Iona Picked as Favorite in Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

Iona Picked as Favorite in Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

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MAAC Sports

EDISON, N.J. - Iona College has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2015 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship, according to a vote of the leagues 11 head coaches. The Gaels, who have appeared in the last two MAAC Championship title games against rival Manhattan College, received six of 11 first place votes and 112 points.

Iona College was the MAAC regular season champions in 2013-14 after posting a 17-3 league record and 22-11 overall mark. The Gaels are coming off of their fifth consecutive 20 win season and fourth consecutive post-season appearance after appearing in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) in 2014. Iona returns junior guard A.J. English, who enters the 2014-15 season as the only returning member from the 2013-14 All-MAAC First Team. English led the league in minutes played during last year’s campaign and averaged 17.2 points and 4.3 assists. English will be joined by fellow classmate, guard Isaiah Williams and 6-9 senior forward David Laury. Laury, who was a member of the 2013-14 All-MAAC Second Team and All-Tournament Team, averaged 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks last year. Williams, is one of the league’s top returning three-point threats who averaged 11.3 points and shot over 42 percent from behind the three-point arc.

Siena College, the second pick in the poll, is coming off of a 20-18 season (11-9 MAAC) and College Basketball Invitational (CBI) championship after not appearing in a postseason tournament since 2010 when the Saints won a third consecutive MAAC title. The Saints return veteran leader and 2013-14 All-MAAC Third Team member senior Rob Poole. Poole averaged 14.6 points and is one of the conference’s top returning free-throw shooters after shooting 76 percent from the line and making 131 total free-throws. Also returning for Siena is CBI MVP junior forward Brett Bisping who averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds, and All-MAAC Rookie Team selections Marquis Wright, the leagues returning assists leader, and Lavon Long.

Defending MAAC champion Manhattan College, was selected third after making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2004 and posting a 15-5 MAAC record and league best 25-8 overall record. The Jaspers top returning player is senior forward Emmy Andujar. Andujar, who was voted to the 2014 All-MAAC Tournament Team, is the teams returning leader in points (8.6), rebounds (5.3), assists (2.2), steals (1.2), and minutes played per game (23.3). Joining Andujar are junior classmates Ashton Pankey and Shane Richards. Pankey ranked 10th in the MAAC with 35 blocked shots last season, while Richards was top five in the league in both three-point field goals made and three-point field goal percentage. Manhattan also adds 6-10 sophomore forward transfer Jermaine Lawrence to its lineup in 2014-15.

Picked fourth, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks are coming off of a 9-11 MAAC record (tied for sixth) and a quarterfinals appearance in the 2014 championship where they fell to eventual champion Manhattan. The Peacocks will be led by senior classmates forward Marvin Dominque and guard Desi Washington. Dominique was a member of the 2013-14 All-MAAC Third Team and ranked top ten in the league in points (16.6), defensive rebounds (5.9), offensive rebounds (3.0), total rebounds (8.9), and minutes played per game. Washington is one of the league’s top three-point shooters after making 59 three-pointers last season and his 84.7 percent free-throw percentage is the highest returning percentage coming into the 2014-15 season.  

Rounding out the top five is Quinnipiac University, who finished its inaugural campaign in the MAAC tied for third with a league record of 14-6, an overall mark of 20-12, and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). The Bobcats led the entire country with 45.4 rebounds per game, 16.7 offensive rebounds per game, 28.7 defensive rebounds per game, and a plus 11.8 rebounding margin in 2013-14. Returning for Quinnipiac is 2013-14 All-MAAC Second Team selection 6-9 senior forward Ousame Drame. Drame ranked eighth nationally with 10.5 rebounds per game, led the league with 6.7 defensive rebounds per contest and ranked second in offensive rebounds (3.8), blocked shots (2.1), and double-doubles (15). Drame will be joined by classmate, guard Zaid Hearst. Hearst ranked top ten in the MAAC in scoring, rebounding, offensive rebounds, free-throw percentage, three-point field goal percentage, and was a member of the 2013-14 All-MAAC Third Team.    

Siena, the second place finisher in the poll received 107 total points and received four first place votes. Manhattan finished with 97 points, followed by Saint Peter’s, which earned the final first place vote and 89 points. Quinnipiac rounded out the top five by earning 84 points, followed by Monmouth (57), Rider (56), Marist (50), Fairfield (33), Canisius (28) and Niagara (13).  

2014-15 Coaches Preseason Poll

1.      

Iona

112

2.

Siena

107

3.

Manhattan

97

4. 

Saint Peter’s

89

5.

Quinnipiac

84

6.

Monmouth

57

7.

Rider

56

8.

Marist

50

9.

Fairfield

33

10.

Canisius

28

11.

Niagara

13