Busting Brackets
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MAAC Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Pan Karalis

BRIDGEPORT, CT - MARCH 07: (L-R) Ryan Bacon #4, Jeron Belin #5, Wesley Jenkins #15 and Nick Leon #22 of the St. Peter's Peacocks celebrate with the conference championship trophy after they won 62-57 against the Iona Gaels 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: (L-R) Ryan Bacon #4, Jeron Belin #5, Wesley Jenkins #15 and Nick Leon #22 of the St. Peter's Peacocks celebrate with the conference championship trophy after they won 62-57 against the Iona Gaels 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) /
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SYRACUSE, NY – DECEMBER 28: Shandon Brown #12 of the Niagara Purple Eagles (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY – DECEMBER 28: Shandon Brown #12 of the Niagara Purple Eagles (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

Quarterfinals

Siena vs. Fairfield

This one should be lopsided in favor of the regular season champs. Fairfield did give Siena a contest when the Saints visited the Stags in Connecticut, but I wouldn’t expect Siena to have much of a problem handling Fairfield at Boardwalk Hall. Siena is too deep and will be rested when their tournament slate kicks off Wednesday, and few teams in the country have more momentum than Maciariello’s does right now.

Prediction: Siena

St. Peter’s vs. Iona

Youth against experience, depth versus star power, a likely conference coach of the year candidate head to head against arguably the greatest coach in MAAC history. The two games between the two in the regular season, both won by St. Peter’s, were decided by a total of four points. There will be no shortage of intrigue and storylines if this game does happen.

My gut tells me Iona finds a way to finally figure out Holloway’s team and extends their winning streak in this tournament just a little further. St. Peter’s played spoiler to a team just like theirs, a young Rider team that won the MAAC regular season on the back of a mostly freshman cast, in 2018, and I think Iona will deliver a similar sort of learning experience to the Peacocks this time through.

Prediction: Iona

Monmouth vs. Quinnipiac

This game is going to feature the two best three-point shooters in the conference in Monmouth’s Deion Hammond and Quinnipiac’s Rich Kelly, but it could be the defense that decides this one. Quinnipiac has one of the most porous defenses in the country, while Monmouth’s is above average nationally. The Hawks rank 22nd in the country in forced turnover percentage, and Quinnipiac already turns the ball over on almost 20% of their possessions.

The teams split convincing victories against each other on home court, but Monmouth turned the Bobcats over once for every two minutes of gameplay during their regular-season meetings and put up 89 in their most recent contest in late February.

Prediction: Monmouth

Rider vs. Niagara

If Niagara does survive a Marist team that gave them plenty of problems during the regular season, I’ll give them the edge against Rider. Niagara’s had a knack for knocking off the league’s best teams over the last two seasons, and Kevin Baggett’s record in this tournament has been exceptionally disappointing. While I’ve trusted Rider to end their struggles in the MAAC playoff the last couple of years, I need to see them win a postseason game before I can trust them to make a serious run at the title. Give me Paulus and the upstart Purple Eagles for a surprising run to the league’s semifinal.

Prediction: Niagara