Niagara

Monday Recap: Baylor Workmanlike in Win over Texas A&M

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:18:49 -0800

With the Baylor Bears achievig the highest ranking in school history on Monday it would have been easy for Scott Drew's team to suffer a letdown against Texas A&M. But the fourth-ranked Bears were ready from the start, scoring the first eight points of the game on their way to a 61-52 win that wasn't as close as the margin would indicate. The Bears shot just 35.7% from the field in the first half but still went into the break with a 30-17 lead thanks to their defense, which limited the Aggies to 21.4% shooting. Perry Jones III led four starters in double figures with 14 points to go along with 12 rebounds and the Bears led by as many as 19 points early in the second half.

"We came in prepared, but we played very timidly and a little bit overwhelmed," said Texas A&M guard Elston Turner, who led the Aggies with 21 points. "The fact that we weren't making shots didn't help either. Like coach said, the foul trouble kind of got our offense out of sync."

Khris Middleton, who entered the game as Texas A&M's leading scorer, finished with 14 points but played just ten minutes in the first half due to foul trouble (scoring three points). It also didn't help that David Lobeau picked up three first-half fouls and didn't attempt a shot, and he was unable to get into the flow of things at all for that reason. Texas A&M needed guys to step up to assist Turner and that simply did not happen, with the other three starters scoring 15 points combined and the bench getting outscored 13-2 by Baylor. That didn't get it done in Waco and similar production will land the Aggies in serious trouble down the line as well, but they won't encounter many defenses like Baylor's either.

"The back line of that zone is very big and takes time to adjust to," said Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy. "I thought we got some pretty good looks early. We just didn't make them and got in foul trouble. We didn't get a whole lot of help from the bench either."

Baylor won comfortably despite 16 turnovers (Pierre Jackson had seven) and A&M limiting Jackson and Brady Heslip to four points combined, as A.J. Walton picked up the slack with 10 points and two assists. That's the scary thing about the Bears: while they've had some good wins the potential is there to be a much better team. And with the players Baylor has on the back line of that zone, from Jones III to Quincy Acy to Quincy Miller, Anthony Jones and even Cory Jefferson they're an extremely difficult matchup. The turnovers and rebounding need to be cleaned up, but this could be a special season in Waco.

"One game it might be the guards, one game it might be the wings and one game it is the inside players," said Drew of his team's versatility. "It all depends on what the defense gives you and that is what makes us good - our depth. We're unselfish and we work for each other."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Another rough day for the bottom of the ACC as Boston College and Wake Forest both fall.
The ACC hasn't had the best start to the season from a non-conference standpoint when you remove Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Florida State is 0-2 against the Ivy League and other teams have also had their issues. So what Boston College and Wake Forest did on Monday didn't help matters despite the fact that neither has the look of a team headed for postseason play come March. The Eagles fell 78-72 in double overtime to a Rhode Island team that's won just three games on the season, with the combination of 16 turnovers, URI making 27 free throws to BC's 11 and a 46-35 URI rebounding edge dooming Steve Donahue's team.

As for the Demon Deacons, with C.J. Harris (groin) out they fell to Wofford 56-52 in Winston-Salem. Wake shot 34.8% from the field in the first half as they trailed 32-22 at the break, and they couldn't do enough in the second half to make it up. Results like these won't do the ACC any favors in the computers, and that could be the difference for a league bubble team. So for the sake of the middle of the pack, the teams at the bottom needed to do more to carry their weight outside of the league. Safe to say that hasn't been the case.

2. Robert Morris finds a way to win at Ohio despite turning the ball over 31 times.
Very rarely will a team that turns the ball over 31 times and shoots 21 fewer shots than their opponent ends up winning, but that's exactly what happened for Andy Toole's Colonials as they beat Ohio 70-67. Why was Robert Morris able to end the Bobcats' nine-game win streak? Because of their defense, which didn't allow Ohio to take advantage of those extra opportunities. Ohio shot just 35.3% from the field and Walter Offutt and D.J. Cooper combined to make six of their thirty-two shots from the field, and as a team the Bobcats also shot 3-for-26 from beyond the arc.

Velton Jones led three RMU starters in double figures with 17 points, and it's difficult to see the Colonials turning the ball over 31 times in a game again. With Wagner's excellent holiday run and this win the Northeast Conference has received a welcome boost, which should make the race for the regular season title all the more entertaining. Robert Morris will definitely be a player, and an NCAA Tournament bid is definitely possible for a team that was one win away last season.

3. Orlando Johnson makes up for a quiet night with a big shot to lead UCSB past Cal Poly.
Monday marked the first game in over a week for UCSB and it wasn't an easy contest either, as the Gauchos were on the road to take on a Cal Poly team that's surprised folks this season. Orlando Johnson, UCSB's leading scorer, made just three of his first thirteen shots from the field in what was one of his worst outings of the season. But he saved his best for last, getting a shooter's roll on a three-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining being the difference in UCSB's 58-57 win. Alan Williams was the unsung hero for UCSB with 13 points and ten rebounds off the bench as the Gauchos picked up a key Big West victory, while Will Taylor led the Mustangs with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Even with the time off not playing a home game in 35 days took its toll on UCSB, who is expected to be right there with Long Beach State in the run for the regular season title. And with Johnson and James Nunnally leading the way, Bob Williams team should be able to do just that.

Quick Hitters

1. Staying in the Big West for a moment, keep an eye on Cal-State Fullerton. Bob Burton's Titans moved to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in league play with a 78-73 win over Pacific, and their surplus of Division I transfers could make them the dark horse in that title race. Cal transfer D.J. Seeley scored 20 points and San Francisco transfer Kwame Vaughn scored a team-best 21, while another former Golden Bear (Amondi Omoke) scored 11 and grabbed 11 rebounds.

2. It wasn't pretty as the two teams combined to turn the ball over 31 times but Virginia did what they had to do in beating LSU 57-52 in Baton Rouge. Sammy Zeglinski led three starters in double figures with 17 points as the Cavailers had the offensive balance that LSU failed to create (outside of Justin Hamilton (21 points, 9-14 FG) the Tigers shot 12-for-34 from the field.

3. Can Rider (4-11) find a way to snap out of their funk and be a factor in the MAAC race? That remains to be seen, but the Broncs took the first step in their 88-77 win at Manhattan. Novar Gadson led five players in double figures with 21 points and Brandon Penn posted a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) as Rider avenged their loss to Manhattan last month. The talent's there to make a run but the productivity needs to be there as well.

4. Staying in the MAAC, Niagara picked up a big victory as they won 66-61 at Loyola (MD). Juan'Ya Green and Antoine Mason combined to score 35 points while Ameen Tanksley added 15 (averaging 8.2 per game) as the Purple Eagles handed the Greyhounds their first conference loss.

5. Campbell moved to 3-0 in Big South play as they beat Coastal Carolina 70-65 in overtime. CCU turned the ball over 20 times as they fell to 3-1 in league play and Trey Freeman led the Camels to the win with 20 points and five assists. Look for these two teams to be right there with UNC Asheville in the run for the Big South crown.

6. Big news from early Monday in Stillwater as Oklahoma State announced that guard J.P. Olukemi would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. With the Cowboys losing two guards at the end of the semester (transferring) this was one loss they didn't need. Even more will be asked of Keiton Page and Cezar Guerrero now, and going into Big 12 play shorthanded could be too much for Travis Ford's team.

7. It's early but VCU is looking to be the class of the CAA right now. The Rams have won 10 of their last 11 games, beating Hofstra 80-63 in Hempstead. Also preseason favorite Drexel fell at Georgia State 58-44, and even with players such as Chris Fouch at his disposal scoring could once again be a concern for Bruiser Flint.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kenny Gabriel (Auburn)
24 points (11-13 FG), 13 rebounds, ten blocked shots, four steals and three assists in the Tigers' 67-41 win over Bethune-Cookman.

2. F Kenny Kadji (Miami) and G Trevis Simpson (UNC Greensboro)
Both players put up career-best performances in the Hurricanes' 99-89 victory. Kadji finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds while Simpson paced the Spartans with 36 points and some emphatic above-the-rim finishes.

3. F Stan Okoye (VMI)
25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks in the Keydets' 76-72 win over Gardner-Webb.

Iona's Glover Named Preseason MAAC Player of the Year

Press Release — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:56:02 -0700

Springfield, Mass. - Iona College senior forward Mike Glover has been named the 2011-2012 MAAC Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches.

Glover is joined on the first team by Fairfield University junior guard Derek Needham and senior center Ryan Olander, Iona senior guard Scott Machado and Rider University senior guard/forward Novar Gadson.

Glover, who was named to the Preseason Top 50 List for the John R. Wooden Award, ranked 48th in the nation in scoring last season, netting 18.4 points per game for the Gaels. He also tied for 21st place on the NCAA rebounding chart with 10.1 caroms an outing during his junior campaign. Glover proved he was an expert marksman last season, connecting on a conference-high 61 percent of his attempts from the field.

Needham was an All-MAAC First Team selection last season. He ranked sixth in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per outing for the Stags. He also ranked third in the league in assists (4.5 per game), fifth in steals (1.4 per game) and 13th in free throw percentage (70 percent) during his sophomore campaign.

Olander, an All-MAAC Second Team choice last season, was second on the team in scoring as a junior with 10.4 points per game, good for 21st place on the MAAC scoring chart. He also recorded 6.8 rebounds per game (ninth in the MAAC) along with 2.1 blocks (third) an outing for the Stags. Olander owned a 53.2 percent field goal percentage, ranking him second in the league behind Glover.

Machado was a member of the All-MAAC First Team last season. He is the league's top assists leader, dishing out down 7.6 a night for the Gaels, good for second in the nation. Machado also contributed 13.2 points per game (eighth in the MAAC) and netted 67.5 percent of his shots from the charity stripe (15th).

Gadson, a 2010-11 All-MAAC Second Team pick, fin- ished his junior campaign seventh on the MAAC scoring list,netting13.7pointsanightfortheBroncs. Hefinished 15th in rebounding last season, pulling down 5.8 boards per game. Gadson also ranked ninth in the MAAC with his 47 percent field goal percentage.

2011-2012 Preseason All-MAAC Teams

First Team
Derek Needham, Fairfield Jr. G 5-11 Dolton, Ill.
Ryan Olander, Fairfield Sr. C 7-0 Mansfield, Conn.
Mike Glover, Iona Sr. F 6-7 Bronx, N.Y.
Scott Machado, Iona Sr. G 6-1 Queens, N.Y.
Novar Gadson, Rider Sr. G/F 6-7 Philadelphia, Pa.

Second Team
Gaby Belardo, Canisius Jr. G 6-2 San Juan, P.R.
Rakim Sanders, Fairfield Sr. G 6-2 Pawtucket, R.I.
Erik Etherly, Loyola Jr. F 6-7 Alexandria, Va.
Shane Walker, Loyola Sr. F 6-10 Northampton, England
George Beamon, Manhattan Jr. G/F 6-4 Roslyn, N.Y.

Third Team
Kyle Smyth, Iona Jr. G 6-4 River Edge, N.J.
Jeff Jones, Rider Sr. G 6-4 Chester, Pa.
Daniel Stewart, Rider So. F 6-7 Philadelphia, Pa.
Darius Conley, Saint Peter's Jr. F 6-7 Newport News, Va.
OD Anosike, Siena Jr. F 6-8 Staten Island, N.Y.

2011-2012 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year:
Mike Glover, Iona

MAAC Hoops

Iona Tabbed Preseason Favorite

Press Release — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:21:14 -0700

Springfield, Mass. - Iona College, the runner-up in last year's title game, is the preseason favorite to win the 2012 MAAC Men's Basketball Championship, according to the MAAC Pre- season Coaches' Poll.

Iona received eight of the first-place votes and 97 points, followed by last season's preseason pick Fairfield University,which received two first-place votes and 92 points. Loyola University (Maryland) finished in third with 76 points.

Rider University followed in fourth place with 71 points, while defending champion Saint Peter's College took fifth with 52points. Siena College received 44 points to finish sixth, followed by Niagara University (42 points) in seventh, Manhattan College (33) in eighth, Canisius College (25) in ninth and Marist College (18) in 10th to round out the poll.

Last season, the Gaels made their first appearance in the MAAC Championship final since winning the league crown in 2006 and also reached the title game of the 2011 CollegeInsider. com Postseason Tournament. Iona returns three starters from that squad -- preseason All-MAAC First Team picks Mike Glover and Scott Machado and Third Team member Kyle Smyth. Glover, named to the Preseason Top 50 List for the John R. Wooden Award, is the league's top returning scorer(18.4ppg) and rebounder (10.1rpg).

Machado finished second in the nation in assists per game with 7.6 an outing. Smyth averaged 10.1 points per game during his sophomore campaign, connecting on 45.1 percent of his shots from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range. Second-year head coach Tim Cluess will also look to senior Jermel Jenkins, junior Lamont Jones and sophomore Sean Armand to help lead the Maroon and Gold in their quest for an eighth MAAC Championship.

Fairfield returns four starters and eight letterwinners that helped earn the MAAC regular season title last season. The Stags, who previously registered a league-high scoring defense of 58.3 points per game, will be led by preseason All-MAAC First Team selections Derek Needham and Ryan Olander as well as Rakim Sanders of the Second Team. Needham recorded 14.1 points and 4.5 assists per game during his sophomore campaign, while Olander averaged 10.4 points per game and shot 53.2 percent from the floor.

First-year head coach Sydney Johnson will also rely onthe efforts of juniors Colin Nickerson and Sean Crawford along with sophomores Maurice Barrow and Jamel Fields as the Stags look to earn the program's first MAAC championship title in 15 years.

MAAC Hoops

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part One

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:26:54 -0700

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for each of the 32 conferences.

America East: James Kennedy (Boston University)
With Jake O'Brien lost for another season due to injury first-year head coach Joe Jones may need to call on the 6'6" forward for important minutes. The Boston native helped lead Cushing Academy to a 21-7 record last year.

Atlantic 10: Dezmine Wells (Xavier)
While many expect Kenny Frease to be back with the team at some point in the near future, Xavier can make up for the height they lack in the frontcourt with sheer talent. Wells is one reason why, as the 6'5" small forward can flat-out make things happen on the floor.

ACC: Austin Rivers (Duke)
Not sure if there's much that hasn't been said about the Winter Park, Florida native. Duke needs to account for the loss of Nolan Smith in the backcourt, and while there are some experienced options returning to Durham they aren's as explosive as Austin. He should also benefit from the team's summer trip to China and Dubai, as Duke gained 10 practices to prepare for the journey.

Atlantic Sun: Rashawn Rembert (East Tennessee State)
ETSU lost three starters, and not only were they all guards but they were also the top three leading scorers. That means plenty will be needed from a shooting guard like Rembert, who averaged more than 20 points and seven rebounds per game at Sickles High in Tampa.

Big East: Andre Drummond (Connecticut)
Remember when Drummond was slated to spend a year at Wilbraham & Monson with friend and Connecticut Basketball Club teammate Kris Dunn (Providence commit)? That all changed in August as the 6'11", 275-pound Drummond decided this was the right time to join the UConn program. Joining forces with Alex Oriakhi and Tyler Olander will give the Huskies one of the country's best frontcourts.

Big Sky: Gelaun Wheelwright (Weber State)
The team that most people expect to win the Big Sky does have seven players returning from last year's team, not to mention a healthy Damian Lillard. But there's always room for someone else to step up, and that player could be the Centennial (CA) High product. Wheelwright averaged 18.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game as a senior.

Big South: John Brown (High Point)
Scott Cherry landed a good on in Brown, who was named 1A Player of the Yeah in the State of Florida. Brown averaged 17.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game as a senior, and the Jacksonville native has the ability to be the conference's best freshman.

Big Ten: Cody Zeller (Indiana)
The 2011 class is the first of two recruiting classes that many expect Indiana head coach Tom Crean to use as a springboard back to where many expect IU to be on the college landscape. One key cog is forward Cody Zeller, who averaged 24.6 ppg, 13.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for a Washington (IN) High team that won the 3A state title.

Big 12: Le'Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State)
When's the last time a recruit of this caliber has shown up in Stillwater? It's safe to say that a player the quality of Le'Bryan Nash doesn't come around every day, and his arrival could make the Pokes a factor in the Big 12 race. Nash was a McDonald's All-American last year and to say the least has an NBA-ready build (and skill set) right now.

Big West: Reese Morgan (Cal Poly)
The Mustangs ranked 338th nationally in scoring with an average of 59.3 points per game, so to say the least they could use a boost in the scoring column. Enter Reese Morgan, who scored more than 2,400 hundred points in his high school career at Peninsula High in San Pedro, California. Morgan averaged 27.3 points per game as a senior.

CAA: Erik Copes (George Mason)
The freshman forward/center from Philadelphia pairs up with senior Ryan Pearson, and it isn't far-fetched to think that this duo could rank among the best frontcourts in the CAA. Copes was a player Paul Hewitt was able to get in the summer, a near steal for a senior of his caliber.

Conference USA: Adonis Thomas (Memphis)
In addition to their roster full of returnees Memphis should have a good feeling about this season due to the arrival of Memphis native Adonis Thomas. The Melrose High product ranked among the top players in the country in the 2011 class, and his ability to run the floor and finish above the rim will make Memphis even better.

Great West: Shane Benton (North Dakota)
The Fighting Sioux welcome back a host of contributors from a team that won the first Great West conference tournament as well as a game in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, but Benton has the ability to crack the rotation. The 6'3" guard is a product of Linn-Mar High school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was a teammate of North Carolina commit (2012) Marcus Paige.

Horizon: Roosevelt Jones (Butler)
With Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack both moving on the Bulldogs need players to step up as offensive options. One of those possibilities could be Jones, a small forward from O'Fallon, Illinois who can do a variety of things on the floor. As a senior Jones averaged 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

Ivy: Wesley Saunders (Harvard)
Tommy Amaker and his staff have brought in a very good recruiting class for this season, but the question is just how much the preseason Ivy League favorites will need to call on them. One option to play may be the 6'5" Saunders, who averaged a double-double as a senior at Windward High in Los Angeles. He's a very good athlete who also played volleyball in high school.

MAAC: Juan'ya Green (Niagara)
The MAAC will have some good freshmen entering the league (a crop that would have been bolstered by Siena's Imoh Silas and Lionel Gomis if cleared by the NCAA), but one who will have to step up from the start is Philadelphia native Juan'ya Green. The Purple Eagles like to attack teams with their guards, and as a scorer who can also handle the ball Green fits the system.

Next: MAC through WAC

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends" Series: Loyola (MD) Great Andy O'Donnell

Jon Teitel — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:34:06 -0800

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Loyola (MD) great Andy O'Donnell. A guard who helped lead the Greyhounds to three NAIA Tournament appearances, O'Donnell remains just one of two Loyola (MD) alums to have played in the NBA. Mike Morrison (1990) was the other Greyhound to have reached the NBA.

Jon Teitel: Why did you decide to go to Loyola?

Andy O'Donnell: At the time it was very difficult to get into college due to the number of returning soldiers seeking admission via the GI Bill. I served five campaigns in Europe during WWII and landed on Omaha Beach shortly after D-Day. I ended up receiving the Purple Heart, and was discharged from the Army in 1945. With the help of a relative I got accepted at Loyola for the 1946 term and walked on to the basketball team. I became a starter during my freshman year, and ended up as the second highest scorer on the team.

JT: What are your memories of the three straight NAIA tourneys you went to (1947-1949)?

AO: I am 85 years old, so I am sorry to say I have some difficulty remembering many of those details. I do recall that for the first two tourneys we had to travel all the way from Baltimore to KC by train.

JT: When you graduated you decided to go pro and join the Baltimore Bullets for the NBA's inaugural season (it was previously known as the BAA). What was the public perception of the NBA at that time, and what did your friends/family think about your career choice?

AO: My first contact with the Bullets came in college, when we scrimmaged against them a number of times. They were very popular, and I received a great welcome and much support from the fans in Baltimore. My family, friends, and teammates were very happy for me.

JT: The early years of the NBA featured several future Hall-of-Famers (George Mikan, Dolph Schayes, Ed Macauley, etc.). Did any of them stand out above the others, and were you convinced that the league would survive thanks to such talented players?

AO: At that time the NBA was loaded with great players, but Mikan stood out as 1 of the most exceptional. Every team had standout players, and I do not recall anyone who was concerned about the league's survival.

JT: Your team was led by player/coach Buddy Jeanette, who was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. What was it like to play for a legend like Buddy, and how did he handle the dual roles of player and coach?

AO: Buddy and I played against each other while I was in college, and after I graduated in 1950 he offered me a contract to play for the Bullets. I believe that Buddy signed me to take his place once his own playing days were over. I was offered a $5,000 contract for the following season, but turned it down for personal reasons, which was a decision I came to regret. Buddy was a great player and an equally great coach. All of our players got along very well and had a real sense of purpose.

JT: You later played for the Reading Rangers in the Eastern Professional Basketball League. How did the EPBL compare to the NBA?

AO: The Eastern League was comprised of many fine players, but in my opinion their teams did not compare to NBA teams.

JT: One of the EPBL's notable accomplishments was its inclusion of African-American players: how big a deal was it at the time, and how did the crowds/cities react to this integration?

AO: I recall that African-American players were readily accepted by the fans in the Eastern League.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

AO: I would like people to remember me as a great competitor and "floor general". I came from a small high school (18 people in my senior class!) in a small town, but ended up making it to the big time.

O'Donnell is also on Jon's list of best pro players in MAAC history.

Canisius: Johnny McCarthy (1957)
Fairfield: AJ Wynder (1991)
Iona: Richie Guerin (1957)
Loyola (MD): Andy O'Donnell (1950)
Manhattan: Ricky Marsh (1978)
Marist: Rik Smits (1989)
Niagara: Calvin Murphy (1971)
Rider: Jason Thompson (2009)
Siena: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Saint Peter's: Rich Rinaldi (1972)

MAAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:49:27 -0800

The MAAC race should be quite exciting with Niagara, Rider, and Siena all legitimately pushing for the conference title. Expect all three to consistently appear in mid-major rankings.

Conference Rank: 15th

10 year average: 17th

MAAC Conference Page

All-MAAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Ronald Moore	Siena	Sr
G	Tyrone Lewis	Niagara	Sr
G/F	Ryan Thompson	Rider	Sr
F	Edwin Ubiles	Siena	Sr
F	Bilal Benn	Niagara	Sr

Player of the Year - Ryan Thompson Freshman of the Year - Derek Needham (Fairfield)
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Ryan Thompson (3rd Team) Edwin Ubiles (3rd) Tyrone Lewis		Best Scorer Ryan Thompson Best Rebounder Bilal Benn Assists: Ronald Moore

MAAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

34	Siena	MAAC	1	NCAA
65	Niagara	MAAC	2	NIT
84	Rider	MAAC	3	CBI/CIT
143	Fairfield	MAAC	4
182	Manhattan	MAAC	5
209	St. Peter's	MAAC	6
214	Iona	MAAC	7
227	Loyola Md	MAAC	8
259	Canisius	MAAC	9
287	Marist	MAAC	10

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MAAC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the MAAC?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:54:28 -0700

Niagara Basketball Preview: #65

Joel Welser — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:05:43 -0700

Overall Rank: #65

Conference Rank: #2 MAAC

2008-09: 26-9, 14-4

2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Joe Mihalich (205-132 at Niagara, 205-132 overall)

For winning 26 games, Niagara had a pretty quiet season that ended with a first round loss to Rhode Island in the NIT. The reason for the lack of respect was because Metro Atlantic rival Siena was garnering all the national attention. Yet, the Purple Eagles will have another chance to unseat Siena atop the conference pecking order.

Key Losses: C Benson Egemonye

Key Newcomers:

Niagara pretty much ran a four guard lineup with Benson Egemonye in the middle and now Egemonye is gone. Thus, the newcomers will have to help fill that void and Coach Joe Mihalich has a few decent options. Scooter Gillette, Luuk Kortekaas and Eric Williams are all big men who must be ready to play as freshmen. Gillette might be the most talented, but Williams and Kortekaas were at least on the sidelines last year and have a year in the system.

Backcourt:

Few teams have as much experience on the perimeter as Niagara. It all starts with junior point guard Anthony Nelson. Not only did he dish out 5.5 assists per game and only turned it over 2.1 times, Nelson also tallied 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Rob Garrison is another quality ball handler who can score in a multitude of ways. He might take a few too many outside shots, but Garrison has a great mid-range game and should once again eclipse the ten point per game mark. However, it is Tyrone Lewis who is the pure scorer on this team. Lewis connected on nearly three three-pointers per game last season and the 5-11 guard should be in for a huge senior season.

Frontcourt:

The biggest question is who is going to replace Egemonye? Demetrius Williamson won the conference’s sixth man award last year after averaging 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds. But at 6-6 and 195 pounds, he is not exactly the type of player you want creating space under the basket. Kashief Edwards is only 6-5, so he will only provide depth at the forward spots and not under the basket. Kamau Gordon could be the answer. At 6-7 and 260 pounds, the senior has the size and the experience to be a decent player under the basket, but he only averaged 8.1 minutes per game last year and will need help from the newcomers.

Who to Watch:

It is the skills of Bilal Benn that allowed the Purple Eagles to play small last year. Benn is only 6-5, but he simply dominated the glass with his 9.3 rebounds per game. He is also a quality outside shooter and a great scorer. Against bigger defenders he will simply use his speed to get to the basket. Having a player like Benn made it possible for Niagara to be a good team on the glass despite being undersized.

Final Projection:

Can Williamson play the five? Can anybody play the five? If this team does not want to get dominated on the glass and in the paint on the defensive end, a few players have to step up and fill Egemonye’s role. Somebody has to score in the paint so the shooters can get space on the perimeter. Somebody has to block some shots under the basket and somebody has to help Benn on the glass. If nobody can, it is another trip to the NIT for Niagara.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Anthony Nelson, Junior, Guard, 8.1 points per game

Tyrone Lewis, Senior, Guard, 16.2 points per game

Rob Garrison, Senior, Guard, 10.9 points per game

Bilal Benn, Senior, Guard, 13.8 points per game

Demetrius Williamson, Senior, Forward, 7.7 points per game

Next Top 144 Teams
66		67		68		69

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

Niagara: 2009 NIT

Joel Welser — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:56:03 -0700

Niagara Purple Eagles

Metro Atlantic (26-8, 14-4)

NIT Seed: #3

RPI: 49

Big Wins: 2/14 at Fairfield (83-76), 2/20 Illinois State (70-56), 2/27 Siena (100-85)

Bad Losses: 12/30 at Chattanooga (84-99), 1/11 at Marist (68-86), 1/15 Iona (65-71)

Coach: Joe Mihalich

Probable Starters:

Anthony Nelson, Sophomore, Guard, 7.9 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.5 rpg

Tyrone Lewis, Junior, Guard, 16.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.6 spg

Rob Garrison, Junior, Guard, 11.0 ppg, 2.6 apg

Bilal Benn, Junior, Guard, 13.9 ppg, 2.6 apg, 9.4 rpg

Benson Egemonye, Senior, Center, 12.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Austin Cooley, Freshman, Guard, 2.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Kashief Edwards, Freshman, Forward, 3.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg

Kamau Gordon, Junior, Forward, 2.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Demetrius Williamson, Junior, Forward, 7.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:

Only VMI and Missouri force more steals than Niagara. The Purple Eagles will pressure the ballhandler at just about every opportunity and that leads to a boatload of turnovers and easy buckets for Coach Joe Mihalich’s squad. This is a team that can get under the skin of any point guard, especially an inexperienced one. Tyrone Lewis and Bilal Benn both rank in the top 20 in the nation in steals and those two spearhead the defensive effort. They are also the team’s top two scorers. Lewis has developed into one of the most prolific three-point shooters in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and hits nearly three per contest.

Sophomore Anthony Nelson is in his second year of running the point for Niagara. As a freshman last year his turnover numbers were a little high, but this year he has cut them down to a mere 2.2 per contest. His effort has turned the Purple Eagles from a team that would commit as many turnovers as they would create into a team that will almost always get more possessions than their opponents by taking care of the ball and creating turnovers.

Why They Can Disappoint:

However, Niagara will lose out on some possessions due to their lack of rebounding. Benn, a 6-5 wing who usually plays the four spot, is a great rebounder and leads the team with 9.4 boards per contest. Benson Egemonye is the starter at the five spot and has emerged as a solid scoring threat in the paint and a decent rebounder. But the lack of size outside of Egemonye’s 6-10 frame makes it difficult for the team to effectively hit the glass. Demetrius Williamson is the only other forward who averages more than ten minutes per game, but he is not an effective rebounder.

Who To Watch:

Rob Garrison often gets overlooked on this team. He is not a great passer like Nelson or a superb shooter like Lewis or a rebounding machine like Benn. Yet, Garrison, a 6-2 transfer from Connecticut, does bring a lot to the table. He averaged 11.0 points per game during the regular season and can get to the basket or shoot the long ball, although his outside shooting has been very inconsistent this season. If his outside shot starts falling in March, he can be just as dangerous as Lewis in the scoring department. And that would give Niagara four great scorers and that is always tough for an opponent to defend.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 76.8 (41^st in nation, 2^nd in conference)

Scoring Defense: 67.4 (156, 5)

Field-Goal Percentage: 42.0 (246, 4)

Field-Goal Defense: 40.4 (41, 2)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.4 (65, 1)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 31.4 (253, 8)

Free-Throw Percentage: 70.9 (106, 2)

Rebound Margin: -0.4 (191, 5)

Assists Per Game: 14.2 (92, 2)

Turnovers Per Game: 13.0 (91, 1)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Elite Eight loss to Providence

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College Basketball Odds: March 9

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:34:45 -0700

Odds On.. is a place for you to discuss the night's feature lines. Think some of the lines are misguided? Have upset picks to announce? Discuss tonight's lines below.

March 9th: Conference Finals Galore

St. Mary's
vs Gonzaga

Favorite

Gonzaga by 7.5

Over/Under

138.5

George Mason
vs VCU

Favorite

VCU by 4

Over/Under

122.5

Niagara
vs Siena