, the coronation most envisioned at the top could have a well-known spoiler.

Quinnipiac: The Bobcats may be somewhat underrated in relation to their depth and talent, and the emergence of Matt Balanc as a consistent scorer is by far the most impressive piece of Baker Dunleavy’s arsenal in Hamden. Shooting the lights out to defeat Manhattan two days after losing its MAAC opener to Saint Peter’s, Quinnipiac has been able to get away with Jacob Rigoni and Kevin Marfo flying under the radar this year, a credit to the emergence of Dezi Jones and return to form of both Savion Lewis and Tyrese Williams to offset Elias King and Luis Kortright not being 100 percent at points this year. If the Bobcats can bottle up their efficiency, Dunleavy will have this group in meaningful games late in the season.

Niagara: Greg Paulus has picked up a pair of strong non-league wins against Patriot League favorite Colgate and another against Albany to offset league losses to Monmouth and Fairfield, and has done so with Marcus Hammond reclaiming his throne as a top scorer. In fact, the Cardozo product leads the conference in points per game. The addition of Sam Iorio and availability of Jordan Cintron for a full season has mitigated the loss of Raheem Solomon, who stepped away before the season to focus on academics. With a half-dozen players averaging at least seven points per contest, there is no shortage of options on Monteagle Ridge, which will serve Niagara well later in the year.

Canisius: The Golden Griffins may rival Marist as the hottest team in the MAAC at the moment, going back into conference play with impressive victories over Buffalo and Florida Gulf Coast that showcased each piece of Reggie Witherspoon’s two-way attack. Malek Green has handled the responsibility of leading in phenomenal fashion, while Armon Harried is the latest in a long line of Griffs role players to improve ahead of schedule. Jordan Henderson, Jacco Fritz and Ahamadou Fofana have given Canisius three more capable pieces, and the increased usage of Siem Uijtendaal and Akrum Ahemed only makes the cupboard all the more plentiful as the Griffs seek to gain ground after losing their league openers to Fairfield and Monmouth.

Scoring Leaders

1) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (17.6 PPG)

2) Malek Green, Canisius (16.5)

3) George Papas, Monmouth (16.3)

4) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (16.2)

5) Shavar Reynolds, Monmouth (15.8)

6) Walker Miller, Monmouth (14.9)

7) Tyson Jolly, Iona (14.4)

8) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (14.3)

9) Ricardo Wright, Marist (14.2)

10) Jose Perez, Manhattan (14.1)

Rebounding Leaders

1) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (10.8 RPG)

2) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (8.7)

3) Fousseyni Drame, Saint Peter’s (7.7)

4) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (7.6)

5) Malek Green, Canisius (7.4)

T-6) Jackson Stormo, Siena (7.0)

T-6) Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (7.0)

8) Nikkei Rutty, Monmouth (6.8)

9) Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson, Rider (6.8)

10) Walker Miller, Monmouth (6.8)

Assist Leaders

1) Jose Perez, Manhattan (5.6 APG)

2) Savion Lewis, Quinnipiac (4.1)

3) Kevin Marfo, Quinnipiac (4.0)

4) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (3.8)

5) Ahamadou Fofana, Canisius (3.5)

6) Dwight Murray, Jr., Rider (3.3)

7) George Papas, Monmouth (3.3)

8) Caleb Green, Fairfield (3.2)

9) Noah Thomasson, Niagara (2.9)

10) Jacco Fritz, Canisius (2.8)

Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Savion Lewis, Quinnipiac (.694)

2) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (.662)

3) Greg Kuakumensah, Niagara (.638)

4) Dylan van Eyck, Iona (.618)

5) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (.591)

6) Jao Ituka, Marist (.589)

7) Warren Williams, Manhattan (.583)

8) Supreme Cook, Fairfield (.568)

9) Jackson Stormo, Siena (.538)

10) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (.531)

Free Throw Percentage Leaders

1) Daryl Banks III, Saint Peter’s (.893)

2) Shavar Reynolds, Monmouth (.887)

3) Doug Edert, Saint Peter’s (.875)

4) George Papas, Monmouth (.860)

5) Walker Miller, Monmouth (.855)

6) Marcus Hammond, Niagara (.844)

7) Samba Diallo, Manhattan (.833)

8) Quinn Slazinski, Iona (.825)

9) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (.818)

10) Anthony Gaines, Siena (.788)

3-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders

1) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (.467)

2) Walter Clayton, Iona (.459)

3) Jaylen Murray, Saint Peter’s (.450)

4) Nick Hopkins, Siena (.439)

5) Colby Rogers, Siena (.438)

6) Matt Herasme, Marist (.433)

7) Matt Balanc, Quinnipiac (.431)

8) Tyson Jolly, Iona (.429)

T-9) Zach Crisler, Fairfield (.421)

T-9) Javian McCollum, Siena (.421)

T-9) Ricardo Wright, Marist (.421)

Steal Leaders

T-1) Elijah Buchanan, Manhattan (1.9 SPG)

T-1) Jordan Cintron, Niagara (1.9 SPG)

3) Anthony Nelson, Manhattan (1.8)

4) Savion Lewis, Quinnipiac (1.6)

5) Nick Hopkins, Siena (1.5)

Blocked Shot Leaders

1) KC Ndefo, Saint Peter’s (2.6 BPG)

2) Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona (1.8)

3) Josh Roberts, Manhattan (1.4)

4) Jordan Jones, Marist (1.3)

5) Berrick JeanLouis, Iona (1.2)

Power Rankings

1) Iona (10-2, 2-0 MAAC)

Last Game: Tuesday 12/21 vs. Delaware (W 83-72)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 vs. Siena, 1 p.m.

2) Monmouth (10-3, 2-0 MAAC)

Last Game: Wednesday 12/22 vs. Hofstra (L 77-71)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 vs. Marist, 1 p.m.

3) Fairfield (8-5, 2-0 MAAC)

Last Game: Thursday 12/23 vs. Wagner (L 63-50)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 vs. Manhattan, 2 p.m.

4) Manhattan (8-3, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Tuesday 12/21 vs. The Citadel (W 77-74)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 at Fairfield, 2 p.m.

5) Marist (6-5, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Wednesday 12/22 vs. Bethune-Cookman (W 68-45)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 at Monmouth, 1 p.m.

6) Quinnipiac (6-4, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/11 vs. Maine (W 73-47)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 vs. Niagara, 2 p.m.

7) Siena (4-6, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/11 at Holy Cross (W 72-59)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 at Iona, 1 p.m.

8) Saint Peter’s (3-6, 1-1 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/18 at Stony Brook (L 64-63)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 vs. Canisius, 2 p.m.

9) Niagara (5-6, 0-2 MAAC)

Last Game: Saturday 12/18 at Albany (W 66-58)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 at Quinnipiac, 2 p.m.

10) Canisius (4-9, 0-2 MAAC)

Last Game: Wednesday 12/22 vs. Florida Gulf Coast (W 97-90)

Next Game: Friday 12/31 at Saint Peter’s, 2 p.m.

11) Rider (4-8, 0-2 MAAC)

Last Game: Monday 12/20 vs. Gwynedd-Mercy (W 82-57)

Next Game: Sunday 1/2 at Quinnipiac, 1 p.m.

Hofstra follows Arkansas upset with win over Monmouth in OOC finale

Jalen Ray led Hofstra with 19 points as Pride downed Monmouth in last game before CAA play begins. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Jason Dimaio (@JasonDimaio1)

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — On the heels of a signature win against Arkansas last Saturday, Hofstra looked to end its non-conference schedule with a win in a slate head coach Speedy Claxton openly admitted was arduous, but would serve the program well when Colonial Athletic Association play began.

Mission accomplished.

Behind 19 points from Jalen Ray and 15 each from Darlinstone Dubar and Omar Silverio, the Pride pulled out a gritty 77-71 win over Monmouth, building an 18-point lead before withstanding a late rally to preserve a Quad 1 victory over a Hawks team projected to be among the best in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Hofstra, now 8-5, heads into its CAA opener at William & Mary on Wednesday among the hottest teams in the conference, rattling off seven wins in its last eight games, the last two over 24th-ranked Arkansas and a Monmouth team ranked 41st in the NET adding more juice to an already stellar resume thus far.

“I’m excited and proud that these guys came out and battled,” Claxton said, expressing concern for a potential letdown off the emotional high of the Arkansas win. “We’ve got good shooters, and they did some things defensively where they were trapping us. Once we got out of the trap, we were able to find our shooters. We’re a tough team to prepare for with the way we spread the court out, and we’ve got some guys that can really shoot the basketball.”

Hofstra overwhelmed the Hawks with a 3-point barrage in the first half, unleashing a 21-5 run in the early stages of the period to get out to a 24-14 advantage as Ray led the way with 11 points on 3-of-3 shooting from behind the arc in that stretch. Overall, the Pride was 6-for-12 from deep at that juncture. The trend continued into the break, as Hofstra went into halftime with a 46-34 lead.

“The way he plays here, they might have to (name the court after him),” Claxton joked as Ray’s torrid shooting set the tone for the evening. “He always seems to play big in Monmouth’s gym.”

With 16 minutes to go in the game, Omar Silverio seemed to fire a dagger into the heart of the Hawks, drilling a three to give Hofstra an 18-point lead. However, Monmouth’s run began, catching the Pride off kilter as it both pressed offensively with shots not falling and started to foul more, putting Monmouth in the bonus early. The Hofstra cushion was trimmed to 10 at the 8-minute media timeout of the second half, and just two minutes later, Monmouth cut the lead to three to send the OceanFirst Bank Center Arena crowd to its feet and Hofstra to its heels. All in all, a 15-2 run by the Hawks turned what appeared destined for a decisive victory into a grinder.

After Walker Miller, who led Monmouth and all scorers with 26 points, drained a pair of free throws to make the score 71-68 with 2:53 on the clock, Hofstra gained breathing room on a Kvonn Cramer layup and two free throws from Dubar to go back up by seven before Miller buried a three to pull the Hawks back within four. It was as close as the hosts would get, though, as the decision by King Rice to let the next defensive possession play out allowed the Pride to run down the clock before Monmouth was forced to foul.

Although he didn’t fill the stat sheet, it should not go unnoticed that Jaquan Carlos has done an exceptional job seeing an increase in his minutes due to Zach Cooks’ hip injury. The freshman was able to build off his performance at Arkansas and contribute six points in 20 minutes, along with two assists to help lead a formidable offensive attack.

“He’s a freshman, he’s coming around and we have the utmost confidence in him,” Claxton said of Carlos. “We think he’s going to be a really, really good player, and with more minutes, the more comfortable he’s going to get out there. We’re increasing his minutes slowly, and he can handle it. He’s good, man. He’s going to be a really good player for us.”

Hofstra could not have gone into the Christmas break on a stronger note as it now gears up for CAA play after its daunting schedule, and after being only minutes away from adding to it with wins at Houston and Maryland, the transition into the league schedule could not be more opportune.

“This break is coming at the right time for us,” Claxton candidly admitted. “We do need to get some guys healthy. We’ve won seven of eight and we’re trending in the right direction, but now that we have a little break, it’s going to be a point to get off to a good start.”

Miller’s career night not enough as Monmouth falls to Hofstra

Walker Miller’s 26 points led Monmouth, but Hawks came up short Wednesday against Hofstra. (Photo by Monmouth University Athletics)

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — King Rice, never one to mince words and always one to give the proper credit where due, stuck with what brought him to the dance Wednesday night, even if his team had stretches where it did not resemble itself.

The Hawks took an early initiative in their non-conference finale against Hofstra, opening up a 9-3 lead, but a 21-5 spurt by the visitors flipped the script for the remainder of the night, as Monmouth squandered a career-best 26 points from Walker Miller in a 77-71 defeat at the hands of the Pride.

“I want to give Hofstra all the credit in the world,” a succinct Rice stated as the Pride, four days removed from a signature victory against a Top 25 outfit in Arkansas, torched the nets in the first half with eight 3-pointers to build a cushion as large as 18 points. “I feel like Jalen Ray’s been beating me since I was 20 years old. That kid can really play. They’re just a really hard guard because they have so many guys that can space you. They came in with a great plan, they knocked us way back and made us look like we haven’t looked all season, and that’s a credit to them. They just straight beat us today.”

“We thought we had a great plan for this game. Here’s the thing: Hofstra played harder than Monmouth. When another team plays harder than you, they’re going to win. Then you’ve got to be a dude and try to make them play. They did that to us, and we didn’t do it to them.”

On an evening where George Papas was stymied by Omar Silverio’s defense en route to a 2-for-11 shooting display and Shavar Reynolds labored for every opportunity he received, Monmouth (10-3) needed contributions from another of its more experienced pieces. The help came from Miller, the North Carolina transfer who posted an efficient 9-of-12 line, and even demonstrated his pick-and-pop potential by stepping behind the arc to drain three of his four 3-point attempts.

“I’m really proud of Walker,” Rice gushed. “He’s one of the best dudes in our league and at this level. Whatever league, he’s one of the best big men, and he’s showing that night in and night out. He’s just starting to get his confidence.”

Unfortunately for Monmouth, Hofstra’s confidence entered Wednesday’s contest at a marked high and showed little sign of dropoff throughout the night. Even as the Pride (8-5) allowed the Hawks to creep back within earshot, it counterpunched strong when needed to dispel the fear of a potential letdown from a whirlwind weekend.

“To come in here and beat them on their home court was a tremendous win for our program,” Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton declared. “We didn’t want to come in here and have a letdown. This team could have easily looked down at their opponent because it wasn’t a high-major.”

“That last game going into the break is always tough. You never if your guys have one foot out the door, but we stressed to them to be in the moment and not think about home until after the game. And to their credit, they did that.”

Both Hofstra and Monmouth now shift their sights toward conference play, with the Pride traveling to William & Mary and Elon for its Colonial Athletic Association opening swing, while the Hawks return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action on New Year’s Eve with a matinee against Marist and a positive outlook amid a game that Rice admits was tougher given its place on the slate as the finale before the holiday break.

“We’re in a great place, and we still are,” he reassured. “When we put the schedule out and you look at all the games, this was the worst-scheduled game, but credit to Hofstra and Speedy. I love competing against dudes that are as good as him. You’ve got to take your Ls sometimes, so if I have to lose one, I’ll take that one.”

Clayton’s rush helps Iona blitz Delaware in non-conference finale

Walter Clayton led Iona with 21 points off bench as Gaels keyed second-half rally to soar past Delaware. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Jaden Daly (@DalyDoseOfHoops)

ELMONT, N.Y. — Had he accepted one of his multiple scholarship offers to play football, Walter Clayton could have spent his Tuesday night preparing for a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Instead, he opted to play basketball and learn under a Hall of Fame coach, and just two months into his collegiate career, authored a magnum opus against an opponent whose football program, oddly enough, modeled its own helmet and uniforms after a team he may have faced had he chosen the gridiron.

Clayton, who spurned overtures to join the secondary at Georgia and Cincinnati, along with a bevy of other Football Bowl Subdivision suitors the likes of Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State and Tennessee to play for Rick Pitino at Iona, had the first of what could be many breakout performances Tuesday, erupting for 21 points off the bench as the Gaels overcame a sluggish start to upend Delaware, wrapping up their non-conference season with an 83-72 victory over the Blue Hens inside UBS Arena.

“It helps a little bit with instincts, like being able to see something before it happens,” Clayton said of his football background and how it helps him adapt on the hardwood. “But sometimes, it messes me up too, because I’ll lose my man trying to read the passer’s eyes and stuff like that.”

“He’s going after the quarterback a lot,” Pitino quipped.

Iona (10-2) was most grateful for Clayton’s sack of the Colonial Athletic Association favorite Delaware, who scored the first nine points of the evening and led through the first half behind the torrid shooting of Jameer Nelson, Jr., who tallied 19 of his 29 points in the opening stanza to send the Blue Hens into the locker room with a 39-32 halftime lead.

While Nelly Junior Joseph amassed a double-double in the opening frame alone on his way to 14 points and just as many rebounds, it was Clayton who set the stage for what was to come on the heels of the intermission. The freshman point guard intercepted a rebound before feeding Tyson Jolly for a 3-pointer in transition, then took matters into his own hands just over a minute later with a trifecta of his own to punctuate a 10-0 run that gave Iona its first lead of the night, a 42-39 edge with 17:43 remaining in regulation.

The two teams would trade baskets before Delaware forged a brief lead again, but Clayton found a way to paydirt once more, scoring five straight points to tip the scales the way of the Gaels again on a trey and ensuing jumper to give Iona a lead it would never relinquish. The Floridian then made an impact beyond the box score, spacing the floor enough for Tyson Jolly to knock down three consecutive threes as part of a 16-4 Iona spurt that extended the lead to 11. Delaware would pull within eight shortly thereafter, but Clayton was there to yet again slam the door, with back-to-back triples of his own to put Iona up 69-55 with just over six minutes to play, ensuring the Blue Hens would not draw within three possessions for the remainder of the contest.

“I’ve had a lot of good freshmen, obviously at Kentucky and Louisville, but I’d put him up there with some of the real good ones I’ve had,” Pitino said of Clayton. “As he grows, he gets better and better and better. He’s got good size, he’s a 6’3 point guard who shoots it well, he’s unselfish, he has a great attitude, he’s a willing learner, his attitude matches his game. He’s just fun to coach for a freshman.”

“I see a lot of Donovan Mitchell in him. I don’t mean to put that pressure on him, but he’s got that great attitude that Donovan Mitchell had and he’s got great professionalism. He’s really got moxie as a basketball player.”

Coming off a whirlwind weekend where a marquee game at Madison Square Garden against Seton Hall was canceled amid COVID-19 issues with the Pirates, Iona wraps up a non-conference season highlighted by a win over a Top 10-ranked Alabama team and now returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, where it swept its first two games earlier this month against Marist and Rider, with momentum to further what appears to be a special season if early results hold to form.

“We had a lot of rust from not playing,” Pitino admitted. “We didn’t play real good defense in the first half, got ourselves behind, but we came out loaded from there and played a great second half. We’ll be ready. We’ve got a good group of guys with a good attitude, who are willing to learn to get better.”

St. John’s at a crossroads entering Big East play after losing to Pitt without Champagnie

Mike Anderson looks on as St. John’s, which led Pitt by 10 points in first half, ultimately loses to Panthers on last-second shot. (Photo by Vincent Dusovic/St. John’s University Athletics)

NEW YORK — Well, it seems to me that you’ve seen too much in too few years

And though you’ve tried, you just can’t hide your eyes are edged with tears

You better stop, look around

Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes

— The Rolling Stones, “19th Nervous Breakdown”

Stop me if you’ve heard this before in relation to St. John’s. I may not even have to get more than a handful of words in, I understand.

The Red Storm, in its non-conference finale Saturday afternoon, welcomed former Big East foe Pitt to Madison Square Garden in what was the showcase game of the Gotham Classic, a multi-team event in which St. John’s already defeated Monmouth and Colgate in on-campus home games. But, as is usually the case on the corner of Union and Utopia, or 33rd and 8th on this day, the event was not without its share of drama, or indigestion among the red-and-white-clad faithful.

Johnnies fans arose from their slumber this morning to find that Julian Champagnie, far and away St. John’s most gifted offensive weapon, would miss the day’s festivities due to a positive COVID-19 test that head coach Mike Anderson would later say was diagnosed “a few days ago.” And so began yet another of those classic and undesired moments among the Red Storm fan base where thousands could do nothing but wait for the other proverbial shoe to drop.

It did exactly that Saturday afternoon.

Leading by as many as 10 points midway through the first half, St. John’s could not sustain its momentum, allowing a Pitt team that lost to The Citadel and UMBC last month to remain within earshot and seize the lead three times, the last of which coming on a game-winning Jamarius Burton floater with four-tenths of a second remaining in what will enter the record books as a 59-57 win for the Panthers, and a deflating punch to the solar plexus for a St. John’s team that concludes its non-league slate with an uninspiring 8-3 record.

“We had a lot of chances to really get some distance with ourselves,” Anderson assessed, trying to explain a loss that, for all intents and purposes, Champagnie or not, remains largely inexplicable. “Our inability to take care of the basketball — we had three straight possessions where I thought we didn’t cash in— allowed them to stay and hang around. We’ve got to get the toughness factor, and it can’t come from just one or two guys. Obviously these guys here (Posh Alexander and Dylan Addae-Wusu, who were on the press conference dais with Anderson), they bring it. We’ve got to get other guys to bring it.”

And therein lies the problem that has befallen this team all season, the lack of a consistent third option. Addae-Wusu was pressed into primary wingman duty behind Alexander in Champagnie’s stead, but even he has had up-and-down moments on the whole. Aaron Wheeler, thought of to be an impact player upon his transfer from Purdue, has been largely nonexistent in the grand scheme of things. So have Tareq Coburn and O’Mar Stanley. Esahia Nyiwe has impressed with his motor and high energy, but remains a work in progress on the offensive end. Rafael Pinzon is coming along as a freshman, and while Montez Mathis, Stef Smith and Joel Soriano all played well in this outing, it fell two points short of mattering more than it ultimately will.

“It’s a tough loss, but we’ve got to learn from it,” said Anderson. “We’re a team where our defense is a big part of what we do, so it’s kind of like shooting yourself in the foot. We had some things like that earlier and we got better at it, but I thought our guys were trying.”

“I’ve got a disappointed locker room, but at the same time, we know the sun’s going to come up tomorrow and it’s not the end of the world. There are a lot of things going on in this world right now that are more important than just a basketball game.”

As true as that last quote is, the leather-lunged die-hards in the stands will feel differently as the Red Storm, despite its valiant effort, failed to provide anything of substance to a resume that is seemingly vapid in its content. In fact, the younger generation would probably describe it as “meh” as Big East play starts Thursday evening against Butler, another game Champagnie is expected to miss as he remains in health and safety protocols. Adding to the conundrum is Monday's win via forfeit at the expense of virus-riddled Seton Hall, ranked 16th in the country and on a normal day, representative of a potential statement to be made. Alas.

“Let’s give Pitt some credit, too,” Anderson proposed in a flashback to the Norm Roberts era. “I thought they didn’t give up on plays, they got to the free throw line 28 times — that’s double than what we did — and they made 23 of them. There lies the game right there.”

St. John’s did get the short end of a one-sided whistle, particularly in the second half, which prompted Anderson to admit he was visibly frustrated with “more than a few” of the calls that went against the Red Storm, but neither the officiating, nor the loss of Champagnie, excuses the dud that was thrown up in midtown Manhattan a week before Christmas. Nevertheless, Anderson tried to look on the bright side going into the next phase of the season, even if a chagrined fan base is still drowning itself in misery.

“We’re going to be in a lot of games like this where it’s going to come down to the last play, last second, and we’ve got to learn from it,” he reiterated. “When you’ve got nine new faces and you’re trying to get a team ready for what’s going to take place in league play, this is the epitome of what takes place in there. A loose ball here, a charge there. Those are the things that we’ve got to watch film and get better at.”

Time is running out. St. John’s, its personnel, and its fans can ill afford another nervous breakdown.

Regardless of result, New Jersey rivalry’s return was a win

Jared Rhoden (14) and Bryce Aiken (1) celebrate Seton Hall’s win over Rutgers, who leaves Newark reflecting on what could have been. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

NEWARK, N.J. — A total of 729 days had elapsed since Rutgers ripped off one of the many cathartic victories of a dream season derailed by COVID-19, a 68-48 pasting of in-state rival Seton Hall that, in many ways, was the most tangible proof at the time that Steve Pikiell and the Scarlet Knights were on the verge of realizing the impossible.

Like many other pre-pandemic moments, that Saturday evening in Piscataway feels like a distant memory now, with greater stretches of open road in the rearview mirror after the one-year hiatus in the annual clash between New Jersey foes and claims of ducking from one side while the other professed to search for an open date that could never be found. But time truly does heal all wounds, and on Sunday, the Garden State Hardwood Classic — the unofficial billing of Seton Hall vs. Rutgers since it became a non-conference affair in 2013 — was back, live and in living color in front of 10,000-plus at the Prudential Center.

And it was exactly what New Jersey basketball, whether you gravitate toward red or blue, was missing.

Seton Hall may have won Sunday — it did, 77-63, prolonging a home winning streak over Rutgers that dates back to 2013 and Mike Rice — and the night was not without its share of controversy between a pair of flagrant-1 fouls in the first half and a brief meeting of the minds when Steve Pikiell attempted to plead his case to official Bo Boroski that the shot clock started prematurely on an inbounds play, but for the most part, the juice and the emotions — good and bad — were on full display.

“I had a bad taste in my mouth from two years ago,” Seton Hall’s Jared Rhoden said in what is sure to be the latest entry in Jerry Carino’s excellent chronicling of the history between both teams. “I have this picture in my phone that I never forget about, some kid on the bench at Rutgers (reserve forward Luke Nathan, actually) that was screaming in my face when I fell on the floor. That’s something that resonated with me forever, and every time I think of Rutgers, I think of that moment, so I knew I was going to try to come out here and be a dog as much as I could.”

Rhoden and his teammate, point guard Bryce Aiken, did exactly that as Seton Hall triggered a 14-0 run at the end of the first half that changed the complexion of the game and gave the senior forward validation for his claim that the Pirates were one of the better teams in the country. And while Rhoden downplayed the importance and significance of the rivalry on a personal level, he recognized its impact on the program and community.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Rhoden said after allowing the Seton Hall’s latest victory over the Scarlet Knights to sink in. “I think for a kid like Bryce, who grew up in Jersey his whole life, just to have that experience and share that moment with him and a kid like Jamir (Harris) as well, I know how much these types of games mean to them and to Seton Hall fans, and the alumni specifically. It was a big-time win.”

His head coach, though, was more ambivalent about playing the game, treating it no differently than Seton Hall’s last or next contest.

“It doesn’t matter to me at all,” Kevin Willard remarked. “I told the team, we’re 2-1 in the Big Ten (Seton Hall had already defeated Michigan and lost to Ohio State on a last-second shot). I concentrate on my team. When you’re a coach, every game is a big game.”

In a way, Willard cannot really be blamed for this perspective, as he has routinely challenged his teams over the years with bigger non-conference matchups the likes of Michigan State, Louisville, Oregon and Texas, among others. Still, the game carries a meaning beyond the hardwood, one that Steve Pikiell understood when he helped broker the renewal of the battle after it appeared to be lost to the history books.

“As you could see, the environment was unbelievable,” Pikiell said in defending his desire for the rivalry to continue. “I think it’s obviously a great game for New Jersey, I don’t care who the coach is. I’ve said this many times, we should always play this game. I’m thankful Kevin played it, but I wish we played better.”

“I think it’s been awesome. I’ve been in this rivalry for six years and the games have always been very competitive. I think it’s an important game, I’ve said that from the get-go. I’m real glad that we played even though we didn’t play the way I would like to play. I think it’s real important to play this basketball game, it’s healthy for basketball and it’s healthy for this area.”

Sunday night proved that not only does absence make the heart grow fonder, but also that one does not know what one has until it is gone.

5 Thoughts: Seton Hall reclaims Jersey crown, beats Rutgers

Bryce Aiken exults after Seton Hall defeated Rutgers to reclaim Garden State bragging rights. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Jason Guerette (@JPGuerette)

NEWARK, N.J. — Seton Hall's win over No. 7 Texas on Thursday should have led the sports reports on the news. Wins over Top 10 programs don't happen every day, of course.

But it didn't, because its rival down the Turnpike beat No. 1 Purdue and stole all the headlines, setting up an epic showdown that had enough emotional charge to it as any other in the long rivalry. 

And thanks to a 14-0 run in the first half, the Pirates took control of the previously tight contest and never lost the lead, warding off several Rutgers advances to improve to 9-1 with a 77-63 win at Prudential Center.

Here are the 5 Thoughts:

- Hardwood Haymakers

With a sold-out crowd that was mostly wearing blue in the house on Sunday, you figured if Seton Hall had a big run or two in them, they would be able to use those big punches to really grab the reins of the game. The Pirates came, and Rutgers forgot to duck. 

A 14-0 run in the first half broke a 23-all tie, and in the second half, an 11-1 Seton Hall run gave the Pirates some distance to be able to put the Scarlet Knights away.  

"It's a game of momentum," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said afterwards. "I thought we played through it, then we had a swing in the second half, and then they came back when it was a six-point game, and they got the momentum back. It was a game like that."

Pikiell's right. Momentum swings both ways, and there is no doubt that the location of this game had an effect. Just two years ago, Seton Hall was on the wrong side of a raucous crowd, and ended up losing at the RAC. That game started with, in a twist of irony, a 14-0 run for Rutgers. 

Seton Hall, meanwhile, has not lost to Rutgers on their home court since 2012, a streak that was extended tonight. Hold that thought, we'll come back to it later.

- Get The Point, Part 1

The 14-0 run in the first half was spearheaded by the Pirates' two point guards. Kadary Richmond and Bryce Aiken each had five points in the decisive spurt, and Richmond in particular did a nice job in the first half by scoring 12 points and being one of the only players who was able to get inside against the Rutgers defense when the outside shots would not go down at all.

It was the latest sign of what could be in what has been a process for the Syracuse transfer.

"Kadary Richmond's a pro," Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard said. "He's going to make a lot of money in this game. Once he gets in really good shape, there's another gear that people haven't seen with him that I see. He just has to be able to sustain it for 25-26 minutes. He's not there yet. For the first half, I think everyone saw what it is. He just has to sustain it a little bit more, and he's working hard at it."

But there were two point guards who excelled on Sunday...

- Get The Point, Part 2

Aiken was the player who orchestrated things in the second half, though as we mentioned, he also had five key points in the first-half run. The Randolph, New Jersey native ended up with one of the best games of his Seton Hall career, scoring 22 points on just 7-for-12 shooting off the bench, and hitting three of Seton Hall's five made threes on the night, the last of which was a deep shot that increased the lead to 13 points with 3:51 to play and essentially locked up the result for the Pirates.

He hit the biggest shots tonight overall, and brings a flare for the dramatic and a confidence in the biggest moments that was also on display when he snapped an 0-for-7 night from three with the critical basket against Texas.

"We’ve been with him two years now, and this is what we see in practice," Willard said. "He’s going to take a 38-footer on the break, he’s got that ability, he’s got that confidence, and I’ve just come to realize you have to let Bryce be Bryce.”

With capable lead guards that have each had their moments, I asked Willard after the game how the dynamic has played out with them this season, and the skipper made an excellent point that I had not noticed before.

“They play at two different tempos," Willard said. "Our offense is two different ways. (Kadary)'ll probe you, he’ll probe you, he’ll look, he’ll attack you. I could post Kadary. Bryce is a little bit more of a scoring guard, takes a little bit of pressure off of Jared (Rhoden) and Myles (Cale), or whoever’s in there with him, so we have two completely different offenses when those guys are in there. I’d like to get to the point where we can play them together, because I think it would help the other guys on the floor.”

- Unsung Heroes

In rivalry games like this, there are always players whose critical work doesn't get the accolades, and for me tonight, Alexis Yetna fits that bill. The big man finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocked shots, and despite shooting just 2-for-8 from the field, he made six of seven free throw attempts. In a game where the Pirates were without their most-physically imposing presence in Ike Obiagu due to an ankle injury, Yetna gave the Pirates a good dose of muscle, including a bone-crushing screen at midcourt in the second half.

Also a tip of the hat to Tyrese Samuel. While he had a quieter night with seven points and nine rebounds, he and Yetna combined for seven of the Pirates' 13 offensive rebounds, a key component in their 10-point halftime lead despite shooting only 35 percent in the first 20 minutes.

- Blast From the Letdown Game Past

Remember when I said that Seton Hall hasn't lost to Rutgers at the Prudential Center since 2012? 

As much as it pains me to go back to that season, my senior year at the Hall, it's relevant. Back in the 2011-12 campaign, Kevin Willard's Pirates, led by Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope, had just pulled off a big win over Georgetown at home that most folks said all but locked up a coveted NCAA Tournament spot (the Pirates hadn't made the Dance since 2006 at the time).

All they had to do was not falter in their final two regular season contests against two of the bottom feeders in the Big East. The game immediately following that win over the Hoyas? You guessed it, Rutgers, at home, on Senior Night. Heck, it was the last time I can remember a Seton Hall-Rutgers game in Newark with as much juice to it as this one tonight coming in.

It went to overtime, and thanks to a three by Jerome Seagears and a bad illegal screen call against Pope in overtime, the Pirates lost a heartbreaker to the Scarlet Knights, then went to DePaul and got run off the floor by the last-place Blue Demons, missing the Tournament in the process.

Tonight, while both teams were coming off big wins, Rutgers had the bigger emotional high after beating a Purdue team that every pundit and prognosticator had said was the best team in the nation. It was their first-ever win over a top-ranked program, complete with a court storming.

They say history repeats itself, and while Rutgers by no means got blown out tonight, it still signifies a letdown loss to the Pirates. Funny how things happen sometimes.

Kevin Willard quote book: Rutgers

On response to Thursday’s win over Texas:

“I give a lot of credit to Steve and Rutgers, because they had a more emotional win than we did, the way they won, and I thought they came out with great energy. I was so proud of my guys because it’s tough to bounce back after those wins, but I thought the crowd was phenomenal again, and it was a huge factor in our defensive energy.”

On what the Rutgers rivalry means to him:

“I hate this game, I really do. I hate the time of year we play it. It’s different because when I first started, we played home-and-home until they left the league, so it was always two games. I like it much better now that it’s one game, but it’s a no-win situation. It doesn’t matter to me at all. Like I told the team, we’re 2-1 in the Big Ten. I know it’s important to the fans, it’s just never been that big — I’m not from New Jersey, I concentrate on my team. When you’re a coach, every game is a big game — seeding, making the tournament. I hate to ruin it for you, but now you know what my wife deals with.”

On Bryce Aiken:

“I think with Bryce, he gives us the ability to spread the floor at times, and I really liked when Kadary and Bryce were together. I thought that was a — we went on a 14-0 run with both of them out there in the first half — it gave Kadary a little bit more room to operate, it also gave him a chance to get off the ball a little bit and get his rest. But Bryce has that ability to, and the fans aren’t used to seeing him play, we’ve been with him now two years and this is what we see in practice. He’s going to take a 38-footer on the break, he’s got that ability, he’s got that confidence, and I’ve just come to realize you have to let Bryce be Bryce.”

On the dynamic between Aiken and Richmond:

“I haven’t played them enough together. Obviously we’re 9-1 and it’s worked great, and like I said, Kadary’s been great. I loved how aggressive he was in the first half, it was just phenomenal, and then Bryce — they play at two different tempos, our offense is two different ways. Kadary is a much more — he’ll probe you, he’ll probe you, he’ll look, he’ll attack you. I could post Kadary while Bryce is a little bit more of a scoring guard, takes a little bit of pressure off of Jared and Myles, or whoever’s in there with him, so we have two completely different offenses when those guys are in there. I’d like to get to the point where we can play them together, because I think it would help the other guys on the floor.”

On Jared Rhoden:

“Jared wanted to win this game. To the players, they were amped, and sometimes when Jared starts off a little too amped, he plays a little crazy. I always say, ‘you’re going a little crazy,’ and he says, ‘yeah, I know.’ Once he kind of calms down, he’s a tough guy to stop, and to just kind of get him in a rhythm, I called a couple of isos for him, we called a couple of pin-downs for him, and I just thought he got into a good rhythm.”

On Myles Cale:

“I’ve said this all along for the past four years: Myles Cale is one of the best players I’ve ever coached. It doesn’t show up in the stat sheets, but when he’s on the court, I’m a better coach, we’re a better basketball team. I love the fact that he’s been much more aggressive on the defensive end, he’s going for steals, he’s getting in passing lanes. He’s the best defender in college basketball.”

On what he learned about Seton Hall:

“I think we’re battle-tested, Adam, and I think we have a chance. I knew the league was going to be a bear, I did, if you looked at the rosters, who came back. I think (Tony) Stubbs (Stubblefield) at DePaul is doing as good a job as any coach in the country right now. I knew what St. John’s was going to be like, everybody knows ‘Nova, I knew Providence was going to be one of the better teams in the country because of Nate Watson, and they added a great guard in A.J. Durham. I really thought I needed to test this team to learn — this sounds crazy — we didn’t play in front of any fans last year, and it sucked. And this has been awesome. Our students, our fans, being at Michigan, even our two neutral-site games — Ohio State and Cal — they were packed, it was 4,000, we have a great fan base. So I think more than anything, we’re tested, we’ll be in situations where you go on the road now, we’ve been in tough situations and more than anything, the players have gained experience.”

On getting the team to buy in so quickly:

“This is going to sound corny, I don’t want to say that, but it’s our culture. Everybody kind of knows when they come play for me, what it’s all about. We’re going to work really hard on your individual game, and the only thing I ask is that you play really hard on the court. I try to keep it really, really simple, and I think I have a great staff that we work with our guys, we work really hard to get them better, which I think our kids really appreciate. All the transfers that we get, every transfer I’ve ever had, they always shake their head by this time of year. It’s like, I’ve never had a coach spend this much time in the gym with me, and that’s what our culture’s about. If I’m going to spend all this time with you, and we’re going to put all this time into your game — you can do whatever you want on offense, just play hard and that’s it. And I think I have a great group of guys that understand that if they go out and play hard, then the bald guy’s not gonna yell, and they can have fun.”

On a potential tournament feel in the last two games:

“A little bit, yeah, and especially next week is going to have that feel. We have a really good Iona team and then we play a really good St. John’s team one day later. Our schedule’s been like that…we play a really good Ohio State team and then you’ve got to grind it out against a Cal team that’s one of the better teams defensively, so I’ll agree with you. It has felt like that.”

On Aiken and Richmond in crunch time:

“The more we’re into it, I don’t have to make a play up, I don’t have to create offense. He (Aiken) can create offense off the dribble the same way I feel about Kadary. I don’t have to make, we don’t have to run something where sometimes if you run something, the defense can take you out of what you’ve run and then you’re kind of stuck in what you’re doing. With these two guys, I can just tell everybody to get out of the way and we can create offense. It’s a big difference. Kadary Richmond’s a pro. He’s going to make a lot of money in this game, and once he gets in really, really good shape, there’s another gear with him that people haven’t seen, but I see. He just has to be able to sustain it for 25-26 minutes. He’s not there yet, he’s there for the first half and everybody thinks it’s what it is. He just has to be able to sustain it a little bit more, and he’s working hard at it.”

St. John’s overcomes late rally, downs Monmouth

Posh Alexander not only led St. John’s offensively, he made play of game in final seconds knocking loose ball out of bounds as Red Storm defeated Monmouth. (Photo by Vincent Dusovic/St. John’s University Athletics)

NEW YORK — Me used to be angry young man

Me hiding me head in the sand

You gave me the word, I finally heard

I’m doing the best that I can

— The Beatles, “Getting Better”

Maybe it’s appropriate that I preface this column with a Beatles track less than 48 hours after the anniversary of John Lennon’s tragic passing. Or maybe, the genius songwriter and musical savant was so far ahead of his time and so exceptionally gifted in all facets of his charmed existence that his lyrics can also describe college basketball.

Here was St. John’s Thursday night, in yet another close call at Carnesecca Arena — the building notorious for its heart-attack affairs — against a deceptively strong Monmouth squad that cut a 14-point deficit down to two with less than a minute to go in regulation, threatening to sacrifice the equity it built back up Sunday night in its first act following Friday’s disappointing loss to Kansas.

Then, on a night where Julian Champagnie — the Paul McCartney of this Red Storm team if there was one, due to his NBA-level potential and ability to command the marquee in almost any arena — struggled to a respectable showing on a surprisingly off night, the Lennon of Mike Anderson’s roster, the rough-hewn, heart-and-soul type who embodies the ethos of the Johnnies, left a lasting impression in his final encore.

Champagnie may grab the headlines and stand out in the final numbers, but Posh Alexander affects games more, tends to put his own image on final outcomes in a way only he can. And so he did Thursday, saving the game as only he knew how, procuring a rebound from the hands of Nikkei Rutty and then deflecting it off his leg as both players drifted out of bounds, thus preserving an 88-83 triumph over the pesky Hawks to run St. John’s record to 7-2.

“Once he missed, I just chased the rebound and then when I saw him grab the rebound, I just went under and took the ball,” Alexander stated as he recounted the game-clinching sequence. “And when I was going out of bounds, I just threw it off his body. I was thinking about winning the game, that’s all I was thinking about.”

“He has a knack for the basketball,” Champagnie simply said of his teammate and his uncanny ability to make all-out hustle plays seem routine. “He’s been doing that for years now, he’s been doing that forever. It’s a special trait not a lot of people have, so we’re fortunate to have him and have him make those kinds of plays for us, especially when we need them.”

The bulldog mentality in the Brooklynite guided St. John’s to the finish line yet again on a night where its opponent looked as if it would conjure up some past magic of its own while coming back from a 67-53 deficit over the final ten-plus minutes, a double-digit lead the Red Storm needed every last second to protect as Champagnie admitted that his team — for all its prowess offensively — has had problems closing the deal on the defensive end.

“We’re having more of those stretches now where we go up and push the pedal, but we get lost in whatever it is,” the junior superstar conceded. “Now our next step is to get there and get over the hump, and finish teams.”

“I think the lulls are where our guys get tired,” Anderson agreed. “We’ve gotta continue to expand our bench. I thought our bench was instrumental tonight. O’Mar (Stanley), Rafael (Pinzon), Stef (Smith), he comes in and plays big for us, even Joel (Soriano). They came in and they gave us some quality minutes.”

Quality minutes beget quality plays, and quality plays beget quality wins. Enter Alexander again, whose relentlessness was central to taking care of business in the second of St. John’s final four chances to salvage its non-conference season before the gauntlet that is the Big East comes calling.

“I always talk about instinctive guys, and that’s hard to teach,” said Anderson of Alexander and his skill set. “Either you got it or you don’t, and he has a knack for it. That’s the it factor people talk about. (He’s) not afraid of the moment, he just leaves his heart and guts out on the floor, and it just trickles throughout our basketball team. He plays to win, that’s the bottom line.”

The other bottom line, one that fans will no doubt point to, is that the Red Storm only defeated a mid-major opponent by five points when reasonable expectations suggested a double-digit victory. But even Anderson observed the progress in the fight, the bumps in the road to victory, and was able to come away with a satisfied expression as his team survived.

“We left that window of opportunity open for them,” he reiterated. “That’s the part we’ve got to finish and close. But at the end of the day, I told our guys that I thought we got a little bit better today.”

You’ve got to admit, it’s getting better, a little better all the time.

Monmouth fights, but falls short at St. John’s

Shavar Reynolds scored 25 points as Monmouth battled back in narrow defeat to St. John’s. (Photo by Monmouth University Athletics)

NEW YORK — For better or worse, Monmouth basketball under King Rice has always been defined as a scrappy, resilient unit that has stood toe-to-toe with every opponent, regardless of name or conference. Sometimes, the Hawks have walked away from those fights with their collective hand raised, other times, not so much.

But no matter the result, the common denominator of Monmouth leaving its best basketball on the floor has been a perpetual constant, and was again Thursday night against a St. John’s team hopeful of continuing its uptick since a 20-point loss to Kansas last Friday.

Trailing by as many as 14 points midway through the second half, the Hawks gradually chipped away at the Red Storm’s advantage, drawing within two points twice in the final minute of regulation. But a savvy deflection on a rebounded free throw gave the ball back to St. John’s in the closing seconds and enabled the hosts to salt the game away with a new lease on life, narrowly eking out an 88-83 victory at Monmouth’s expense inside Carnesecca Arena.

“I’m super happy about how my kids fought in a Big East building,” a matter-of-fact Rice assessed. “A couple of bounces differently, and we win the game. It shows that we won’t quit, we can play against a team that’s bigger and stronger at every spot. We showed we can play with a Big East school in their building.” 

Monmouth (7-2) received 25 points from Shavar Reynolds, tying the career-high mark he set last month in a win at Saint Joseph’s, with 19 of those markers coming in the opening stanza. And with Walker Miller stymied by first-half foul trouble, Myles Foster gave an effort beyond his years to amass 13 points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, as well as plaudits from a proud head coach.

“Myles is really growing up,” Rice said, effusive in his praise of his sophomore forward. “He can really play, we’re working on getting him in better shape every single day, but his maturity level is happening before our eyes. We know he’s going to be here three more years after this, but he’s a kid that can really play and is getting better daily.”

Reynolds’ role as the catalyst in the first period was even more vital considering the difficulty George Papas faced in getting into a rhythm, as the senior endured a 2-for-12 shooting night while being face-guarded by Montez Mathis for the majority of the evening. Reynolds’ veteran poise not only kept the Hawks within earshot going into the intermission, but helped Marcus McClary find his own scoring touch in the second half to further galvanize the visitors in their comeback from a 67-53 deficit with just over ten minutes remaining in the contest.

“Shavar is just such a good player,” Rice said of Reynolds. “He's an incredible leader. If I was any team around the country, I would look into having that kid on my team. The leadership that he has shown this program, and I know what he did up at Seton Hall, and now he’s showing you he can score the ball on top of leading a team, and he probably was even better than I thought.”

St. John’s appeared to have iced the game with 3:32 to play and an 81-70 cushion, but two missed free throws by freshman O’Mar Stanley set the stage for an 11-2 run by the Hawks — fueled by Miller, McClary and Papas, the latter of whom drew a foul on Mathis on a 3-point attempt and proceeded to make all three shots — to have a chance to win or tie in the final seconds.

Following traded layups by Dylan Addae-Wusu and Reynolds, Addae-Wusu headed to the foul line looking to clinch the game with St. John’s leading, 85-83. The sophomore made the first free throw, but missed the second, however, Nikkei Rutty’s rebound attempt was deflected out of bounds by Posh Alexander, who threw the ball off Rutty’s leg. The initial replay angle appeared to reveal that Alexander touched the ball last, but lead official Brian O’Connell confirmed the call after a review, and Alexander provided two final free throws shortly thereafter.

“I thought Posh did a great job getting it, but I thought he stepped out of bounds when he saved it,” Rice recollected. “We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to watch. You have to give St. John’s credit. When we went zone, they made it every time. That was impressive by them and they kind of torched our zone from three, but we’re right there in the game and we’ll lick these wounds and get ready for another high-major game on Sunday.”

As Monmouth heads to Pittsburgh Sunday for a meeting with Jeff Capel’s Panthers, it descends upon the Steel City just seven points away from a 9-0 record. Having already made a name for itself with a road win at Cincinnati two weeks ago, the Hawks are not being taken lightly, and are hitting the right notes through a non-conference season and opening sweep of the difficult Buffalo trip to open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, much to the delight of Rice and his vision for the remainder of the season.

“I’m happy with where our program is, (and) I’m happy with the way we’ve come out and played,” he proclaimed. “We don’t come in your building and hold the ball because you’re high-major, we don’t try to scheme this and scheme that. We play Monmouth basketball wherever we go. Tonight, we fell a bit short, but we’ll clean it up.”

Kevin Willard quote book: Texas

By Jason Guerette (@JPGuerette)

On what Thursday's win says about his team:

“It’s kind of where we’re at right now, Jerry. I think we’re much better defensively than we are offensively, I still think we have so much more room to get better offensively. Texas and us, we’re very similar, a lot of new guys trying to figure it out on the offensive end, a lot of pieces to figure out on the offensive end. But defensively, I thought both teams just played really hard and just gave great effort.”

On Bryce Aiken’s game-winning shot:

“I always tell the bench or the guys in the corner I know when it’s going up. He’s been with me two years now, and I’ve watched him forever. He’s great off the bounce, so I’d rather see him shoot off the bounce in that situation, and he’s worked hard to get back. He has worked extremely hard to get his body to the point of where he is, and I think everyone in the room — everybody in the locker room — has confidence in that shot. I know I do.”

On adjustments on Tre Mitchell:

“I hate to say it, I didn’t do anything. I have a philosophy I live by in first halves: If you’re making guys take tough shots and they’re going in, they’re not going to go in the second half most of the time. And I thought we made them work really hard even though our defense didn’t look good, they hit a lot of tough shots in the first half that — if you continue to make them take tough shots — most of the times, they don’t make them. So I went in the locker room and I said, ‘Guys, just keep doing what you’re doing defensively, we’ve gotta stay down a little bit, we kind of jumped around a couple of times in the first half.’ But I thought we did a really good job of just being a little bit more physical, staying down on his ball fake, and I thought Tyrese really battled.”

On using his bench in the second half:

“I think at that point in the game — what was there, three minutes, 40 seconds left, I think? — no one’s subbing and the kids are on adrenaline. I think it hurts both teams, to be honest with you, and I thought both teams came out and played at a really high level. I was surprised at how high of a level we played at both ways after that long of a stoppage.”

On the crowd atmosphere:

“Our fans were great, our student section was phenomenal. I’ve never seen so many students at a game, I think that’s by far the most students we’ve ever had at a game, and that’s the first thing the guys have said. Because again, when you go a whole year without fans and then you come in and you see the people you sit next to in class every day sitting there and cheering for you, it just gives you a little different — I know this team and all my teams have really appreciated the students making the effort to come out and really get us going. We had a game over the Christmas break where we struggled early on and it was like, the kids weren’t used to not having the students here, so our students have been just off the charts.”

On Rutgers’ win over Purdue and Sunday’s matchup:

“I’ve watched them a couple of times, and I think they’re a very good team that’s kind of gone through a little bit of a lull throughout the season. And when I watch them, I see a team that’s physical, I see a team that rebounds, I just see a team that’s struggled shooting the basketball a little bit this year. The thing for me is, two years ago, we were in the RAC and it was the hardest place I’ve ever played, and so I guarantee — I know for a fact — that Purdue is going through the same thing that we went through.”

On tying P.J. Carlesimo with 212 wins at Seton Hall:

“P.J.’s the gold standard of this program. He’s the one that put this program on the map, he’s the one that every Seton Hall coach from me to forever is gonna — he gave us the blueprint, the road map, he put us on the map. He is an unbelievable ambassador, he still is to this day. Everywhere he goes, he and Coach Raftery probably sell Seton Hall better than anybody, so it’s an honor, but it’s something I’ve always said, there should be a statue of Coach P.J. somewhere on campus.”

On Seton Hall’s versatility:

“It’s difficult. You look at Texas and us, and you see two teams that have struggled offensively. There’s times where we’re trying to get guys certain shots, and it’s hard to get guys in certain areas, but it’s nice also to have the different options where I can get MC isoed or I can get Jared isoed, or we can go into the post in different ways, so it does give you a different option. It’s just sometimes as a coach, you’re trying to get guys in the right spot, and I think that’s the same thing Chris is dealing with right now.”

On having recruits in attendance:

“I think it always helps, Adam, but the really tough thing is we’re not allowed to have recruits in the back. I think it’s great, the problem is we still have COVID rules in the back. We used to bring 20 recruits in the locker room and we’d talk to them, you can’t do that anymore, so I think it obviously helps and it’s great, but we still have to live by some measures of how many people come in the locker room, how many people are around, so there’s still a little bit — we’re still kind of living recruiting COVID a little bit. It’s great to have them in the building though, it’s great to see them sitting behind the bench and they see the atmosphere that we’ve built here. So from that standpoint, it’s huge.”