As the NCAA hockey and basketball seasons come to an end, both sports are entering another offseason defined by the transfer portal. Over 1,300 men’s and women’s basketball players have already entered since the window opened this week and men’s and women’s hockey are again expected to see a record number of entrants.
QUSportsPage will update this page with Quinnipiac’s departures and additions during the transfer portal periods.
Men’s Basketball
Portal opening date: March 24th
Portal closing date: April 22nd
Amarri Monroe | Forward
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
The 2025 MAAC Player of the Year from Newburgh, New York, averaged 18.1 ppg and had 14 double-doubles in his second year in Hamden. The All-MAAC First Team selection this past season has heard from multiple schools in the SEC, Big Ten, Big East and ACC since entering the portal, according to On3sports.
Paul Otieno | Forward
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
Otieno spent three seasons with the Bobcats and garnered an All-MAAC First Team nomination in 2024-25. He finished behind Monroe in the MAAC’s double-double leaderboards (13) and was among the nation’s best in offensive rebounding. After spending his first collegiate seasons at Kilgore College (TX), the Kenyan native joined the 1,000 point club this past year, and was granted another graduate season after the NCAA’s junior college eligibility waiver ruling.
Doug Young | Guard
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
Young played two seasons at the JUCO level, one at Odessa College (TX) and one at Midland College (TX), but has spent the past two seasons with the Bobcats. He averaged 5.4 ppg off the bench this past season and scored a season-high 18 points against Sacred Heart. Young was granted another year of eligibility under the same precedent as Otieno.
Ryan Mabrey | Guard
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
Coming over as a transfer last spring after spending his first two seasons at Miami (OH), Mabrey averaged 4.3 ppg in 32 games (12 starts) with Quinnipiac in what’s looking like his lone season in Hamden. He scored in double figures five times including a 17- point outburst in November against St. John’s where he buried a season high five triples.
Khaden Bennett | Guard
Years of eligibility remaining: 2
In his second year in Hamden, Bennett had anything but a sophomore slump. He averaged 10.3 ppg on the season, including three 20-plus point games. He spent most the beginning half of the year as the primary ball handler with veteran guard Savion Lewis out with an injury. Many times guarding the opposing team’s second or third scoring option, Bennett compiled 43 steals during the season.
Women’s Basketball
Portal opening date: March 24th
Portal closing date: April 22nd
Gal Raviv | Guard
Years of eligibility remaining: 3
Raviv was the first player in MAAC history to win both Rookie and Player of the Year awards. The Kadima, Israel native finished the season averaging 17.9 points per game, the most for a Quinnipiac women’s basketball player since the 2013-14 season.
Men’s Ice Hockey
Portal opening date: March 30th
Portal closing date: May 13th
Noah Altman | Goaltender
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
Atlman’s four years in Hamden made him the longest-tenured player in the program this season. He appeared in parts of seven games across four seasons, but his lively personality made him a favorite in both the locker room and among fans over the years. His impact on the program warranted his selection as an alternate captain for the 2024-25 season.
Nate Benoit | Defenseman
Years of eligibility remaining: 2
With his portal entry, Benoit is destined for his third team in as many seasons. He spent his freshman year with North Dakota before transferring into Quinnipiac for his sophomore season. In 2024-25 with the Bobcats, he appeared in 21 games and recorded two assists. Benoit’s last appearance for Quinnipiac was in its ECAC Tournament semifinal loss to Cornell, where he slotted in as the seventh defenseman but did not see any ice time. He was a healthy scratch in the team’s NCAA Tournament loss to UConn.
Michael Salandra | Forward
Years of eligibility remaining: 3
Salandra did not play in his first year in Hamden. During the 2023-24 season, he played in the BCHL, a part of the West Kelowna Warriors organization. During his second year with the Warriors, he was named an alternate captain and recorded 21 goals and 23 assists.
Noah Eyre | Forward
Years of eligibility remaining: 3
During his first year in Hamden, Eyre only appeared in five games and last played on Jan. 31 against Dartmouth. He came to Quinnipiac from the Sioux Falls Stampede along with two other Quinnipiac freshmen, Tyler Borgula and Chris Pelosi.
Chase Ramsay | Defenseman
Years of eligibility remaining: 2
Similar to Eyre, Ramsay only played a handful of games in his second season in Hamden. During the season, there were two months between each of his three appearances. Playing seven games total in two years, Ramsay did not record a single point while wearing the blue and gold.
Women’s Ice Hockey
Portal opening date: March 16th
Portal closing date: April 29th
Outgoing Players
Tiana McIntyre | Defender
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
McIntyre, a native of Park City, Utah, dressed for 36 of the team’s 38 games in 2024-25. She did not register a point, but recorded 21 shots on goal, had an even plus-minus rating, and tied for seventh on the team with 16 blocked shots. As a sophomore in 2023-24, McIntyre had two assists and a +6 rating.
Incoming Players
Calli Hogarth | Goaltender | Merrimack
Years of eligibility remaining: 1
Hogarth played three seasons in North Andover, serving as Merrimack’s primary starter or a platoon goaltender in each of them. In 2024-25, she started 23 games for the Warriors, finishing with a 2.79 goals against average and .904 save percentage. At 6 feet tall, Hogarth reflects the growing trend of bigger goaltenders in women’s college hockey. She is expected to compete with rising sophomore Felicia Frank for playing time.
Alex Law | Forward | Boston University
Years of eligibility remaining: 2
Law was a highly-touted recruit coming into college, playing for Canada’s national team at two IIHF Under-18 World Championships. She played two seasons for the Terriers, putting up 13 points as a freshman and nine this past year as a sophomore. She recorded an assist in BU’s NCAA tournament loss to Clarkson. Law also was a member of BU’s lacrosse team and is expected to play both sports at Quinnipiac.
Anna Foley, Jackie Grisdale and Gal Raviv dragged their feet and stepped up onto the postgame press conference podium with their heads down following their loss to the Fairfield Stags in the MAAC championship game just five days ago.
It was clear that before facing the media, the players had shed tears together in the locker room. You could see the red around the three players’ eyes. You could hear their sniffles as head coach Tricia Fabbri gave her opening statement and you could feel that the team knew they were 40 minutes away from the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 season. But they could not withstand the pure dominance from Fairfield.
Over the next 28 hours, more questions loomed for Quinnipiac women’s basketball. At that point, the Bobcats were 28-4. That was good for 15th-best in the country. Fairfield had claimed the conference’s automatic bid, but Quinnipiac’s fate still hung in the balance. The Bobcats had beaten three teams during the regular season that ended up being at-large and automatic qualifiers following the selection show Sunday night. Their chance for an at-large bid was low, but not zero.
— Quinnipiac Women's Basketball (@QU_WBB) March 16, 2025
Despite many media outlets, and even Fairfield’s head coach Carly Thiboult-Dudonis, trying to advocate for Quinnipiac with the NCAA Selection Committee to allow the Bobcats to get an at-large bid, ESPN’s Elle Duncan never uttered the words, “The Quinnipiac Bobcats,” during Sunday night’s selection show.
I asked Fairfield head coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis what her pitch to the NCAA Selection Committee would be to get Quinnipiac – who is now 28-4 – into the NCAA Tournament
Quinnipiac’s season would be extended, however. Not in the NCAA Tournament, but in the WBIT. The Bobcats will be playing the Seton Hall Pirates Thursday night at 7 p.m. in South Orange, New Jersey in the opening round of the tournament.
How Quinnipiac got here
The Quinnipiac Bobcats defeated the No. 10 Iona Gaels in the MAAC quarter-final round in convincing fashion, 79-51. The Bobcats followed up two days later by beating the No. 6 Merrimack Warriors in the semi-final round 65-51. The team then ran into the buzzsaw that was the No. 1 Fairfield Stags, who were able to beat the Bobcats 76-53 in the MAAC championship game. The Stags had made 15 three-pointers during the championship game, tied for the most made three-point field goals in one game of the entire season for Fairfield.
“We have to give Fairfield a ton of credit,” senior captain Jackie Grisdale said postgame. “They played a great game and we couldn’t keep up.”
Sydni Scott scored all of her 18 points from behind the arc, not missing one of her six attempts from deep.
“Once I saw the first one go in, I knew it was going to be a good day,” Scott said after the game.
What is The WBIT?
The WBIT is the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament and it is offered to teams that did not qualify for the NCAA tournament. In 2024, the tournament was created to replicate the men’s version of the National Invitational Tournament. It is a 32-team postseason tournament and is sponsored by the NCAA, unlike the WNIT. The Bobcats will look to become the second ever winner of this tournament after Illinois who won the inaugural tournament last year and who now will be playing in the NCAA tournament.
There are certainly advantages to playing in the tournament as it gives younger players experience playing in a competitive tournament as well as increased exposure for players to give coaches or professional scouts another chance to take a look. There can be some downside however as the travel and schedule strain can be massive as if the Bobcats are to win, they will have to travel to the west coast immediately after the game to play Stanford or Portland. There can also be added injury risk playing in these games.
This season, Quinnipiac is one of four teams in the tournament that has five or less losses in the entire season.
— Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (@wbitwbb) March 17, 2025
How does Quinnipiac match up against Seton Hall?
Seton Hall head coach Tony Bozzella and the Pirates finished third in the Big East conference, behind Connecticut and Creighton. The two schools are a 2-seed and a 9-seed, respectfully, in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
“While we are all disappointed that the third-place team in the fifth hardest country did not get selected for the NCAA Tournament,” Bozzella said on social media. “We are very excited to once again represent Seton Hall in the postseason.”
Both Bozzella and Fabbri believed that they should have been a part of the NCAA Tournament this season. While Fabbri did not take the same approach as Bozzella, Quinnipiac’s head coach has made it clear in the past that the conference they play in deserves more respect than it receives.
A portion of head coach Tricia Fabbri’s opening statement after today’s win against Fairfield.
The MAAC will have to wait another year for the women’s basketball side to get two bids for the first time since 2001, Quinnipiac still has a game to play.
Quinnipiac (28-4, 18-2 MAAC)
Seton Hall (22-9, 13-5 Big East)
68.4
PPG
62.7
73.9%
FT %
77.9%
44.2%
FG %
38.6%
34.8%
3PT %
27.4%
32.7/G
REB/G
33.3/G
12/G
TO/G
14.2/G
The Bobcats and the Pirates are very similar on paper, but the biggest battle will be the point guard play for either side.
The two schools will meet for the third time ever. Seton Hall won the previous two matchups by a total of 10 points, the two first matchup since 2007.
Quinnipiac’s Gal Raviv was awarded the MAAC Rookie and Player of the Year award this season. It is the first time that the conference gave the player of the year honors to a freshman in its 43-year history.
The 5-foot-7 guard leads the team in scoring at 18.3 points per contest and forces all of her opponents to bring reinforcements her way when she has the ball in her hands. If the other team brings a second defender, she has the intelligence to find the open player and have the Bobcats play on the advantage. She also leads the team in assists.
On the other side, another 5-foot–7 freshman guard has been playing lights out for the Pirates.
Jada Eads is from Orlando, Florida and has the chops to be a part of “the best backcourt around,” Bozzella said during the season.
Averaging 13.8 points per game, Eads does a lot of the same things that her Quinnipiac counterpart does. She has a crafty handle, commands attention when she is on offense and limits turnovers to keep her team in the game.
It is a long road for the chance to compete for another championship, and while one team’s season will end Thursday night, the other will move on to the west coast for the second round of the tournament. The winner will face the winner of Stanford vs. Portland, though dates and times are still TBD.
“…It’s another opportunity for us to get postseason experience,” Fabbri said to WTNH News 8 Wednesday. “That will pay itself forward as we get ready for next year.”
By Connor Wilson, Ethan Hurwitz and Khalise Harris
It’s tough to beat the team three times in one season, and that sentiment rang true for Quinnipiac men’s basketball in the MAAC tournament last week.
After a regular season where they claimed the MAAC’s top seed for the second-straight year and a 2-0 season series against Iona, the Bobcats were bounced in the conference semifinals by the fourth-seeded Gaels Friday night.
“I want to congratulate Iona, I thought they did a wonderful job,” Quinnipiac head coach Tom Pecora said following the loss. “One of the things we talked about each game … was (to) control the backboard and control the paint, and they really punished us in the paint.”
QU Sports Page’s Connor Wilson, Ethan Hurwitz and Khalise Harris take a look at three reasons why the Bobcats fell short of a conference title game appearance for the fifth time since joining the MAAC.
REBOUNDING: Qunnipiac led the MAAC in rebounding (38.5 per game) during the regular season, which was anchored by junior forward Amarri Monroe and senior forward Paul Otieno. The frontcourt duo combined for 27 double-doubles, by far the most amongst teammates in the conference. One of the Bobcats’ overall strengths all year long was their ability to dominate the glass.
In Friday’s loss, Quinnipiac was outrebounded by Iona 39-28, including 14-12 on the offensive glass. Otieno had eight and Monroe had six, both below their season averages. When the Gaels visited Hamden on Feb. 16, the Bobcats were plus-16 on the boards en route to a five-point win. In that same game, Iona’s leading rebounder, junior forward Yaphet Moundi, didn’t play due to an illness.
“We laughed, because he had the flu and we called it the ‘Otieno-virus,’” now-former Iona head coach Tobin Anderson said. “We said ‘Are you afraid of him?’, or something like that. We did that to motivate him.”
There was no sign of an “Otieno-virus” in Atlantic City. Moundi grabbed 11 rebounds and outmuscled Otieno in the paint for nearly the entire game. The Gaels were able to control the glass from the opening tip and make the Bobcats uncomfortable in an area where they are usually sharp, which threw Quinnipiac off for the rest of the night. — Wilson
3-POINT SHOOTING: It’s not new for the Bobcats to struggle to consistently connect from deep. They’ve been ranked in or around the bottom 20 of teams across Division I in 3-point shooting percentage all season, and junior guard Ryan Mabrey — who the team brought in through the transfer portal to be the team’s primary shooter — saw his minutes dwindle all season.
In Friday’s loss, Quinnipiac went 9-for-29 from behind the arc with Monroe accounting for nine of the misses. Sophomore guard Khaden Bennett, who hit three 3-pointers in Wednesday’s quarterfinals win over Rider, missed all four of his attempts. For Monroe, it was one of his worst performances at a time where they couldn’t afford it.
“Obviously, we’re upset,” Monroe said. “But as captains, you know, you can’t really put your head down, because the younger guys see it down, and they’ll put their head down.”
For comparison, the Gaels shot just 10 times from three. While they only made two of those, the overall defensive pressure forced the Bobcats into a one-dimensional, 3-point heavy offense, an offense that the team already wasn’t excelling at. — Hurwitz
FOUL TROUBLE: Quinnipiac committed 20 fouls compared to Iona’s 16, but the timing and impact of these fouls were more significant, as three players — Bennett, graduate guard Savion Lewis, and senior guard Doug Young — each had four fouls.
Lewis picked up his first foul just two minutes into the game, while Bennett committed his first five minutes in. Both had two fouls by halftime, and Bennett quickly tallied his third early in the second half. Young and Lewis each drew back-to-back fouls in the second half, ultimately sidelining Lewis. Bennett’s fourth foul came with 40 seconds left, stretching Iona’s lead to six points, sealing the Bobcats’ fate.
As Lewis is the team’s primary ball handler and sets the tone on the court, with one foul to give up Quinnipiac knew that his absence would be significant. Without him, the responsibility fell to Bennett and Monroe, who struggled offensively, with Monroe shooting 8-for-22 and 3-for-12 from three. Lewis only played 26 games this season while the Bobcats played 33 total games, so they had played without him before — but when it mattered most, his absence was glaring.
Lewis played 22 minutes (his lowest total since February) for his last game with the Bobcats. While Young logged 15 minutes and Bennett played 26 — higher than their season averages of 13.2 and 24.6 minutes.
“Just knowing this was my last time playing with Quinnipiac, I wasn’t able to finish the job, but I believe I left a legacy here for the young guys that they’re going to carry on and be able to finish it in the next years coming,” Lewis said.
Lewis spent seven seasons with the Bobcats, starting all 34 games while averaging a career-high 31.0 minutes per game. — Harris
Since the start of the season, every team in the MAAC has had one goal in mind – to punch their ticket to the big dance.
Day one is complete for the MAAC tournament, 10 teams came in, now eight remain.
QU Sports Page’s Khalise Harris and Judaea Ingram discuss the first round results and will break down the matchups in the remaining rounds to predict which squad will punch their ticket and which will fall short of their championship dreams.
So which team will prevail and head to March Madness?
First round results:
No. 8 Rider scrapes passed No. 9 Siena
Rider advanced to the quarterfinals after edging Siena 78-76 in a tightly contested battle. Siena held a narrow two-point lead at halftime. In the second half, Rider turned up the intensity as Zion Cruz stepped up and scored key buckets. It wasn’t the best shooting night from beyond the arc for either team. Rider dominated inside with 46 points in the paint to Siena’s 32 and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, scoring 23 points. The game featured 20 lead changes, with Tariq Ingraham leading the charge for Rider with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman guard Flash Burton added 17 points on 8-for-16 shooting, including the game-tying shot to even the score at 69-69.
No. 7 Sacred Heart offense was too much for No. 10 Fairfield to handle
The nerves kick in when your season is on the line, but the jitters didn’t seem to bother Sacred Heart as they advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Fairfield 71 to 58. The Pioneers would open up with a 7-0 lead and would never look back. With the best scoring offense in the MAAC, the Pioneers fast paced scoring could not be stopped. With 22 total assists for the day, they moved the ball extremely well, making the extra pass and playing unselfish ball. They had 18 total fast break points, taking advantage of their quick transition offense.
Fairfield throughout the game would cut the lead back to single digits, going on scoring runs, but Sacred Heart responded each time with a run of their own. With so many three point snipers on their team, it was hard for Fairfield to defend. When the Stags closed out tight, Sacred Heart would make the extra pass to paint or penetrate to the basket. The Pioneers were able to stop the Stags biggest threat, Prophet Johnson, the junior guard would often get double-teamed whenever he touched the ball, he finished the night with eight points and 10 rebounds, going 3-for-12 from the field and 0-for-3 from the 3-point line. Amiri Stewart had a breakout game with 18 points, leading all players.
“That’s one down, we got another one tomorrow,” Stewart said to his teammates in the locker room after celebrating their win.
Quarterfinals:
Game 3: No. 1 Quinnipiac vs No. 8 Rider
A balanced assault and key position experience have helped the Bobcats recover from last year’s agonizing 62-60 buzzer loss to Saint Peter’s in the semifinals. Quinnipiac ranks third in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 73.8 ppg, thanks to Amarri Monroe, Savion Lewis, and Paul Otieno, who elected to stay. Monroe, the preseason MAAC Player of the Year, leads the league in rebounding with 9.2 boards and third in scoring with 17.7 points. Just behind him is Otieno, who averages 8.6 rebounds and has grabbed double-digit boards 13 times this season. Savion Lewis ranks second in the MAAC with 6.4 assists per game, powering the attack. Quinnipiac’s defense allows 71.4 points per game (6th in MAAC) and.418 field goals. The Bobcats lead the MAAC in team rebounds (38.5), offensive rebounds (11.6), and defensive rebounds (26). They rank third in MAAC thefts (8.52) and second in blocked shots (4.81). Quinnipiac will be tough to beat in the tournament if Monroe, Otieno, and Lewis keep scoring.
X-factor: The battle on the boards will be the key to this matchup. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC in team rebounds, while Siena relies on its defense and shot blocking to disrupt opponents. If the Bobcats can hold down the glass and generate second-chance points, Quinnipiac will have the edge. On the other hand, if Siena can protect the paint and limit Quinnipiac’s offensive rebounds, it could swing the momentum in its favor.
Prediction: Quinnipiac.
Game 4: No. 2 Merrimack vs No. 7 Sacred Heart
The Warriors use their tenacious defense to funnel their game. They focus on a tight zone defense. This focus on defense allows them to control tempo and make critical plays in crucial moments. This is a team that can score 50 points and still win the game. They play games on their own terms. It’s slow, dragged out, and winning the turnover battle. On the other side, the Pioneers boast a high powered offense. They run their transition offense effectively and challenge teams to match their pace. They are turnover prone and Merrimack will take advantage. The Warriors have proven to stop the Pioneers quick paced offense, having them shoot poorly from the field in their two outings against each other. This game will come down to the final possession and there is no one better to have the ball in their hands than junior guard Adam “Budd” Clark.
“Clark does not have a nervous bone in his body. He’s got a flare that’s made for March. He’s proven he can go out and win some games,” head coach Gallo said.
X-factor: Offensive possessions. Merrimack is known to stop offenses from flowing and controls the pace of the game. How well they can stop the Pioneers juggernaut offense for a third time will be crucial for them, as this game will come to the wire. The team that can get the most clean looks and gain time of possession during crunch time will come out on top.
Game 5: No. 4 Iona vs. No. 5 Manhattan
Iona overcame a three-game losing slump to win three straight. DeJour Reaves leads the Gaels with 16.7 ppg (4th in MAAC). Their three-point defense is exceptionally effective, limiting opponents to 33.1% shooting. Yaphet Moundi leads the MAAC with 7.2 rebounds per game (top 10). The Gaels are tough to beat when they play well, combining excellent defense, rebounding, and scoring. Manhattan is on a four-game winning streak entering the MAAC tournament. The Jaspers have one of the most balanced attacks in the MAAC, scoring 76.4 ppg. They are dangerous from three, ranking 4th in three-point percentage (35.1%) and 2nd in made threes (8.8) per game. Five players average double digits, led by Will Sydnor (14.3 ppg, 9th in MAAC) and Devin Dinkins (13.5 ppg, 11th). Manhattan is a tough tournament opponent since they score at all three levels and capitalize on second chances.
X-factor: The key will be which team can impose its style of play — if Iona’s defense can disrupt Merrimack’s offensive rhythm, it could swing the game in their favor. However, if Merrimack can maintain its scoring pace and find ways to break down Iona’s defensive schemes, it will put pressure on Iona to keep up offensively. The team that can adjust and excel on both ends of the court will likely come out on top.
Prediction: Iona.
Game 6: No. 3 Marist vs No. 6 Mount St. Mary’s
Offensively, Marist is middle of the pack, this is not a team that will blow you out with their offensive schemes. Defense is their bread and butter. They force long possessions and do not allow good looks or second chances, as they are ranked 1st in the MAAC in rebounds. They have great on-ball defense at multiple spots. The Mountaineers are a good all-around team, offensively averaging 70.7 points per game. They are top five in the MAAC scoring, field goal percentage, and three point percentage. They get many second chance opportunities due to the presence of Jedi Cordelia and Dola Adebayo. Teams do not shoot well against the Mountaineers. It does not hurt that they also have the conference’s best outside shooter, Carmelo Pacheco, who shoots 46.4% from the arc and he can hit big shots when needed.
— Mount Men’s Basketball (@MountHoops) March 8, 2025
“Our guys respond every time, no matter what has happened to us this year, good or bad, we have responded” Coach Donny Lind said after their win against Marist.
X-factor: On-ball pressure. These are two on-ball pressure teams. Both teams will find it crucial to take care of the ball and make crisp moves when moving up and down the court. They will be in each other’s space and will try to dictate the opponents pace. Keeping themselves in front of the player, limiting penetration and kick outs will be important for both teams.
Prediction:Mount St. Mary’s.
Semifinal Round:
Game 7: No. 1 Quinnipiac vs. No. 4 Iona
Quinnipiac managed to control the pace in both matchups against Iona this season, and its balanced attack is difficult for the Gaels to stop. If Quinnipiac stays disciplined defensively and continues to spread the scoring load, the Bobcats should have the upper hand. Iona scored 32 points in bench production and scored 33 points off turnovers against Quinnipiac both times. If they can capitalize on Quinnipiac’s mistakes and force the Bobcats into turnovers, it will be crucial to their success. Iona forced Quinnipiac to commit 18 turnovers over the two previous games, and they will need to replicate that pressure to stay competitive. Taking advantage of turnovers and bench contributions could swing the game in Iona’s favor.
X-factor: In this game will be the offensive execution from both teams. With both Quinnipiac and Iona having strong offensive presences, the ability to execute efficiently could lead to a high-scoring affair. Quinnipiac’s balanced scoring and Iona’s ability to capitalize on turnovers and fast breaks will be crucial in dictating the tempo. If both teams can maintain their offensive rhythm and avoid defensive lapses, this could turn into a high-scoring, back and forth battle.
Prediction:Quinnipiac.
Game 8: No. 2 Merrimack vs No. 6 Mount St. Mary’s
With Budd Clark at the point, Matt Becht and Devon Savage on the wings, both of them shooting with confidence, and the front court duo of Bryan Etummu and Sean Trumper, Merrimack has one of the conference most complete starting five. Defense anchoring this team, in the last matchup against the Mountaineers, they forced 19 turnovers. The Mountaineers forced the Warriors to shoot poorly from the field and behind the arc. The Warriors will make adjustments to continue to play their style. Winning seven of their last 10 games, the Mountaineers are on a run. Unlike many MAAC teams, the Mountaineers were able to shoot well from the 3-point line against the Warriors. They were 9-17 from the 3-point line and shot over 50 percent from the field.
“Because we’re so unique, we spend a lot more use on ourselves than we do our opponents,” Joe Gallo said.
X-factor: Rebounding. Merrimack is one of the worst rebounding teams in the MAAC, Mount St. Mary’s is one of the best rebounders. In their last matchup, the Warriors were outrebounded 43-23. 10 of those 43 rebounds were offensive boards, accumulating 11 second chance points. The Warriors lost by 10 in their last matchup.
Prediction: Merrimack.
Final:
No. 1 Quinnipiac vs No. 2 Merrimack
The Bobcats are hungry for redemption after a tough season, but with a mix of experienced returners and the added energy from freshman Jaden Zimmerman, they are poised for success. The team has been here before, but this time they have the right blend of hustle, grit and leadership to go all the way.
Merrimack has solidified their reputation with an elite defense that shuts down opponents and forces turnovers. However, while their defense remains a strength, don’t expect the same offensive performances as in previous matchups. Merrimack will certainly adjust, but Quinnipiac’s offensive firepower and depth will challenge their defensive focus.
X-factor: Merrimack’s defense. They thrive on their tight zone defense, forcing turnovers, blocking shots, and limiting opponents’ scoring opportunities. Their ability to control tempo and disrupt offensive rhythm will be key in limiting Quinnipiac’s offensive firepower. Bryan Etumnu’s dominance in the paint and the aggressive defense led by Adam Clark could force Quinipiac into uncomfortable situations, especially if the Warriors can capitalize on turnovers.
However, Quinnipiac’s depth and offensive versatility provide them with the tools to overcome Merrimack’s defensive pressure. The Bobcats’ ability to adjust their offense-mixing inside play with perimeter shooting-while managing the pressure from Merrimack’s defense, will determine the outcome. The X-factor will be how well Quinnipiac can handle Merrimack’s defensive intensity and still execute their balanced offense, leveraging their depth to exploit mismatches.
By Connor Wilson, Ethan Hurwitz, Judaea Ingram & Khalise Harris
With the regular season wrapping up on Saturday, the 2025 MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship is officially upon us. In Atlantic City, 10 teams playing over the course of five days at Boardwalk Hall will determine which school earns the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
If there’s one thing to take from these types of tournaments, it’s that anything can happen, and the favorites aren’t always the ones hoisting the trophy on Saturday. All 10 postseason-eligible teams can make a case to win it all, so here’s one x-factor from each squad that will be crucial towards their team’s success in the tournament:
Quinnipiac: Khaden Bennett, Soph., G (10.4 PPG, 40.7% FG)
The Bobcats are led by a veteran group of upperclassmen with much experience. Bennett has become a key contributor for this team. After playing just 16 games last season, he has stepped into a larger role as the fourth-leading scorer while starting 20. His energy and hustle stand out – diving for loose balls, taking charges, and attacking the rim for momentum-shifting dunks. He also spaces the floor and ranks third on the team with a .346 3-point percentage (22nd in the MAAC). In the backcourt, his 43 steals are the second-most on the team. Over the last five games, he has recorded three double-digit scoring performances, proving his consistency. With his ability to impact both ends of the floor and do the little things, Bennett has been a key piece of the Bobcats’ success. – Harris
Merrimack: Matt Becht, Sr., G (9.8 PPG, 34.8% 3PT)
The Warriors’ identity isn’t beating you from the perimeter, but sometimes in March, the team that comes out on top is the team that gets hot from three. If Merrimack is going to do that, Becht’s fingerprints are going to have to be all over it. The 25-year-old is one of the oldest players in the country and attempts the third most triples per game in the MAAC at 7.3. He knocked down multiple threes in 17 of the Warriors’ 20 MAAC games, and is going to need to perform similarly down in Atlantic City to give Merrimack its best chance at its first NCAA Tournament appearance. No other player besides teammate Budd Clark (20.2) is averaging in double figures this season, so now is the perfect time for somebody on the Warriors to step up. – Wilson
Price was sidelined the entire month of February with a foot injury before returning to the Red Foxes on March 6 in their loss to Merrimack. Marist was rolling with its starting center in the lineup, beginning the year 16-3 overall before the injury. The Red Foxes went 4-4 with him out of the lineup and have lost both games since his return as he adjusts back to speed. Price scored in double figures six times in MAAC play before the injury, and got back to that level in Saturday’s loss to Mount St. Mary’s when he had 13 points. Head coach John Dunne and company need a healthy Price in Atlantic City to make some noise in the tournament. – Wilson
The MAAC All-Rookie Team selection has come on as one of the Gaels’ premier players heading into Atlantic City. Njie Jr. scored in double figures in eight of Iona’s final nine games, with his magnum opus a 26-point outburst at Canisius on March 2. While the majority of the Gaels’ offense runs through senior guard DeJour Reaves and junior forward Yaphet Moundi, Njie Jr. provides an additional level of scoring to head coach Tobin Anderson’s offense. With a first-round bye and a looming quarterfinals matchup against Manhattan — a team that can shoot the three ball with the best of them — it’s safe to assume that Njie Jr. will be an underrated component to lock down one perimeter and help contribute on the other. – Hurwitz
Manhattan: Devin Dinkins, Soph., G (13.5 PPG, 44% 3PT)
Ladies and gentleman, your MAAC Sixth Player of the Year, Devin Dinkins!
The Jaspers were in a six-man rotation for most of MAAC play, now back up to seven, the scoring punch off the bench from Devin Dinkins will be important. Dinkins averaged 13.5 points-per-game (11th in the MAAC). He led the Jaspers with 59 3-pointers this season and had 20 games with multiple 3-pointers to his name. Not only is he shooting well from the field and -point line, but he shoots tremendously from the free-throw line at 87.7%. Whether he is creating his shot or setting up teammates, Dinkins’ versatility will open up different scoring avenues for the Jaspers. His scoring ability gives Manhattan a reliable option in clutch moments and helps keep defenses on their toes. – Ingram
Mount St. Mary’s: Carmelo Pacheco, Soph., G (9.5 PPG, 46% 3PT)
There’s an argument to be made for Pacheco being the conference’s best 3-point shooter. After arriving at Mount St. Mary’s by way of UVA-Wise, Pacheco was the catalyst for a number of the Mountaineers’ wins late in the year. At one point he was ranked inside the top 15 nationally in 3-point percentage, and drilled a game winner against Niagara to steal a win on Feb. 14. He was dealing with a finger injury in Saturday’s win over Marist and played just six minutes, but expect a healthy Pacheco to get the green light early and often from deep. – Hurwitz
In their first year in the MAAC, the Pioneers have impressed many despite finishing as the No. 7 seed. Part of the reason why they are where they are is the youth stepping up, such as Ralph-Beyer. The freshman has been a lights-out shooter for Anthony Latina’s Pioneers all year long, but as of late, he’s been a bit more streaky. Ralph-Beyer hit 20 3-pointers in a seven-game stretch from Jan. 23 to Feb. 16, but in six games since then has only buried eight. Coincidentally, his shooting struggles began when he entered the starting lineup for the first time, so perhaps another change may be in store as Sacred Heart needs the best version of Ralph-Beyer it can get. – Wilson
Cruz has consistently demonstrated his scoring prowess and versatility on the court. In a crucial game against Canisius, he led the team with 12 points, contributing to a decisive 78-50 victory that secured Rider’s berth in the MAAC Tournament. He also had clutch shots against Merrimack and finished the game with 23 points, shooting 9-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from the 3-point line. He is not afraid to shoot and pull from behind the arc. He went 4-5 from the 3-point line against St.Peter’s, finishing the game with 16 points. He is a dynamic offensive option for Rider, and he can stretch out the defense. His hot hand can lead them to the promised Iand. – Ingram
Freshman Wing Gavin Doty (@DotyGavin) has been on a tear since entering Siena's starting lineup 11 games ago, putting up 15 PPG, 8.2 REB (3.3 OREB), 2.3 AST (1.1 TOV), and 1.5 STL in this stretch. Doty plays with a completely unmatched motor, never taking a single possession off! pic.twitter.com/w8RSf0bn3k
Doty has come out of his shell offensively for the Bulldogs since entering the starting lineup. He has scored double digits in eight straight games. Described by Josh Abercombie as an unmatched motor, as he never takes a single possession off. He leads all MAAC freshmen in scoring (14.1), rebounding (7.9), field goal percentage (.480), and free throw percentage (.815). He makes winning plays, whether that is crashing the glass or getting key buckets down the stretch. He does not turn the ball over often and rebounds well for a guard. In three of the last four games, Doty scored 20 or more points, including ending the season with a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double against Manhattan. He is a sensational freshman, and Siena will benefit from his offensive explosion. – Ingram
In his first season at Fairfield, Perry has already made a name for himself. The 5-foot-8 shift and quick guard is a problem – let’s get that straight. Despite starting only three games and averaging 20.0 minutes, he plays with purpose every time he steps on the court. His impact goes beyond the numbers, but he’s had big moments, including a game-winning 7–foot buzzer-beater against Marist. Perry has scored in double figures in 12 games, with three of those being 20-point performances. He also leads the team in free-throw percentage at 88.2%, making it crucial for opponents to keep him off the line, especially since many of his drives result in and-one opportunities. – Harris
Every year before the MAAC women’s basketball season starts, the 13 coaches in the conference vote on how they think the teams will finish.
Sometimes the coaches predict the conference dead on, other times they predict dead wrong. Most times, they meet somewhere in the middle.
The MAAC Tournament tips off at noon on Tuesday with No. 8 Manhattan and No. 9 Canisius playing each other. In anticipation of that, QU Sports Page’s Zach Carter and Ben Yeargin take a look back at what the MAAC coaches predicted the conference standings would be — and how right or wrong they were.
The order below follows the order in which the coaches voted each team to finish in the preseason poll, followed by each team’s actual finish heading into the conference tournament.
1. Fairfield Stags (25-4, 13-1 MAAC)
Actual finish: 1
The coaches hit a home run here. Despite the reigning MAAC Player of the Year (and also preseason player of the year) graduate guard Janelle Brown tearing her ACL, Fairfield thrived in conference play.
The Stags finished 19-1 while leading the MAAC in scoring offense and scoring defense. They also received votes in the AP Poll for the second-consecutive year.
Fairfield is the deepest team in the conference. Its offense is led by sophomore roadrunner (a term the Stags use in place of forward) Meghan Andersen, who is averaging 15 points per game, but the Stags also have two other eligible players who average at least eight or more points a game in sophomore guard Kaety L’Amoreaux and senior roadrunner Emina Selimovic.
Anyone on Fairfield can take and make a three and its best players can score at all three levels, making the Stags difficult to defend.
In the MAAC Tournament, Fairfield is the No. 1 seed and favorite to win it all, but with its No. 51 NET ranking, the Stags have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid.
But whether in preseason or post, Fairfield cemented itself as the conference’s best team.
– Yeargin
2. Siena Saints (17-12, 14-6 MAAC)
Actual finish: 3
The coaches poll set expectations high for the Saints, who met the bar by rattling off their second-consecutive third-place finish in the conference. Success all year has been predicated on the team’s backcourt, fronted by junior Teresa Seppala and graduate Ahniysha Jackson. Both guards rank in the top two on the team of minutes per game and points per game by a wide margin.
The poll named Seppala a projected First Team All-MAAC recipient and Jackson a second team finish. The crystal ball was spot on, with both being announced March 10 to the first and second teams, respectively. Seppala made it unanimously.
Last year, Niagara bounced Siena from Atlantic City in a 17-point win. The Purple Eagles outscored the Saints 34-11 in the first quarter, and the Saints were never able to climb back from the deficit.
But the Saints are surging as of late, winning their final four games of the year. In their most recent game against conference bottom feeder Rider, the Saints drubbed the Broncs by 37 points. Head coach Terry Primm and his squad have all their ducks in a row heading into the conference tournament, looking to wash away the pain of last year’s semi-final loss.
– Carter
T-3. Niagara (3-25, 2-18 MAAC)
Actual finish: 13
Reality and prediction sometimes don’t mix.
What the coaches thought they were voting on in the preseason was a Purple Eagles team that just pushed Fairfield to overtime in the MAAC Tournament and retained two of their three leading scorers. They were predicting a squad that would bounce right back up and wreak havoc on the conference.
Instead, what it received was a mostly inexperienced roster that had the sixth-worst scoring defense in the country. The Purple Eagles didn’t win a MAAC game until Feb. 27 against Iona.
What doesn’t help is Niagara’s two best players missed chunks of the season. Senior forward Aaliyah Parker redshirted this season and junior forward Amelia Strong played 16 of the Purple Eagles 28 games.
You can’t predict injuries, but the coaches could’ve seen an inexperienced roster that lacked Division I-depth. In other words, the MAAC coaches were dead wrong on this one.
– Yeargin
T-3. Quinnipiac (26-3, 18-2 MAAC)
Actual finish: 2
Both Quinnipiac and the coaches poll anticipated success for the Bobcats in 2024-25. Where the predictions went askew was more nuanced — just how much success the Bobcats would have eluded the MAAC’s coaches. Few expected a freshman from Israel to take the league by storm and grow the Bobcats into one of the most formidable mid-major teams in the nation.
Gal Raviv did just that.
A starter in every game for Quinnipiac this year, Raviv displayed excellence in all facets. She averaged 18.0 points and 5.7 assists and made the All-MAAC First Team despite not being named to any of the three teams in the preseason. Not to mention, she won rookie and conference player of the year.
Quinnipiac’s supporting cast in Jackie Grisdale, Karson Martin, Anna Foley and others make this team especially dangerous. The Bobcats have built up a conference-best defense, limiting teams to just 54.4 points per game, and handed Fairfield its first conference loss in two years March 8.
The Bobcats outperformed the preseason poll’s expectations and solidified themselves as one of the conference’s premier teams. They should make some noise in March, going as far as their first-year phenom will take them.
– Carter
Photo: Quinnipiac Chronicle
5. Sacred Heart (9-20, 5-15 MAAC)
Actual finish: 12
Junior guard Ny’Ceara Pryor was arguably the best player in the conference this season. She led the MAAC in scoring per game and steals per game (she leads Division I in the latter category). In all other worlds, she would be accepting her third-straight conference player of the year award for her work this season.
But Sacred Heart finished No. 12 in the MAAC with a 5-15 conference record and missed the MAAC Tournament altogether.
How? Terrible shooting and a lack of offensive production behind her. The reigning NEC champions shot 37.9% on the season and league-worst 24.4% from three. In 16 of the Pioneers’ 20 conference games, their opponents shot better than them.
Pryor was incredible this year. She also finished seventh in rebounds per game as a 5-foot-3-inch guard, but no one else stepped up. Sacred Heart showed flashes of its brilliance, but never pieced together any notable wins.
The Pioneers will have seven long months to improve before it goes again for year two in the MAAC. The coaches laid a massive goose egg on this one.
– Yeargin
6. Manhattan (15-24, 9-11 MAAC)
Actual finish: 8
A two-spot differential for Manhattan is not enough to keep them out of the tournament — they’ll take on Canisius Tuesday at noon — but it is enough to change the narrative around this group.
A sixth-place finish would have put Manhattan in the upper half of the conference’s 13 teams. At No. 8, they officially take on an underdog persona. Ignoring the Jaspers’ record quickly, this team has performed very well under the hood, better than most give them credit for. The Jaspers held the third-best point margin in the conference, one of four teams to boast a positive differential between its offensive and defensive output.
Team defense is a big factor in that, holding opponents to a conference-best 36.8% percentage from the floor, while shooting 42.5% from the floor themselves, third-best in the MAAC. The Jaspers also lead the conference at 4.48 blocks per game. They grab the most rebounds per game (37.1) of any team in the conference and average the second-most assists of any team (15.9).
With an abundance of promising statistics in mind, let’s bring their record back into play. The portrayal now shifts. At No. 8 in the MAAC heading into the tournament, this is no longer an upper-half team like the coaches anticipated. This is a group that underperformed in the regular season, but one that has all the tools it needs in its toolbox to pull off a surprising run.
– Carter
7. Mount St. Mary’s (14-15, 12-8 MAAC)
Actual finish: 4
In front of Mount St. Mary’s in the preseason poll is Manhattan, but the Jaspers were in front of the Mountaineers by over 26 points. That’s a clear indicator that the Mount didn’t belong in the conference’s upper echelon.
Come March, Mount finished four spots ahead of Manhattan in the MAAC.
Fueled by career years from senior guard Jo Raflo, graduate guard Anna LeMaster and freshman guard Gabrielle Kennerly, the Mount was the best three-point shooting team in the conference. It shot 35% from deep.
Additionally, the Mountaineers had a seven-game win streak in conference that featured a dominant performance over Siena and an overtime win at Quinnipiac. However , they’ve also had losing streaks in conference too. The Mount previously lost four of five conference games before beating Marist on the final day of the season.
The reason for its losses coincides with its field-goal percentage. When the Mount shot under 40% in conference play, it went 2-7.
For that, the coaches deserve some grace, but not a complete absolution of responsibility. They were wrong, and underestimated a team that can be dominant.
– Yeargin
8. Iona (10-20, 8-12 MAAC)
Actual finish: 10
The Gaels were predicted to be a lower-half playoff team, and while that expectation did realize, it only did so by a minuscule margin. Iona grabbed the very last spot in the MAAC tournament in underwhelming fashion, losing six straight games to end the regular season.
The Gaels did not have a single player average over 10 points on the year, with the two closest players, Ella Fajardo and Judith Gomez, averaging 9.6 and 9.5 respectively. Unlike most MAAC teams, the Gaels’ roster is void of the X-factor that one usually relies on when this time of the year rolls around. Like Raviv for Quinnipiac. Janneh for St. Peter’s. Seppala and Jackson for Siena. Iona lacks that special talent, and it could hurt them come Tuesday.
A conference will almost always have its outliers, the teams who lose just a handful of games and the teams that barely win just a handful of games, but the middle is where the majority of programs fall. Iona was one of those teams. Its stock is low — the lowest its been all season — and if the Gaels are able to beat No. 7 Saint Peter’s in the opening round, they’ll have to take on No. 2 Quinnipiac the very next day.
But then again, March means madness.
– Carter
9. Rider (7-22, 5-15 MAAC)
Actual finish: 11
The coaches weren’t too far off with this prediction, but there’s still a large difference between a playoff team and one that’s not.
Rider’s case was one of single digits.
The Broncs finished three games outside of a postseason bid. In MAAC play, they lost four games by single digits. If they won those four games instead, Rider is a MAAC Tournament team. But reality is they didn’t.
There were some positives for Rider, though.
Senior guard Gabby Turco had an excellent year, averaging 13.9 points per game with 3.5 rebounds per contest too. Also, freshman forward Winner Bartholomew likely earned herself a spot on the All-MAAC Rookie Team with her 8.3 points per game and 3.8 boards per game.
The middle of the MAAC was hard to predict for anyone; the coaches weren’t that far off. But still, they were somewhat wrong.
– Yeargin
10. Saint Peter’s (11-18, 9-11 MAAC)
Actual finish: 7
The coaches swung and missed on Saint Peter’s, figuring they might sneak into the tournament as the final team. Or they might not. Then again, the poll is never exactlyright. But No. 7 is much different from No. 10. If Saint Peter’s beats Iona in the opening round, it won’t have to play Fairfield the day after, though Quinnipiac does not present much of an easier matchup.
The Peacocks rely predominantly on one woman — Fatmata Janneh. At 18.3 points per game, she more than doubled the scoring of the team’s second-highest scorer Layla Laws at 9.0 ppg. Her selection to the All-MAAC First Team is more than deserved, given where Saint Peter’s might rank in the conference had Janneh not been around all year to produce at the level she has.
Again, the middle of any conference is difficult to perceive. The coaches shouldn’t be on the hook for an egregious miss, but the fact of the matter is they overlooked a Saint Peter’s team that has outperformed expectations this year.
– Carter
11. Marist (16-14, 11-9 MAAC)
Actual finish: 5
On the surface, Marist looked doomed. The Red Foxes finished last season at the bottom of the MAAC and lost their only MAAC Tournament game 60-47 to Mount St. Mary’s.
Additionally, they lost their two leading scorers in forward Zaria Shazer and guard Kiara Fisher.
But right below the surface was a young core of players that was eager to prove itself, and they did. Marist plays the Mount again in the MAAC Tournament this year, but as the No. 5 seed.
Redshirt junior guard Lexie Tarul and junior center Morgan Lee are the duo that’s powered the Red Foxes offense this season. They’re one and two in points per game on the squad. Additionally, freshman guard Danielle Williamsen notched an All-MAAC Rookie Team-worthy nine points per game this year.
Junior forward Ciara Croker, junior guard Jackie Piddock, sophomore guard Julia Corsentino and senior guard Catie Cunningham all play significant roles on Marist. Croker and Piddock round out the starting five, while Cunningham and Corsentino have the most minutes off the bench.
The coaches got this one very wrong, and doubted a young, deep Red Foxes squad.
– Yeargin
12. Merrimack (13-16, 9-11 MAAC)
Actual finish: 6
In support of the MAAC coaches, this one is not on them.
2024-25 was Merrimack’s very first season as a member of the MAAC and it’s impossible to know exactly how much homework each program’s coach had done on the Warriors at the time the poll was conducted. Merrimack was middle of the pack in the slightly-less competitive NEC last year, finishing 8-8 and losing in the second round to eventual MAAC conference-mate Sacred Heart.
Hence, the easy solution is to undervalue them.
The Warriors made some noise this season, led by sophomore guard Thalia Shepard at 13.0 points per game. They’ve rebounded well all year — second in the conference in rebounds per game behind Manhattan, doing so especially well on the offensive glass. Their 11.7 offensive boards per game ranks third in the conference.
The margin between Merrimack’s expected finish and actual finish was quite large, but don’t expect it to be that big again next year. Now that coaches have seen the Warriors at least once, there’s a good chance they will more accurately judge Merrimack’s finish when it comes time to take the 2025-26 poll.
– Carter
13. Canisius (10-20, 9-11 MAAC)
Actual finish: 9
Canisius was a complete unknown entering this season. No one expected anything of it, granted there wasn’t anything to base predictions on.But the Golden Griffins surprised the MAAC.
Head coach Tiffany Swoffard’s squad earned their way into the MAAC Tournament by beating Rider on March 6 and now have a date with Manhattan to tip off the tournament.
Graduate guard Jaela Johnson notched 11.6 points per game while leading the squad in minutes. Sophomore forward Shariah Gailes finished third in the conference with 8.3 rebounds per game.
The Golden Griffins’ biggest question mark heading into the tournament is a lack of MAAC Tournament experience on the roster. But if Canisius taught us anything this year, it’s to expect nothing from them.
Not even the coaches expected anything of the Golden Griffins, which may be what they want you to think heading into the MAAC Tournament too.
By: Zach Carter, Connor Coar, Toni Wetmore and Ben Yeargin
The college basketball regular season is coming to an end across the country. Conference tournaments are around the corner in what is expected to be another exciting month of March. The women’s side of the MAAC tournament begins on March 11 at noon, with the championship game slated for Saturday afternoon on March 15 at 1:30 p.m. For the first time in the conference history, not every team will head to the conference tournament with the addition of Merrimack and Sacred Heart this season.
QU Sports Page’s Connor Coar, Toni Wetmore, Ben Yeargin and Zach Carter sat down to discuss who will be crowned MAAC Women’s Basketball Champions next Saturday. They also talked about a potential dark horse to make a run in Atlantic City, game-breaking players that fans should be on the lookout for and major awards that will be handed out on Monday at the conference award ceremony before the tournament begins.
With two games remaining in the MAAC regular season, there are three schools still vying for one of the conference’s top seeds.
Right now, No. 1 Quinnipiac and No. 2 Marist are both in the driver’s seat to claiming the trophy, though Merrimack still has a chance to capture a share in its first season as a MAAC program. Here’s a look at how the Bobcats, Red Foxes and Warriors could all end the season claiming at least a share of the regular season crown.
How Quinnipiac could win: As of today, the Bobcats (14-4 entering Thursday) currently control their own destiny. Their magic number is two. Two wins (with games against 11-7 Mount St. Mary’s and 7-11 Fairfield on the docket) gives Quinnipiac its second-straight regular season title. One win, along with one loss from Marist, and the crown will remain in Hamden for a second consecutive year.
A 10-point loss to Merrimack on Sunday almost sunk the Bobcats’ chances to reclaim the conference’s top spot, but with Marist getting upset by Saint Peter’s just moments later, the loss became evened out.
They would clinch a share of the title with a single win, but if the Red Foxes were to win out, the MAAC’s top seed would make its way to Poughkeepsie, New York instead of Connecticut. But if you ask the Bobcats directly, they’ll tell you they aren’t scoreboard watching.
“We’re focused on us right now, whether we’re first, second, whatever you want to call it,” junior forward Amarri Monroe said. “One game winning streaks, whoever we got next on our schedule, that’s the game we’re worried about.”
How Marist could win: Even being just one game behind the Bobcats with two to play, the Red Foxes (13-5 entering Thursday) are in a much better position than you might think. Having won the lone matchup between the two teams on Jan. 5, Marist owns the tiebreaker over Quinnipiac in the event that the two teams end up tied on Saturday night.
The Red Foxes had a chance to even the gap on Sunday, but surprisingly fell at home to a Saint Peter’s squad near the bottom of the standings, fighting to even qualify for the MAAC Tournament
Having missed that opportunity, there’s still a clear path for some hardware this weekend. As long as Marist finishes one game better than the Bobcats — either 2-0 vs. 1-1 or 1-1 vs. 0-2 — the Red Foxes would have both a share of the regular season title, as well as the No. 1 seed in Atlantic City next week.
If Marist wins out and Quinnipiac subsequently loses out, the same result occurs except the Red Foxes would be alone as outright champions of the MAAC regular season title.
With a home game against Merrimack and road clash with Mount St. Mary’s remaining, the Red Foxes will definitely have to earn any share or outright title over the next three days taking on the other two teams ranked in the top four in the league.
“We’re looking to win a championship, so we take it one game at a time,” Marist sophomore guard Jadin Collins-Roberts said. “We have more work to do.”
How Merrimack could win: The Warriors (13-6 entering Thursday) don’t have a physical path for the No. 1 seed in Atlantic City, but can still clinch a share of the regular season title this weekend. A solid win over the Bobcats last Sunday helped pull the Warriors closer to the top of the standings after a streaky stretch of games.
“We needed that in the worst way,” Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo said after the win over Quinnipiac. “We’ve had a tough stretch with a couple of close losses. I wasn’t particularly happy with our effort against Rider. The score was close, but that wasn’t a Merrimack team that I know. Sometimes it’s good to have a little reset when you get down the stretch with the conference tournament coming up.”
For starters, Merrimack has to win its final game on Thursday on the road against Marist, the first time these two teams will play since the Warriors one-point loss on Feb 16. A win would clinch at least the No. 2 seed for the tournament.
In one scenario, the Warriors would need Quinnipiac to lose both of its remaining games and have Marist go at most 1-1. With the Red Foxes hosting the Warriors, that one loss almost becomes a moot point. If that were to happen, there would be a three-way tie between the top three teams, all of whom would be 14-6 and collect a share of the regular season title.
The other way that Merrimack can clinch a share once again involves the Warriors defeating Marist and the Bobcats losing out. In this scenario, Marist would lose its final game against Mount St. Mary’s, which as a result, would mean 14-6 Quinnipiac and 14-6 Merrimack would be the only two schools to have a share of the regular season title, not Marist — who would finish out the year at 13-7.
While the Warriors can’t clinch the No. 1 seed and need a lot to happen out of their control to even have a share of first, the team’s impressive first season after jumping from the NEC to the MAAC should leave fans happy heading into the postseason.
The MAAC Tournament will run from March 11 to 15 in Atlantic City, New Jersey ahead of Selection Sunday and the ensuing national tournament.
The Quinnipiac Bobcats (17-10, 13-3 MAAC), last year’s MAAC regular season champions, and the team that punched their ticket to March Madness last season, the St. Peter’s Peacocks (10-14, 5-11 MAAC) are set for a nationally televised matchup on ESPNU.
Quinnipiac head coach Tom Pecora’s team has won four of the last five games against the Peacocks but lost the most important one — last year’s conference semifinal. The Bobcats started this year with a rematch and won 59-46 in Jersey City on Jan. 3. They meet again, now at Lender Court, where the Bobcats are 10-2 at home and tied for first place in the conference. On the other hand, the Peacocks are battling to just be among the ten teams that make it to the conference tournament.
There are four games left for both teams. Winning three out of the four final contests for the Bobcats will enhance their chances to clinch another MAAC regular season championship.
In their final four games, the Peacocks will play against the top two teams in the conference – Quinnipiac and Marist – and then the bottom two -Niagara and Canisius. Winning is the only way they will have a chance to go to Atlantic City, but they also depend on how teams in the middle of the standings do on the last stretch of the regular season.
Here are some of the key storylines that should give you a reason to tune in tonight:
Back to back?
After winning the first MAAC regular season title in program history a year ago, the Bobcats are fighting for another with just two weekends left in the regular season. Heading into the day, Quinnipiac is tied with Marist for first place in the conference with the Red Foxes holding the tiebreaker thanks to their victory in the teams’ lone matchup back in January.
“You have to focus on one-game winning streaks,” junior forward Amarri Monroe said after a Jan. 17 win over Merrimack. “Prepare for every week like it’s the last game of the season, follow the game plan and don’t worry about who’s next, worry about the team who’s coming up and not who’s after that.”
Quinnipiac hasn’t been a consistent team during games this season. It has been either a great first half team and spends the second half hanging on to an early lead or the complete opposite. Last game against Manhattan on Feb. 23 the Bobcats came back from a 17-point deficit to win the contest 74-71 with five points from sophomore guard Khaden Bennett in the last 40 seconds of play.
“We have these peaks and valleys,” Pecora said after the contest against the Jaspers on Feb. 23. “And they’re gonna bite us in the tail come tournament time.”
Winning a MAAC regular season title would also likely mean the Bobcats would win their most conference games in a single season since joining the Division I level in 1998. Last year’s squad won 15 games in league play, and if they were to clinch another championship they’d likely need at least 16.
Player of the year chase
Speaking of Monroe, the junior is very much in position to be the second-consecutive Bobcat to take home MAAC Player of the Year, following in the footsteps of guard Matt Balanc. Overall, Monroe is averaging 17.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, but in conference play those numbers rise to 20.6 and 10.2, both of which lead the league.
As of late, Monroe has been on a tear. So far in February, he’s averaged 23.8 points per game and 12.3 rebounds and has recorded five straight double-doubles. There have been games in which Monroe has single-handedly given the Bobcats the boost they needed to win, such as his program-record eight steal performance in December against Sacred Heart.
Monroe is joined in the player of the year race by Merrimack’s Budd Clark and Marist’s Josh Pascarelli. Clark is averaging 19.8 points and 6.2 assists per game in conference play while Pascarelli is putting up 16.1 points per game and shooting an efficient 42% from three.
Do-or-die time for St. Peter’s
The Peacocks are in danger of missing the MAAC Tournament all together after cutting down the nets in Atlantic City last March. When Merrimack and Sacred Heart joined the league and expanded the conference to 13, the MAAC decided to drop the number of teams that make the tournament from 11 down to 10, leaving three schools without the chance to play for the auto-bid into the NCAA Tournament.
St. Peter’s comes into the day with a 5-11 conference record, good for 11th in the MAAC, half a game behind Rider for the final tournament spot and one game behind Fairfield for ninth. The Peacocks are also tied with Niagara, which puts four teams just a game apart in the hunt for two spots. With time running out, every game feels like a must win for a team vying to just get the chance to make it to its third March Madness tournament in the past four seasons.
All eyes on U
The MAAC has had the spotlight on national television for the past seven weeks, having a weekly Friday night game featured on ESPNU. Quinnipiac’s 99-90 Valentine’s Day win over Sacred Heart in Fairfield was the first time the Bobcats were featured on a nationally-televised game since their Nov. 9 game against St. John’s was aired on FS1.
The past two seasons, Quinnipiac has hosted ESPNU games against Fairfield, going 1-1 in those two contests. With the Bobcats competing for a MAAC championship, having more eyes on the game than you would on a normal night may add some pressure.
Grace LaBarge had an unorthodox recruiting experience due to COVID-19.
“I wasn’t able to meet anyone in person or really go on a visit,” LaBarge, an Inverness, Illinois, native said. “I did end up coming here and I was only allowed to stay outside, and I did a lot of Zooms with coaches and players.”
Despite being unable to host LaBarge in person, the Bobcats she spoke with left a lasting impression on her.
“It was honestly an easy decision for me because of how they made me feel, what they said would be expected of me and everything like that,” LaBarge said.
Quinnipiac women’s basketball honored its three seniors against Manhattan on Saturday, including LaBarge.
Her parents, Jim and Ann LaBarge, made the two-hour flight to Connecticut for their youngest daughter’s senior celebration.
“It’s kind of weird, because in the blink of an eye this time has gone by and here we are,” Ann LaBarge said.
“I think her experience (at Quinnipiac) has been great,” Jim LaBarge said. “We miss having her closer to home, but I think it’s been an opportunity for her that has been awesome.”
Ann LaBarge smiled as she considered her favorite memory of Grace’s time as a Bobcat.
“When she scored 20 points and didn’t miss one basket the entire game,” Ann LaBarge said of the Bobcats’ game against Princeton in the 2023-24 season.
Jim LaBarge laughed.
“Yeah, that’s a good one.”
While being over 900 miles away from home, Grace LaBarge has found a second family in her teammates and coaches.
“I think we all look at Grace as a big sister,” Quinnipiac sophomore guard Karson Martin said. “She’s an amazing leader, she knows what she’s talking about and she’s fun.”
LaBarge shifted uncomfortably as Martin spoke highly of her.
“I feel weird,” LaBarge said in response at the postgame press conference podium.
“It’s an honor to have played with Grace for the last four years, I feel like we have that special bond coming in together as freshmen,” Grisdale said. “It’s just been really cool to watch her grow and just the confident person that she is… I love playing with her because she gives full effort all the time.”
Bobcats coach Tricia Fabbri said LaBarge’s growth is exactly what you want to see from a player, and that comes with the confidence Grisdale mentioned.
“It was her putting in the work, us coaching her up and then her being able to take those nice incremental year-to-year steps to get to where (she’s) playing and contributing at a really high level to a really good team and (she’s) a reason that’s happening,” Fabbri said. “She literally has a clutch play in a lot of our wins that are tight. She always comes up with that three, the steal, the rebound… and makes a play that we have success in.”
This was evident when the Bobcats faced Iona on the road this season and LaBarge’s steal with three minutes to go led to a Quinnipiac layup to extend the tight lead for the win.
LaBarge is averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game this season, making an impact in many of Quinnipiac’s down-to-the-wire games this season.
The job’s not done for LaBarge and the Bobcats.
Quinnipiac has two home and two road contests left in the regular season, including in-state rival Fairfield, before it heads to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to play in the MAAC Tournament.
LaBarge knows what the Bobcats need to do if they want to take home the conference championship.
“Kill it. Crush it,” LaBarge said on the goal for the rest of her senior season. “Crush every game. Just really take it to them every game, come out really hot, have a hot start, have a hot second half.”
LaBarge will look to implement this mentality as she and her team (22-3, 14-2 MAAC) face the No. 6 team in the MAAC on the road at Saint Peter’s (10-15, 8-8) on Thursday.
