Friday Night Lights Focused On MAAC Basketball
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. – Friday night lights will be focused on the MAAC on Feb. 7 with a doubleheader in Buffalo, and another contest from Bridgeport, Conn.
On Friday, Feb, 7, Canisius will host Manhattan at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. Canisius is currently 10-2 and in first place in the MAAC, while the Jaspers are 7-4 and are in a tie for third place, along with Quinnipiac. Canisius is led by guard Billy Baron, the league’s second leading scorer at 23.7 points per game, while Manhattan’s George Beamon is No. 3 in the MAAC at 19.0 points. Manhattan is currently the third leading point producer in the MAAC, averaging 77.9 points per game, while Canisius is fourth, averaging 77.3 points.
The Canisius women’s team will host Niagara on Feb. 7 at 4:00 p.m. in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader on ESPN3. This “Battle of the Bridge” contest continues the two schools’ intense rivalry. The Purple Eagles won the first matchup of the two teams this year, 69-60, at Niagara, as Meghan McGuiness poured in 22 points. McGuiness leads the Purps with 13.4ppg, while Chanel Johnson adds 12.4 ppg. Niagara is currently 5-7 in league play, and in a tie with Monmouth for sixth place. The Purple Eagles are 7-14 overall. Canisius is in eighth place in the MAAC at 4-8, and is 8-13 overall. Kayla Hoohuli leads the Golden Griffins in scoring with 10.1 points per game, while Jamie Ruttle is right behind at 9.7.
Also on Friday, Monmouth will visit Fairfield in a 7 p.m. contest to be broadcast on ESPN3. Monmouth is currently 4-7 in league play, and 10-12 overall, while Fairfield 4-18 overall, and 1-10 in MAAC action. The Stags scored one of the biggest upsets of the season when they defeated Manhattan earlier in the year. Monmouth knocked off Fairfield 63-60 earlier this season in West Long Branch. The Hawks have received steady scoring from a pair of juniors, 6-6 Deon Jones (15.1ppg) and Andrew Nicholas (14.0ppg). Fairfield is paced by sophomore Marcus Gilbert (13.4ppg) and senior Maurice Barrow (12.4ppg).
This week's MAAC’s broadcast package began on Thursday with an ESPN3 doubleheader from Rider. In the opener, MyNeshia McKenzie poured in 37 points and grabbed 19 rebounds to lead the Rider women’s team to an exciting 92-90 overtime victory past Iona. The win knocked Iona from the ranks of the unbeaten in the MAAC race.
In the second game of the doubleheader on Thursday, the Marist men’s basketball team rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Rider 68-61. Marist outscored the Broncs 40-29 in the final stanza behind senior center Adam Kemp, who scored 14 of his team-high 16 points in the final 20 minutes. Kemp also grabbed 10 rebounds for the Red Foxes. Marist controlled the boards, outrebounding Rider 47-26.