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.

Continue reading “Iona 69, Saint Peter’s 66 (OT): Is Tempo A Bit Overrated?” →

Davidson 84, Fordham 66: McKillop Still Learning, Adapting

On Jan. 11, Fordham went to Davidson (where the home team is 163-26 in the last 14 seasons) and came back to New York with one of the biggest surprises of the Atlantic 10, baffling the Wildcats and holding them to 0.86 points per possession in a 60-54 loss that was Davidson’s slowest game of the season (63 possessions).

But when Fordham coach Jeff Neubauer looked and saw there was a return match a little more than two weeks later, he knew beating Davidson a second time would be a tall order.

Davidson coach Bob McKillop’s resume speaks for itself: 526 career wins, 14 seasons with 20 wins, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and widely regarded as one of the top offensive minds in college basketball. And so, with a second look at Neubauer’s unorthodox trapping and pressuring half-court defense, the Wildcats were ready.

Continue reading “Davidson 84, Fordham 66: McKillop Still Learning, Adapting” →

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” →

Yale 85, Brown 75: Bulldogs Flips Switch To Keep Win Streak

Everything was coming up Brown Friday night at Lee Amphitheater, as the Bears – who haven’t had a winning Ivy League record in nine seasons – were going to take a giant step toward that (and qualifying for the inaugural conference tournament) by ending Yale’s 20-game, 2-year long home win streak.

Brown was scoring at will, had plenty of swagger, Mike Martin was pumping his fists, the Yale crowd was quiet, and the Bears led 60-51 and had the ball with 10 minutes left, and there was nothing on either end of the floor that looked like a young Yale team was going to be to remedy the matter quickly.

Continue reading “Yale 85, Brown 75: Bulldogs Flips Switch To Keep Win Streak” →

LIU Brooklyn 60, Sacred Heart 57: Blackbirds Veterans Come Through

It wasn’t the most attractive of outings, but when it came time to decide it, LIU Brooklyn’s veteran players did what they’ve done for much of this season: push the Blackbirds past the finish line in front.

Thursday night, it was Iverson Fleming and Jerome Frink who came up with the big plays to get them in position and Nura Zanna that pushed LIU Brooklyn over the top as they emerged with a 60-57 win over Sacred Heart at the Pitt Center.

Fleming and Frink are seniors, while Zanna has been with the program for four years, but redshirted his first season due to injury. And despite losing both Martin Hermannsson and Aakim Saintil somewhat unexpectedly (Hermannsson is playing in France, while Saintil transferred to Iona), and then seeing Joel Hernandez go down with a season-ending injury in the opener, LIU Brooklyn stands just a game behind league leaders Mount St. Mary’s and defending champ FDU, and is three games clear of fifth and a home game in the NEC Tournament.

Continue reading “LIU Brooklyn 60, Sacred Heart 57: Blackbirds Veterans Come Through” →

Bryant 65, CCSU 54: Nisre Zouzoua Ready To Pick Up Torch

The NEC has almost always been known for its guards, but unfortunately this season has been more about the players that are no longer with the conference than those currently participating. Rodney Pryor has had a great season (even though his team has not) at Georgetown, Marcquise Reed has a few big shots to his name at Clemson, while reigning NEC Player of the Year Cane Broome awaits his turn at Cincinnati, and Martin Hermannsson is doing his thing in France.

The void has been slow to fill, but there a few players peeking in the open door, the most prominent possibly Bryant sophomore Nisre Zouzoua. Despite battling an injury of late, Zouzoua has been hovering around 20 points per game all season, and showed Wednesday some of the skills necessary to grab the reins of those NEC stars that came before him.

Continue reading “Bryant 65, CCSU 54: Nisre Zouzoua Ready To Pick Up Torch” →