Well, this weekend is one of the bigger weekends in recent memory for Stags fans. It starts Friday at 9 against the Iona Gaels. The team everyone is talking about. The Gaels are struggling of late. They have lost their last three games (all in MAAC play). However the Gaels only lost these three games by a combined seven points. Even though the Gaels are struggling many believe they stand as the biggest threat to knock off the Stags in the MAAC tournament. Then the Rider Broncs come to town on Sunday. Another dangerous opponent, and although we defeated them in Jersey earlier in the year, they are a tough team with a high powered and dangerous offense.
February 4th VS Iona- We start with the epic tale of two teams that play completely opposite styles. The Gaels come into this game averaging a MAAC leading 79 points per contest, while the Stags are giving up a MAAC best 55 points per game. Iona is lead by two dominant play makers. It all starts with junior PG Scott Machado. Machado LEADS THE NATION in assists per game with 7.8, and also puts up 14.1 ppg. Machado has caught my eye since his freshman year. He plays very similar to Needham. He is quick and tough and has the ability to make plays by himself with or without the ball. This season, he has as complete an arsenal as any mid-major point guard in the country. His main target is Junior College transfer Michael Glover. Glover has literally taken the MAAC by storm. He has been a complete game changer for the Gaels. Glover, originally a Seton Hall recruit, has put up eye popping numbers, averaging 19.1 ppg, and 10.7 rpg! Glover, against big East power Syracuse dropped 25 points and had 16 rebounds. However, in losses at Canisius and at home against Rider he only averaged 8.5 ppg and 11.5 rpg. At the beginning of the season, he seemed unstoppable. However, teams are learning to control Glover, and if you can control Glover you can control the Gaels. Lucky for first year head coach Tim Cluess, the offensive options don't stop. You have red-shirt sophomore sharpshooter Kyle Smyth who is averaging 11.6 ppg and a team leading 55 three pointers. Right behind Smyth is junior Jermel Jenkins who is putting up 10.1 points per contest and has 48 threes on the year. Slasher Rashon Dwight is averaging 7.4 ppg, and big man Alejo Rodriguez is putting up 6 points per contest along with 6.2 caroms per game. Not to be left out of the mix, freshman Sean Armand leads the team nailing 40.6 percent of his three point shots. Yea, this team can flat out score. What they cannot do is play defense. The Gaels are giving up 71.4 ppg which is 7th in the MAAC, and over their last 5 games they have only scored more than 80 points once, three of these games were loses.
Prediction- This is a very very hard game to predict. Iona is absolutely desperate for a win as they do not want to fall into 5th place in the MAAC standings. This is a team that has MAAC championship expectations. So the question is which Iona team shows up? The one that shocked Richmond on the road, or the one that lost to lowly Bryant? Hmmm, I expect the Gaels to give the Stags everything they have. However, I think the Stags offense will steal the show in this one.
Stags 74 Gaels 70
X Factor- Maurice Barrow. It is a lot to ask for a freshman to guard and all-MAAC player like Glover. However, if there is one frosh that can do it, his name is Maurice Barrow. Expect him to slow down Glover. However, he will pick up some fouls and Glover will pick up some points. That is where Keith Matthews comes in and steps up as well. I think the Stags hold Glover to 14 points and 12 rebounds, resulting in a victory. Another X Factor will be the Stags offense. Something tells me Iona will be hitting their shots,and the pressure will be on Needham and the offense. I am feeling a big game from Derek Needham and Yorel Hawkins. The Stags will show tonight that their offense can step up when needed, as they win a game that comes down to the final two minutes.
