2018–19 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men's basketball season


The 2018–19 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2018, followed by the start of the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play started in January and concluded March 22, 2019. This season was the 38th season of MAAC basketball.
The MAAC season saw four teams spend considerable time being in first place; Rider, Monmouth, Canisius and Iona. Rider started MAAC play off strong, winning seven of their first eight MAAC games, and looking like they would prove the preseason #1 pick correct. But then a five-game losing streak left them at 7–6, and two games out of first place. Monmouth started the regular season 0–12 at one point, but rebounded when MAAC play started, posting a 9–4 conference mark by February 9. Then a four-game losing streak struck down the Hawks, knocking them out of first place. Canisius had a solid season, keeping up with Monmouth the whole way. Consecutive losses to Iona and Niagara late in the season struck down their first place hopes. Iona, which had won the MAAC Tournament three consecutive times coming into the season, started off 5–2, but like the others, a four-game losing streak left them at 5–6 in MAAC play. Sitting in sixth place, Iona found their new starting five combination, and reeled off seven straight wins to end the MAAC season, and take the regular season crown in 2019. It was the 11th MAAC regular season championship for the Gaels.
The 2019 MAAC Tournament was held from March 7 through March 11 at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. This marked the 20th time Albany has hosted the event. No. 1 seed Iona defeated No. 6 seed Monmouth in the championship game 81–60 to win the conference's automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Tournament. With the win, Iona became the first MAAC team to win four consecutive MAAC Tournament championships.
Quinnipiac was the first MAAC team of the season to see postseason action, as they accepted an invitation to participate in the 2019 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, losing to NJIT 81–92 in the first round. Iona received a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region, and faced No. 1 seed North Carolina in the first round on March 22, 2019. Iona led 38–33 at halftime, but despite Iona making 10 of 21 3-point tries in the first half, North Carolina started the second half on a 32–11 run to take control of the game, winning 88–73.

Head Coaches

Coaching changes

On March 5, 2018, Marist head coach Mike Maker was fired. He finished at Marist with a four-year record of 28–97. Marist hired Saint Peter's coach John Dunne as Maker's successor on April 3.
On April 10, 2018, Seton Hall assistant coach Shaheen Holloway was hired as the new head coach at Saint Peter's.
On April 13, 2018, Siena head coach Jimmy Patsos resigned amid an investigation regarding abusive conduct and financial improprieties within the program. On May 2, the Saints hired Mount St. Mary's head coach Jamion Christian for the job.

Coaches

Notes:

Preseason Coaches Poll

RankTeam
1.Rider
2.Canisius
T3.Iona
T3.Quinnipiac
5.Monmouth
6.Marist
7.Fairfield
8.Manhattan
9.Niagara
10.Saint Peter's
11.Siena

first place votes

Preseason All-MAAC teams

† denotes unanimous selection

Preseason Player of the Year

MAAC Regular Season

Conference Matrix

This table summarizes the final head-to-head results between teams in conference play during the regular season.
@
CAN		@
FAIR		@
IONA		@
MAN		@
MAR		@
MON		@
NIA		@
QUIN		@
RID		@
SPC		@
SIE		vs.
CAN		vs.
FAIR		vs.
IONA		vs.
MAN		vs.
MAR		vs.
MON		vs.
NIA		vs.
QUIN		vs.
RID		vs.
SPC		vs.
SIE
CanisiusW 73–69L 80–87———W 75–72W 60–59L 70–78W 65–63W 81–80W 64–60W 70–66W 72–68L 70–88L 65–70L 71–78OTW 80–66L 84–86W 75–70L 73–82———W 68–62
FairfieldL 68–72L 87–94L 49–62W 57–52L 57–74L 73–78L 78–80———L 52–62L 50–61L 69–73W 80–68W 72–59W 59–44L 49–61W 77–59———L 82–83W 60–57L 48–57
IonaW 88–70L 68–80W 66–52L 74–78L 81–83L 90–95W 81–77W 86–79———W 57–52W 87–80W 94–87———W 90–77W 103–84W 79–76L 65–66W 77–71W 62–46L 54–56
ManhattanW 70–65L 59–72———L 63–78L 49–65W 64–60W 62–58L 47–60W 58–56L 40–53———W 62–49L 52–66L 46–62L 54–62W 90–80L 59–63W 73–66W 64–50L 49–51
MaristW 78–71OTL 44–59L 77–90W 62–46W 75–67———W 63–61L 85–86L 63–72L 55–67L 72–75L 52–57W 78–74W 78–63———W 79–58L 78–92L 64–75L 59–65L 66–71
MonmouthL 66–80W 61–49L 84–103W 62–54———L 48–75L 83–892OTL 72–81W 53–51W 63–60L 59–60W 74–57W 83–81W 65–49L 67–75———L 56–68W 75–70W 61–44W 66–55
NiagaraW 86–84L 59–77L 76–79L 80–90L 58–79———W 75–72L 81–97L 60–78L 57–66W 78–70W 78–73W 95–90L 60–64———W 75–48L 73–84L 84–104L 72–74L 65–72OT
QuinnipiacL 70–75———W 66–65W 63–59W 92–78W 68–56W 84–73L 67–72W 77–60W 107–1003OTL 63–65W 80–78L 77–81L 58–62L 61–63W 89–832OTL 72–75W 98–88OTW 77–58———
RiderW 82–73W 83–82L 71–77L 66–73W 75–64L 71–75W 104–84L 88–98OTW 71–65———L 80–81———L 79–86W 60–47W 86–85W 81–72W 97–81W 72–67W 59–51L 57–59
Saint Peter's———L 57–60L 46–62L 50–64W 65–59L 44–61W 74–72L 58–77L 51–59L 62–72L 60–64W 62–52———L 56–58W 72–63L 51–53W 78–60L 60–77L 65–71W 65–60
SienaL 62–68W 57–48W 56–54W 51–49W 71–66L 55–66W 72–65OT———W 59–57L 60–65L 66–70W 61–50L 52–57W 53–40W 67–55L 60–63OTW 66–57L 100–1073OT———W 72–62

Player of the week

Throughout the regular season, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference offices named player of the week and rookie of the week.
WeekPlayer of the weekRookie of the week
November 12, 2018Brian Parker, MaristNeftali Alvarez, Fairfield
November 19, 2018Marvin Prochet, NiagaraNeftali Alvarez, Fairfield
November 26, 2018Dimencio Vaughn, RiderJalen Pickett, Siena
December 3, 2018Jalen Pickett, SienaJalen Pickett, Siena
December 10, 2018James Towns, NiagaraTyrese Williams, Quinnipiac
December 17, 2018Marvin Prochet, NiagaraCalvin Whipple, Fairfield
December 24, 2018James Towns, NiagaraNeftali Alvarez, Fairfield
December 31, 2018Evan Fisher, SienaJalen Pickett, Siena
January 7, 2019Rickey McGill, IonaJalen Pickett, Siena
January 14, 2019Cameron Young, QuinnipiacJalen Pickett, Siena
January 21, 2019Isaiah Reese, CanisiusJalen Pickett, Siena
January 28, 2019Cameron Young, QuinnipiacJalen Pickett, Siena
February 4, 2019Cameron Young, QuinnipiacSamir Stewart, Manhattan
February 11, 2019Evan Fisher, SienaJalen Pickett, Siena
February 18, 2019Cameron Young, QuinnipiacJalen Pickett, Siena
February 25, 2019Rickey McGill, IonaJalen Pickett, Siena
March 4, 2019E.J. Crawford, IonaJalen Pickett, Siena

Records against other conferences

2018–19 records against non-conference foes. Records shown for regular season only.

Postseason

MAAC Tournament

SeedRegionSchoolFirst Four1st Round2nd RoundSweet 16Elite EightFinal FourChampionship
16MidwestIonaL 73–88 vs. #1 North Carolina –

Game summary

CollegeInsider.com Tournament

School1st Round
QuinnipiacL 81–92 at NJIT –

Honors and awards

MAAC Awards

† denotes unanimous selection

2018–19 Season statistic leaders

Completed for 2018–19 season

Scoring leaders

Rebound leaders

Assist leaders

Block leaders

Steal leaders

3PT % leaders