Iona Gaels – MAAC
Iona won the MAAC again to really no one’s surprise when they hired Rick Pitino this is exactly what their fans had in mind. Yes, the very same Rick Pitino from Louisville is the head coach of the Iona Gaels and as he takes over for former head man Tim Cluess, who had to resign due to some health issues. Iona plays basketball just like any Pitino team does, they run efficient offense and play smothering defense.
They have a great point guard and a dominant big man and other role players who fit very well into their role. The only problem is that Pitino is coaching a team from the MAAC so he is going to have to work hard to create a good enough schedule to get out of the bottom three seed lines.
Best Player: Isaiah Ross
The Gaels survived two extremely long Covid pauses but every time they came back Ross continued to get buckets like he never left. The senior guard has the highest usage rating of any player on the team and he makes the most of them. He shoots about 40% from deep and takes almost half of his shots from long range.
The other part of his game is that Ross is deadly from the free throw line shooting almost 80% from there as well. So if you are tired of watching him make threes on you fouling him is not going to work either as he will still likely get those points. Ross can go off and keep this game close for a little bit for the Gaels.
Chance at Upset
Iona earned a 15 seed in the tournament and given they have Rick Pitino as their head coach would anyone be surprised if they kept a game close or even won a game? Iona is a tough hard-nosed team that plays good defense, shoots the ball from the outside, and protect the rim.
The Gaels also get to the line a lot, they don’t make as many free throws as you would like to see and that is going to be a factor but they do get fouled a lot. Players like Ross and big man Nelly Junior Joseph are going to have to play the best games of their lives for them to pull off the feat even with Coach Pitino at the helm. Chance at Upset 5%.
San Diego State Aztecs – Mountain West
San Diego State was hurt a lot by the cancellation of the basketball season last year. They were set to grab a one seed and a team that could have won the National Championship. This year’s team is not nearly as good as last year’s but was still a good team who found themselves as the regular season and tournament Mountain West champions.
The Aztecs enter the tournament having won 14 games in a row and they do it using their defense and they are one of the best shooting teams in the country shooting about 38% from deep. San Diego State has the makings of one of those teams who can get hot and make a run to the second weekend. They are well-coached and have a ton of experience.
Best Player: Matt Mitchell
The senior guard entered this year as the team’s most experienced player. He has started just about every game he has played as an Aztec and is going to end his career averaging double-digit points for his career. Mitchell is the type of guy who can score in several ways. He is a great three-point shooter and his large body and strength allow him to get to the paint with ease. He also shoots 81% from the free throw line.
Mitchell was recently named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and given his penchant for scoring the basketball and his ability to rebound it isn’t any surprise. Mitchell is also extremely important for San Diego State. When he is on the floor they have a great chance of winning games and when he doesn’t play they may struggle for a bit. Mitchell is a nightmare guard because of his overall athleticism and ability to stretch the floor.
Chance at being Upset
San Diego State has so much more than Mitchell they have shooters all around with Terrell Gomez and Jordan Schakel and they have a force in the middle of the floor in Nathan Mensah. Their offensive philosophy has been discussed and we all know they are great on the defensive end of the floor. They have quick hands a get a ton of steals which leads to transition baskets.
They don’t do anything special on the defensive end of the floor except they are fundamentally sound and they don’t seem to have many lapses on that end. The Aztecs are a 6 seed and are going to be paired up with an 11. The 11’s are often time the last teams in the tournament and have a chance to play well and upset a higher-seeded team. Chance at being upset 50%.