MAAC primer

A team-by-team glance at the MAAC heading into the 2007-08 season.

Canisius

Strengths: Point guard Frank Turner is one of the best players in the MAAC. Coach John Parrotta, who received a contract extension through 2010-11, was doing some very good things with last year's team before the bottom fell out late. Now, he rebuilds, a common theme with this program.

Weaknesses: Experience. The Griffs return only one double-figure scorer and lost a ton of offense with the three guys who left.

Scouting the newcomers: The Griffs have seven freshmen and a junior college transfer and the transfer, scorer Willie Hassell, should step right into the starting lineup. Freshmen Julius Coles, a 6-4 combo guard who can do all offensively, 3-4 man Elton Frazier and Greg Logins are also expected to contribute right away.

Fairfield

Strengths: Coaching. Ed Cooley came from Boston College and brought most of Al Skinner's coaching philosophy with him -- play hard and make the other team know it was in a battle. The Stags should also be very deep and figure to play 10 guys this season, many of whom played serious minutes last season.

Weaknesses: "We're young," says Cooley, who takes his team into battle in what looks like a deep conference, one where a good team could finish second in the second division. The Stags have to replace the 3-point shooting of Michael Van Schaick, and a pair of freshman starters will make mistakes.

Scouting the newcomers: Freshmen small forward Yorel Hawkins and shooting guard Warren Edney are projected to step right into Ed Cooley's starting lineup, although that isn't etched in stone. Transfer Mike Evanovich (Iowa) will play a lot of minutes.

Iona

Strengths: Coaching. Kevin Willard brings the pedigree to his first job, and the atmosphere had to change overnight at Iona. This team, riddled by graduation loss, injury and academic woes last year, has a real roster now, and it should make a difference.

Weaknesses: Learning how to win can be a problem when losing becomes a way of life and many of these kids went through the mire last year. And, as is the case with all 3-point-shooting teams, you live or die by it.

Scouting the newcomers: Kevin Willard will be looking for quick contributions from guards Rashon Dwight and Andre Tarver, with Tarver seen as the more-progressed rookie as camp opened.

Loyola-Maryland

Strengths: Depth. Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos has all kinds of people to bring off the bench as he looks for his third consecutive winning season. The Greyhounds may have also struck gold again in the transfer department, with Joe Miles seen as having star quality. Gerald Brown is one of the best players in the conference.

Weaknesses: Hard to really find any. There is depth everywhere, but the Hounds could be questionable up front if big man Hassan Fofana doesn't stay healthy.

Scouting the newcomers: Transfer Joe Miles averaged double figures and distributed the ball in his two years at Marshall before sitting out last year. The guard is a shooter who will see time with Brown, providing a potentially devastating scoring duo.

Manhattan

Strengths: The Jaspers were about to bring back most of their points, rebounds and minutes from a year ago but were hit by the defection of Arturo Dubois. Still, the guys left behind played a lot last season. This team is strong in the guard/forward swing-type players who can drive an opponent crazy.

Weaknesses: The loss of Dubois and 6-8 Guy Ngarndi has to hurt inside as the Jaspers look to establish some identity. This team was a terrible shooting group last year, and freshman Nick Walsh could help with that.

Scouting the newcomers: Coach Barry Rohrssen is counting on significant play from F Andrew Gabriel and G Rashad Green and could get help from pure-shooting G Nick Walsh, all 5-9 of him.

Marist

Strengths: The Marist program continues to increase its win total and visibility for the program. This year, the team goes from being guard-oriented to being very strong up front. There is also depth to go along with a load of new faces.

Weaknesses: New faces mean inexperience, and there's plenty of that to take some lumps in some tough early season games. When you lose guards like Jared Jordan and Will Whittington, your guard play has to be considered a weakness until the others prove themselves.

Scouting the newcomers: Marist needs new guards, and transfer David Devezin appears to be the favorite for the point spot, although he will have competition from Dejuan Goodwin, who sat out as a freshman last season. Transfer Louis McCroskey is over from Syracuse and will be a key member of the frontcourt and the Foxes like G Jayde Gavin and Korey Bauer.

Niagara

Strengths: Charron Fisher is one of the best players in the conference and might well be the Player of the Year when his senior season is done. The Purple Eagles are also strong in the backcourt and will be able to score.

Weaknesses: This team lost a lot in terms of experience and production, and people like center Benson Egemonye have to step in and fill some of that gap. It could be bumpy for a bit. The Eagles like to score, but this group has to prove it can win shootouts.

Scouting the newcomers: It really is hard to get a read on what newcomers will do what for Joe Mihalich. Freshmen Anthony Nelson and Kashief Edwards are two to watch, but there are also transfers Demetrius Williamson and Miroslav Palenik to keep an eye on

Rider

Strengths: Well, you start with big man Jason Thompson, who plays big and small in the same game. Sprinkle in three fellow returning starters, and you see the main strength is experience.

Weaknesses: When you go into a season without an experienced point guard, you have questions to answer. Matt Griffin and Justin Robinson are battling it out for that spot.

Scouting the newcomers: Griffin and Robinson must settle things at the point. Redshirt freshman Patrick Mansell joins brother Harris and can really score.

Siena

Strengths: G Kenny Hasbrouck is one of the best veteran players in the league and fellow G Edwin Ubiles led all freshmen scorers in the MAAC last season. The pair averaged almost 28 points a game as Ubiles was named MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year. The team is deeper now, and that will allow Fran McCaffery to run and press; PG Ronald Moore a real leader on the floor.

Weaknesses: Well, you lose a guy Michael Haddix, a 6-6 player who played bigger and averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, you're going to feel it, and 6-7 David Ryan is also gone. So, there is a size problem coming in, and the Saints weren't a great rebounding team last season; the size shortage is one the coach clearly hopes will be overcome by the team speed.

Scouting the newcomers: Transfer F Josh Duell (Vermont) will vie for significant playing time. There are four freshmen, with Clarence Jackson and Chris De La Rosa seen as the two likely to get the most playing time as rookies.

St. Peter's

Strengths: Interior player Todd Sowell is one of the best players in the league. There's depth here, even though much of it is young and untested. The new faces have to inject life into a team that won five games a year ago.

Weaknesses: With new faces come mistakes, and this team will make a load of them. The perimeter game has to develop and will do so while young players likely cough the ball up.

Scouting the newcomers: Freshman Darryl Lampley and redshirt freshman Nick Leon may well battle for the starting point guard spot, with G Wesley Jenkins and F/C Ryan Bacon also candidates to start.