AROUND THE RIM - MARCH 8 EDITION

Posted: Mar 08, 2024

The Playoff Picture… and all the NCAA Ramifications

By Chris Granozio

The playoffs are in full force and the NCAA East Regional is a week away, so let’s take a look at the landscape, conference by conference…

NE10 Dribbles…

The hottest team in the circuit, and the one that looks most like an Elite-8 contender in the region is Southern New Hampshire, which has steamrolled its way to six straight wins, the last three impressively in NE10 tourney play to reach tomorrow’s title game. The 5th-seeded Penmen will take on fellow March surprise, six-seed Southern Connecticut, their former New England Collegiate Conference rivals, who are finally playing to the level of their talent (more below). SNHU began its run by pulling away from Granite State foe Franklin Pierce at the Spirou Fieldhouse, scoring the last 19 points in a 105-76 rout… the team’s highest point total since a 107-69 triumph over Concordia on the same floor on December 30, 2016. Red-hot sharpshooter Matt Becht chalked up 25 points (6-10 from 3-point range), with notable support from Preston Santos (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Alex Rivera, who pitched in with 12 points, including the 1,000th of his career. The Ravens ended the season with a program-record 13-game losing streak and will look to rebuild from the ground up, now that practically their entire team is in the transfer portal… The Penmen then hit the road for an 83-76 quarterfinal win over fourth-seeded Pace in Pleasantville, snapping the Setters’ six-game hot streak and knocking them out of serious NCAA consideration. All five starters recorded double figures, led by Rivera (23 points, 8-10 FG, 6-8 from 3) as the visitors rallied from 11 down in the first half and sealed the deal with four Kurtis Henderson foul shots over the last 42 seconds. Bryan Powell capped his terrific career with 31 points, four assists and three blocked shots while playing all 40 minutes for Pace. Tray Alexander flirted with another triple-double (20 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) and remains the nation’s top assist man. Both teams put on an offensive display (SNHU 58% and 16-27 from 3, PU 50% and 13-26), each boasting nine more assists than turnovers… the Penmen then turned heads by annihilating top-seeded St, Michael’s, 97-65, for their second win at the Ross Sports Center this winter. Becht (33 points, 8-12 from long range) and Henderson (career-high 23 points, 7-10 from 3) were the loudest contributors as their squad shot 54% from the floor and equaled a program record with 19 threes in 39 attempts (first accomplished on November 9, 2019 at Mercy). A 17-0 blitz spanning the halves put the game out of reach at 59-37, and it only got worse for the hosts, who fell behind by as much as 90-57 before the dust settled. Romar Reid was high man for the Purple Knights with 27 points (7-11 from distance) but his team fell to 15-43 all-time in the series. Becht now has 113 triples on the year, eclipsing Soto Karapostolou’s previous standard of 112, established in 2003. This marks the first back-to-back 20-win seasons for SNHU since 2017.

The Penmen are a lock for an NCAA bid (currently #3 in the RAC poll and in Tim McCaffrey’s up-to-the-minute Musings rankings), but their opponent tomorrow – Southern Connecticut – is sitting squarely on the bubble. The Owls, currently in 9th place, nearly didn’t make it this far, saved by a Josh McGettigan 3-pointer at the end of regulation against American International in the opening round. That shot forced overtime, during which the fifth-year wing hit another jumper to give Southern the lead for keeps. All five starters scored in double digits for the winners, led by Marty Silvera (23 points, eight assists) and McGettigan (22 points, eight rebounds). The comeback overshadowed a brilliant game from league scoring leader Justice Ellison, who amassed a personal-best 39 points, including the 1,000th of his career, eight rebounds, four assists and five steals in 43 minutes of court time. AIC was hurt by 5-11 foul-shooting in a game that saw nothing more than a one-possession spread over the final 9:48 of regulation… Two days later, the Owls claimed their second 10-point win in Waltham over a six-day stretch, downing third-seeded Bentley, 88-78, in the two teams’ first-ever postseason meeting. McGettigan (20 points) and Silvera (19 points, nine assists, four steals) were the primary options again for SCSU, which shot 57%, made 11-of-21 from 3-point territory and used a 19-8 run to open things up at 69-53 with 8:36 to play. Zach Laput – who repeated as NE10 Player of the Year – fronted the Falcons’ attack with 28 points and eight boards, followed by Aaon Latham’s 20 and six, respectively. Bentley – sitting in the vulnerable seventh spot – awaits the weekend’s results to see if it will receive an NCAA at-large bid… The Owls then returned to the Moore Field House and upended seventh-seeded St. Anselm, 82-73 for its fifth straight triumph, riding a 19-7 second-half wave to surge in front for good at 55-43. Silvera racked up 30 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, while Kazell Stewart tossed in 21 points and 10 boards for Southern, offsetting terrific outings by Tyler Arbuckle (29 points) and Josh Morissette (18 points, 8-12 FG), both of whom played the entire contest. Arbuckle closed out his outstanding career in eighth place on the Hawks’ all-time scoring list with 1,827 points, as well as fourth in minutes with 3,971.

SNHU swept both regular-season match-ups vs. SCSU.

St. Anselm reached the semis thanks to a home win vs. New Haven that saw Arbuckle (27 points, eight rebounds) and Morissette (25 points, 4-6 from 3) again do the heavy lifting. The Hawks never trailed in this one, embarking on a 28-6 run across the halves in inflating a modest 19-18 lead to 47-24. The Chargers – who received a career-high 32 points from Davontrey Thomas (12-18 FG, 6-9 from 3) in his final collegiate game – countered with a 28-11 run to creep within 58-52 midway through the second stanza, but a Morissette jumper 17 seconds later sparked a 9-2 spurt that put the hosts in the driver's seat again, 67-54, the lead never dipping to single digits thereafter… In the quarterfinals, St. Anselm earned its second victory over Adelphi at the Center for Recreation and Sport in 16 days, engineering a key 15-4 burst that transformed a 64-62 deficit into a 77-68 lead with 59 seconds left. Arbuckle was instrumental during the run, tallying 13 points over the last 4:10 as part of a 19-point, six-assist performance.  Sean McCarthy matched his season-high output with 26 points (13-16 FG) and seven rebounds, while Zac Taylor contributed 20 points (9-12) and 12 caroms without taking a break as the St. A’s starters shot 55% from the field and accounted for all but eight minutes of playing time. Dayshawn Walton garnered 23 points (10-15 FG) and six rebounds for the Panthers, who have now lost their last six NE10 Tournament openers dating back to a 101-91 first-round home win over Bentley on February 24, 2017.

St. Michael’s improved to 17-4 all-time at home in the postseason with a 70-67 quarterfinal win over Assumption behind C.J. Crews’ 22 points (5-10 from deep) and six rebounds off the bench. The Purple Knights raced off to a 35-17 lead, only to see the Greyhounds storm back and nose in front, 55-52 with 8:29 remaining. The Purple Knights answered with nine straight and held their collective breath as the Hounds missed two tying attempts near the basket during their final possession before Jacob Duniver split a pair at the stripe to cap the scoring. Kasey Draper called it a career with 25 points and six rebounds in 40 minutes of action for Assumption, finishing with exactly 100 points in just three games vs. St. Mike’s. The Purple Knights – who are 4-0 all-time vs. Assumption in the playoffs – survived despite poor foul shooting (10-22) and rebounding (50-39) as they await a likely hosting bid for the regional… Assumption secured its quarterfinal spot after pulling away from Saint Rose in Worcester, 100-84 – the last game in that program’s storied history. Kani Glover (23 points, 4-7 from long distance, 11 rebounds, six assists) and Daouda Dembele (20 points, 12 boards) led six in twin figures for the winners, who used an 18-7 second-half upswing in stretching a 63-30 lead to 81-67. The margin crested at 97-76 as the hosts connected on 57% of their shots and dominated the backboards, 42-22, in winning their first home playoff game since a 77-63 victory over Le Moyne in the 2009 NE10 Championship Game. Trey Boyd III produced 20 points on 7-10 shooting off the bench for the Golden Knights, who crafted a brilliant 21/5 assist-turnover line in defeat.

The last points ever scored in a Saint Rose men’s basketball game came from reserve rookie guard Adam Myers, who nailed his second 3-pointer in as many attempts with 22 seconds on the clock, closing the door on one of the region’s most successful programs, with Brian Beaury appropriately coaching the team for whom he shined as a player and exquisitely mentored for the better part of five decades. His all-time mark as head coach is etched in stone at 654-244, highlighted by three regional titles and two Final Four appearances. Beaury’s win total was fifth highest among active D2 head coaches and sits at third-most ever in this region behind Hall of Famer Herb Magee of Philadelphia/Jefferson (1,144) and St. Anselm’s Keith Dickson (719). The program, which began as an NAIA member in 1973-74, exits the stage with 858 wins and 553 losses. Another casualty to the economic hardships faced by smaller, liberal arts colleges, Saint Rose will forever be remembered with respect and admiration, and whose absence moving forward will leave a big hole, not only in the East Region, but throughout the entire college community.

 

CACC Dribbles…

Only one lower-seed prevailed in the CACC quarterfinals. At the Jones Center, the Honis brothers joined forces for 41 points, spearheading Dominican’s 93-79 win over Goldey-Beacom. The elder Jaden delivered 22 points off the bench (4-5 from downtown Pike Creek) and the younger Isaiah turned in career highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Chargers, who constructed a 17-point first-half lead, only to see the Lightning trim it to 60-57 midway through the second. It was 83-76 inside ethe two-minute mark when the visitors hung 10 of the next 11 points on the board, punctuated by two Isaiah Honis dunks, to secure the spoils. Zayon Marsh (22 points, 10-12 FT, seven rebounds) and Omari Banks (20 points, nine boards, four assists off the bench) were the best of the bunch for Goldey, but Dominican’s superior 3-point shooting was the difference in this one (9-15 to 3-18).

Dominican is set for a Saturday semifinal rematch with North Division rival Bloomfield, the two teams having won close contests on the opponents’ home floor during the regular season. This time, the setting is Caldwell’s Newman Center, which is the pre-determined host this weekend. Bloomfield knocked out Chestnut Hill at The Den, 78-61, in the quarters, with Starrell Hearns (17 points, six rebounds off the bench) and Abdallah Elsaleh (13 points, four steals) leading the charge. The Bears trailed most of the first half (by as much as 26-13) and were still down 40-33 early in the second before rattling off 18 unanswered, culminating in a Hearns slam, to take control, 51-40. The lead maxed out at 65-47 before the final horn. Argel Pettit IV tossed in 18 for the Griffins… Bloomfield used a similar script in its regular-season finale vs. Caldwell in the very same gym, again falling behind by five at the break and then coming out of the locker room with a vengeance in an 87-70 triumph that knocked the Cougars out of the playoffs due to a bizarre tiebreaker scenario. Hearns (21 points, six rebounds) and Elsaleh (15 points, 3-3 from 3, eight boards, four assists) once again headlined the effort, offsetting strong outings from league scoring champ Darnell Evans (29, 8) and Derrick Bueno (10, 10), who added four blocked shots to his line. Three-point shooting told the tale in this one (BC 10-30, CU 2-23).

In the most dramatic quarterfinal, Bol Akot’s traditional 3-point play with 1.7 seconds left lifted Post over Wilmington in Waterbury, 79-77, in a game the Eagles trailed the majority of the night. There was controversy down the stretch, with two disputed calls in the final minute, the last one being a moving screen assessed on WilmU prior to its own inbounds pass with five seconds to play, setting up Akot’s heroics as host Post had trailed 77-74 with 22 seconds remaining. Akot – who finished with 17 points – ignited the comeback with a pair of foul shots with 5.8 seconds on the clock, then came through with the winning “And-1” as Skip Burton’s running half-court shot for the win bounced off the front rim, making the Eagles a ridiculous 12-1 in games decided by five points or fewer this season. Caleb Matthews cashed in 23 points and Taalib Holloman 21 in their final games for the Wildcats, while Harrison Warnock provided quality support for Post with 14 points. Both teams shot an identical 27-63 from the field (43%) as Wilmington lost both games at the Drubner Center this year in agonizing fashion… the other was almost the identical score – 80-78 in overtime last month… Post secured second place and the home game after rallying to nip in-state rival Bridgeport in its regular-season finale. A 24-10 spell flipped a 53-47 deficit into a 71-63 advantage that held up. Deng Deang (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Akot (16 points, six caroms, five assists) were the key contributors, while D’Andre Collins provided 18 for the Purple Knights. The Eagles are in very good shape for their first-ever NCAA bid.

Post will take on five-time-running South Champ Jefferson continues to roll, holding off upset-minded Felician in Philly, 76-66, for its region-best ninth straight conquest and avenging one of its region-low four losses since November 26. Hakim Byrd (19 points in 40 minutes, 5-7 from beyond the arc) and Antonin Kemkeng (14 points, 13 rebounds in his return to the lineup) led a balanced attack for the Rams, who only trailed once (9-7) but only managed to pull away in the final minutes. The Golden Falcons – who were guided by Jabri Fitzpatrick’s 25-point, seven-rebound outing – were within 60-58 with six-and-a-half minutes to go when two-time CACC Player of the Year Erik Timko (11 points, six assists) banged a trey and Bismark Nsiah (10 points, 12 rebounds) followed suit to provide breathing room. Jefferson’s superior 3-point shooting was the key stat (15-31 to 4-16).

The Rams closed out the regular season with a workmanlike 82-65 victory over crosstown foe Holy Family at the Campus Center, taking command with a late 15-2 spree that expanded a 60-57 lead to 75-59 with 3:31 on the clock. Timko (21 points despite 0-7 shooting from 3), Nsiah (20 points, 7-8 FG, eight rebounds) and Byrd (18 points) came through for Jefferson, which reached 20 wins for the ninth straight full season and, with Findlay University’s playoff loss, now holds the mantle of longest active streak of winning seasons in all of D2 with 26 (Findlay had a 42-year streak). Ryan Holmes fueled the Tigers with 18 points (7-10 FG) in a reserve role.

Jefferson won the regular-season meeting vs. Post by 16 at the Gallagher Center.

Wilmington sneaked past crosstown rival Goldey-Beacom in overtime, 99-91, in the two teams’ regular-season finales in Pike Creek. All 11 Wildcats registered field goals, with Amiri Stewart (27 points) and Holloman (22) filling it up most, the former drilling the go-ahead 3-pointer 16 seconds into the extra period to kick off the decisive 12-2 run. Banks (24 points, six boards off the bench), Caleb Bates (19, 8) and Marsh (16, 17) led the Lightning in a tug-of-war that saw nothing larger than a two-possession separation in regulation.

Chestnut Hill secured third in the South after pulling away from Georgian Court, 66-51, at the Wellness Center, completing a winless conference slate for the Lions, who dropped a region-worst 15 straight to close out the campaign. An 18-0 tear early in the second half transformed a 40-33 shortfall into a 51-40 lead, then an 11-0 flurry pushed it to 64-47 as the Griffins were powered by Alejandro Redondo Cybak, who compiled 19 points and 12 rebounds, converting all nine of his shot attempts to become the first player in the program’s D2 era to turn the trick (David Goode went 13-13 vs. Delaware Valley in January of 2007). Chestnut Hill punished its hosts on the glass (41-25) and off turnovers (30-2). Regional rebounding leader Neal Hill snatched 11 boards – his seventh straight game in double digits – giving him a program-record 299 for the season, third-most in the nation. Clint Wright, Jr. also made some history for Georgian Court, totaling 24 points while playing every minute of his final game (6-10 from downtown Lakewood) to finish second in program annals with 1,361 points and first with 254 trifectas.

The last East Region team to go an entire season without a league win was LIU Post, which was 0-18 in its final season of 2018-19.

 

ECC Dribbles…

Two first-round tournament games took place in Western New York on Wednesday, with the home sides prevailing in both. In Buffalo, it was two trains heading in opposite directions as Daemen held off a stubborn Queens team, 76-68, to advance to the semifinals at St. Thomas Aquinas tomorrow. Dylan Fasoyiro collected 20 points and eight rebounds, while Joey Atkins added 16 and six, respectively, as the Wildcats touched off a 26-8 run over the last 8:54 of the first half in flipping a 21-16 deficit into a 42-29 lead. The Knights – who received 26 points (9-15 FG, 4-7 from 3) in 40 minutes from Sunnie Diamond – crept within 61-60 on a pair of Diamond free throws with 4:02 to play. But Fasoyiro’s “And-1” 17 seconds later ignited a critical 7-1 charge and the Cats converted five of six at the stripe over the last 25 seconds to keep Queens at arm’s length, prevailing for a seventh straight time and consigning the Knights to an eighth straight setback. Daemen – which will play Staten Island tomorrow and hoping the third time’s the charm for a win – did more damage at the line (20-27 to 8-15) in winning for a 23rd time in 24 games at Lumsden Gym… Prior to that, the Wildcats closed out the regular season with an 87-76 victory over Roberts Wesleyan in Rochester, 87-76 – its ninth straight in the series and 29th in the last 30 meetings. Fasoyiro netted 19 of his 22 points in the opening period (5-10 from 3) and yanked down eight rebounds as the visitors closed out the half with a 37-10 flourish in forging a 43-22 lead. The gap fattened to 52-28 before the Redhawks made a run, drawing within 75-69 on a Marlon Pratt, Jr. 3-ball with 2:25 left. Justin Glover quelled the momentum with a trey of his own 22 seconds later to trigger an 8-2 spurt and put Daemen in the clear, handing Roberts its first home league loss. Kevin Constant mustered 20 points (9-13 FG) and four assists in a losing cause. The Wildcats – who are close to locking up an at-large NCAA berth – were outshot (48%-39%) but won the glass (45-28) and feasted at the foul line (21-23 to 7-12) in reaching the 20-win plateau for the sixth straight full season.

Roberts Wesleyan sneaked past District of Columbia at the Voller Center to reach the semis for the third straight season. A Constant steal leading to an Isaiah Elmore dunk with 20 seconds remaining put the Redhawks on top, 62-61. Then, following a backcourt violation, Malik Brooks closed out the scoring with two tosses at the nine-second mark, and Constant (16 points) blocked Tevin Curtis’ potential tying 3-pointer to cement the result. Jermaine Taggart dropped 17 off the bench for the victors, while Curtis posted 20 points (4-8 from long range) and dished out four assists for the Firebirds.

STAC and Roberts Wesleyan split their high-scoring season series with the home team coming out ahead both times.

UDC reached the playoffs by ousting Molloy in Rockville Centre last Saturday, using a 12-1 flourish over the last 2:52 to ice the game, 85-75. Eric Morgan, Jr. (21 points), Hartnel Haye (10 points, 8-12 FG, 10 rebounds) and Curtis (17 points, seven boards, five assists) were the top threats for the Firebirds, while Freshman of the Year Rob Matos (19 points, five assists) and Jalen Rosemond (17 points, 11 rebounds) propelled the Lions.

Top-seed and semifinal host St. Thomas Aquinas laid a hurting on Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, 120-86, landing five in double figures, led by Player of the Year James Patterson’s 22 points in 19 bench minutes and Ethan Millirons’ 18 points (6-8 from deep). The Spartans shot 55%, made 21 of 37 threes, authored a 29/7 assist-turnover margin and outscored their hosts, 30-4 off turnovers, trailing just once (2-0) before running away. They are an NCAA lock. Alex May was the highest of five double-figure Mavs scorers with 21 points and eight rebounds. Garrett Kirkland chipped in with 17 points, including five triples to top Chanze Wellington’s season record with 72. Earlier this season, Kirkland also eclipsed Wellington’s 17-year record for career threes.

Staten Island closed out the regular season with an 81-72 win at Queens to secure the first-round bye. Freshman of the Year Aaron Goldstein exploded for a personal-best 29 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Dolphins, who trailed 44-42 at the half before taking as much as a 14-point second-half lead (72-58 at 5:22). The Knights came as close as 76-70 with 1:22 remaining but Goldstein made three of four at the foul line and closed out the scoring with a fastbreak lay-up. Diamond compiled 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Knights. The 19 Dolphin wins this season are their most since transitioning to D2 and most since the 2016-17 campaign. They need to win two games in order to crash the dance fir the first time.

 

Poll Position

St. Thomas Aquinas remains the only ranked regional team in the NABC Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, inching up two spots to #15. St. Michael’s is receiving votes while Nova Southeastern once again holds down the #1 spot.

 

Regional Rankings:

Here are the penultimate rankings from the RAC, through last Sunday’s games:

  1. St. Michael’s
  2. St. Thomas Aquinas
  3. Southern New Hampshire
  4. Daemen
  5. Post
  6. Bloomfield
  7. Bentley
  8. Jefferson
  9. Southern Connecticut
  10. Pace

 

Another Around the Rim comes your way Monday. If you like what we do, please consider a Patreon subscription. My latest Rim Shots article is now posted on Patreon. That exclusive content will only be accessible to subscribers. It’s a way to cover our website costs so we can continue covering the region with the same commitment to excellence. The link is: www.patreon.com/D2easthoops. Also, please follow us on X for info and action photos at @D2EastHoops. You can also email me with any questions or comments at chrisgranozio@gmail.com. Next Around the Rim will come your way by Monday, with an NCAA Tournament preview available exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. Util then, Happy Hooping to All!