The Frontrunner: Iona
Even with All-MAAC First Team selection Tyson Jolly and All-MAAC Second Team selection Elijah Joiner graduating, Rick Pitino and his staff return the deepest and most-talented team in the MAAC, led by junior big man Nelly Junior Joseph.
Named to the All-MAAC First Team his sophomore season, averaging 13.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 54.8% from the field, the 6’9 240 Junior combines high-major size with underrated athleticism that allows him to play with pace in Iona’s offense that was rated by KenPom as the 42nd fastest last season. While he does not have three point range, Joseph’s ability to shoot from the elbow allows enough space for rim attackers and slashers to do what they do best.
The backcourt quintet of William Clayton Jr. (my pick for Iona's breakout performer of 2022-23), Berrick JeanLouis, Missouri transfer Anton Brookshire, Pacific transfer Dannis Jenkins and Oregon State decommit Cruz Davis offers a variety of rotations for Pitino to mix and match while former Louisville Cardinal Quinn Slazinski returns to reprise his stretch-forward starting role.
Combining the roster’s talent with Pitino’s battle tested defensive system, Iona is the clear cut the MAAC favorites.
The Challenger: Siena
Leading the Saints to a .600 or better record in each of his three seasons at Siena, head coach Carm Maciariello is ready to challenge Iona for the MAAC crown after seven rotation pieces return, led by Jackson Stormo. The 6’9 260 big averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and a 54.3 fg% and is one of the four players returning for their extra year of eligibility.
Lining up with Stormo is the returning backcourt trio of fifth-year guard Andrew Platek and sophomore duo Javian McCollum and Jared Billips. The 6’4 215 North Carolina transfer Andrew Platek averaged 10.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.0 assists in four games before tearing his Achilles early against Army, sitting out the remainder of the season. Part of an impressive 2021 recruiting class that also includes former Xavier, Georgia Tech and VCU target Taihland Owens, McCollum is expected to start at point guard this season while Billups looks to return to his physical, glue guy role as the 3 guard.
After a 1-5 start to last season, Siena was 14-9 in their remaining games, a testament to the performance of Billups and McCollum when earning more playing time. The super sophomores will be flanked with a rotation that includes five fifth-year and one true senior, giving the Saints one of the most experienced squads in the MAAC.
The Underdog: Fairfield
While it is clear that Iona is the top dog of the MAAC, there is an opportunity for Fairfield to step up and compete in the next tier, especially with Saint Peter’s experiencing wholesale turnover in the roster and coaching staff and Monmouth moving onto the CAA.
Long before this upcoming season, head coach Jay Young had an early start planning how this year’s roster would be shaped without recently graduated four-year starters Taj Benning and Jesus Cruz, two 200+ pound guard/wing hybrids with the right level of skill and moxy to compete in the MAAC.
A major strength of this upcoming season’s roster is its veteran depth with Young easily able to go ten deep if needed. The bedrock of his returnees is the efficient low-post duo of junior Supreme Cook and senior Chris Maidoh. Starting every game at center last season, the 6’9 215 Cook is a classic back-to-the-basket low post forward, averaging 10.1 points per game and converting field goals at a 50.8% rate. A monster on both ends of the glass, Cook averaged 2.9 offensive and 5.4 defensive rebounds per game. An athletic rim-running forward, the 6’10 220 Maidoh vastly improved his efficiency last season thanks to his improved strength (he’s gained at least thirty pounds since his freshman season) and simplifying his offensive game by eliminating three pointers from his offensive repertoire (3-19 career from beyond the arc). His 68.9% field goal percentage last season was a huge upgrade over his previous career average of 45.3%.
Continuing the theme of efficiency, fifth-year senior Jake Wojcik and sophomore TJ Long are the best returning shooters while Bowling Green transfer Caleb Fields is nearly a sure bet to start. The 6’2 185 combo guard is poised to earn the starting role after former Holy Cross transfer Caleb Green graduated. Sitting out last season for undisclosed reasons, Fields maintained an impressive 2-to-1 assist/turnover ratio while playing for one of the fastest offensive systems in the country (according to KenPom, Bowling Green’s offensive tempo ranked 45th the 20-21 season, Fields’ last healthy season).
Brycen Goodine is the other incoming transfer for Fairfield. The 6’4 190 incoming senior out of New Bedford, MA was a four-star recruit for Syracuse but has yet to secure more than just an occasional rotational role between his time at Syracuse and Providence. Arguably the biggest wild-card this season is four-star ‘22 commit 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. My pick to be the Stags' breakout performer, Johns is projected early on as a catch-and-shoot piece but his game will expand as he gets stronger with improved strength, handle and ability to finish consistently in traffic. His length and athleticism will also be a major asset as a perimeter defender.
The Stags were one of the worst shooting teams in the MAAC last season (48.5% conference-only effective fg% ranked 7th in the MAAC), so a revamped backcourt and the retention of the team’s most efficient offensive players are two factors to expect a major jump this season.
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