ESPN Announces MAAC Wildcard Game for February 2

ESPN Announces MAAC Wildcard Game for February 2

Bookmark and Share

EDISON, NJ – ESPN has announced that the matchup between Quinnipiac University (6-12, 3-3 MAAC) and Iona College (11-7, 5-1 MAAC) on Friday, February 2, is scheduled to air on ESPNU at 7 p.m. The Gaels host the Bobcats at the Hynes Athletics Center in New Rochelle, NY for their lone matchup of the season.

Quinnipiac started MAAC play (2-0) with wins over Monmouth University and Siena College under first-year head coach Baker Dunleavy. Bobcats’ senior guard Cameron Young ranks fifth in the conference in points per game (17.9), sixth in rebounds per game (6.3), seventh in three-pointers made (39), and ninth in three-point field goals made per game (2.2). Young has scored 20 or more points in four of Quinnipiac’s six conference games this season.
 
Freshman guard Rich Kelly is averaging 9.8 points and 5.6 assists per game, which are the second-most in the league. The guard was named MAAC Rookie of the Week twice this season (December 11 & 26). 
 
Iona, the back-to-back MAAC Men’s Basketball Champions, is currently on a four-game winning streak. The Gaels are (6-2) against the Bobcats dating to 2013-14 and split the regular season series last season. Iona leads the MAAC in three-point field goal percentage (39.7%), three-pointers made (193), and three-pointers made per game (10.7). The Gales rank 17th in the nation in three-pointers made.
 
Junior guard Rickey McGill is 13th in the league in points per game (13.9), third in assists per game (5.1), and sixth in steals per game (1.5). The junior has scored in double figures in eight-straight games. Senior guard Deyshonee Much is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg), sixth in the MAAC in three-pointers made (44), and sixth in three-pointers made per game (2.4).

The MAAC has five Fridays (January 5, 19, 26; February 2 & 23) during the regular season in which any game scheduled on that date can be flexed onto ESPNU as the MAAC Wildcard Game.

ESPN will televise the 2018 MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship Semifinal Games on Sunday, March 4. Semifinal No. 1 airs live on ESPN3 at 7 p.m. and will re-air at 11:30 p.m. on ESPNU, tape delayed. Semifinal No. 2 airs at 9:30 p.m., live, on ESPNU.

The 2018 MAAC Basketball Championships are held at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY on March 1-5, 2018. All four men’s basketball quarterfinal games are on ESPN3. The 2018 MAAC Women’s Basketball Championship Game on Monday, March 5, airs on ESPNU at 2:30 p.m. The MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship Game airs on ESPN or ESPN2 on Monday, March 5, at 7 p.m. This is determined 7-10 days prior to the championship.

The wildcard format allows ESPN to pick any game scheduled for the selected date to air on the designated platform. ESPN will announce which game has been selected for the wildcard telecast 21 days out. This format enables the MAAC and ESPN flexibility to showcase the best possible matchups throughout the season.

The MAAC & ESPN enter the first-year of an eight-year agreement. MAAC institutions will produce additional games on ESPN3.

For all information on the 2018 MAAC Basketball Championships, visit maacsports.com/basketball. Be sure to follow the conversation on all social media platforms by using #MAACHoops.

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 37th year of competition during the 2017-18 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.