MAAC Conference Preview: Picking a Breakout Performer From Each Team

Canisius: Xzavier Long, 6’7 190 sophomore

After a 2-9 start to the season and playing sparingly throughout that time, head coach Reggie Witherspoon’s benching of Siem Uijetendaal and an injury to Malek Green forced Xzavier Long into the starting lineup, averaging 13 points, 6.5 rebounds in 38 minutes per game in big wins over Buffalo and Florida Gulf Coast. 

Bouncing in and out of the starting lineup after those two games, Long showcased his elite rebounding ability, ranking in the top-400 nationally in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage rates. 

Throughout his tenure at Canisius, Witherspoon likes his offense to shoot a lot of threes, noted in the Golden Griffins ranking within the top-80 of three point attempt ratios in four of his six seasons as head coach. Letting it fly at that rate, Long will be a valuable asset on the glass, getting opportunities for put-back baskets and keeping possessions alive. Poised to earn a full-time starting gig with Malek Green graduating, Xzavier Long will be a persistent double-double threat.

Fairfield: James Johns, 6’6 180 freshman

One of the highest ranked commits in recent MAAC history is Fairfield’s four-star freshman James Johns Jr., the son of second year assistant coach James Johns Sr. The 6’6 180 shooting guard picked Fairfield over UConn, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Penn State and three A-10 teams, a recruiting boon easily ranking Johns as the program’s top-rated recruit of all-time. 

The Stags have arguably their deepest roster in Jay Young’s tenure, making it prudent to project Johns Jr. early on as a catch-and-shoot bench piece, but his game will expand as he improves his strength, handle and ability to finish consistently in traffic. His length and athleticism will also be a major asset as a perimeter defender.

A team with a lot of “good” players, but lacking in true stars, Johns does have the tools to put it all together and possibly force himself into a starting role as a freshman.

Iona: Walter Clayton Jr., 6’2 195 sophomore 

Playing a backup role last season behind All-MAAC Conference selections Tyson Jolly and Elijah Joiner, Clayton is one of the Gaels’ best options to earn a starting role in the rebuilt backcourt along with transfers Dannis Jenkins, Anton Brookshire and freshman Cruz Davis.

As a freshman, Clayton’s per-40 numbers show an efficient three-level combo guard with ability to dish and defend (18.1 points, 3.9 assists, 1.9 steals, 2.3 made threes and 4.6 made free throws while shooting 51.2 2p%, 35.7 3p% and 78.7 ft%). 

Manhattan: Raziel Hayun, 6’5 187 freshman

One of the few underclassmen on the veteran-laden Jaspers squad, the 21 year old Hayun played last season professionally for Israel's Maccabi Bazan Halfa. Playing alongside former Manhattan Jasper Chris Smith, Hayun averaged 5.9 points, 1.1 assists and 1.3 three pointers made at 47.4% in just 14.6 minutes per game. 

On tape, Hayun is a versatile offensive wing with a tool box that includes a variety of moves to get to the basket, a quick trigger as a catch-and-shoot perimeter piece and good downhill vision. Likely coming off the bench this season, Hayun should excite Jaspers fans as being the key piece to lead the Jaspers’ rebuild in 2023-2024.

Marist: Noah Harris, 6’1 175 sophomore

Playing amongst a talented backcourt that included outbound Jao Ituka (Wake Forest), Ricardo Wright (SMU), Raheim Sullivan (NJIT) and Matt Herasme (New Hampshire), Noah Harris was a regular rotation piece but will be counted on to help replace the 40.8 points per game from the transferring quartet. 

Picking up nineteen offers out of Rutgers Prep, Harris’ 6.1 point per game average as a freshman looks modest, but his efficiency from deep (1.6 threes made per game, 35.0 3p%) gives Harris a strong scoring floor with a latent ceiling if he improves his efficiency inside the arc (35.1 2p%) and his distributing. 

Niagara: Aaron Gray, 6’7 215 junior

Like recent Appalachian State graduate Michael Alomancy two seasons before, Aaron Gray is poised to be Southern New Hampshire University’s next star to move up to the D1 ranks and start from day one. 

Gray is a perfect transfer in terms of need and fit: head coach Greg Paulus likes his offenses to limit mistakes and Gray averaged just 1.3 turnovers per game while contributing 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.9 threes made with three–level shooting efficiency (53.4 2p%, 36.4 3p%, 76.7 3p%). Look for Gray to earn a starting role in Niagara’s frontcourt. 

Mount St. Mary’s: Dakota Leffew, 6’5 185 junior

A regular rotation piece for the Mountaineers over the last two seasons, Leffew is poised to put together flashes of his offensive versatility.

An efficient shooter in just 38 field goal attempts as a freshman, Leffew’s shooting efficiency was not strong as a sophomore (43.3 2p%, 27.5 3p%), but he helped balance it out with a 7% increase in assist rate and a 20% decrease in turnover rate. Jalen Benjamin is the top-dog, but Leffew has what it takes to be the team’s next best guard.

Quinnipiac: Alexis Reyes, 6’7 195 sophomore

The three-star recruit who finished his high school career at the Connecticut basketball powerhouse Putnam Science Academy, Reyes held five high-major offers, including four Big East offers, before committing to East Carolina. 

At East Carolina, Reyes played minimally in ten total games, but in high school he was a versatile offensive piece, averaging 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists with a 53 fg% and 39 3p% at his junior season at Cushing Academy and shot over 49% from three at PSA. 

At 6’7 195, Reyes has the length and the toughness to defend multiple positions, adding to his versatile skill set and making him a major candidate to start in Quinnipiac’s revamped frontcourt.

Rider: Tariq Ingraham, 6’9 255 junior

A three-star recruit out of Philadelphia, Tariq Ingraham is looking for a fresh start at Rider after playing a total of sixteen minutes across three seasons at Wake Forest. A preseason Achilles injury forced Ingraham to redshirt his first season and he dealt with long-term Covid symptoms after playing just two games as a redshirt freshman, ultimately transferring out of Wake Forest in November.

Expected to initially play behind fifth-year returnee Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson, Ingraham is a stronger “true big” who could help battle the physical centers in the conference like Iona’s Nelly Junior Joseph, Siena’s Jackson Stormo and Quinnipiac’s Ike Nweke.

Saint Peter’s: Jaylen Murray, 5’11 175 sophomore

A three-star recruit out of Putnam Science Academy who held offers from Texas Tech, Seton Hall, three A10 teams and four other MAAC teams, the Bronx-bred Jaylen Murray has been an NYC area streetball hero for years, featured in a Slam article back in 2019. 

With its top-six scorers transferring after the Peacocks’ magical Elite Eight run, Jaylen Murray is Saint Peter’s top returning scorer and is easily the the most exciting player new coach Bashir Mason will center his offensive strategy around. 

Averaging 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists in just 15.6 minutes per game, Murray has already shown that he can play within a iso-less offensive system but he’s got the moxie, moves, athleticism and shooting ability to be a lead point guard and be “the man” this upcoming season. 

Siena: Javian McCollum, 6’2 155 sophomore

Starting his freshman season in and out of the lineup, McCollum reached his season high in scoring three times over the final twelve games of the season, averaging 9.8 points, 2.0 assists and 2.6 free throws made with a 54.5 2p%, 43.3 3p% and 86.1 ft%.

With fifth-year point guard Nick Hopkins graduating, as well as double-digit scorers Colby Rogers and Anthony Gaines, look for McCollum to become the Saints best scoring and distributing guard. 

Quinnipiac 2022-2023 Season Preview: Veteran Backcourt Leads Revamped Frontcourt

 Entering their tenth season in the MAAC, the Quinnipiac Bobcats have been a consistently competitive team within the conference. Tom Moore led the Bobcats throughout their transition from the NEC to the MAAC but after three straight losing conference records, Baker Dunleavy was hired after seven seasons as an assistant under Jay Wright at Villanova. 

Dunleavy’s first five seasons have been respectable (35-40 record in the MAAC), but with his current roster the Bobcats have the pieces to have their strongest season under Dunleavy. 

About 70% of the team’s scoring returns with seven rotation players returning.

The MAAC is a guard-driven league and Quinnipiac boasts an impressive returning group of backcourt pieces, arguably the best group of returnees in the conference. The returning starting backcourt of seniors Matt Balanc and Dezi Jones were the team’s top two scorers, averaging a combined 26.1 points-per-game with good efficiency (52.4 2p%, 36.1 3p%, 83.6 ft%).

Missing a combined 31 games last year with neither finishing the season with the team, fifth-year returnee Tyrese Williams and senior Savion Lewis hope to stay healthy this upcoming season. Starting all but three of the games in his first three seasons at Quinnipiac, Williams started 13 games last season, playing a career low 21.9 minutes-per-game mostly as a catch-and-shoot perimeter threat with 80% of his field goal attempts from three, converting at an impressive 39.7 3p%. As a starter or as a bench piece, Williams should play about half of the minutes each game providing the team with valuable shooting and secondary scoring.

Playing just eight games last season, the oft-injured Lewis suffered an Achilles injury in December. The team’s best defensive guard, Lewis led the Bobcats in the 2020-2021 season with a 3.2% steal rate, which ranked 127th in the nation. On the offensive end, Lewis has great vision as a distributor (29.9% assist rate in the 2020-2021 season ranked 72nd nationally) and does nearly all of his scoring inside the arc, with 92% of his career field goals attempts being two-pointers. For a team that struggled on the defensive end last season (the 277th best defensive efficiency rating and the 203rd best steal rate) Lewis’ ability to hound the opponents’ best guard will be direly welcomed, assuming he recovers fully from his injury. 

Continuing the thread of solid defenders is returning 6’6 junior Tymu Chenery. Starting all but one game last season, Chenery had the team’s best steal rate and has one of the best block rates in the MAAC for his position. On the offensive end, Chenery stays within himself by minimizing mistakes (just 0.8 turnovers per game last season) and shooting well enough to keep defenses honest with a 46.0 2p%, 31.1 3p% and 70.8 ft%. Scoring 10.2 points per game as a freshman, junior Luis Kortright averaged just 3.5 points per game last season and is now more of a depth option who is capable of playing more minutes should injuries continue to plague the Bobcats’ next season.

Aside from returning junior backup forward JJ Riggins, Dunleavy entered this offseason with nearly a blank canvas to rebuild the frontcourt. The biggest hole was replacing Kevin Marfo, who returned to Quinnipiac for his extra year of eligibility after playing the previous season at Texas A&M. In just three seasons at Quinnipiac, Marfo finished fourth in Quinnipiac record books for career rebounds and last season he showcased an extra dimension as a post-passer, leading the team in total assists. 

The most proven addition that will help replace Marfo is Columbia transfer Ike Nweke. The 6’7 245 grad transfer low post forward had injury issues in the beginning and the end of last season, but averaged 15.9 points and 6.3 rebounds in ten games. Analytics suggest Nweke is a below-average defender, so it will be hard to picture Nweke getting major playing time against low-post technicians in the conference like Nelly Junior Joseph of Iona or Jackson Stormo of Siena. 

With only eleven career minutes at Notre Dame, incoming junior Elijah Taylor was a three-star recruit out of Philadelphia and had nine other high-major offers before committing to Notre Dame. Even though the 6’8 240 junior showed a stretch ability in high school, it’s more likely that Nweke and Taylor will share responsibility at the five rather than spend time together on the floor. 

While Dunleavy’s recruiting strategy brings in JuCo prospects sparingly, JuCo transfer Paul Otieno will use his athleticism, strength and defensive efficiency to try to carve out a role in the frontcourt rotation. The 6’8 225 forward was a tough low post-presence at Kilgore College, averaging 7.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.8 blocks in 23 minutes per game. Picking Quinnipiac over six other D1 programs, including Marist and Canisius, Otieno has three years of eligibility remaining making him an intriguing long-term prospect who could become the team’s best low-post defender since Seth Pinkney.

In addition to replacing Marfo, Dunleavy worked the transfer portal to replace combo forward Brendan McGuire and stretch forward Jacob Rigoni, the five-year Bobcat who leads the program in career games played, three points made and attempted and the second best career three-point percentage (39.3 3p%). Transferring to Sacred Heart this offseason, McGuire is a versatile combo forward who was second on the team in block % and assist rate. 

The most simple fix is to play Chenery at the 4, the position he played most in his freshman season. Competing for minutes at the 4 is Alexis Reyes, an incoming sophomore transfer from East Carolina. The three-star recruit who finished his high school career at the Connecticut basketball powerhouse Putnam Science Academy, Reyes held five high-major offers, including four Big East offers, before committing to East Carolina. At East Carolina, Reyes played minimally in ten total games, but in high school he was a versatile offensive piece, averaging 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists with a 53 fg% and 39% at his junior season at Cushing Academy and shot over 49% from three at PSA. At 6’7 195, Reyes has the length and the toughness to defend multiple positions, so a rotation with Lewis, Chenery and Reyes on the floor together could help patch up Quinnipiac’s leaky defense.

With eleven capable pieces vying for rotation minutes, Dunleavy has arguably his deepest and most talented roster so far. The signature for Dunleavy’s offense is tempo, good ball movement and lots of focus on finding open perimeter shots. The additions of Reyes and Taylor, along with the retention of six guard and wing pieces, will help Dunleavy maintain this style of play while the added length of Nweke, Reyes, Taylor and Otieno should help improve the conference’s second worst defense.

This year’s roster allows Dunleavy to mix and match his rotations, making the Bobcats a good candidate to be one of the better teams in the MAAC and possibly its best season under Dunleavy.

FGCU 2022 Offseason Overview: Defensive Guru Pat Chambers Helps Make Complete Team

 Nearly a decade since FGCU’s “Dunk City” swagger catapulted the Eagles to the Sweet Sixteen in just their sixth season of Division 1 basketball, some of that swagger resurfaced in Fort Myers this spring after the program’s hiring of former Penn State coach Pat Chambers.

Not only does Chambers bring nine seasons of head coaching experience in the Big Ten, but his signature in State College was consistently fielding a team that was defensively stout with the Nittany Lions finishing within the top-30 in defensive efficiency rating in each of his last three seasons. In comparison, the Eagles’ defensive efficiency rating was never better than 194th in the nation during any of previous head coach Michael Fly’s four seasons, with last season ending with its worst defensive efficiency rate (266th, according to KenPom). 

At Penn State, typical Pat Chambers’ defenses were known for rim protection, prevention of perimeter shooting and stout interior defense. For comparison, the table below averages the stats and the rankings for both teams across the last three seasons:

AVERAGE OF DEFENSIVE EFFICIENCY STATS AND RANKINGS 

BETWEEN 19-20 and 21-22

Team	D  efficiency	2P%	2P% rank	Block %	Block %  rank	3PA%	3PA% rank
Penn St	23th	46.8	59th	11.9	60th	33.3	40th
FGCU	226th	49.3	154th	11.9	48th	37.7	188th

Looking at the data, both Fly and Chambers were simpatico in the importance of protecting the rim, but it’s clear that Chambers’ teams were much more dedicated to making it difficult for opponents to take quality shots. Some of that is based on athleticism, but at the Division 1 level where almost every team has good athletes, it more has to do with wanting it more and coaching it into the DNA of a program. Penn State’s teams under Chambers were known as one of the harder teams to play against in the Big Ten, even if they were usually one of the least talented teams in the conference.

A shift in the defensive mindset of FGCU’s returning players can do wonders for the Eagles, adding another dimension to last year’s squad known for its quick pace and smooth shooting offense. 

Overview of Returning Players

Overall, the Eagles return six regular rotation players, two of which were everyday starters. Arguably the best returning starter is senior Cyrus Largie, the physical 6’3 204 guard who led the Eagles last year in steal percentage (3.0% was 184th nationally) and free throw rate (36.1% was 356th nationally) while his 58.7 2p% was ranked 222th nationally. Largie’s combination of efficiency, ability to attack the rim and defensive versatility will endear him to the new coaching staff. 

Returning for his extra year of eligibility, Caleb Catto is an efficient shooter who has gotten better as a mistake-preventing distributor. The 6’5 182 guard has career shooting splits of 49.4 2p% and 35.6 3p% and finished last season with a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, averaging 2.6 assists and just 1.3 turnovers per game. Averaging a combined 8.3 assists per game, the departing point guard combo of Tavian Dunn-Martin (finished college eligibility) and Luis Rolon (transferred) will open the door for Catto to become more of a point-wing distributor, allowing their incoming guard talent more scoring opportunities. 

Starting a combined 29 games, the returning trio of fifth-year Austin Richie, junior Zach Anderson and senior Dakota Rivers provide Chambers with a rotation of stretch forward options. Last season, the trio combined for 95 for 263 from three (36.1%), but all three need to improve their defensive efficiency, rebounding and tenacity to earn more playing time under Chambers. 

In limited time, Andre Weir was an efficient, rim protecting, glass eating backup big and will reprise the same role this season. Originally an Ole Miss commit, senior Franco Miller lost his rotation spot last season, but averaged 18 minutes per game as a sophomore. 

Overview of Incoming Players

Just six days after losing all-conference big Kevin Samuel to South Alabama, Chambers hit a home run adding redshirt freshman Sam Onu from Memphis. The 6’11 270 big was a four-star recruit out of The Phelps School, a Philly area school well-known to Chambers who grew up near Philadelphia, went to school at Philadelphia University and coached at four Philadelphia area colleges. Out of high school, Onu was touted for his strength, athleticism, post-play and rim-protection, all strengths of the departing Kevin Samuel who averaged 11.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and a 64.4 fg%. It wouldn’t be fair to expect Onu to replace Samuel’s production from day one, but Onu is projected to earn a spot in the starting lineup.

While not a true point guard like Dunn-Martin, Stetson transfer Chase Johnson will be counted on to help replace some of Dunn-Martin’s scoring. The 6’2 185 senior averaged 15.2 points, 1.4 steals and an eye-opening 3.3 threes per game with a 40.1 3p% and a surprisingly efficient 13.0% turnover rate, which ranked 340th lowest in the nation. Johnson’s steal rate of 2.4% would have ranked second on last year’s FGCU team and his 2.3 fouls/40 was the 418th lowest in the nation. Assuming that Johnson will maintain his lights out efficiency from the perimeter with a solid defensive profile, he will be a major two-way contributor.

Continuing the theme of efficient guards is Purdue transfer Isaiah Thompson. The 6’1 160 senior’s efficient perimeter play was the perfect complement to Jaden Ivey’s ball-dominant slashing ability. Shooting threes at a career 39.1 3p% and giving up a remarkable 55 turnovers in 96 career games, Thompson’s 126.1 offensive rating ranked 22nd nationally, according to KenPom. Like Johnson, Thompson is not a true point guard, but a backcourt combination of Catto/Largie/Johnson/Thompson set up the potential for four-out offensive sets with three or four capable shooters and distributors. 

Needing a waiver to play this upcoming season, Saint Joseph’s transfer Dahmir Bishop is another Philadelphia-based addition to Chambers’ recruiting class. Originally a four-star recruit by Xavier, Bishop has been an intriguing combo guard prospect thanks to his athleticism and length but has not put it all together at either of his college spots offensively or defensively. 

Picking FGCU over six other D1 programs, JuCo addition Josiah Shackleford was an efficient low-post technician at Brunswick, averaging 18.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, nearly a block per game and a field goal percentage of 68.9%. The 6’9 225 forward with three years of eligibility remaining provides the Eagles with a leaner post option to push Andre Weir for playing time.

Their lone high school addition is Philadelphia-area forward Blaise Vespe, who took his post-grad season at IMG Academy after two seasons at Neumann-Goretti Catholic, the #1 ranked team in Pennsylvania his junior season. The 6’7 220 freshman showcased his stretch ability at IMG and will be a depth option this upcoming season. 

A Look at the Non-Conference Schedule as of 7-22-22

Note: The number in ( ) next to each team is their respective KenPom ranking at the end of last season:

• 11/7 @ USC (47)

• 11/9 @ San Diego (232)

• 12/21 v Canisius (258)

• TBD @ Georgia Southern (253)

• TBD @ Mercer (196)

• 11/21-11/23 at the Gulf Coast Showcase. Three games against potential opponents

• Drexel (153), ECU (179), Indiana State (230), Kansas City (214), Northern Kentucky (198), Toledo (95), UT-Arlington (222)

The Eagles start their season with an impressive two-game trip to California. USC will obviously be a tough game while San Diego is much better than their KenPom rating from last year. Former UCLA and St. John’s coach Steve Lavin has put together an impressive roster highlighted by Pac-12 transfers Jaden Delaire (Stanford) and Eric Williams (Oregon). 

With its overall weak field and 30-minute drive from campus, FGCU should be one of the favorites to win the Gulf Coast Challenge. An ideal bracket would have the Eagles up against Toledo, easily the best opponent in the field. 

Adding Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State last season, as well as Austin Peay this season, the Atlantic Sun should arguably be the deepest it has been since Belmont, Mercer and ETSU were members over a decade ago. Liberty will be the pick for nearly all prognosticators to win the conference, but FGCU is a dark horse candidate and a potentially dangerous team in March should they earn a postseason bid. 

2022 Northeast Conference Preview: Picking a Breakout Performer From Each Team

Central Connecticut State: Jay Rodgers, 6’3 165 junior

Entering his second season replacing former UConn great Donyell Marshall, Patrick Sellers is ready to build a roster with almost entirely his commits. This season, incoming transfer Jay Rodgers is poised to be a major piece in the backcourt with guards Ian Krishnan, Tre Mitchell and Zach Newkirk all not opting into their extra year of eligibility.

Receiving seven D1 offers out of high school, Rodgers played sparingly in his first season at New Orleans and played last season at Cochise College, a JuCo program where Rodgers averaged 17.8 points, 3.2 assists and nearly three three-pointers made per game shooting 40.1% from three. A poor shooting program during Marshall’s tenure, last season the Blue Devils attempted 39.2% of their field goals from three, their highest ratio ever. Rodgers’ smooth perimeter shooting will be a major asset for his case to earn a starting role this season and possibly finish the season as one of the Blue Devils’ top scorers.

Fairleigh Dickinson: Demetre Roberts, 5’8 165 fifth-year senior

After nine seasons and two tournament appearances under the head coach Greg Herenda, a 13-38 record across the last two seasons left the program to move on (arguably quick-triggered) from Herenda to hire Tobin Anderson from neighboring D2 program St. Thomas Aquinas where he was a five-time MBWA Coach of the Year in only the last nine seasons.

Like many coaches who move up to D1, Anderson is arriving at Fairleigh Dickinson with some of his top players from last year, led by undersized point guard Demetre Roberts. Averaging 16.4 points, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals last year while shooting 35.7% from three, Roberts will have every opportunity to start from Day 1 and instill his skill, leadership and the past winning ways to his new teammates. The NEC is a guard-heavy league and Roberts has the potential to be one of the best this upcoming season.

Merrimack: Jaylen Stinson, 6’0 170 sophomore 

With both of Merrimack’s top point guards transferring (starting point guard Mikey Watkins to UMass-Lowell and part-time starter Malik Edmead to Albany), James Madison transfer Jaylen Stinson has a prime opportunity to earn the starting point guard spot on a talented team with four seniors in their projected starting lineup. 

Playing only a total of 23 minutes last season at James Madison, Stinson was a sought after high school prospect at Archbishop Wood in Philadelphia, picking the Dukes over thirteen other D1 schools. It’s always a good recruiting strategy to bring in players from winning programs and in what Stinson lacks in D1 experience, his moxie, selflessness and leadership traits from high school should fit in excellently with the Warriors’ veterans. 

Sacred Heart: Joey Reilly, 6’0 170 senior

With Tyler Thomas transferring to Hofstra, Aaron Clarke transferring to Stony Brook and Alex Watson graduating, there will be a major change of the guard within Sacred Heart’s backcourt: the trio averaged 39.4 points per game and started nearly every game together. 

To help, Anthony Latina and his staff added a three-man transfer class, all of which played last season in the MAAC. Amongst that group, Niagara’s Raheem Solomon is smooth shooting guard and Siena’s Aidan Carpenter is a slashing wing, but neither are candidates to help replace last year’s starting point guard Aaron Clarke, allowing Joey Reilly every opportunity to take over the starting role.

Reilly is an efficient and patient guard in a league surrounded with inefficient and occasionally haphazard guard play. Last season his 1.7 to 0.8 assist to turnover ratio makes him the perfect pass-first technician who can also make his own shot, averaging 38.5% last season from three. A backcourt rotation of Reilly, Mike Sixsmith and Solomon provides the Pioneers with three very good perimeter options, opening up the floor for stud forward Nico Gallette and slashers Brendan McGuire and Aidan Carpenter to utilize spacing. 

LIU: Kyndall Davis, 6’5 200 junior

It’s been a weird offseason for LIU, waiting until June 30th to fire head coach Derek Kellogg, who led the Sharks to the tournament in his first season and finished .500 or better in conference play each season of his tenure. 

In the wake of shocking news, two of LIU’s best players, Eral Penn (DePaul) and Isaac Kante (undecided) transferred out instead of using their extra year of eligibility with the Sharks. Penn's late departure opened up a golden opportunity for Kyndall Davis to take over a more ball-dominant role in LIU’s electric offense. 

Picking LIU over seven D1 programs, including St. Bonaventure, Davis’ role really picked up in January, with him averaging 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks over the last seventeen games. Playing last season at the 2 and 3 guard spots, Davis’ strength and stat-stuffing versatility will help him play all over the court. In fact, LIU’s frenetic offensive pace (ranked 6th in tempo last season) profiles nicely to Davis even getting time at the 4. As their best returning scorer on a team who puts up a ton of points, Davis has all-NEC conference team potential. 

St. Francis Brooklyn: Tedrick Wilcox. 6’6 188 senior

Last season, the Terriers spent most of the season finding the right balance in their frontcourt that experienced a lot of turnover from the previous season. Once head coach Glenn Braica settled on his rotations, Tedrick Wilcox became one of his most trusted options, playing both the 3 and 4 spots. Over the last nineteen games of last season, Wilcox became a full-time starter, averaging 9.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals and shooting 50.7 2p% and 33.3 3p%. 

With last year’s top two scorers Michael Cubbage (played about half of his minutes at the 3) graduating and Patrick Emelin (played about half his minutes at the 4) transferring to Maryland, Wilcox is poised to soak up most of their minutes. With his solid efficiency and more shots available, Wilcox is a good bet to finish next season as an All-Conference selection.

St. Francis PA: Zahree Harrison, 6’0 190 junior 

The second player on this list who finished his high school career at Archbishop Wood, Zahree Harrison is poised to take over the starting point guard spot with Ramiir Dixon-Conover graduating. 

Part of an excellent incoming junior class that features returning double-digit scorers Josh Cohen, Maxwell Land and Ronell Giles, Harrison averaged just 3.5 points and 2.0 assists last season backing up Dixon-Conover, but Dixon-Conover’s late season injury showed a glimpse of what Harrison can do as the primary point guard: over the last five games of the season, Harrison averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals. 

So far, Harrison has been a poor outside shooter (career 9.5% from three) and gives up too many turnovers (almost a one-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio) but Harrison’s athleticism, ability to attack the rim and vision makes him one of the more intriguing breakout candidates in the NEC.

Stonehill: Max Zegarowski, 6’6 201 senior

Playing his last two seasons at Franklin Pierce, Max Zegarowski will make his D1 debut in Stonehill’s first season in the NEC and in Division 1. 

The younger brother of Creighton great Marcus Zegarowski, Max was an efficient stretch forward at Franklin Pierce, averaging 14.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 threes made at 43.0% with only 1.3 turnovers per game. Zegarowski’s smooth shooting paired with his ability to secure rebounds helps him to be a candidate to start at either forward spot.

Wagner: Zaire Williams, 6’4 180 sophomore

After a strong decade replacing Dan Hurley as the head coach at Wagner, Bashir Mason was hired by Saint Peter’s as Shaheen Holloway’s replacement. This changing of the guard at Wagner applies also to its roster as its incredible graduating senior quartet of Alex Morales, Will Martinez, Raekwon Rodgers and Elijah Ford (combined 52.7 points per game) will leave the door open for others to step in and take the scoring lead.

Some of their production will be replaced by Wagner’s three-man transfer haul, but the backcourt returnees of Delonnie Hunt and Zaire Williams will be major factors this season. While Hunt is the steady, mistake-limiting point guard, Zaire Williams is poised to step up as a top scoring guard, earning some of the shot opportunities available with Martinez and Morales taking up most of the rim-attacking opportunities last season, leaving Williams as mostly a perimeter option (about 70% of Williams’ shot attempts were from three). Picking Wagner over five other D1 programs, including Missouri, Williams has high-end potential to become one of the Seahawks’ leaders in his sophomore season.

 

2022 Preseason Ranking the Top-Ten Mens' Basketball Teams in New York

Each team will include its record from last season as well as their final KenPom efficiency ratings. Hyperlinks for each team’s respective offseason overview. 

1. St. John’s, 17-15, #55

Led by Posh Alexander, one of the most feared defenders in the nation, the Red Storm return four starters, including linebacker-sized Swiss Army knife Dylan Addae-Wusu, who brings shooting, passing and physical switchability on defense. Replacing an elite scorer like Julian Champagnie is a difficult task, but DePaul transfer David Jones (14.5p, 7.4r, 2.4a, 1.7s, 1.0b, 29.7 3p%) is a plug-and-play starting forward. 

Illinois transfer Andre Curbelo provides intriguing upside, but it’s hard to see Anderson feature rotations with Alexander and Curbelo sharing the floor together, due to their poor outside shooting. Shooting woes have plagued the Johnnies during Anderson’s tenure, but incoming four-star transfer AJ Storr, out of IMG Academy, is one of the best shooters in the class and is poised to be a valuable bench piece in his freshman season. 

Playing with the fastest tempo in the nation, Anderson’s coaching, leadership and recruiting has helped bring stability to Queens and it’s possible this upcoming season will be the Red Storm’s best in Anderson’s four-year tenure. 

2. Iona, 25-8, #89

Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino starts his third season in New Rochelle, leading perhaps the most balanced roster in the MAAC. The bedrock of the starting lineup is All-MAAC First Team big Nelly Junior Joseph, the 6’9 240 junior who combines strength down low with surprising agility, able to keep up with the Gaels’ top-40 ranked offensive tempo. 

Two other starters return: Quinn Slazinski, a 6’8 stretch forward originally from Louisville that averaged 8.4 ppg and shot 34% from three; and Berrick JeanLouis, a 6’5 returning fifth-year wing whose athleticism helps him excel on defense and is also dangerous in the open court. 

Former All-MAAC First Team guard Tyson Jolly and Elijah Joiner have graduated, but sophomore William Clayton Jr. is poised to lead the Gaels’ revamped backcourt that features Oregon State decommit Cruz Davis, Missouri transfer Anton Brookshire and transfer Dannis Jenkins, who averaged 12.2 points per game at Pacific before improving his shooting last season at Odessa College.

With talent and depth, Iona will be atop of nearly all preseason MAAC rankings as they have March Madness aspirations. A strong non-conference schedule will battle-test the Gaels, including tilts against Saint Louis, Vermont, Santa Clara, St. Bonaventure, New Mexico and three games at the Diamond Head Classic. 

3. Syracuse, 16-17, #69

No one can deny the career accomplishments of Jim Boeheim: winning the NCAA championship in 2003, 998 career wins and simply being a part of Syracuse as a player and coach since 1963. 

However, since joining the ACC in 2014, the program has not had nearly the same success as their years in the Big East. Last season’s 16-17 record was Boeheim’s first losing record of his career and with the Boeheim bros (a combined 33 points per game) and Cole Swider graduating (13.9 ppg), the Orange return just 37% of their scoring. 

While Jesse Edwards is a solid two-way big, Joe Girard III is an impressive shooter, four-star returnee Benny Williams oozes potential and their six-man ‘22 class boasts talent and depth, it’s hard seeing the Orange having a better season than last year. 

4. St. Bonaventure, 23-10, #78

Facing historic roster attrition, the vaunted 2018 class of Osun Osunniyi, Jaren Holmes (both at Iowa State) and Kyle Lofton (Florida) have all taken their extra year of eligibility elsewhere, representing a major part of the whopping 99.8% of the team’s scoring gone. 

However, Mark Schmidt and his staff almost annually outperform their preseason expectations and this feat is a major reason why I’m bullish on the Bonnies in 22-23. Needing immediate help, but also wanting to lay the groundwork for the future, the Bonnies’ six-man transfer haul shrewdly mixed veteran talent (senior guards Daryl Banks from Saint Peter’s and Moses Flowers from Hartford) with multi-year eligible pieces (sophomore guard Kyrell Luc from Holy Cross and sophomore forward Anquan Hill from Fairleigh Dickinson, among others). 

The three-man 2022 recruiting class is led by three-star forward Yann Farrell, the Brewster Academy product who picked the Bonnies over ten high-major offers. It will take time for the roster to jell, but its talent, depth and coaching will keep the Bonnies in the middle of the pack in the A-10.

5. Fordham, 16-16, #173

Thanks to the incredible work by Kyle Neptune and his staff, Fordham enters the new season with a level of hype unseen in a long time. With last year’s Associate Head Coach Keith Urgo stepping in for Neptune, there’s a sense of continuity that is rare for coaching transitions. 

The return of fifth-year senior Darius Quisenberry (16.2 ppg) and senior glue guy Antrell Charlton (7.3p, 5.4r, 3.5a, 1.8s) lead the returning talent while the addition of Georgia Tech transfer Khalid Moore adds an instant starter. Most impressive is how Urgo and his staff has helped bring in new talent to the Bronx, with their five-man recruiting class of 2022 highlighted by guard Will Richardson, wing Angel Montas and combo guard Noah Best, three of the seven highest rated recruits in program history, according to 247. 

This combination of returning talent and new blood allows Urgo to utilize his depth and maximize competition, a luxury that feels new for Fordham. The A-10 is a deep conference, but Fordham has more than enough talent to stay competitive throughout the season and possibly even finish with a .500 or better conference record for the first time since the 2006-2007 season.

6. Hofstra, 21-11, #120

Hiring alums with little to no head coaching experience (Chris Mullin, for example) yield mixed results, at best, but Speedy Claxton has bucked that trend. After spending nine seasons at Hofstra as an assistant coach, the Claxton-led Pride went 21-11 last season, headlined with a win over Arkansas in December. 

Last year’s team ran a lot, let it rain from deep and were excellent at preventing turnovers. Having Aaron Estrada, the reigning CAA Player of the Year, return for his senior year is key (18.5p, 5.7r, 5.0a, 1.5s). To help continue that style of play, Claxton had to find replacements for all-time great Jalen Ray (13.4 ppg, all-time program leader in games played) and Zach Cooks (12.2 ppg) and adding Sacred Heart transfer Tyler Thomas (16.4 ppg) will be a key replacement for this duo. Former Iowa State wing Darlingston Dubar (11.7p, 4.6r, 68.4 2p%, 33.9 3p%) is another returning starter while the incoming grad transfer duo of Warren Williams (Manhattan) and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom (Davidson) will tag team at the 5.

The CAA will continue to be one of the more competitive mid-major leagues and Hofstra is primed to return as one of the best teams in the conference. 

7. Colgate, 23-12, #117

For the last five seasons, Matt Langel has helped transform Colgate into a juggernaut in the Patriot League, winning the Patriot League tournament in three of the last four years.

Part of Langel’s sustained success is in the program’s careful retooling season after season: one key player leaves and another steps up. After the 2019-2020 season, Will Rayman graduated and Jack Ferguson stepped up the next season. After that, Jordan Burns graduated and Ryan Moffatt stepped up. 

Entering this season, Jack Ferguson graduated and Nelly Cummings transferred to Pittsburgh, but Tucker Richardson and Oliver Lynch-Daniels return for their extra year of eligibility, helping the Raiders return three starters. Similar to last season, expect Colgate to limit mistakes and shoot well from three while their 1-3-1 defense will force teams to shoot. 

8. Buffalo, 19-11, #130

Entering his fourth season replacing Nate Oats, Jim Whitesell will enter this season with his biggest challenge so far: replacing 93% of the Bulls’ scoring from last year, led by the excellent trio of Jeenathan Williams, Ronaldo Segu and Josh Mballa. 

Similar to his predecessor, Whitesell likes his offense to play fast and crash the boards. Amongst their returnees, a major jump in the progression of Kuluel Mading will be a big factor in Whitesell continuing their high-octane offense. The fourth highest ranked recruit in Buffalo history, the 6’9 Mading is a bouncy, rim-runner who showed a stretch ability in high school and will have every opportunity to secure a starting position. 

Among its five-man transfer haul, Illinois State grad transfer Sy Chatman will be an instant starter, averaging 13.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 54.9 fg% last season. A triple-double threat at Indiana (PA), Armoni Foster should also start from day one. 

9. Siena, 15-14, #239

It’s not easy to be a consistent winner in the MAAC and that’s all fourth-year head coach Carmen Maciariello has been at Siena: a 47-29 overall record, a 39-17 record in the MAAC and this season should keep Siena close to the top op the conference standings thanks to its wealth of returning talent.

The best of the four seniors returning for their extra year of eligibility is crafty big Jackson Stormo, who averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks last season while it will be exciting to see what former North Carolina guard Andrew Platek can do next season after a full tear of his Achilles back in December. 

Another reason for excitement is the potential of the 2021 class: last year, guards Jared Billips and Javian McCollum started a combined nineteen games and both are penciled into starting roles in the backcourt while Taihland Owens did not play last season, but picked Siena over Georgia Tech, Xavier, VCU and Iona. 

10. Wagner, 21-6, #149

With Bashir Mason moving onto Saint Peter’s, Seton Hall assistant Donald Copeland joins the Seahawks for his first head coaching gig. Their top-four scorers graduated, but the returning backcourt of junior point guard Delonnie Hunt and sophomore guard Zaire Williams are a solid foundation for Mason to build around and incorporate his three-man transfer haul, led by Saint Joseph’s guard Rahmir Moore. 

Special shout out to: Columbia, 4-22, #351

The last two seasons at Columbia have been dreadful: a 10-46 overall record and a 2-26 finish in the Ivy. However, despite their struggles on the court, Jim Engles and his staff have been building a promising future thanks to their highly touted 2022 class that features three three-star recruits. Picking Columbia over eight high-major offers, Avery Brown is the class headliner.