Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference
Team to beat: Marist — When you've got the nation's assist leader and a potential NBA guy at this level with Jared Jordan, the Red Foxes have to be the favorite. Matt Brady's team won the MAAC regular-season title for the first time in school history and set a school-record this season with 23 wins.
Sleeper: Loyola — Former Maryland assistant Jimmy Patsos has plenty of talent with former Providence wing Gerald Brown sophomore guard Marquis Sullivan. He's also got former Notre Dame forward Omari Israel.
Prediction: Marist — It's hard to go against a player like Jared Jordan.
Side Note – This tournament will be played at one of the newest and COOLEST arenas I have seen (on the internet mind you) in some time. The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT.
Schedule
Friday, March 2 (Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT)
Game 1: No. 8 Canisius vs. No. 9 Saint Peter's, 7:30 p.m. ET Game 2: No. 7 Rider vs. No. 10 Iona, 10 p.m.
Saturday, March 3 — Quarterfinals (Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT)
Game 3: No. 4 Siena vs. No. 5 Manhattan, 2 p.m. Game 4: No. 1 Marist vs. Game 1 winner, 4 p.m. Game 5: No. 2 Niagara vs. Game 2 winner, 7:30 p.m. Game 6: No. 3 Loyola vs. No. 6 Fairfield, 10 p.m.
Sunday, March 4 — Semifinals (Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT)
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m. Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 8 p.m.
Monday, March 5 — Championship (at highest remaining seed)
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 9 p.m.
Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Jared Jordan, 6-2, 185, G, Sr., Marist Rookie of the Year: Edwin Ubiles, 6-7, 195, F, Fr., Siena Coach of the Year: Ed Cooley, Fairfield
All-Metro Atlantic team
Jared Jordan, 6-2, 185, G, Sr., Marist — 17.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 8.9 apg Jason Thompson, 6-11, 245, F, Jr., Rider — 19.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.2 bpg Gerald Brown, 6-4, 195, G, Jr., Loyola (Md.) — 22.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg Charron Fisher, 6-3, 230, F, Jr., Niagara — 21.8 ppg, 8 rpg Michael Haddix, 6-6, 255, F, Sr., Siena — 16.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Team to beat: Marist — When you've got the nation's assist leader and a potential NBA guy at this level with Jared Jordan, the Red Foxes have to be the favorite. Matt Brady's team won the MAAC regular-season title for the first time in school history and set a school-record this season with 23 wins.
Sleeper: Loyola — Former Maryland assistant Jimmy Patsos has plenty of talent with former Providence wing Gerald Brown sophomore guard Marquis Sullivan. He's also got former Notre Dame forward Omari Israel.
Prediction: Marist — It's hard to go against a player like Jared Jordan.
Side Note – This tournament will be played at one of the newest and COOLEST arenas I have seen (on the internet mind you) in some time. The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT.
Schedule
Friday, March 2 (Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT)
Game 1: No. 8 Canisius vs. No. 9 Saint Peter's, 7:30 p.m. ET Game 2: No. 7 Rider vs. No. 10 Iona, 10 p.m.
Saturday, March 3 — Quarterfinals (Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT)
Game 3: No. 4 Siena vs. No. 5 Manhattan, 2 p.m. Game 4: No. 1 Marist vs. Game 1 winner, 4 p.m. Game 5: No. 2 Niagara vs. Game 2 winner, 7:30 p.m. Game 6: No. 3 Loyola vs. No. 6 Fairfield, 10 p.m.
Sunday, March 4 — Semifinals (Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT)
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m. Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 8 p.m.
Monday, March 5 — Championship (at highest remaining seed)
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 9 p.m.
Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Jared Jordan, 6-2, 185, G, Sr., Marist Rookie of the Year: Edwin Ubiles, 6-7, 195, F, Fr., Siena Coach of the Year: Ed Cooley, Fairfield
All-Metro Atlantic team
Jared Jordan, 6-2, 185, G, Sr., Marist — 17.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 8.9 apg Jason Thompson, 6-11, 245, F, Jr., Rider — 19.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.2 bpg Gerald Brown, 6-4, 195, G, Jr., Loyola (Md.) — 22.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg Charron Fisher, 6-3, 230, F, Jr., Niagara — 21.8 ppg, 8 rpg Michael Haddix, 6-6, 255, F, Sr., Siena — 16.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Missouri Valley
This conference is quickly becoming one of the elite conferences. Wichita State made its run last season and Southern Illinois is primed to do it again.
Team to beat: Southern Illinois — Chris Lowery's club separated itself from the rest of the pack in the second half when they closed out the regular-season with its 11th straight win. The Salukis are one of the top defensive teams in the country and have balance. They finished the season 25-5 and 15-3 in one of the toughest leagues in the nation. Their defense is very reminiscent of Georgetown teams from the early 80’s.
Sleeper: Hard to say it for they were once in the top 10… but Wichita State — The Shockers started out the season with eight wins against some decent competition on the road before going through a rough stretch. Mark Turgeon's team hasn't been able to establish enough consistency. However, Wichita State is more than capable of winning three straight games and running the table.
Prediction: I hate to do this but… Creighton — Dana Altman's team needs this — more than Southern Illinois. The Salukis are already in the Big Dance while Creighton may still need to do a little more work to convince the committee. Point guard Josh Dotzler is finally healthy, which means Nate Funk can slide back over to the shooting guard spot. Usually when a team is backed up against the wall they usually produce. And Dana can get that part done.
Schedule — All games in St. Louis
Thursday, March 1 — Preliminaries
Game 1: No. 8 Evansville vs. No. 9 Drake, 7:05 PM ET Game 2: No. 7 Illinois St. vs. No. 10 Indiana St. 9:35 p.m. ET
Friday, March 2 — Quarterfinals Game 3: No. 1 So. Illinois vs. Game 1 winner, 7 p.m. ET Game 4: No. 4 Bradley vs. Northern Iowa, 3:35 p.m. ET Game 5: No. 2 Creighton vs. Game 2 winner, 7:05 p.m. Game 6: No. 3 Missouri St. vs. No. 2 Wichita St., 9 p.m. ET
Saturday, March 3 — Semifinals
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 2:35 p.m. ET Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 5:05 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 4 — Finals
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 2:05 p.m. ET
Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Jamaal Tatum, 6-2, 175, G, Sr., Southern Illinois Rookie of the Year: Osiris Eldridge, 6-3, 190, G, Fr., Illinois State Coach of the Year: Chris Lowery, Southern Illinois
All-Missouri Valley team
Jamaal Tatum, 6-2, 175, G, Sr., Southern Illinois — 14.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.1 spg Randal Falker, 6-7, 235, F, Jr., Southern Illinois — 13.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg Nate Funk, 6-3, 195, G, Sr., Creighton — 17.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.1 apg Anthony Tolliver, 6-9, 245, C, Sr., Creighton — 13.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 bpg Daniel Ruffin, 5-10, 165, Jr., G, Bradley — 14.1 ppg, 5.6 apg
Northeast Conference
Team to beat: Central Connecticut — Howie Dickenman has three of the league's top 10 players in Obie Nwadike, Javier Mojica and Tristan Blackwood. The Blue Devils are the top seed and will have homecourt advantage throughout, which doesn't bode well for everyone else. CCSU has won 17 straight regular-season games on its home court.
Sleeper: Quinnipiac — The Braves earned the No. 3 seed and are playing as good as anyone not named Central Connecticut. They take care of the ball and also play well on the road.
Prediction: Central Connecticut — No one should knock Dickenman & Co. off because of the homecourt advantage and the talent. The Blue Devils should be headed to the Big Dance and a probable meeting with the #1 seed in the East (East Rutherford) Regional.
Schedule
Thursday, March 1 (campus sites of top four seeds)
Game 1: No. 8 St. Francis at No. 1 Central Connecticut St., 7 p.m. ET Game 2: No. 7 Wagner at No. 2 Sacred Heart, 7 p.m. ET Game 3: No. 6 Farleigh Dickinson at No. 3 Quinnipiac, 7 p.m. ET Game 4: No. 5 Mount Saint Mary's at No. 4 Robert Morris, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 4 — Semifinals
Game 5: Lowest remaining seed at highest remaining seed, 4 p.m. ET or TBA Game 6: Third highest remaining seed at second highest remaining seed, 4 p.m. ET or TBA
Wednesday, March 7 — Championship (at highest remaining seed), 7 p.m. ET
Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Obie Nwadike, 6-4, 225, F, Sr., Central Connecticut Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Goode, 5-9, 175, G, Fr., Mount St. Mary's Coach of the Year: Howie Dickenman, Central Connecticut
All-Northeast team
Obie Nwadike, 6-4, 225, F, Sr., Central Connecticut — 14.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg Andre Harris, 6-7, 230, F, Sr., Farleigh Dickinson — 18.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.2 bpg Javier Mojica, 6-3, 180, G, Sr., Central Connecticut — 16.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.5 spg A.J. Jackson, 6-6, 230, F, Sr., Robert Morris — 16.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg DeMario Anderson, 6-4, 205, G, Jr., Quinnipiac — 15.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Sleeper: Quinnipiac — The Braves earned the No. 3 seed and are playing as good as anyone not named Central Connecticut. They take care of the ball and also play well on the road.
Prediction: Central Connecticut — No one should knock Dickenman & Co. off because of the homecourt advantage and the talent. The Blue Devils should be headed to the Big Dance and a probable meeting with the #1 seed in the East (East Rutherford) Regional.
Schedule
Thursday, March 1 (campus sites of top four seeds)
Game 1: No. 8 St. Francis at No. 1 Central Connecticut St., 7 p.m. ET Game 2: No. 7 Wagner at No. 2 Sacred Heart, 7 p.m. ET Game 3: No. 6 Farleigh Dickinson at No. 3 Quinnipiac, 7 p.m. ET Game 4: No. 5 Mount Saint Mary's at No. 4 Robert Morris, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 4 — Semifinals
Game 5: Lowest remaining seed at highest remaining seed, 4 p.m. ET or TBA Game 6: Third highest remaining seed at second highest remaining seed, 4 p.m. ET or TBA
Wednesday, March 7 — Championship (at highest remaining seed), 7 p.m. ET
Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Obie Nwadike, 6-4, 225, F, Sr., Central Connecticut Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Goode, 5-9, 175, G, Fr., Mount St. Mary's Coach of the Year: Howie Dickenman, Central Connecticut
All-Northeast team
Obie Nwadike, 6-4, 225, F, Sr., Central Connecticut — 14.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg Andre Harris, 6-7, 230, F, Sr., Farleigh Dickinson — 18.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.2 bpg Javier Mojica, 6-3, 180, G, Sr., Central Connecticut — 16.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.5 spg A.J. Jackson, 6-6, 230, F, Sr., Robert Morris — 16.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg DeMario Anderson, 6-4, 205, G, Jr., Quinnipiac — 15.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
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Northeast is tonight (Wednesday)
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