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.