MAAC Preview

The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.   Blue Ribbon Forecast No. Team  '01-02 Conf. Rec. (Overall) 1. Manhattan  12-6 (20-8)  2. Niagara  12-6 (17-14)  3. Iona  10-8 (13-17)  4. Siena  9-9 (16-18)  5. Fairfield  9-9 (12-17)  6. Canisius  5-13 (10-19)  7. Marist  13-5 (19-9)  8. Rider  9-7 (17-11)  9. St. Peter's  3-15 (4-24)  10. Loyola  4-14 (5-23)  All-Conference Team Did You Know? G: Jerry Johnson SO, Rider G: Luis Flores JR, Manhattan F: James "Mook" Reaves JR, Niagara F: Ajou Deng SR, Fairfield F: Courtney Fields SR, Iona Player of the Year Luis Flores JR, Manhattan Newcomer of the Year Steve Smith JR, Iona Top Backcourts 1. Manhattan 2. Rider 3. Niagara Top Frontcourts 1. Fairfield 2. Niagara 3. Manhattan 2002-03 Conference Tournament March 7-10, Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2001-02 Champions Rider, Marist (Reg. season) Siena (Conf. tournament) 2001-02 NCAA Tournament Postseason Record 1-2 (.333) NCAA Siena NIT Manhattan Siena's surprising run through the MAAC Tournament drew a lot of attention last spring, and it will be difficult for a team to duplicate it as long as the league keeps the new format it announced in September. While most mid-majors talk about how much the regular season means, the MAAC actually did something to protect the teams with the best regular-season records. Starting in 2003, the top seed will receive a berth into the tournament semifinals, which is basically a "double bye." The teams that finish in second through fourth place receive a bye into the quarterfinals and the teams that finish fifth through 10th play a triple-header to open the tournament. "While there are several reasons for the new format, the most significant change is a bye to the semifinals as a reward to the regular-season champion," Larry Keating, assistant commissioner of the MAAC said. For the first time since 1990, the MAAC Tournament will not be played in either Albany or Buffalo. Trenton, N.J., is host in 2003, Albany in 2004 and Buffalo in 2005. Either Siena or Iona has represented the MAAC in the NCAA Tournament each of the last five years. There were no head coaching changes in the league this off-season. Manhattan coach Bobby Gonzalez has a 6-0 record at Madison Square Garden, including a 17-point win over St. John's. "Beating St. John's at the Garden was the best thing for our program in terms of exposure, but the worst thing for our program in terms of scheduling," Gonzalez said. …Manhattan's Luis Flores is the only returning member of the first team All-MAAC Team. St. Peter's will make its first appearance in the Preseason NIT, playing at Xavier on Nov. 18. …Loyola is 4-2 against St. Peter's, 3-3 against Canisius and 3-39 against its other MAAC opponents in the last three regular seasons.

 

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