MAAC Basketball: Mid-major conference deeper than ever?

The MAAC basketball league will be one of the best mid-major conferences in the country in 2016-17.

The Monmouth Hawks put the MAAC on the map last season after producing a 28-8 overall record. King Rice’s team defeated UCLA (on the road), Notre Dame, USC, Georgetown and Rutgers, capping what was an impressive non-conference portion of the schedule.

This put the Hawks in position to potentially earn an at-large bid if they lost in the MAAC postseason tournament. But after losing to the Iona Gaels in the conference tournament final, the Hawks were robbed of an appearance in March Madness.

The program could potentially earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2016-17, but the road to March will be even more difficult in the MAAC this upcoming season.

Why? Because the conference is deeper than any year in recent memory.

The Hawks return four out their five leading scorers, including MAAC Player of the Year, point guard Justin Robinson. Oklahoma transfer guard Je’Lon Hornbeak is back, while guard Micah Seaborn settles in for his sophomore season. Collin Stewart, Chris Brady and Zac Tillman anchor the front court as a trio.

More from Busting Brackets

Most importantly, Rice is back despite being courted by major programs who were intrigued by the work he did with his roster in 2015-16.

The Iona Gaels, the team that earned the conference’s lone NCAA Tournament bid in 2015-16, lost elite scoring guard A.J. English and the versatile Isaiah Williams. However, they still return numerous veterans.

Iona’s second leading scorer, senior forward Jordan Washington, has the strength, motor and toughness to potentially average close to a double-double this year. Junior guard Deyshonee Much is a potential breakout star candidate in the conference and point guard Schadrac Casimir returns following an ugly groin injury that stripped him of the majority of last season.

And that’s not even counting the two transfers that they reeled in from other programs. Graduate transfer guard Sam Cassell Jr. didn’t receive many minutes at UConn, but he witnessed what made the Huskies so great over the course of his two years in Storrs.

Another backcourt player, Jon Severe, dealt with some personal issues at Fordham in 2014, however, he has played three years of college basketball and averaged 17 points per game in his freshman season.

Iona has the personnel that fits Tim Cluess’ up-tempo style of play perfectly. The Gaels will have one of the top mid-major backcourts in the country because of their shooting ability, ball handling skills, quickness, depth and experience.

Monmouth and Iona are normally heavyweights in the MAAC. The reason the conference is so deep this year is because of Siena and Fairfield.

The Saints, who are coached by Jimmy Patsos, return their five top scorers from last year’s team that finished with a record of 21-12 (13-7 in conference play). 6’8″ forward Brett Bisping averaged a double-double last year (15.9 points and 10.4 rebounds) and will be flanked by four more double-figure scorers in Javion Ogunyemi, Marquis Wright, Nico Clareth and Lavon Long.

All of those players, with the exception of Clareth, are seniors, so their veteran leadership will be indisputable.