Category: MAAC

Siena 84, Quinnipiac 75: Bobcats Rebounding Kings No More

It was a bit disquieting watching seemingly helpless Quinnipiac be destroyed on the boards Monday against Siena in an 84-75 loss, almost like an empire whose time had finally faded away. The Bobcats went 10 straight seasons among the top 10 offensive rebounding teams in the nation (nine of them in the top 5) leading into 2016-17, and was sixth on the defensive glass as late as two years ago.

Quinnipiac was renown as a rebounding capital of college basketball America, it led its media notes, it was their signature, their claim to fame. So a 52-27 rebounding advantage for an opponent that included 22 offensive boards (55.0%) was difficult to look at in the boxscore.

However, our dear numbers told us that Quinnipiac’s rebounding demise didn’t exactly start this evening. While they did lead the MAAC in offensive rebounding, it was barely (35.5 to 35.3%) ahead of Siena, and the Bobcats (8-14, 5-7) are a fairly dreadful 294th on the defensive boards (67.5%). The Saints are full of veterans, and Lavon Long (16 total rebounds), Brett Bisping (14 total), and Marquis Wright (yes, the point guard) had five offensive rebounds each in the contest.

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Iona 69, Saint Peter’s 66 (OT): Is Tempo A Bit Overrated?

It wasn’t the swashbuckling Iona team that we’ve been used to seeing over the last few years Sunday afternoon against Saint Peter’s. How much of that was due to the Peacocks’ style of play? Do we overrate such discussions?

The game eventually went to overtime, but through regulation was at 57 possessions, which would have been one of the slowest games in Division I this season, and by far the slowest the Gaels have ever played under Tim Cluess. As it was, the 64-possession overtime contest had the least possessions for a MAAC regular season game since … playing Saint Peter’s at the Hynes Center last year.

Even John Dunne, one of the least angry Division I coaches you’ll ever meet, is tired of talking about how his team is 345th (of 351) in adjusted tempo, and would rather speak about how his Peacocks are 8-4 in the MAAC, and – even with a loss Sunday – completed seven games in 15 days in decent shape, tied for second with Iona in the conference standings.

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Monmouth 95, Quinnipiac 76: Video Recap

Justin Robinson scored 22 points for Monmouth and is now just 11 points away from the program’s Division I scoring record. His outburst helped the Hawks cruise to their seventh straight victory, 95-76 over Quinnipiac. Micah Seaborn scored 21 for Monmouth, while freshman Peter Kiss added 22 for the Bobcats. Here’s the video recap. Continue reading “Monmouth 95, Quinnipiac 76: Video Recap” →

Iona 84, Quinnipiac 74: Cluess Trusts His Depth

Deyshonee Much, Schadrac Casimir, and Jordan Washington, by most measures the three top returning players for defending MAAC champion Iona, sat on the bench next to Tim Cluess as Mikey Dixon – Quinnipiac’s freshman star in waiting – drilled a three-pointer to cut the Iona lead to a single point Monday night at the Hynes Center.

With 7:20 left, this is usually the juncture where the coach making a point to his players and team relents and resorts back to his “best” team on the floor for crunch time. But Cluess never even looked down the bench. His veteran trio never saw the floor the rest of the way, and Iona … pulled away for an 84-74 victory, continuing a remarkable streak of never being swept in the regular season by a MAAC opponent under Cluess (seven seasons).

Washington was the biggest omission, a potential MAAC Player of the Year candidate when playing well, but he struggled Monday (9 pts., 7 rebs., 6 turnovers) and compounded his tough night by picking up a fourth foul 20 feet from the basket with 9:45 left. As soon as he got to the sideline, Iona (13-8, 6-4) was hit with a bench technical, that may or may not have been due to something Washington said (it was not directly charged to him or it would have been his fifth foul).

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