Iona came in first in the MAAC Preseason rankings and Senior Mike Glover was named MAAC Preseason Player of the Year.

O.D. Anosike was named to the Men’s Third team All-MAAC preseason team, he’s the only Saint on the preseason All-MAAC teams.

MAAC Preseason Rankings
#1 Iona
#2 Fairfield
#3 Loyola
#4 Rider
#5 St. Peter’s
#6 Siena
#7 Niagara
#8 Manhattan
#9 Canisius
#10 Marist

Manhattan coach Barry Rhorssen could be coaching his last game when the Saints and Jaspers play on Friday night. The New York Daily News is reporting that Rhorssen will be let go after Manhattan exits the MAAC Basketball Championships. Sources told the Daily News that Manhattan will likely make a move at the end of the season and have been wrestling with the idea of letting him go despite the fact Rhorssen has one year left on his contract.

Rhorssen, in his fifth season as Jaspers coach, is 58-93 overall and has a 37-53 record in the MAAC.

Siena’s shooting woes have got to be frustrating for both the players and coaching staff.   The team was not taking a ton of low percentage shots, it is unexplainable how your post players (exluding Ryan Rossiter) shoot 1-11 from the field.   It does not matter how great of a gameplan you put together, if you do not put the ball in the hoop, more often than not you are going to wind up on the losing end.

As a team how do you go about correcting the obvious shooting woes? A very difficult question to answer besides staying positive, telling the guys to trust in their shot, not to dwell on the misses, most importantly continue to hustle, and eventually the shots will fall.

This team has shown that it has the talent to win tough ball games and the desire to compete even without Rossiter’s co-senior, Clarence Jackson.  Evident once again on Monday night as they rallied from a dismal 1st half performance with a 16-0 run early in the 2nd half to take a 36-35 lead.   The question remains is will they be able to establish a model of consistency in the 2nd half of conference play?

Room for Improvement:

Going to refrain from stating the obvious. If you did not see the game last night, 21-71 from the field (29.6%).

Keys to Success:

Midway MAAC POY. Ryan Rossiter’s continued ability to put this team on his back and will the team to compete has been a huge bright spot in a season marred by injury and inconsistency.   Anyone who does not feel he has earned MAAC POY honors please speak up now or forever hold your peace.

Team Defense. The Saints delivered another superb performance on the defensive end as they held the MAAC’s leader in 3’s to a meager 31.8%, well below their season average.   Siena forced 14 turnovers and held Rider to 68 points (7 below their season average).

Five Facts:

1.  Ryan Rossiter was 2-2 from 3 point range, and now has 5 for his career.

2.  Rider outscored Siena 11-0 in fast break points.

3.  Siena attempted 14 more shots than Rider (71-57).

4.  Rider made 3 more shots than Siena (24-21).

5.  The Saints have had 5 multiple game losing streaks this season.

Five Questions:

1.  When was the last time a Siena team was limited to 18 points in a half?

2.  Where does this team go from here?

3.  Will Siena finish higher than their mid season standing of 6th?

4.  Any thoughts on a midterm grade for the Saints?

5.  Will this team play a game all year at full strength?

Five Words:

A team that doesn’t quit.

The Peacocks boast a BCS win over Alabama earlier in the season, but they find themselves in the middle of the conference and tied with Siena in fifth place, two games back of Fairfield and Iona who are tied for first.

St. Peter’s is led by their star shooting guard Wesley Jenkins, who is leading the team in scoring with 14 points and averaging about 5 rebounds per game.  There is also plenty of other senior leadership on the team as well.   5’11″ point guard Nick Leon is averaging about 10 points a game, 6’7″ forward Ryan Bacon is an excellent presence inside scoring 8 points a game and grabbing 6 rebounds per game, and 6’6″ forward Jeron Belin is third on the team in scoring with 9 points a game.  The Peacocks will be at a little bit of a size disadvantage to the Saints, though, and for a team that averages only 34 rebounds they will need to find a way to keep up with the Saints on the glass or else the game could get away from them.

The Peacocks are only averaging about 56 points a game, but they are an excellent defensive team, only giving up about 60 points a game.  For a team like Siena, who has had some issues shooting the ball as of late, there will be a need for a concerted effort to get high percentage shots and shoot the ball effectively.

That issue may be resolved more easily now that the Saints have welcomed back Clarence Jackson from injury.  The senior guard helped the Saints to wins over Marist and Canisius the last two games out, scoring 19 and 15 points in each respective contest.  Rahkeem Brookins continues to excel running the point, averaging an assist to turnover ratio of 4:1 over his last six games.  And OD Anosike appears to making the sophomore leap as he has averaged almost 13 points and 10 rebounds over the last four games.

Things are getting better for the Saints, but Owen Wignot’s thumb injury on his shooting hand continues to bother him, and Davis Martens may still be recovering from a sprained ankle.  The Saints will still need to continue to nurse injuries and continue to get the best out of the players and rotations they put on the floor to try and get back in to the MAAC conference race.  Iona and Fairfield are probably not coming back to the pack, so the Saints will need every win that they can get, and a difficult road win at St. Peter’s on Friday night would do a lot to build confidence for the Saints.

Siena will play four of their next five games at home, beginning on Monday night January 24th against the Rider Broncs at the Times Union Center.

There was a significant difference in this game vs. the game out in Buffalo, and not stating the obvious here that Clarence Jackson was back in the lineup, it was the Saints ability to convert turnovers into points.  The tail of the tape:

@ Canisius – 14 forced turnovers, 12 points (-2 differential)
vs. Canisus – 11 forced turnovers, 19 points (+8 differential)

A 10 point swing, and a difference maker in the game.   I do not want to see the Golden Griffs in a first round matchup come March.  They clearly match up well against Siena, and with their experience, are going to be a tough out for anyone that crosses their path.

Siena now boasts a 4-3 record in the league and is in position to make a statement to the rest of the MAAC in a nationally televised game on ESPNU Friday night against an experienced St. Peter’s team who also stands at 4-3.

Room for Improvement:
Extending the Lead. Siena jumped out to lead by as many as 15 and then went into cruise control before grasping to a 7 point lead at the end of the 1st half.  Canisius closed the half on a 9-2 run.  In the 2nd half Siena went up 8 twice with opportunities to extend the lead to double digits, failing to do so each time.

Keys to Success:
Coaching. This team came out of the gates and went right to their strength which is finding a way to get the ball inside.   This opened things up, allowed the team to establish themselves and settle into some very good offensive sets.   Mitch has really started to trust his basketball instincts, making some great moves that have paid off.   The one that stands out the most is having Clarence come off the bench, it allows him to get a sense for the game, so he can adjust and provide an instant spark off the bench.   The Saints played more man to man Monday night and that paid huge dividends as it confused Canisius and limited their production from 3.

The Fab Frosh. I continue to praise “Rahk” Brookins, mainly because he continues to impress night in and night out.  In the 2nd half as play started to move at a frenetic pace and the Saints were making some poor decisions, he steals the ball.  He could have raced to the basket challenging two Canisius defenders, but instead he slows down, lets the team set up in the half court, then finds O.D. Anosike on a great look, who attacks the rim and gets fouled. His stat line yet again was near flawless, 10 pts., 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover.

Five Facts:

1.  Siena is now 6-0 when making more free throws than their opponent attempts.

2.  The Saints are 2-0 since Clarence Jackson returned to the lineup.

3.  Siena made only 3 substitutions in the 2nd half.

4.  Ryan Rossiter has scored 25 or more points 7 times this season.

5.  Saints are now .500 at home, winners of 4 straight.

Five Questions:

1. Who will be the next team to put up more than 70 against the Saints (6 straight games while holding an opponent under 70 pts.)

2.  Why has “Rahk” Brookins not been recognized yet as a MAAC Rookie of the Week?

3.  What will the Saints league record be at the midway point of the MAAC slate?

4.  Will Ryan Rossiter go down as the best post player in Siena history?

5.  When was the last time Siena led the MAAC in scoring defense (currently 3rd)?

Five Words:

Points off turnovers win games.

The coaching move of the evening was Mitch having Clarence Jackson come off the bench as the proverbial sixth man.  It paid off in a huge way as Jackson was hot from the outside hitting 5-7 from three and leading the Saints with a game high 19 points.  

I actually discussed the likelihood of this move with a fellow fan prior to tip, and we thought it would be a great move as CJ has always relished that role, but both shrugged it off like it would never happen.   After the final whistle we were both thinking what a great move in a game that clearly needed some kind of spark.

We can only hope that leaving Clarence Jackson as the sixth man and first off the bench is the anecdote for success for this group of Saints.   It has been clear that something has to start clicking in this roller coaster of a season.   The team has a great chance to re-establish themselves in the MAAC with a revenge win against Canisius on Monday.

Room for Improvement:
Consistency. This team continues to ride different waves of highs and lows.   One night they are able to shoot 94% from the charity stripe and the next they are shooting 54.5%.   One night they are turning the ball over 14 times and 7 the next.  One night they are on fire from beyond the arc and the next night they are shooting bricks.

Keys to Success:
Defense. The proverbial experts always say that defense breeds champions and if that is the case then this team has hope.  They have really come into their own with the 2-3 zone. In their 6 wins they are holding opponents to just 63 points per game.
Guard play. The combination of Brookins and Breeden has been a fun development to watch.  They both continue to provide positive highlights and continue to limit their amount of mistakes each and every game.   In tight games having the luxury for both to be on the floor is something that will reduce the blood pressure of Coach Buonaguro.

Five Facts:
1.  O.D. Anosike made more free throws and at a higher percentage than Ryan Rossiter.
2.  Siena made half as many 3’s as they did free throws (6 and 12).
3.  Saints are now off the snide against teams with an RPI over 200 (1-3).
4. Siena has limited opponents to 63 points per game in their 6 wins and have allowed 74 points in their 10 losses.
5.  Clarence Jackson tied a season high with 5 baskets beyond the arc.

Five Questions:
1.  Will Davis Martens and/or Kyle Griffin be available for Monday?
2.  Will Clarence Jackson remain as the sixth man this year?
3.  When was the last time Ryan Rossiter shot 20% from the free throw line in a game?
4.  How many MAAC wins will Siena have this year?
5.  Will Siena get back to .500 at home on Monday (currently 3-4 @ home, 3 game win streak)?

Five Words:
Welcome back to Clarence Jackson.

The Jekyl and Hyde show continues for this group as they dropped their 3rd game to a team with an RPI over 200 this season.  This team has been so unpredictable, right when they start looking like they are gelling and coming into their own, all of a sudden the wheels start to fall off the wagon.

I have been harping on ‘play down the stretch’ as being an achilles heal all season and stats do not lie:

• Siena has a -14 assist to turnover ratio in the last five minutes of games.
• Have been outscored 189-168 in the last five minutes.
• Made 7-25 (20%) from 3.

Fortunately they are only 5 games into the 18 game MAAC slate and there is plenty of time to right the ship. Hopefully this experience out in Buffalo is the proverbial wake-up call, because if not there will be plenty of time for napping come March.

Room for Improvement:

Back to Basics. The Saints lost their identity out in Buffalo.   They have won all five games this year with hustle, effort, and resiliency.   Key on making free throws, taking care of the ball, and rebounding.
Balanced Offense. It is clear that the Saints strength this year is their size and post play down low, but if you go to the well time and again it will run dry.   It happened this weekend, and if the Saints don’t find another consistent offensive threat, “well” it’s going to be a long winter.

Keys to Success:

The “Other” Post Man. O.D. Anosike came out of his shell and really stepped up this weekend. Showing what he can do if he stays out of foul trouble.   He posted his 2nd straight and 2nd career double-double with a career high 15pts. and 10 rebounds to boot.   If he is able to build off these back to back great efforts, it will be a sured bonus as the season unfolds.
Defense. The defense continues to shine.   Forcing 19 turnovers with 11 steals while holding yet another opponent to below 40% shooting.

Five Facts:

1.  After winning 52 straight when holding opponents under 70, the Saints are 1-2, make that 1-3.

2.  Siena has not won a game this season (0-9) when they ink a lesser free throw percentage, make that (0-10).

3.  Niagara’s RPI is 272.

4.  Siena’s record in Western New York is 9-11 since 2001-2002 season.

5.  The Saints are 0-3 against teams with an RPI over 200.

Five Questions:

1. What is going on with the rash of injuries this team has suffered?

2.  Did this team lose its legs from too many minutes Friday night or is it just me?

3.  What happened to the foul shooting this weekend?

4.  Will Siena win 15 games this year? (the magic number for a .500 win %)

5.  What happened out in Buffalo?

Five Words:

Say Goodbye to MAAC Title.

Preseason MAAC Player of the Year Ryan Rossiter delivered a floater plus a free throw for a three-point play to give the Saints a 69-67 lead with 49.3 left in the game.

It was Rossiter who kept the Saints in the game with his performance but the freshman Rahkeem Brookins came to the aid of Rossiter late to give the Saints their fifth victory of the season.

The MAAC Preseason Player of the Year took control tonight. Rossiter’s layup off a Rakeem Brookins pass and completed the three point play to give the Saints a 53-48 lead. The senior Rossiter, coming off two road games where he scored a combined 14 points, erupted for a team high 26 points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile Brookins built off of his impressive individual performances on the Saints road trip to score 11 points and dish out 4 assists.

Brookins nailed a long three pointer with the shot clock winding down to give the Saints a 64-63 lead with 3:24 left. Rossiter’s hook shot over a triple-team with 1:42 left gave the Saints a 66-65 lead before the Gaels Scott Machado’s mid range jumper gave the Gaels a 67-66 lead.

The Saints did the little things to keep pace with the Gaels, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds and making 17 of their 18 free throws.

Davis Martens came off the bench and tied a career-high with 8 points and grabbed 4 rebounds filling in for sophomore O.D. Anosike who picked up his fourth personal foul with 14:49 left in the game. Anosike picked up his third foul with 9:07 left in the first half.

Owen Wignot quietly had a career night, racking up a career-high 9 rebounds and career-high 5 assists to go with 8 points.

The Gaels shot just 7 for 31 from three point range, shooting 3 for 17 in the first half for a team who shoots 34.6% from behind the arc, ranking 2nd in the MAAC entering tonight. Iona had a period where they went over 14 minutes without a three pointer until Rashon Dwight made a three with 17:30 left in the game.

Sean Armand nailed a dagger three with 7:02 to go to cap a 10-0 run and give the Gaels a 60-59 lead. However the Saints came back as Brookins dashed through the Iona bigs in the lane for a layup and a 61-60 lead.

The Gaels went on a 12-0 run in the first half to take a double digit lead and assume control early as the Saints struggled to make shots, shooting just 4 for 21 to start the game. However, the Saints closed the half on a 12-2 run to cut a double digit deficit to three and go into halftime trailing 34-31.

Rakeem Brookins layup off a transition pass from Owen Wignot gave the Saints a 42-41 lead with 16:50 left, their first lead since leading 3-2.

Scott Machado led the Gaels with 20 points on 9 of 20 shooting from the field. Mike Glover scored 18 points and brought down a team-high 8 rebounds.

The Saints notched their third straight home win after dropping their first four games at the Times Union Center this season.

Iona has lost 10 games in a row to the Saints and 19 out of the last 24 meetings with Siena. The Saints and Gaels are now in a four-way tie for third place in the MAAC standings with 2-1 records.

On Monday evening Marc Brown’s (1987-1991) #4 will rise to the rafters of the Times Union Center joining two other Siena legends in Billy Harrell and Kenny Hasbrouck.  Marc Brown left a “marc” in our memories with his quick trigger and flashy passes, nicknamed “Showbiz”, Marc Brown’s most notable moment as a Siena Indian has to be his 32-point effort against Stanford where he hit the winning free throws in a 80-78 first round upset during his sophomore year.

He went on to be the first Siena Saint to be named MAAC Player of the Year in his senior campaign while averaging 23.3PPG and garnering honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press (AP).   Marc “Showbiz” Brown continues to stand alone atop Siena’s all time leading scorer list with 2,284 career points and second only to recently graduated Ronald Moore with 796 assists.

Here a few other notable statistics that “Showbiz” racked up during his memorable four year career at Siena:

• 18.6 PPG – #1 All-Time.
• 850 FG’’s made on 1766 attempts – #1 All-Time.
• 224 3-point FG’s made on 530 attempts – #4 All-Time.
• 42.3% 3-point FG% – #5 All-Time.
• 6.5 assists per game – #1 All-Time.
• 221 steals – #4 All-Time.
• 4,472 minutes – #1 All-Time.
• 89-34 Career record.
• 1 NCAA tournament appearance, 2 NIT appearances.

Needless to say Marc Brown was at the helm during the start of Siena’s rise to mid-major notoriety.  His former coach Mike Deane said, “I have not coached or recruited a finer player. He generated a following that put Siena in a place as probably the strongest Low-to-Mid-Major on the East Coast because of the atmosphere he created.  It was a pleasure to coach him.  He was one of those once-in-a-lifetime kind of guys.  His career was unprecedented and unparalleled there.”

It will be quite an honor tomorrow evening to be in attendance as your #4 is retired into Siena lore.  Congratulations Marc “Showbiz” Brown, you lit the torch that future great Siena guards have carried on including Doremus Bennerman, Kenny Hasbrouck, and most recently Ronald Moore.

“The challenge is just to keep the program where it is,” Siena first-year coach Mitch Buonaguro said. “We’ve been the best team in the league the last three years.

Read into that quote what you will, but he’s got to be tempering expectations a bit. Mitch is a great recruiter, and if he can keep the same talent level that was brought in under Fran, we should be able to be a top program in the conference.

1. Fairfield (6)
2. Siena (3)
3. Saint Peter’s (1)
4. Iona
5. Rider
6. Loyola
7. Canisius
8. Niagara
9. Manhattan
10. Marist