Siena Basketball

Heading into today's afternoon match with Siena, Manhattan had won three straight home games against MAAC teams that were predicted to finish in first place.

In 2005-06, the Jaspers defeated Iona by four points in a wild back-and-forth game.

Jared Jordan and the Marist Red Foxes were incapable of outlasting Manhattan's efforts in 2006-07; and, the Jaspers defeated Siena by one point last year.

Today was a different story, and Manhattan fell 68-64 to the MAAC's No. 1 team. 

The Jaspers struggled early with Siena's suffocating defense, and their turnovers led to a 20-7 Saints' lead midway through the first half.

Darryl Crawford scored five straight points to pull Manhattan within four points, but Siena led 31-25 at halftime. 

Devon Austin hit three consecutive treys to pull the Jaspers within two early in the second half, but Siena responded with a 14-3 run and appeared to be in control.

However, the Jaspers did not quit. 

Andrew Gabriel's forced shots prevented the Jaspers from turning their nibbles into bites, but they were able to make it close and Crawford's two foul shots with 18 ticks left brought Manhattan within two.

After Edwin Ubiles nailed two free-throws, Siena rebounded Antoine Pearson's missed three-pointer and the game was over. 

With the victory and Niagara's 89-68 loss at Marist, Siena (12-5, 6-0) gained complete control of first place. Ubiles (21 points), Kenny Hasbrouck (17 points), and Ronald Moore (13 points) led the Saints. 

For the Jaspers (9-7, 3-3), it was Chris Smith (14 points), Crawford (13 points), Austin (13 points), and Herve Banogle (9 points, 14 rebounds). 

How the Jaspers were able to hang in with Siena:

1. Despite giving Hasbrouck an open look from deep to start the game, the Jaspers were able to contain the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year in the first half. Forcing Hasbrouck to miss those early shots kept Manhattan in the game. 
2. Herve Banogle's rebounding
3. Spurts of hot offense and solid defense
4. Siena's shoddy foul-shooting—Hasbrouck only hit two of his seven foul shots, and the Saints as a team were 11-21. 
5. Manhattan shot 14-19 from the charity stripe. 
6. Siena missed multitudes of open three-pointers. Some of the misses came at times when the Jaspers were nibbling away at a lead. Had they hit some of those shots, they may have been able to put the Jaspers down earlier.

What prevented the Jaspers from being able to win:

1. Turnovers that turned into Siena fast breaks 
2. Not running back on defense at all times—Siena pushed the ball up the floor even after Jasper baskets and caught Manhattan unprepared on the other end.
3. Excessive big man use—Gabriel and Brandon Adams put the ball on the floor way too much and forced some bad shots instead of dishing the ball to a guard. 
4. Poor substitutions—Barry Rohrssen still does not have a handle on his team. He has reduced the amount of players played to about eight or nine per game, but the rotations are not always coherent. There were multiple instances when Rohrssen sent a bench player into the game for a hot hand. 
5. Seven team assists is a disgrace. The Jaspers were able to stick with the Saints, but there was still too much selfish play. Instead of putting their heads down and going to the basket, they should keep their heads up and look for the open man. Austin was open in the corner a handful of times, but his teammates did not always get him the ball. When they did, he converted. 

Overall, the Jaspers can be satisfied with the way they played. A few mistakes kept them from winning the game, but that's why basketball is basketball. 

Manhattan finishes their four game home stand with games against Loyola and Saint Peter's. Both games should be victories for the Jaspers. 

The MAAC has traditionally sent one team to the NCAA Tournament every season.

After upsetting Vanderbilt in last season's NCAA Tournament, Siena was the preseason favorite to represent the MAAC in 2009. The Saints returned all five starters, brought in two solid recruits, and saw sophomores Ryan Rossiter and Clarence Jackson improve during the summer.

Fran McCaffery made sure to bolster his non-conference schedule by competing in the Old Spice Classic and scheduling games at Pittsburgh and Kansas.

Unfortunately for the Saints, they have not won any of their big games. Losses to Tennessee, Wichita State, Oklahoma State, and Pittsburgh are making people wonder if the glass slipper actually fits on Siena's foot.

The two-point loss to a weak, rebuilding Wichita State was the worst for Siena.

If this was last season and Siena had lost by 14 to No. 12 Tennessee, nine to Oklahoma State, and 13 at No. 3 Pittsburgh, analysts would say that Siena has the ability to pull off a first round upset.

Higher expectations lead to bigger disappointments, so Siena has definitely been disappointing so far.

There is no doubt that Siena could pull off an upset if they are an 11, 12, or 13 seed in this season's tournament. They are still a very good team and have one last opportunity to prove their strength against Kansas.

However, their path to celebration on Selection Sunday will not be as easy as originally expected.

MAAC foes Niagara and Fairfield have been hot during the non-conference and have proven that they will compete with Siena for the MAAC crown.

Niagara did not receive the respect it deserved during the preseason because Charron Fisher, 2007-08's second-best scorer in the nation, graduated.

Too many people overlooked Bilal Benn and Rob Garrison, who were finally eligible to play for Joe Mihalich this season after transferring from Villanova and UConn respectively.

Last Sunday, the Purple Eagles upset South Florida, 70-55, on the road and post a 7-2 season record. Their two losses were at Villanova and against Akron. Niagara trailed 'Nova by four points midway through the second half but hit a dry spell and allowed the Wildcats to take a double-digit lead.

Along with the two Big East transfers, Tyrone Lewis is the leader of the team. The junior guard is averaging 17.3 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and is fifth in the country with 3.3 steals per game.

Benn is nearly averaging a double-double with 13 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Garrison is third in scoring for the Purple Eagles with 11.7 points per game.

Niagara is fairly deep with key contributors Benson Egemonye, Anthony Nelson, Demetrius Williamson, and Kamau Gordon.

As a team, Niagara is very well-rounded. The Purple Eagles average 77.2 points for, 64.9 points allowed, 39.7 rebounds, and 10.7 steals per game.

As for Fairfield, they have won seven consecutive games and are the hottest team in the MAAC.

Like the Saints, the Stags returned most of their top talent from 2007-08. The scoring is equally distributed between Jon Han (12.8 ppg), Warren Edney (11.9 ppg), Greg Nero (11.1 ppg), Anthony Johnson (10.8 ppg), and Herbie Allen (8.3 ppg).

As a team, however, the Stags only outscore their opponents 69-67.8. This stat does not seem too impressive, but three of their first four games were blowout losses against Memphis, Virginia Tech, and Missouri. So, without those defeats, Fairfield would have a nicer looking margin of victory.

The Harbor Yard Arena is always a difficult place to play in the conference, and the Stags are already 5-0 in Bridgeport this season.

Fairfield is not the only tough home team in the MAAC. With the help of Ryan Thompson and Harris Mansell, Rider will be able to put up a fight with Siena, Niagara, and Fairfield. Even Manhattan has a chance to compete against the best of the MAAC.

The Jaspers return every key player from a team that upset Siena, 72-71, in Riverdale.

The season is still young, conference play is about two weeks away, and it is too early to tell who will be the last MAAC team standing in March. However, it is possible to say that Siena will not have as easy of a trip to the NCAA Tournament as expected.

The Siena Saints, tabbed as the team to beat in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, have struggled to open the season with a last place finish at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Florida.  Prior to this season the Saints were poised to crash the Big Dance this upcoming March, but with inconsistent play early in the season it looks like the road to get there could be difficult.

Don't get me wrong this team is by far the most talented in its conference and will most likely punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but unless Siena sharpens up on the offensive side of the ball it could be a long and bumpy ride to get there.

Before the season began there was a lot of chatter up in Albany regarding the Saints upcoming year and how special of a team they might have.  Much of that talk was generated by coach Fran McCaffery and his players after they upset Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

During an interview with ESPN's Andy Katz in September, McCaffery exclaimed his Saints were amongst the best in the nation.  "I consider ourselves, while we're in a mid-major conference, I think we're one of the top teams in the country right now."

Senior guard and MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Kenny Hasbrouck stated, "I think we should win a MAAC championship and get back to the second round at least, but I'm not supposed to think about that during the season."

Their confidence was reaffirmed as Hasbrouck, Alex Franklin, and Edwin Ubiles were all named to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team and Sports Illustrated ranked Siena 29th in their preseason poll.

While they had reason to be confident going into the season, playing poorly in a tournament with a chock full of top programs does not resonate their beliefs.  Not only did Siena struggle throughout the entirety of the that tournament, but they have opened up conference play with two sub-par games against Loyola and Marist.

The reason for their poor play has been their offense, which was supposed to be their strength.  Mainly, they have struggled with knocking down points from the charity stripe.  Thus far this season the Saints are shooting an abysmal 59% from the foul line, which is the aspect of their game that needs the most work. 

Hasbrouck is the only starter who is at 70 percent from the line, while the rest of the team is shooting between fifty and sixty percent.  Siena might be able to get away with that against the bottom feeders in the conference such as Marist, but not against other teams at the top of the conference like Fairfield and Niagra.

McCaffery and his players do not seem to be talking that much now that they have been humbled by Tennessee, Witchita State, and Oklahoma State in Orlando.  With upcoming non-conference games scheduled against Pitt, Kansas, and St. Joseph's the Saints need to redeem themselves and show that they belong in the chatter amongst the top programs in the country.

The rest of the MAAC must be gaining confidence as Siena has shown how vulnerable they can be this early in the season.  With the conference slate just starting to heat up, we will see if the Saints can fix their problems and dominate the conference just like they thought they would.

To succeed like they are expected, Hasbrouck, Franklin, Ubiles, and Ronald Moore need to step up and play like they are capable of.  And, yes that includes hitting their free throws.

After losing only one impact player and returning their entire starting lineup, Siena is going after one thing this year—a repeat of the MAAC Championship.

Three of the top returning scorers in the MAAC conference this year reside in Albany—Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles, and Alex Franklin. This year’s Siena team is arguably the most anticipated MAAC team since the Manhattan Jaspers of 2003-04 season.  

Another aspect that the Saints would like to have in common with those Jaspers is becoming the repeat conference champions.  Another conference championship would mean another NCAA berth.  Back-to-back berth's has not been achieved in the MAAC since the 2003-04 Jaspers.

The 2003-04 Jaspers went an all-time MAAC record 16-2 that year, which is within reach for this year's Saints barring injury. The Saints won a league high 13 games last year, and should improve on that total.

The Jaspers were also the last MAAC team to win a NCAA tournament game, excluding play-ins, until last year’s Saints.  The Saints would like to best them in that regard and win NCAA tournament games in back-to-back years. That is a feat that has never been accomplished by a MAAC team. 

 The Saints are also good enough to possibly advance even further than that this year, which has never been done.

The preseason accolades have poured in for the Saints. They have received votes in the AP Top 25, and the ESPN/USA Today Top 25.

They also placed fifth on the CollegeInsider.com Preseason Mid-Major Poll.

Three of the five players on the MAAC first team are Saints—Hasbrouck, Ubiles, and Franklin. The other returning starters are forward Josh Duell and guard Ronald Moore

Another player who is not getting as much recognition is Clarence Jackson. Jackson had an injury-plagued freshman year for Siena. This year he should challenge starters, Hansbrouck, Ubiles, and Moore for time at the guard position. 

Jackson was expected to be a starter last year before getting injured.  He is a great athlete and has been shooting the ball exceptionally well in the preseason this year.

Coach Fran McCaffrey brought in two freshmen in guard Kyle Downey and forward Owen Wignot. Both should make a significant impact on this year's Saints.  Downey is a good shooter and slasher while Wignot has a good touch for a forward.

Once again this year's weakness for the Saints will be their rebounding. They were the worst rebounding team in the MAAC last year and should be around the bottom again in that category. Ubiles will be the tallest starter, and he is a 6’6” guard.

Siena will try to make up for its lack of size by rotating the guards positions in and out of the game to keep them fresh.  The defense will pressure opposing team’s ball handlers. The Saints forced an average of 17.3 turnovers-per-game, outdistancing their opponents by almost six turnovers a game. 

The Saints need to force other teams into playing their game.  Expect to see the Saints lineup consisting of three to four guards at times.  The rebounding could end up being a bigger problem out of conference.

The out of conference schedule is the toughest in the MAAC.  Siena starts off the season at home against Boise State and Cornell before heading down to Florida for the Old Spice Classic. 

They play Tennessee first and then will face either Wichita State or Georgetown in the second game.  Later in the season they  have dates at Pittsburgh, at Saint Joseph’s, at Holy Cross, and at defending champion Kansas. 

Coach McCaffery believes that this tough schedule will better prepare his team for the MAAC and hopefully NCAA tournament.  Who is to argue against him? 

In three short years Coach McCaffery has taken the Siena program from the bottom of the MAAC to the top.  He inherited a 6-24 team in 2005-06 and has created the bona-fide program that other MAAC coaches hope to emulate. 

Expect this year to be no different than last, and the Saints will be looking down at the rest of the MAAC from the top of the mountain again at the end.

Despite the departure of Jason Thompson, the MAAC has a load of talent. I found twenty players who have the potential to earn All-MAAC honors, and made an attempt to narrow the field down to fifteen. 

Every player on the First Team has a chance of winning MAAC Player of the Year, but Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles, and Ryan Thompson are the favorites. 

**Note that these are not the official All-MAAC teams, but they are based on my opinions.**

Preseason First Team All-MAAC

Kenny Hasbrouck (Siena Senior Guard) 

Always an offensive threat, Hasbrouck is also stellar on the defensive end. He led the league in steals last season with 2.26 per game. Hasbrouck's steals, 16.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 39 percent three point percentage were essential to Siena's success last year, and should be equally important this season. 

Edwin Ubiles (Siena Junior Guard-Forward)

Like Hasbrouck, Ubiles can get things done on both ends of the court. His 2007-08 17 ppg average is the best among returning players, and his field goal percentage of 53 percent ranks seventh.

The junior can score from up close, mid-range, and deep—he shot 42 percent from beyond the arc last season. Ubiles averaged 4.4 rpg and 1.2 steals per game. Although neither ranks him near the top of the MAAC, he has a proclivity of coming up with a big board or steal in the clutch. Ubiles also averaged 1 block per game. 

Tyrone Lewis (Niagara Junior Guard)

An impressive sophomore campaign landed Lewis on the First Team. Lewis didn't shoot for high percentages, but he averaged 16.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 2 apg. He was second, to Hasbrouck, in steals per game with two. Now the leader of the Niagara squad, Lewis will work with point guard Anthony Nelson to propel the offense. 

Ryan Thompson (Rider Junior Guard-Forward)

Brother of Jason Thompson, Ryan has assumed the role that his brother possessed last season. The younger Thompson ranks in the top 10 in all offensive categories, and appears on numerous top 10 defensive lists. He averaged 15 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 3.4 apg.

He shot an astounding 53.7 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc. Thompson’s 1.7 steals per game is fourth best among returning players. Standing at 6'6," Thompson is versatile. He runs the floor well, can shoot, drive, dish, board, and steal. 

Alex Franklin (Siena Junior Forward)

Yet another Saint named to the First Team, Franklin is a dominant force down low. He is only 6'5", but his 7.8 rpg in 2007-08 is the best among returning players. Franklin also averaged 15.1 ppg, 1.6 steals per game, and nearly a block per game. His field goal percentage of 53.8 percent is fourth among returning players.

Franklin's nine double-doubles played a big role in Siena's 2007-08 season, which concluded in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Preseason Second Team All-MAAC

Antoine Pearson (Manhattan Junior Guard)

Pearson is the Jaspers' Most Valuable Player. He led the team in scoring, assists, and minutes per game.  His averages of 12.2 ppg and 2.3 apg, along with his proven clutch play, land him on the Second Team. The junior’s free throw percentage dropped 75 percent, after he connected on 81 percent of his foul shots as a freshman, but he hit his free throws when they mattered most.

His clutch three-point shooting won close games for the Jaspers. After shooting 29 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman, Pearson connected on 41 percent of his treys as a sophomore. Pearson is very valuable; and, if he looks to score more this year, he could find himself on the All-MAAC First Team. 

Jonathan Han (Fairfield Senior Guard)

For two years, Han has been the focus of opposing defenses. He is very quick, with and without the ball. Han's three-point percentage of 44.7 percent tied him for first in the MAAC with Rider's Harris Mansell.

The Brooklyn-native dealt a league-best 6.2 assists per game, and was among the top five thefts with 1.7 steals per contest. Han is very experienced as a point guard, and looks to lead the Stags to the top of the MAAC. 

Harris Mansell (Rider Senior Guard)

Mansell is as pure of a shooter as there is in the MAAC. He shared the best three-point percentage with Han, and hit 2.35 treys per game. He averaged 13.7 ppg in 2007-08, but will get more scoring opportunities because Jason Thompson is currently in the NBA. 

Gary Springer (Iona Senior Forward-Center)

A fierce force in the paint, Springer has always been aggressive. Last year, he was faced with leading an Iona team that only won two games in 2006-07. Springer scored 10.9 ppg, and grabbed 7.7 rpg last season. His one block per game placed him among the top 10 shot-blockers in the MAAC. As a senior, Springer intends to pilot the Gaels back to the NCAA Tournament. 

Marquis Sullivan (Loyola-Md Senior Guard) 

One of the only experienced players on a Loyola team that lost three of its top five scorers, Sullivan will be the go-to-guy in 2008-09. Just a few percentage points behind Han, Mansell, and Thompson, Sullivan is the fourth best three-point shooter in the MAAC. He connected on 43.7 percent of his three-point attempts.

His scoring average of 12.2 ppg can only go up without Gerald Brown, Michael Tuck, and Omari Isreal. Sullivan shot 45 percent from the field and 85 percent from the charity stripe. 

Preseason Third Team All-MAAC

Devon Austin (Manhattan Senior Guard-Forward) 

Austin did not live up to his expectations during his sophomore and junior seasons because he didn't feel confident with his offensive ability. The 6'6" senior has always been capable of averaging 16 or 17 points per game, but only averaged 11.6 ppg last season.

He is a skilled three-point shooter, and connected on 35 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. Austin hit 79 percent of his foul shots, but needs to get to the charity stripe more often. 

Frank Turner (Canisius Junior Guard) 

Turner has next to no support, and will attempt to lead the Golden Griffins. The guard appeared to have potential as a freshman, when he shot 46 percent from the field and 40 percent from three, but his numbers precipitated during his sophomore season.

As a sophomore, he only connected on 26 percent of his threes and 40 percent of his field goals. Nonetheless, Turner is deserving of this honor. He dished out 4.6 assists per game, and picked up 1.4 steals per game. 

Benson Egemonye (Niagara Senior Center) 

Without Charron Fisher, Egemonye will need to be more aggressive on the glass. His 6.6 rebounds per game in 2007-08 is the fourth best among returning players, and his 1.5 blocks per game is second.

The Nigerian led the MAAC with a 62.6 percent from the field. Egemonye will have more scoring opportunities, as well as rebounding opportunities, and should have an impressive season for the Purple Eagles. 

David Devezin (Marist Junior Guard) 

During an offseason in which Marist lost all of its key players, Devezin was unofficially crowned as team leader. He averaged 9.7 ppg and 4.3 apg as a sophomore, but is now the team's icon. Although Marist does not appear to be too strong, Devezin is in for a big season. 

Wesley Jenkins (St. Peter's Guard)

As a freshman on an atrocious team, Jenkins averaged 13 ppg, and connected on 42 percent of his three-pointers. The young guard was also near the top of the MAAC in steals, as he averaged 1.5 per game. The future looks promising for Jenkins because he is still the Peacocks' main scorer. 

Preseason Honorable Mentions

Brett Harvey (Loyola-Md. Junior Guard)

Chris Smith (Manhattan Sophomore Guard)

Nick Leon (St. Peter's Sophomore Guard)

Anthony Nelson (Niagara Sophomore Guard)

Brian Rudolph (Loyola-Md. Sophomore Guard)

Tomas Vazquez-Simmons (Canisius Sophomore Forward)

Luis Flores, who played his college basketball at Manhattan College, was the last Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference player to play a regular season NBA game.

On March 1, 2005, Flores scored three points in four minutes of action in his final NBA game. The former Jasper played 15 games with the Golden State Warriors, but his last game was his first and final with the Denver Nuggets. 

After struggling to make it back into the NBA, Flores went overseas. Word had it that the guard, who led Manhattan past David Lee's Florida Gators and nearly past Chris Paul's Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the 2004 NCAA tournament, returned to the states to tryout for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Unfortunately, the Timberwolves did not have space for Flores on their preseason roster.

Had Flores chosen to try out for the New Orleans Hornets, he would have gone up against Jared Jordan for one of the final preseason spots. 

Jordan graduated from Marist College after leading the nation with 8.8 assists per game in the 2006-07 season, and was the 45th pick of the 2007 draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Jordan wound up on the New York Knicks preseason roster, but got cut before the season started. 

After a year in Europe, Jordan is back in America. This time, he is playing for the Hornets preseason team. Unlike last year's Knicks, the Hornets only have one backup point guard on contract. Jordan is the only unsigned point guard on the Hornets preseason team.

Jordan's college numbers and style are most comparable to Jason Kidd's when he played for the New Jersey Nets in their glory days. He is very quick with the ball, and has great court vision. In his senior year, Jordan averaged 17.2 points and 5.9 boards per game to go along with his nation-leading assist average.

Obviously, he is not Kidd—otherwise, he would have been signed last year. However, the point guard, who led his Red Foxes to a regular-season MAAC title in his senior year, can certainly play at the NBA level. 

All Jordan has to do in the preseason is what he did best in college, sharing the ball with his teammates, and he will be signed by the Hornets. 

If the Hornets like what they see from Jordan, he will meet up with his Facebook friend, Jason Thompson, when the Hornets play the Sacramento Kings on November 19. 

Jordan and Thompson first opposed each other on December 3, 2004. Thompson, then a 6'8" freshman, hit a game-clinching free throw as his Rider University Broncs upended Jordan and the Red Foxes 76-75.

Not surprisingly, Jordan had a double-double with 10 points and 10 dimes.

Thompson scored nine and pulled down six boards. 

Thompson grew to a menacing 6'11" after his freshman year, and averaged 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in his sophomore year. 

Despite growing, Thompson continued to run the floor well as a big man, and kept his mid-range and occasional three-point shooting ability. 

In his junior year, Thompson averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest. Nevada star Nick Fazekas and 2007-08 Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant were the only other collegiate players to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

Thompson averaged 20.4 points and the nation's second best 12 rebounds per game last year, as he led his Broncs to a regular season MAAC title. Unfortunately for Thompson, Siena ousted the Broncs in the MAAC championship game. 

Although Thompson was disappointed about not reaching the NCAA tournament, he only had to wait three-and-a half months until he became the first lottery pick to come out of the MAAC since Rik Smits went second in the 1988 draft. 

Unlike Flores or Jordan, Thompson had the prerogative as a lottery pick to sign a contract after being drafted. Thompson is guaranteed to make $1,893,840 this season.

Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes are ahead of Thompson on the Kings depth chart, but the former Bronc should be able to surpass Hawes over time. 

It is unlikely that Thompson and Jordan will both start on November 19, let alone be in the game at the same time, but it will be the first time two MAAC players oppose one another in the NBA in a very long time. 

MAAC success at the professional level is extremely rare, so Thompson and Jordan will try to show America the talent that can come out of their collegiate conference. 

Every year a lower seeded team or two dazzles crowds with spectacular, unfathomable upsets. 2009 won't be any different as these ten teams look to put on the proverbial glass slipper.

10. Belmont

When it comes to the Bruins, the numbers speak for themselves. A 30-2 conference record the past two seasons. One of six teams to reach the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons.

Two points and a dozen seconds from defeating Duke. Nine out of 11 top scorers return for 2009. Belmont will be back and ready to play into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

9. Cornell

The Big Red could be putting on the floor one of the best Ivy League teams since 1998, the last time anyone from the conference won an NCAA Tournament game.

Cornell returns its top players, Ryan Wittman, Louis Dale, and Adam Gore, but also seven foot center Jeff Foote. A stronger non-conference schedule and another undefeated run through the Ivy League could set up the Big Red for a run in the NCAA Tournament.

8. UT-Martin

Sometimes one player can carry a team. When that player is in the top ten nationally in scoring and also the first Division I men's basketball player to record a quadruple-double, that player can carry a team a long way.

Guard Lester Hudson averaged almost 26 points per game and will team up with likely Preseason Ohio Valley Conference first teamer Marquis Weddle to put the Skyhawks into the NCAA Tournament.

7. American

The Eagles will try to follow in the footsteps of fellow conference foes, Bucknell and Holy Cross as March Cinderellas. It shouldn't be hard for a team that returns the conference's two best guards. Garrison Carr broke the Patriot League record for three-pointers in a season by 36 and Derrick Mercer is the league's best point guard.

6. Kent State

The Golden Flashes lost the best coach in league history and their top two forwards from a year ago, but it's ok. Kent State promoted assistant coach Geno Ford to replace Jim Christian and brought in several ready-to-play forwards to fill the holes in their frontcourt.

The Golden Flashes also have the reigning MAC Player of the Year Al Fisher to anchor the backcourt.

5. North Dakota State

The Bison aren't wasting any time in their attempt for their first NCAA Tournament bid. 2009 will be NDSU's first season as a full-fledged Division I member. The Bison return all five starters from last year's fourth place team, but also have arguably the conference's best two players.

Seniors Brett Winkelman and Ben Woodside both averaged at least 19 points a game last season for the Bison.

4. Cleveland State

Butler and Valparaiso dominated the Horizon League Spotlight for years, but its the Vikings' turn to make an NCAA Tournament run. The top two candidates for conference player of the year will wear CSU green.

J'Nathan Bulluck and Cedric Jackson will combine to make a dangerous inside-outside combination. The Vikings will also return two other starters from a team that won 21 games and went to the NIT last season.

3. Providence

Just because a team is in the Big East doesn't mean it can't be a Cinderella. The Friars will prove this in 2009 as new coach Keno Davis brings back 11 of the top 12 players in minutes from last year's team.

Enter into the equation stud point guard Sharaud Curry who missed all but one game because of an injury and PC is a completely different team--an NCAA Tournament team.

2. Siena

The MAAC's best team got a little better during the off-season. The Saints improved their second round team with the addition of stud junior college transfer Wolfgang Gieler. He'll compliment the five returning starters, three of which are three of the conference's best players.

The Saints have the league's leading returning scorer, Edwin Ubiles and leading rebounder, Alex Franklin as well as POY candidate Kenny Hasbrouck.

1. Davidson

The secret known as the Wildcats is certainly out of the bag, but it doesn't mean they can't still be a Cinderella. Davidson still belongs to a pretty low-rated Southern Conference and will probably need to win its conference tournament to ensure an NCAA Tournament bid.

The nation's best pure scorer, Stephen Curry returns for a third trip to the NCAA Tournament and a chance to extend his postseason legend.

Remember the Siena Saints?

If you don't, I'm sure Vanderbilt's Commodores have some not-so-fond memories of last year's crew from Albany.

The only thing is...

Last year's Saints team is the same as this year's Saints team, minus sharp-shooting Tay Fisher. Coach Fran McCaffery also added freshmen Owen Wignot and Kyle Downey to the squad.

Other than his big game heroics in the MAAC conference tournament and the first round matchup against Vandy, Fisher was nothing more than a mediocre guard who happened to have a good three-point shot.

Not much news has been released on Wignot or Downey other than their positions and heights.

Wignot is a 6'5" forward, and Downey is a 6'2" guard.

Chances are neither of them will start because Siena returns its entire starting lineup from last season.

Senior guard Kenny Hasbrouck will lead the Saints. Hasbrouck scored 30 points in Siena's tournament victory over Vanderbilt. Hasbrouck shot 39 percent from three-point range last season, and averaged 16 points per contest.

Ronald Moore, now a junior, will run the point for the Saints. In 2007-08, Moore averaged 8.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.1 boards per game as a 6' guard. Moore has improved since his freshman season and has developed into a true point guard.

A member of last year's All-MAAC First Team, Edwin Ubiles will be Siena's small forward. Ubiles averaged 17 points and 4.5 rebounds, shooting a spectacular 42 percent from beyond the arc. Ubiles was not all offense, though—he also averaged a steal and a block per game.

Alex Franklin, who will assume the role of Siena's power forward, developed as a big man in between his freshman and sophomore seasons. His points and rebounds doubled, as he averaged 15 points and 7.8 boards last season. Franklin has shown signs of dominance down low.

He might not produce the most respectable statistics, but center Josh Duell is the most aggresive Saint. He hustles all over the court, making the gym floor shake when he dives after a ball. The 6'7" transfer from Vermont is involved in every play.

In a league like the MAAC, experience is crucial, and the Saints certainly have experience. Their starting lineup will now begin its second year together, and every member in the lineup has improved.

The question is, have they improved enough?

After advancing to the second round of last year's NCAA tournament, the NCAA scheduling committee stuck the Saints with an extremely tough schedule.

McCaffery's Saints open at home against Boise State and host Cornell five days later, but the non-conference schedule only gets harsher.

The Saints travel to Florida on Nov. 27 for a tournament where they play Bruce Pearl's Vols of Tennessee. Depending on the outcomes of the first-round games, Siena will oppose either Wichita State or Georgetown.

A week later, the Saints get a breather against Albany, but then travel to Pitt, host Buffalo, and finish the non-conference schedule on the road against St. Joes, Holy Cross, and Kansas.

Yes, that is the Kanas Jayhawks, the reigning champions.

Siena is the favorite to win the MAAC because of their starting lineup, but it will be interesting to see what the Saints can do against the top-notch non-conference teams.

It is certainly not out of the question for the Saints to beat some of their prestigious opponents, but the wins certainly will not come easily.

There will be more to come on the MAAC, look for "Around the MAAC: Season Preview" to be posted by next weekend.

Kenny Hasbrouck and the Siena Saints went into last night's game against Vanderbilt looking to become the third lower seed to come out of Tampa Bay sub-regional victoriously.

The Saints never trailed.

Vanderbilt's fall started with a two shot foul against A.J. Ogilvy. The result was two free throws made by Siena's Alex Franklin.

Siena never looked back from that point on. Although Vanderbilt cut Siena's twelve point lead at halftime to seven with thirteen minutes left, Hasbrouck scored and got fouled to give the momentum back to Siena.

Siena increased the lead to 21 points and began celebrating after Vanderbilt committed their final intentional foul with one minute remaining. 

Hasbrouck had 30 points and senior guard Tay Fisher had 19 off the bench.

When Kenny Hasbrouck hits his first couple of shots, he is one of the deadliest shooters in the country.  

The Saints' shooters were on, and their defense was solid. They held Vanderbilt to 4-20 shooting from beyond the arc and 25-61 overall. Siena only committed a total of eleven fouls throughout the game, which is not unusual for the Saints who average only fifteen personal fouls per game. 

Somehow, Siena is able to play tight defense without fouling.

Their tight perimeter defense that shut down Vanderbilt's Shan Foster will be able to keep Nova's Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher in check from beyond the arc.

Although Alex Franklin and Edwin Ubiles had quiet games, you can expect them to come up big tomorrow against Villanova. Ubiles was named First Team All-MAAC along with Hasbrouck. 

Siena's weakness is definitely a defined big man.

They have Franklin who plays big, but is only 6'5". Josh Duell, a 6'7" transfer from Vermont, is a presence down low; however, his defense has been questionable against bigger teams.

Nova has a few guys who stand taller than both Franklin and Duell, but Dante Cunningham is the only offensive threat of the Wildcats' big men. 

In the do-or-die games of tournament play, Tay Fisher has played exceptionally well. He shot 6-6 from three last night to follow up a 6-10 performance in the MAAC championship. It is easy to see Fisher, who is very emotional, having another big game tomorrow. 

If Siena plays tight perimeter defense, their big men step up on defense, and their shooters start hot look for the Saints to march to the Sweet 16.