Iona’s McGill & Siena’s Pickett Named Pepsi Zero MAAC Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
Player of the Week
Rickey McGill, Iona
Sr., Spring Valley, NY/Spring Valley
Senior Rickey McGill averaged 21 points per game in three wins as the Maroon & Gold extended its winning streak to six games.
At Quinnipiac on Tuesday, McGill had 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting. He made four three-pointers. He was one of three players with 20+ points. In a win over rival Manhattan, McGill scored 13 points with two rebounds and four assists. On Sunday against Canisius, McGill scored a season-high 30 points on his senior day. He shot 50% from the floor and 50% from beyond the arc. He also made all nine free throws.
Rookie of the Week
Jalen Pickett, Siena
Fr., Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute (SPIRE Institute (OH))
Pickett averaged 14.5 points, 9.5 assists, and 6.0 rebounds in a pivotal 2-0 week for the Saints. He narrowly missed a double-double in Siena's win over Saint Peter's Tuesday, tallying 18 points while dishing out nine assists. Pickett concluded the week by coming up just short of a triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds in a victory over Marist. Pickett scored all 11 of his points in the second half while breaking the Siena freshman scoring record. Pickett committed just four turnovers as opposed to his 19 assists on the week, posting a 4.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. The honor is the 10th for Pickett this season, which ties the MAAC record for a single season with Fairfield's Derek Needham (2009-10) and La Salle's Lionel Simmons (1986-87).
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 38
th year of competition during the 2018-19 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.