Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: 2018 Hall of Fame Belfast Classic preview and predictions

By Jason Burgess

BOISE, ID - MARCH 15: CJ Massinburg #5 of the Buffalo Bulls reacts in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 15, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID - MARCH 15: CJ Massinburg #5 of the Buffalo Bulls reacts in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 15, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 20: Ray Sanders #1 of the Albany Great Danes controls the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 20, 2015 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 20: Ray Sanders #1 of the Albany Great Danes controls the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 20, 2015 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

Samson Bracket

Marist (1-4)

Since winning the regular-season title in the MAAC in 2007, Marist has failed to finish above sixth in the conference. Head coach John Dunne is in his first season with the team after coming from Saint Peter’s. Coming off another tough season where the Red Foxes went 6-25, where their margin of victory was 7.1 points but lost by an average of 12.5 points.

Marist currently sits at 1-4, with their games being much closer, with their first three losses coming by an average of 4.6 points. This senior-laden team led by Ryan Funk, David Knudsen, Brian Parker, and Isaiah Lamb. Funk is a 6-6 forward who is averaging 11.6 and Lamb is a 6-4 swingman from Baltimore who is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.0. Parker is the team’s leading point and assist man with 14.8 and 3.0 respectively.

Knudsen is another swingman at 6-5 who is the team’s 3rd leading scorer with 8.6 points. Darius Hines is another key contributor who is off to a good start, with 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists as a freshman.

Dartmouth (3-3)

Much like Marist, the Dartmouth Big Green have struggled mightily since their success in the ’40s and ’50s. The team hasn’t had a winning season since going 14-12 in 1998-99. So far this season, the Big Green is 3-3, averaging 84.7 points per game (somewhat inflated by two wins over non-D1 teams), and have five players averaging more than 10 points per game.

A couple of 6-8 sophomore forwards, Adrease Jackson and Chris Knight have combined to average 27.5 points and 14 rebounds. The backcourt has been led by a quartet, three juniors, and a senior. Brendan Barry is the team’s 3rd leading scorer (11.5) and leading assist man (4), James Foye and New Hampshire native Ian Sistare have sent in 21.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. Senior Guilien Smith has also contributed 7.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists.

LIU-Brooklyn (3-3)

The Long Island Blackbirds are the defending NEC conference champions and have the Samson bracket’s most dynamic player, senior guard Raiquan Clark. Head Coach Derek Kellogg led the Blackbirds to the NCAA Tournament in his first season and as they look to repeat, they are 3-3.

While Clark is the undisputed leader of the team, he does have help. Raul Frias, Jashuan Agosto, and Julian Batts give the Blackbirds three more guys that can handle the ball, the three of them are averaging 9.3 assists while adding 28.6 points. In the frontcourt, Tryn Flowers is averaging 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and the 6-9 forward from Connecticut is also the team’s best three-point shooter, knocking down 42.9% of his attempts so far this season.

Albany (2-4)

Rounding out the Samson bracket is Albany. The Great Danes are probably America East’s most consistent team not named Vermont. Coach Will Brown’s team has made the NCAA Tournament five times since 2006, and in only two of those years (2006 and 2015) were they also the regular-season champion. Albany, after an opening night three-point loss to Iona, the Great Danes have gotten off to a slow start, at 2-4, with just one Division I win over Canisius leading up to this tournament. Junior guard Ahmad Clark leads the team in both points (17.7) and assists (4.3). Joining Clark in the backcourt is freshman Cameron Healy, the native of Sydney, Australia is second on the team in scoring (16.2) while attempting the most three-pointers, knocking down 41.7%. Another freshman from Australia, Adam Lulka has been a solid contributor early on. The 6-8 245lb. forward has averaged 7.3 points and 6.5 rebounds on the young season. The only other Dane in double figures is senior forward Devonte Campbell who is averaging 7.2 rebounds while adding 10.5 points per contest.

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