Busting Brackets
Fansided

MAAC basketball: 2018 Conference Tournament Preview

By Brad Cavallaro

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 09: Head coach King Rice of the Monmouth Hawks reacts against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 09: Head coach King Rice of the Monmouth Hawks reacts against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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BRIDGEPORT, CT – MARCH 07: Killian the mascot for the Iona Gaels performs against the St. Peter’s Peacocks during the final of the MAAC men’s conference basketball tournment at Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard on March 7, 2011 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. (Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images)
BRIDGEPORT, CT – MARCH 07: Killian the mascot for the Iona Gaels performs against the St. Peter’s Peacocks during the final of the MAAC men’s conference basketball tournment at Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard on March 7, 2011 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. (Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images) /

Players to Watch

Matt Scott and Khalil Dukes were discussed in the previous slide, but here are the rest of the MAAC players to watch:

Isaiah Reese G SO Canisius- Reese is one of the biggest breakout players in the country. The 6’5” sophomore is a smooth athlete and has excellent passing vision, especially out of pick and roll. He is a main driver of Canisius’s success and is averaging 16.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.8 apg. His biggest area of improvement came from his three-point stroke. Reese has hit 78 threes this season at a respectable 35.6% clip.

Jermaine Crumpton F SR Canisius- Crumpton is the star interior player for Canisius and he has also had a major hand in Canisius’s success. He is a rugged PF who can score in the paint an step away from the basket. His shooting numbers from three have dropped as a senior, but he is still a threat, especially from mid range. He is averaging 16.9 ppg and 5.2 rpg in his final season.

Tyler Nelson G SR Fairfield- Nelson is the leading scorer in the MAAC (21.8 ppg) and has a picture-esque shooting stroke. The 6’3” Massachusetts native has hit 87 threes on the season and is responsible for creating most of Fairfield’s offense. His unlimited range and shooting prowess make him a fun player to track.

Rickey McGill G JR Iona- While I really like some of Iona’s wings, McGill’s recent 40 point outburst is hard to ignore. The junior PG has taken a major step forward this season and is averaging 14.5 ppg and 5.6 apg. McGill can shoot from long-range, but is also adept at taking the ball to the rim and finishing contested shots.

Dimencio Vaughn G FR Rider- Vaughn has exploded onto the scene in his redshirt freshman campaign. The talented wing has immense upside and is already one of the best players in the MAAC. Vaughn is averaging an impressive 16.1 ppg and 6.6 rpg and can score at all three levels.