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Game 7-075/076: Metro Atlantic Semifinals
March 7, 2011 6:43 am ET by Kyle Whelliston

[4] Saint Peter's Peacocks at [1] Fairfield Stags

March 6, 2011 2:00 pm
BBState Stats/Recap

[3] Rider Broncs vs. [2] Iona Gaels

March 6, 2011 4:00 pm
BBState Stats/Recap



It's the MAAC semifinals. Anthony Kiedis howls in a cavernous arena. It's a day of recollection: we remember the Iona 'hawks of 2006, the NAC "measles outbreak" tourney of 1989, and The Founder's love of Pizzeria Uno. In 2011, Snowlander and the 11 Dwarves get bounced in Lobsterrollsliderland, and somewhere there are barstools big enough for the radio announcers not to fall off of. Elsewise, #TreeFever grips the Valley, and "Charlie Bird" checks into the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Airport.

@midmajority Game Tweets

Game No. 7-075: [4] Saint Peter's at [1] Fairfield. MAAC semis. Home game. img.ly/39lh
SPC is 18-13 (11-7), the 4 seed in this tourney. Beat Loyola 70-60 yesterday to end Jimmy Patsos' season with a loss.
Fairfield is the one, playing at home, 24-6 and 15-3 in the MAAC regular season. Beat Marist 55-31 yesterday. Lost recently to Iona.
#youareinformed #supersizestyle
Congrats sir! RT @AllanjLewis: Game No. 25: Missouri St v Ind State: Missouri Valley championship. 25 game project is complete? @midmajority
Full approve. RT @devyanks90: @midmajority Nevco is sponsoring the TV coverage of the NEC tourney
If you're watching on TV, you are watching refs look at a monitor. They are deciding on whether to award FAIR 2 or 3 FT's. Answer: 3.
Fairfield leads 3-2 out of the gate. Stags a fascinating team, I hope you give them a look today. 6-11 dude (Olander), next tallest is 6-6.
Or, if you're into #sportswriting, Snowlander and the 11 Dwarfs. Fairfield gets after it in all caps. Pure hunger and intensity.
Also, congrats to Long Island for holding serve in the NEC. We will be there in Brooklyn for the final on Wednesday.
It begins. RT @midmajority360: #champfortnight Missouri Valley: [3] Indiana State 0 [1] Missouri State 0 - 20:00 1H
Saint Peter's up 8-3 out of the first media. Would have been 10-3 but Jeron Belin just shanked a #dunx. Ouch.
#champfortnight Colonial: [4] Virginia Commonwealth 79 [1] George Mason 63 - Final
We link to them too! #buddies #xoxo #bff #notreally RT @PsyMar: @midmajority ESPN LINKED TO YOU!!! Look under Blog Roll es.pn/e9wBya
Nick "Kings Of" Leon just slammed home a long corner 3, and SPC is a surprising 11-3 leader over top seed and host Fairfield. 12:47 1H.
Make that 13-3. Fairfield is 0-7 from the floor after eight minutes. Only Derek Needham's three free throws to show for this game. Destroya.
At the end of the 1Q, Farifield's first sign of life. Lyndon Jordan #superhoop from the corner. 15-6 SPC, though, the four seed out front.
My #champfortnight bowtie got in TV! RT @bubbaprog: @midmajority We're on #ballywatch: 30fram.es/1kl
Mine too. RT @206Child: @midmajority - "The Valley" might be my favorite league n America
SPC's Wesley Jenkins, who TMM readers might remember as a #superhoop genius the last two times we saw them, is el scorcho. 7 pts. 22-10 SPC.
Fairfield radio behind me. Were on suicide watch until the last minute: two strong inside bangers cut the SPC lead to 22-12. 7:41 1H.
I asked for that. RT @smfranz: @midmajority He went to your room and read your diary?
#PipeFever RT @Dobber_BtB_SBN: Not only did Larry Bird go to ISU, but so did Burl Ives. There's your rooting interest. cc @midmajority
RT @FairfieldStags Senior Yorel Hawkins scores his 1000th career point as he heads to the line for an and 1. Congratulations Yorel on joining the list!!! #fb
Yorel Hawkins, a dependable 4-year Stag senior, will score many more points if his team can come back. 6:06 1H, SPC is now up 24-14.
FAIR-SPC is also a replay of Game 54 of Season 7, held in Jersey City. Fairfield won in OT. midmajority.com/p/1917
SPC going deep into the rotation, half of 25 points out on the floor right now. Calls are even, play is flowing, FAIR shooting badly.
Typical Fairfield possession just now: sr. Warren Edney straight shot at a transition hoop, blew it, Yvon Raymond layup on following trip.
It's now an even dubl-up in Bridgeport: Saint Peter's 28 Fairfield 14. 3:12 1H. And now a technical foul on the Stag bench.
Ed Cooley, MAAC COY and my rowmate the other night on #PFF, probably said "F___." 3:12 1H, 30-14 Saint Peter's.
Guy in stands holding a "Go Stags" sign upside down. That kind of day for Fairfield.
And what to make of this? RT @midmajority360 Virginia Comm. 79 George Mason 63 | VCU 23-10 (12-6) GMU 26-6 (16-2) | tmm7.me/fkb
VCU scores 1.22 points per possession, GMU goes cold from #superhoopland, people get to talk about the CAA for another week.
Here, another No. 4 seed is going nuts. Saint Peter's sustaining vs Fairfield. Jenkins another 3, he has 10 pts, and Peacocks are up 37-15.
#champfortnight Northeast: [3] Robert Morris 29 [2] Quinnipiac 33 - Half
40-15 SPC, 39 seconds to go. Fairfield radio guys declaring this game over. #packer #wasitoverwhenthegermansbombedpearlharbor
Fairfield 40, SPC 15. Fairfield players "disagreeing" with each other as they exit the floor for halftime. Hoo boy.
#champfortnight Missouri Valley: [3] Indiana State 28 [1] Missouri State 31 - Half
Tempo-free HT: Saint Peter's has 40 points in 27 possessions (1.48). Fairfield's converted 30 trips into 15 points (.50). 13 Stag turnovers.
RT @bubbaprog ANIMATED: Fairfield coach Ed Cooley goes berserk (with good reason, it was a bad call): http://30fram.es/1kn @midmajority
#champfortnight Metro Atlantic: [4] Saint Peter's 40 [1] Fairfield 15 - Half
Yes, the MAAC is going to Springfield MA in 2012. We just saw the intro video. In the restaurant montage was an Pizzeria Uno. #cantwait
Happy about sports RT @MAACSports: Saint Peter's fans excited about 1H performance of the Peacocks vs Fairfield twitpic.com/46w0hw
This is how Bally #orangpixls travel through space! RT @WincPMTV Bridgeport... A view from the inside of the truck twitpic.com/46vsew
Fairfield with big intensity and energy to start 2H. Two SPC empties. Stags chipping away at the lead sloooowly... 40-18 Peacocks at 18:39.
Naismith loved salad bars RT @kevinheaslip: @midmajority That Uno's is directly adjacent to the HOF complex in Springfield
SPC firing blanks. Fairfield's cut this to a straight dubl-up. If you want MAAC/CAA synergy, FAIR erased deficit of 27 v GMU... in the CIT!
Yorel Hawkins a giant #DUNX on one end, then a #BLOX on the other! Here come the Stags? 17 pt lead for SPC @ 16:15/reg. Peacocks 0 pts in 2H
Derek Needham a high rainbow 3! Hawkins j! Stags cut it to 12. Pressure on every possession. This Fairfield team refuses to die.
Ed Cooley motioning for the crowd to GET UP. Potentially amazing comeback in progress: Fairfield on a 13-0 run to start 2H. 40-28 Peacocks.
Stag players clapping, yelling, ass-slapping, screaming. SPC players eyes suddenly hollow.
But Stephen Samuels with a runback off a steal, and SPC cuts off the run. 13:26 left in regulation, the 4 seed up on the 1, 42-28.
Twelve to go, SPC lead is 12. Fairfield fans all standing. Let's see if they have as much energy as their players down the stretch.
#champfortnight Colonial: [3] Hofstra 34 [2] Old Dominion 41 - Half
Hawkins a steal, runback, and #D #U #N #X! The lead's been cut to 10! Stags have outscored SPC 17-2 this half. 11 to go.
RT @ValleyHoops Missouri State playing on their heels now. 9 team fouls on Missouri State. 44-38 Sycamore lead.
Steal by Colin Nickerson, but an empty! Fairfield would be all the way back if not for a lot of missed open shots.
Fairfield overheating and beating themselves now. Saint Peter's not present, currently. Nine minutes in regulation, 42-32 SPC.
FAIR's Warren Edney transition layup, and the SPC lead is down to SIX! 42-36 Peacocks 8:04 2H. Stags have outscored SPC 21-2 since HT.
We are everywhere. RT @pcarstensen: @midmajority Are you in the Arena?
Colin Nickerson two FTs for Fairfield, now it's 44-38 at 7:16 2H. Then a :35 violation for Saint Peter's! Stags with a llll the momentum.
Steven Samuels a runback #dunx for SPC. Peacocks puch it back out to eight. 5:20 remaining in regulation.
Saint Peter's lead back to 10, simply by showing up for a few possessions. Fairfield missing a lot of bunnies and puppies. Nervous time.
2:33 to go in this 1/4 semifinal. Fairfield down by ten, energy level flagging.
Nick Leon with two FT's at 1:58, and the Saint Peter's lead is back to 14. Fairfield straight-up hit a wall. Much despondence n the arena.
So it appears that Saint Peter's will be one game away from NCAAT. This is our 3rd viewing. Very on/off team, must be frustrating for fans.
#champfortnight Northeast: [3] Robert Morris 64 [2] Quinnipiac 62 - Final
RMU at LIU in @NECSports final Wed. RT @midmajority360: Robert Morris 64 Quinnipiac 62 | RMU 18-13 (12-6) QUIN 22-9 (13-5)
Ryan Bacon gets all #monstar on the rim with a #dunx, and that is your exclamation point (!). 44 ticks, [4] SPC up 58-46 on [1] Fairfield.
The SPC cheerleaders botch the "I Believe" chant. Badly. Like a Xerox copy of a Xerox copy. They must have played someone who played Navy.
Awesome. I'll be using that to check into hotels. RT @Sctvman @midmajority Asked wife who went to Indiana state. She replied "Charlie Bird".
Prediction for tonight. No, I won't give you an Iona-Rider pick. I'll bet a golden dollar these Fairfield radio guys are getting Real Drunk.
Dribble out. Final score from Bridgeport: Saint Peter's 62, Fairfield 48. The one-seed goes down in the MAAC. To the NIT for the Stags.
Fairfield players shuffle off the court, as if their season is over. It might as well be. They've been reduced to optional TV programming.
RT @MAACSports And we have an upset - #4 Saint Peter's beats #1 Fairfield in the first Men's Semi & will play tomorrow in the Men's Championship game
RT @HarrySmalleyIII Somewhere in Europe, Key Key Clark rejoices. RT @midmajority: Saint Peter's 62, Fairfield 48.
RT @ValleyHoops #TreeFever is taking over. Indiana State is the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions.
Want to say this: Indiana State is and was the best team in the Valley this year. I think anyone who follows the league would concede that.
They were putting up ridiculous rebounding (percentage) numbers in January. Then came that 3OT loss at Wichita. Huge confidence crisis.
#champfortnight Metro Atlantic: [4] Saint Peter's 62 [1] Fairfield 48 - Final
#champfortnight Missouri Valley: [3] Indiana State 60 [1] Missouri State 56 - Final
The Sycamores lost 5 in a row. The only time they were blown out was at Creighton. The other 3 were close games. THEN: 8 of 9.
So look at the numbers. Indiana State crapped the bed once. Other than that: most consistent team in the Valley. So they deserve it.
RT @midmajority360 Indiana State 60 Missouri State 56 | INST 20-13 (12-6) MOST 25-8 (15-3) | http://tmm7.me/fkg #MVC
We are five minutes from tip in the 2/3 MAAC game. Not surprisingly, half the place has emptied out. Estimates for crowd size tmrw?
Game No. 7-076: [2] Iona vs. [3] Rider at Bridgeport, CT. MAAC semifinal #2. Winner gets Saint Peter's, the No. 4, in the title game.
WELL played, sir. RT @DanSpears: @midmajority MAAC final attendance: Think the quarantine game in 1989.
The 1989 NAC measles-outbreak tournament at Siena needs to be made into a movie. Or a miniseries. Or a 13-episode HBO run.
Rider: 23-9, was 13-5 in the MAAC regular season. Have won six in a row. Beat Canisius in QF, 79-64. Beat SPC last weekend (we were there).
Iona: 21-10 (also 13-5), won the seed breaker. Killed Siena by 30 yesterday. On an 8 game win streak. Jersey letters can be seen from space.
16:45 #youareinformed
16:48 #champfortnight Colonial: [3] Hofstra 69 [2] Old Dominion 77 - Final
16:48 After four minutes, Iona up 11-7. Rashon Dwight, 6-3 sr. for the Gaels, with six points early.
16:51 If VCU wins, another painful week. Can we agree to not expect 3? No? OK, whatever. RT @midmajority CAA: [3] Hofstra 69 [2] Old Dominion 77
16:52 And I lived up the road. Should have remembered that. RT @lynchjm: @midmajority 1989 NAC Tourney was at Hartford Civic Center - not Siena.
16:53 whoa RT @MAACSports: Saint Peter's traveling in style! New wrapped Academy Bus! http://t.co/n3OsOm8
16:58 Iona up 19-12. Trying to recapture the magic of 2006. Steve Burtt. Ricky Soliver. Rocking the hawks. Mike Glover tapping that tradition.
16:59 I missed it on purpose. I live in reality. RT @burythemfast @midmajority Somehow you must've missed the #3bids4caa hashtag making the rounds
17:01 And this is just one of the many reasons why I did not recapture the CAAZone "Media Person of the Year" award in 2011.
17:02 Back to mohawks. Ricky Soliver didn't have "Optimus" shaved into the side of his head. Mike Glover does. Iona is up 29-19 at 7:32 1H.
17:07 This is our second of three (hopefully) today. At the completion of this one, back up to Hartford for the second AE semi. #wontstopcantstop
17:11 And Glover with an on-the-go #HAWKSLAM! Animated GIF of *that*! Iona up 33-24 at 4:04 1H.
17:13 On the other side, Justin Robinson is knocking down the #superhoops. He's from England! 11 of Rider's 26 points, but team's down by nine.
17:14 Wolfie. Rally Cat. Who you got? RT @midmajority360: #champfortnight America East: [5] Stony Brook 2 [1] Vermont 0 - 18:42 1H
17:22 Late in the first half, Iona leading Rider 38-30. Both teams shooting 46%. Difference is Gaels' superb #superhooping: 6-for-13 so far.
17:24 #champfortnight Metro Atlantic: [3] Rider 30 [2] Iona 38 - Half
17:24 Will try to get through the week without mentioning at-large bids. Will you join me? @bbstate Selection Sheets are there if you want them.
17:31 Tempo-free HT: [2] Iona has 38 points in 37 possessions (1.02), and [3] Rider has 30 points in 32 trips.
17:33 Rider turnovers (nine). RT @chicolbball: @midmajority Why the huge possession disparity?
17:33 RT @donpot: @midmajority Naked rims in St. Louis. The Sycamores took them. #TreeFever #ArchMadness http://t.co/nqiGyz9
17:35 RT @MAACSports: About to start the second half of the 2nd Men's Semifinal game of the 2011 Spark Energy MAAC Basketball Championships
17:37 There is nothing that says mid-major March like late-career Chili Peppers echoing through a nearly empty 9,000-seat arena. #truth
17:38 ...as the conference All-Academic Team scrolls on the video board. We are ready for the second half, yes.
17:44 Rider cuts it to five: 38-33. OK, Connecticutaniacs. I just heard an ad for "lobster roll sliders." Is this a thing? Should I be afraid?
17:45 More early trouble for UVM. RT @midmajority360: #champfortnight America East: [5] Stony Brook 17 [1] Vermont 14 - 6:56 1H
17:49 Here in Lobsterrollsliderland, Iona up 43-37. Both teams trying to run each other over with speed. Iona's Kyle Smith just got flattened.
17:51 Smith on the bench catching the wind that got knocked out of him on an end-to-end rush. 46-40 Iona, 17:03 2H. Gael turnover #'s rising.
17:52 #champfortnight Patriot League: [6] Lafayette 29 [2] American 27 - Half
17:55 Indeed, the MAAC will be in neutral-site Springfield for three years (12-14). Welcome to MAAC-achusetts! #theythoughtofitfirst
17:57 Rashon Dwight just dropped a superb #superhoop in front of us, and now Iona's up by nine. Dwight has a big 19. 14 and change to go.
17:57 RT @WCCSports: MBB | Later tonight: #WCC semis - No. 1 Saint Mary's vs. No. 4 Santa Clara; No. 2 Gonzaga vs. No. 3 San Francisco. Both games live on ESPN2.
17:58 RT @MAACSports: Look at the creativity of these Gael fans! Thanks @johncebelak for the photo. http://twitpic.com/46xhg5
17:58 #champfortnight America East: [5] Stony Brook 27 [1] Vermont 20 - Half
17:59 [2] Iona stretching out the lead. A fully optimized Glover sky-layup puts the Gaels up 58-44 on [3] Rider at 13:05 2H.
18:01 Jermel Jenkins sinks a 3 for Iona, says "YEAHHHH" at the Gael fans. Iona 11-for-21 from back there. 61-47 with 12 to go.
18:06 Glover another #DUNX. It just looks cooler when you have a mohawk. End of the third quarter, Iona 63 Rider 54.
18:19 Jermel Jenkins has 20, incl six threes. 73-57 Iona with five minutes to go; time to start preparing for a Gael-Peacock Tri-State slapdown.
18:19 RT @defiantlydutch: Damn man @midmajority you didn't waste any time dropping #Hofstra from the #ChampFortnight grid. I haz a sad. #DamnRobots
18:21 @defiantlydutch Charles Jenkins: Silent Knight. #saga4ever
18:21 RT @AmericaEast: Stony Brook has kept it going in the 2nd half. Grown lead to 13 (35-22) 4 mins into 2nd half. #AEBBChamps
18:22 Cavernous. http://t.co/eMXik5u
18:24 This has devolved into a #dunx show. Or should I say evolved! Chris Pelcher with a #skreemdunx + 1, Iona up 18 with 3:32 2H.
18:26 I'll say this about Iona's bigs: they like to make #dunx. Pelcher is 4-for-4 down lo off the bench, Glover has 12. Winding down this one.
18:28 Big banners. http://t.co/NhaHxHJ
18:36 #champfortnight Metro Atlantic: [3] Rider 59 [2] Iona 83 - Final

Boxscores

SAINT PETER'S 62, at FAIRFIELD 48
03/06/2011

SAINT PETER'S 19-13 (11-7) -- B. Howard 9-26 8-10 28; W. Jenkins 4-9 4-5 14; N. Leon 2-8 6-6 11; R. Bacon 5-9 0-0 10; S. Samuels 2-4 0-0 4; J. Belin 5-15 4-6 15; D. Conley 3-4 0-0 6; B. Hall 0-1 0-0 0; Y. Raymond 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 22-52 14-17 62.
FAIRFIELD 24-7 (15-3) -- D. Needham 1-12 4-5 7; R. Olander 2-4 0-0 4; Y. Hawkins 7-10 3-3 17; C. Nickerson 1-4 5-7 7; J. Fields 1-3 4-6 6; W. Edney 2-5 0-0 4; L. Jordan 1-3 0-0 3; M. Barrow 0-3 0-0 0; K. Matthews 0-1 0-0 0; K. Petric 0-0 0-0 0; G. Martin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-45 16-21 48.

Three-point goals: SPC 4-15 (N. Leon 1-4; W. Jenkins 2-6; B. Hall 0-1; J. Belin 1-4), FAIR 2-14 (L. Jordan 1-2; D. Needham 1-8; C. Nickerson 0-3; J. Fields 0-1); Rebounds: SPC 27 (J. Belin 7), FAIR 31 (R. Olander 9); Assists: SPC 11 (N. Leon 5), FAIR 10 (D. Needham 3); Total Fouls -- SPC 17, FAIR 16; Fouled Out: SPC-None; FAIR-Y. Hawkins.

IONA 83, RIDER 59
03/06/2011


RIDER 23-10 (13-5) -- R. Singleton 2-5 0-1 5; J. Robinson 6-12 2-2 16; M. Ringgold 2-7 0-0 4; N. Gadson 8-13 2-3 19; D. Stewart 0-2 0-0 0; A. Myles 2-6 0-0 6; B. Penn 4-9 0-0 9; P. Mansell 1-4 0-0 3; D. Nd-Ezuma 1-1 0-0 2; T. Pereira 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 4-5 59.
IONA 22-10 (13-5) -- M. Glover 5-8 2-3 12; R. Dwight 6-10 2-2 19; S. Machado 3-10 0-0 7; J. Jenkins 7-13 0-0 20; A. Rodriguez 2-3 0-0 4; K. Smyth 2-7 0-0 5; C. Pelcher 4-4 1-3 9; R. Dezouvre 0-1 4-4 4; S. Armand 1-3 0-0 3; T. Fields 0-0 0-0 0; J. James 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-59 9-12 83.

Three-point goals: RID 7-21 (P. Mansell 1-3; J. Robinson 2-6; B. Penn 1-5; N. Gadson 1-2; A. Myles 2-4; T. Pereira 0-1), IONA 14-28 (R. Dwight 5-7; S. Machado 1-2; J. Jenkins 6-10; K. Smyth 1-6; S. Armand 1-3); Rebounds: RID 20 (B. Penn 8), IONA 35 (M. Glover 8); Assists: RID 12 (M. Ringgold 4), IONA 26 (S. Machado 12); Total Fouls -- RID 15, IONA 11; Fouled Out: RID-N. Gadson; IONA-None.