QU Sports Page

Category: Basketball

  • Game-by-game predictions for the MAAC men’s basketball tournament

    Game-by-game predictions for the MAAC men’s basketball tournament

    By: Judy Ingram and Khalise 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. 

    “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.


    Prediction: Quinnipiac.

  • Who’s got that March magic? The x-factors to watch in the MAAC men’s basketball tournament

    Who’s got that March magic? The x-factors to watch in the MAAC men’s basketball tournament

    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

    Marist: Jackson Price, Sr., F (9.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG)

    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

    Iona: Adam Njie Jr, Fr., G (12.1 PPG, 41% FG)

    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) 

    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

    Sacred Heart: Nyle Ralph-Beyer, Fr., G (9.3 PPG, 43.4% 3PT)

    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

    Rider: Zion Cruz, Jr, G/F (10.3 PPG, 43.2% FG)

    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

    Siena: Gavin Doty, Fr., G (11.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG)

    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

    Fairfield: Deon Perry, JR, G (8.5 PPG, 34.8% FG)

    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

  • Revisiting the MAAC women’s basketball preseason coaches poll

    Revisiting the MAAC women’s basketball preseason coaches poll

    By Zach Carter and Ben Yeargin

    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 exactly right. 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.

    – Yeargin

  • Roundtable: 2025 MAAC women’s basketball tournament preview

    Roundtable: 2025 MAAC women’s basketball tournament preview

    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. 

  • The MAAC regular season title is a three-team race. Here’s how each team can clinch a share.

    The MAAC regular season title is a three-team race. Here’s how each team can clinch a share.

    By: Ethan Hurwitz and Connor Wilson

    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.

  • Quinnipiac eyes back-to-back titles as St. Peter’s fights for survival

    Quinnipiac eyes back-to-back titles as St. Peter’s fights for survival

    By Carlos Calo and Connor Wilson

    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 reflects on Bobcats’ career on senior day

    Grace LaBarge reflects on Bobcats’ career on senior day

    By: Toni Wetmore

    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.

    After reassuring LaBarge, senior guard Jackie Grisdale added onto Martin’s statement.

    “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.

  • Billy Mecca’s ‘genuine’ personality brings together generations of Quinnipiac basketball

    Billy Mecca’s ‘genuine’ personality brings together generations of Quinnipiac basketball

    By: Ethan Hurwitz, Toni Wetmore & Connor Wilson

    When former Quinnipiac men’s basketball head coach Billy Mecca took the floor at the program’s alumni event at Haven Beer Company last Saturday, he was met with raucous applause – even though he kept saying that he didn’t want it.

    “I never want this day to be about me, and it never was about me,” said Mecca, now the university’s senior associate athletic director. “It’s about the alumni to start with, whether you were an alumni that played for me or you were here when I was just doing Billy … Y’all don’t just realize the incredible impact you’ve had on my life.”

    The annual alumni event, held this year after the Bobcats hosted the Niagara Purple Eagles (which just so happens to be Mecca’s alma mater), welcomed back dozens of former basketball players to honor the now-broadcaster. Some played under Mecca when he was an assistant coach, and a few were on the first team that Mecca led as the head man. Others just had smaller interactions with Mecca that still stick.

    “He just keeps it real, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Quinnipiac Athletics Hall of Famer Joyce Furman (WBB ‘85) said. “If you don’t like it, too bad. You better take it or leave it, (and) he cares.”

    So what does Billy Mecca mean to those around the program? For many, the same stories reappear.

    Nobody spends as much time with Mecca on-campus nowadays than his broadcasting partners Steve Lenox and Dianne Nolan. This trio calls every Quinnipiac basketball home game — both men’s and women’s — and have been doing so for years. Lenox specifically has been the lead play-by-play announcer since 2017 and has had Mecca as his literal “right hand man” for every game since then.

    “You know, at some point on the drive, getting up the hill, a smile comes to your face,” Lenox said. “You know he’s coming in and we’re gonna have a good time. We get to talk about basketball for two hours.”

    “Talking basketball” and Billy Mecca go hand in hand. It almost has to, seeing that he’s been around Quinnipiac since his first season as an assistant coach in 1978-79. He’s seen it all from the program’s lone NCAA Tournament Division II victory in 1980 over Bryant to last year’s MAAC regular season championship and historic 24 win season, and everything in between.

    “He’s worked with different administrators, coaches, he’s done a lot of different things,” Lenox said. “He’s got great stories. He’s a podcast on Quinnipiac history with athletics.”

    For Mecca, his relationship with the university and its athletic programs stretches much further than wins and losses on the court. He strives to build a sense of trust with each and every athlete that walks through the doors.

    “The student athletes really connect with him, because they know he cares,” Nolan said. “You always connect with people who care. He doesn’t have an ulterior motive. He just wants the best for the student athlete, and I think they sense that.”

    Nolan, like Lenox, has worked on broadcasts with Mecca since 2017, but their relationship stems much further back. Nolan was the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Fairfield for 26 years where she also coached current Quinnipiac women’s basketball coach Tricia Fabbri. Once Fabbri took the job in Hamden in 1998, it introduced Nolan to Mecca for the first time.

    “We talk about so many different things, but when you talk about a good heart, that’s what he has,” Nolan said. “He bleeds blue. I mean, he loves Quinnipiac, and he is just such a kind person, very much, a God loving person, a wonderful husband and family member.”

    What makes Mecca’s bond with the university so special and unique is that it stretches much farther than the arena up on York Hill. Edward C. “Ned” Burt Jr. was among those in attendance on Saturday. Burt wasn’t a former player of Mecca’s or a former teammate, rather an adjunct professor in the legal studies department at Quinnipiac. 

    “I’ve been friends with Billy since I started teaching as an adjunct at Quinnipiac University — Quinnipiac College back then,” Burt said. “I just wrapped up almost 40 years of [teaching] undergrad in the Legal Studies Department, and Billy and I go back from the moment I hit campus. He welcomed me there. He’s a basketball coach then, and just a great guy from the start.”

    It’s rare to see a basketball coach interact much with any professor, albeit an adjunct, but to build up a relationship that lasts over 40 years, that just goes to show the type of person Mecca is.

    “Y’all have left your handprint on my heart and my soul,” said Mecca, holding a team-signed basketball. “Y’all matter to me, Quinnipiac matters to me. I don’t know why I feel like this is my school, I don’t know why I do. … For y’all who played for me, and for those who came back, thank you.”

  • What we learned from women’s basketball’s weekend of MAAC play

    What we learned from women’s basketball’s weekend of MAAC play

    By Connor Coar & Benjamin Yeargin

    Quinnipiac women’s basketball went 1-1 this past weekend. But it isn’t an ordinary 1-1 for the Bobcats; they played MAAC No. 1 Fairfield on the road and No. 4 Siena at home. Quinnipiac lost to the Stags 72-63, but rebounded for a close 77-74 win over the Saints.

    “Even before Fairfield, we knew this was a big weekend,” sophomore forward Anna Foley said Saturday. 

    The games told us a lot about who the Bobcats are, and what they can become in the MAAC Tournament. QU Sports Page’s Connor Coar and Benjamin Yeargin offered analysis on the team’s performances in both games.

    If you want to eat with the big dogs, you have to fight like there is no tomorrow

    Coming into an opposing team’s building and trying to steal a win is never an easy task, especially when it is a team that has won 32-straight conference games dating back to last season. 

    Fairfield has been a juggernaut the last two seasons. Last season, the Stags had beaten teams by 17.3 points. That is just a few points down from the 20.2 they are beating teams by this season. Quinnipiac did not fall into that average, only losing by nine points.

    Head coach Tricia Fabbri emphasized one factor before the game: defensive transition and forcing Fairfield to play a majority of the game in the halfcourt. 

    Fairfield has 10 players who average over 15 minutes per game. This allows the team to play fast, have more fresh legs and get more possessions that they may not get with a shorter bench. 

    “They throw a lot of bodies at you,” Fabbri said Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s game. “There’s also a real theme that each player wants to do. So it is going to be really predicated upon that.” 

    When the first quarter began, the five starters for Fairfield were tormenting Quinnipiac, on both sides of the ball. The Stags opened the game up on a 10-0 run through the first five minutes, forcing Fabbri to call a timeout.

    After the full timeout was finished, the Bobcats went on a 6-0 run in large part to the inside play of Ella O’Donnell. 

    Coming off of the bench, O’Donnell’s six points of the entire night in the first quarter. The only other player to come off the bench and score was Grace LaBarge, scoring in double figures for the first time she had scored in double figures since Jan. 2 up to that point. 

    Outside of the two forwards, there was zero production offensively against a team that was in the top 10 in Division I scoring defense going into the game – allowing only 53.2 points per game as of publication.

    As the game wore on, Quinnipiac handled Fairfield’s pressure better, but the amount of effort that the team had to produce was not sustainable for the entire game. 

    Guards Gal Raviv and Jackie Grisdale combined for 78 minutes Thursday, something not out of the ordinary for the two. Both are in the top 10 in minutes in Division I, the only set of teammates that can say that. 

    Throughout the season though, they never faced that much “grit,” as Fairfield’s head coach Carly Thibault-Dudonis said postgame. 

    “That is something that we have always hung our hat on,” Thibault-Dudonis said. “We have had so many people step up throughout the course of the game. You could look all the way down [the roster].”

    Raviv was picked up 94 feet most of the three quarters, which sped up the game and forced the Bobcats to commit 18 turnovers – Raviv having five of them. That’s the second-most turnovers all year, second to the 21 committed against Mount St. Mary’s on Jan. 18 – one of their three losses this year.

    “We did have some turnovers trying to get it inside, and they capitalized,” Fabbri said. 

    Quinnipiac is a good team – there is no denying that. But as this weekend showed, there needs to be steps taken with the bench production, ability to handle pressure like Fairfield gave and taking ownership of the defensive and offensive assignments. that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.

    – Connor Coar

    Individual greatness, but a lack of collectiveness against Siena

    Raviv’s 21 points wasn’t enough to propel Quinnipiac to a win at Fairfield on Thursday night. But a career-high 32 was enough Saturday afternoon.

    The Israel native shot 9-17 from the field, 4-4 from three and 10-12 at the line en route to 32 points, a career high. This is the fourth time this year that Raviv topped her career high in points and this performance puts her among the best single-game scoring performances in program history. Oh, she also had eight assists and seven rebounds, just shy of a triple-double.

    “She’s so fearless,” Fabbri said. “She’s so confident in her abilities.”

    Whatever defensive plan that Siena had for Raviv — which appeared to be switching between length in senior guard Anajah Brown and agility in graduate guard Ahniysha Jackson — didn’t work. Raviv saw there wasn’t a concrete plan, and took advantage of it.

    “You can see when someone is scared, and I feel like some of them were scared to guard me,” Raviv said. 

    Raviv gives good reason for opponents to be scared to guard her. If you contest her with length, she easily creates separation and will shoot over whatever wingspan is in front of her. If you defend her with a guard, she can beat them to the basket, mid-range and knock down her threes. 

    For whoever is making the game plan against Quinnipiac, it’s hell trying to figure out how to defend Raviv. But fortunately, as of late that’s all who they’ve had to worry about.

    Over the weekend, only Raviv and Foley (14 points on Saturday) eclipsed 14 points. Foley averaged 11.5 points per game over the two games, and senior forward Grace LaBarge put up a respectable 11 points per game too.

    But two of the three staples of Quinnipiac’s backcourt did not produce this weekend. Senior guard Jackie Grisdale put up back-to-back eight-point performances and shot a measly 3-11 from three. Sophomore guard Karson Martin had nine and five points, respectively.

    That’s been the Bobcat’s biggest weakness this year. They have had amazing individual performances — Grisdale’s 33-point outburst against Harvard, for example, — but they rarely have played as a team. 

    “I’d like to see us collectively get there, and then we’ll be up and running for the next six weeks to close out the season,” Fabbri said. 

    Individual performances can lift Quinnipiac over most of the MAAC, but those alone won’t help them hurdle Fairfield. If the Bobcats want to win the MAAC Championship and start to win their games comfortably, they need collectiveness. Raviv can carry them far, but they won’t make the promised land without a whole team effort.

    – Benjamin Yeargin

  • Monroe, Otieno lead way in rivalry win for Quinnipiac men’s basketball

    Monroe, Otieno lead way in rivalry win for Quinnipiac men’s basketball

    By: Toni Wetmore and Brandon Murdock

    HAMDEN — Friday night’s rivalry showdown between Quinnipiac men’s basketball and Fairfield began with junior forward Amarri Monroe and graduate student center Paul Otieno throwing their weight around against the Stags on the scoreboard, combining for 42 points. 

    It ended with the duo — and the rest of the MAAC-leading Bobcats — flexing in celebration in the stands of M&T Bank Arena after downing their Connecticut foes 81-69 and extending their winning streak to six. 

    Monroe led the way for the Bobcats as he was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points, a new career high for the third year player, his third consecutive game being Quinnipiac’s highest scorer. He also added 10 rebounds.

    Otieno also did damage in this game with a double-double of his own. He notched 15 points and 13 rebounds.

    Led by Otieno and Monroe, the Bobcats were also able to flex their muscles in this one as they outrebounded the Stags 41-28. While the Stags shooting from beyond the arc stalled, the Bobcats took advantage and went to work inside as they outscored Fairfield 28-16 in the paint.

    “There’s a stat where every game me and Paul have a double double we always win,” Monroe said. “We haven’t lost a single game when me and Paul have a double double… that’s just something me and Paul have, we’re competitive at it… We’re going to keep doing that cause we want to win, obviously so… we’re going to keep fighting for double doubles.”

    Monroe was right; when both players achieved double-doubles, the Bobcats sit at 4-0 with wins over Hofstra, Siena, Merrimack and now Fairfield.

    Monroe also had his seventh double-double of the year in a game where he was questionable to play after feeling sick earlier in the week.

    “He was sick all week, yesterday we got him for half an hour,” said head coach Tom Pecora. “He had the flu bad earlier in the week, I was concerned he wasn’t going to be able to play, he took an IV on Wednesday.”

    Otieno had his 10th double-double of the season, something that the Bobcats have been accustomed to as he is 32nd in the nation in rebounds per game, to go along with his 12.7 points per game.

    Otieno shares what the key to success is for the team:

    “I would say me and Amarri getting doubles-doubles, that’s some big points,” Otieno said. “Just bring the energy, I think, because win or lose, just be us.” 

    Led by their star upperclassmen, the Bobcats have been able to meet their high preseason expectations as they currently sit 9-1 in MAAC play, tied for first in the conference standings with Marist.

    Head coach Tom Pecora has done an impressive job of not letting the noise get to his team.

    “I worked for Coach [Rollie] Massimino, who’s a legend, and he used to have a great saying he would say ‘After Shave, if you put a little bit on it’s nice, if you put on too much it’s tacky, and if you drink it it’s poison’,” continued Pecora. “That’s what success is like for a basketball team, you’ve got to have temperament, bring them back down, let them understand we’re the hunted ones now.”

    Otieno and Monroe will try to build off this and extend the team’s winning streak to seven  when they take on Siena tomorrow, a team they have both already recorded double-doubles against in a win earlier this year.