All that is good in Metro Atlantic Athletic men’s basketball.
Baron and Stores earn MAAC weekly honors
Billy Baron averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists last week in two MAAC games as the Golden Griffins moved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, the team’s first 2-0 start in conference action since 1997-98. Baron scored 19 points and had five rebounds in the Griffs’ win at Fairfield Dec. 7, a win that snapped the program’s nine-game losing streak to the Stags and he followed that with his first career double-double when he scored 16 points to go with a career-high 11 assists at Marist. For the week, Baron shot 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point land and 72.7 percent from the free-throw line. Baron’s efforts have helped Canisius off to its first 6-1 start since 1973-74.
Stores, a first-year point guard, averaged 10.5 points shooting 61.5% (8-13) from the field and did not have a turnover, while handing out 9 assists in two MAAC games last week. He averaged 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and shot 71.4% (5-7) from three-point territory in two games. Stores’ premier performance of the week came on Sunday when he helped lead Manhattan to a 75-55 victory over Siena. The 5’11” sophomore from the Bronx set career-highs with 12 points and 6 assists.
Billy Baron goes mid-major route, thriving at Canisius with dad
When Billy Baron returned from Buffalo this past summer, on a visit to see his family, he watched his father’s new team play pickup. He came back raving about the group and strongly considering leaving Rhode Island, where his father was fired months earlier, to play for Cansius‘ Golden Griffins.
This was a team that won only five total games last season — one in league play. How much talent could Canisius truly have?
Canisius outguns Marist
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Canisius men’s basketball team hit a school-record 17 3-pointers, senior Harold Washington had a season-high 25 points, junior Billy Baron registered his first career double-double and fellow junior Chris Manhertz pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds as the Golden Griffins defeated Marist 94-82 Sunday afternoon in the McCann Arena in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The win, Canisius’ third straight, improved the team to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, while Marist slipped to 3-6 overall and 1-1 in league action.
Latest edition of ESPN Bracketology has @griffs_mbb with an interesting opponent courtesy of @espnlunardi #MAACHoops twitter.com/GoGriffs/statu…
— GoGriffs (@GoGriffs) December 11, 2012
Loyola rally falls short in loss to Niagara BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland trailed by 10 points with 4:13 to play in regulation, but the Greyhounds came back to tie the score with less than two minutes on the clock, only to see Niagara University pull away for a 61-60 victory on Monday in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action. Two Juan’ya Green free throws with 4:13 on the clock gave the Purple Eagles (3-5 overall, 1-1 MAAC) a 56-46 lead, but Loyola (7-3, 0-1) cut its deficit to six in just two possessions after a Robert Olson 3-pointer and a Dylon Cormier free throw.
New NCAA rankings out – Washington ranks 4th in the nation in 3-pt. FG % (56.3%) and Billy Baron ranks 22nd w/ 6.0 assists/gm. #Griffs
— Griffs_MBB (@Griffs_MBB) December 10, 2012
Early season tempo-free MAAC
Conference play arrives a little early for the MAAC as the December weekend helps fit in the 18-game round-robin format. The good news is that these games really matter. The bad news is that two games, while a ninth of the conference slate is still a pretty small sample. What teams looked good? Here are the tempo-free rankings.
Marist tops Manhattan as Price joins the 1,000 point club
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Senior Devin Price(Inglewood, Calif.) scored his 1,000th career point in the first half, and iced the game with two clutch free throws in the closing seconds as the Marist men’s basketball team defeated Manhattan 62-58 Friday night in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener for both teams at McCann Arena.
Loyola is ranked for 3rd week in a row in @collegeinsider #MidMajorTop25, this week at No. 23. loyo.la/SHPlWm #maachoops #gohounds
— Loyola Men’s BKB (@LoyolaMBB) December 11, 2012
Manhattan storms past Siena RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan delivered its top all-around performance of the season Sunday rolling past Siena (2-9, 0-2 MAAC) 75-55 at Draddy Gymnasium. Four Jaspers scored in double-figures with junior forward Rhamel Browngoing off for a career-high 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting as Manhattan (3-5, 1-1 MAAC)improved to 2-0 at home this season. Read more…
5 thoughts: Manhattan gets first MAAC win These are a day later than I had hoped, for a variety of reasons, but I think they’re important, because Manhattan’s game against Siena on Sunday afternoon, a 75-55 victory, showed a lot of growth from the young Jaspers. Read more…
A wonder what not turning the ball over does. Jaspers scored 1.03 ppp thanks to a 13.5% TO% and 50% eFG%. Even without FTs or ORs. — John Templon (@nybuckets) December 9, 2012
Iona comeback effort falls short versus Rutgers
NEW YORK, NY – Trailing by 22 points with 10:32 to play, the Iona College men’s basketball team got within a single point but could not complete an epic comeback effort in an 81-73 defeat to Rutgers at the ECAC/MSG Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden. Senior Lamont Jones scored a game-high 26 points and was a perfect 14-of-14 from the free throw line in the loss.
Rider holds off Siena
Anthony Miles scored 20 points to lead Rider past Siena 62-56 in the MAAC opener for both schools Friday night in Albany. Rakeem Brookins came off the bench to score 12 points to lead the Saints.
Rider (6-4, 1-0) led by as many as 14 points early in the second half before Siena (2-8, 0-1) began to chip away. The Saints got as close as 56-51 with 3:23 left after two Brookins’ free throws, but O.D. Anosike and Ryan Oliver each missed layups after a Rider turnover and the Broncs scored the next five points to put the game away.
Checking in with Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck is currently in his 4th professional season, third overseas, playing for Virtus Bologna in Italy’s Lega SerieA. He is off to a very good start and is his team’s leading scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game.
“I like the way I’ve been playing so far”, said Hasbrouck. “I started off hot getting a lot of open looks but I cooled off a little recently and now I’m also getting more attention so i need to adjust to that.”
Ronald Moore continues to shine in Hungary
Former Siena Saint Ronald Moore is now in his third professional season playing for Albacomp in Hungary’s A Division. He is off to a strong start averaging 13.2 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 steals per game. His team is currently tied for first with a record of 7-2. We checked in with Ronald to get an update on how things are going so far this season.
ESPN’s BracketBusters is history after this year
The BracketBusters is no more. After 10 years, ESPN is ending its mid-major-themed event.
MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor broke the news on Twitter this morning: “ESPN to end the BracketBusters event after this season.” ESPN later confirmed.
“BracketBusters has been a unique event for 11 years, producing memorable games and moments while generating national exposure for the participating schools and conferences,” ESPN said via a statement. “Given the evolving college landscape, we felt the event in its present form has run its course. We’ll continue to work with our conference partners to develop new, creative events to further grow the sport. Our goal is to maintain the BracketBusters brand in some fashion in the future.”
Surprising results in early MAAC contests
In case you hadn’t noticed, the men’s conference season began in full force earlier this week and produced more than a couple eye-opening, head-shaking results.
Among those:
– SAINT PETER’S EDGED IONA, 64-62, ON WEDNESDAY
The Peacocks were just about universally picked to finish in last place in this year’s MAAC standings, but to a 1-1 league start (4-5 overall) that includes this confidence-building victory over Iona, a team acknowledged to have as much talent as any in the league and picked in most quarters to finish in the top three or four.
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