Tempo-free MAAC: Surging Jaspers

The craziness you see on the court in the MAAC is being reflected off of it too in the tempo-free numbers. No team has distinguished itself this season.

One team that was starting to pull away was Fairfield. Then the Stags scored 40 points in 66 possessions against Manhattan’s stifling defense.

Those two teams are both 7-7 and their efficiency margins suggest they’ve been awfully unlucky this season. Teams like Rider and Siena have been the beneficiaries.

What these numbers do suggest though is that come the MAAC tournament in Springfield, MA any of the top seven can win the league title and head to the NCAA tournament. It’ll be wide open.

We’ve still got four more conference games until we get there though. So here are the current Tempo-free Standings:

1. Niagara: +0.07
2. Iona: +0.07
3. Canisius: +0.07
4. Fairfield: +0.06
5. Manhattan: +0.05
6. Loyola (MD): +0.05
7. Rider: +0.00
8. Marist: -0.10
9. St. Peter’s: -0.13
10. Siena: -0.13

Best Offenses:

1. Iona: 1.12 points scored per possession
2. Niagara: 1.08
3. Canisius: 1.07

Worst Offenses:

1. St. Peter’s: 0.88
2. Siena: 0.91
3. Fairfield: 0.96

Best Defenses:

1. Fairfield: 0.91 points allowed per possession
2. Manhattan: 0.92
3. Rider: 0.97

Worst Defenses:

1. Marist: 1.07
2. Iona: 1.05
3. Siena: 1.04

Luckiest Teams:

1. Siena: +1.58 wins
2. Rider: +0.86
3. Marist: +0.60

Unluckiest Teams:

1. Fairfield: -2.28 wins
2. Manhattan: -2.15
3. Canisius: -0.41

Even though the standings have been crazy, they do a pretty good job of accurately representing what is happening this season. Only three teams are far off of their expectations this season. What is also fascinating is that the battle for seventh continues. Manhattan’s big win at Fairfield on Tuesday night sets up an even bigger game at Draddy on Friday night against Iona. Considering the Jaspers are coming off back-to-back wins over Canisius and Fairfield. It’ll definitely be a must-see game.