If this team does turn out to be Cluess best the X factor may be Ibn Muhammad. He is turning into this teams spark plug 6th man. He comes in runs this show and gives a big break to English, Sed and even Laury by handling the ball. He also plays tenacious D and seems to have taken a leadership role on D that use to be done by Armand, by leading the defensive communication. This little talked about recruit could be the difference maker in this team Having a one of a kind season.
Last Edit: Nov 27, 2014 10:20:03 GMT -5 by Joebird
Having a player that can act as a coach on the floor and teammates are willing to listen to is huge. It saves on the use of timeouts and allows adjustments on the fly to keep the other team off balance or help regain composure. Ibn I feel will really help with the development of our other bench players by helping them be in position on both ends of the court. When I was fortunate to have a player with that type of IQ and leadership skills I made sure they sat next to me on the bench to speed their understanding of in-game situations. Selfless role players are key to overall success of a team, just look at the San Antonio Spurs. If we stay healthy this could be a special "TEAM". Have to believe that fact sold Cam Biensheid on becoming a Gael. Kudos to Coach Cluess and his staff on finding players who will buy into their vision. Absolutely amazed at how Coach Cluess and staff have been able to maintain the level of consistency and excellence from year to year with the turnover in players. As I have said in the past the credibility of the program is growing at the grass roots level. I feel that we will be in the conversation with higher level recruits, especially in the NYC Metro are, as we move forward. Unfortunately, the downside of this success as we have noted will be that other programs will try to lure away Coach Cluess and members of his staff. We need to enjoy the moment and not dwell on that fact. The good times are now. Happy Thanksgiving. GO GAELS!
Having a player that can act as a coach on the floor and teammates are willing to listen to is huge. It saves on the use of timeouts and allows adjustments on the fly to keep the other team off balance or help regain composure. Ibn I feel will really help with the development of our other bench players by helping them be in position on both ends of the court. When I was fortunate to have a player with that type of IQ and leadership skills I made sure they sat next to me on the bench to speed their understanding of in-game situations. Selfless role players are key to overall success of a team, just look at the San Antonio Spurs. If we stay healthy this could be a special "TEAM". Have to believe that fact sold Cam Biensheid on becoming a Gael. Kudos to Coach Cluess and his staff on finding players who will buy into their vision. Absolutely amazed at how Coach Cluess and staff have been able to maintain the level of consistency and excellence from year to year with the turnover in players. As I have said in the past the credibility of the program is growing at the grass roots level. I feel that we will be in the conversation with higher level recruits, especially in the NYC Metro are, as we move forward. Unfortunately, the downside of this success as we have noted will be that other programs will try to lure away Coach Cluess and members of his staff. We need to enjoy the moment and not dwell on that fact. The good times are now. Happy Thanksgiving. GO GAELS!
Iona opponents shooting only 43% so far, which would be the best under Cluess if that number holds up. So, still not a great defensive team, but I'd sign for 43% the rest of the way.
The greatest poster in the history of the MAAC as determined by THREE separate polls.
Ok, folks, you can slide back off from the edge of your seats. It's time for my annual game-by-game picks!
As a reminder, I've usually been pretty close on these, and I am not one to be overly optimistic about a given season, but...
11/14 vs Cleveland State. Tough opener for sure. Should be interesting. W, 1-0. 11/18 at Wofford. 7 am on ESPN2! Against a foe that knows us from last year. Bad news. L, 1-1. 11/21 at Wake Forest. I know we destroyed them a couple years back. And I know they're not expected to be good this year. But... L, 1-2. 11/23 at North Texas. Tricky game, though I admit I know little about them. 195 RPI last year. W, 2-2. 11/26 vs Delaware State. Cupcake city. W, 3-2. 11/30 at Arkansas. Tough test. Winnable, but... L, 3-3. 12/7 at Monmouth. I think the Hawks are building something--but we will have had a week off. W, 4-3, 1-0. 12/10 vs Rider. Broncs are not good on defense. W, 5-3, 2-0. 12/13 vs Indiana State. We almost won there last year, and you know they have no interest in this game. W, 6-3, 2-0. 12/20 at George Mason. GMU isn't what it was and is still trying to get back. W, 7-3, 2-0. 12/23 vs Florida Gulf Coast. Hope they enjoy their visit to Rockefeller Center! W, 8-3, 2-0. 12/28 at Drexel. Sluggish return after holiday. L, 8-4, 2-0. 12/30 at UMass. Minutemen are a MAAC team this year, playing 4 of our league foes, all at home. I think they'll go 2-2 vs MAAC. We won't be one to fall. W, 9-4, 2-0. 1/4 at Siena. Lots of mixed views on the Saints, but no question they have this one circled on the calendar. L, 9-5, 2-1. 1/6 vs Quinnipiac. Back on track and refocused. W, 10-5, 3-1. 1/10 vs Canisius. No Billy Baron. Nuff said. W, 11-5, 4-1. 1/13 vs Fairfield. Stags trending downward. W, 12-5, 5-1. 1/16 at Niagara. My hunch is that the Purps will exceed expectations--but they're not ready to win a game like this. W, 13-5, 6-1. 1/18 at Canisius. With both Buffalo teams down, a rare sweep! W, 14-5, 7-1. 1/22 at Rider. Broncs always pretty good at home, so no cakewalk. But... W, 15-5, 8-1. 1/25 vs Niagara. Let's get those bench guys some run, Coach Cluess. W, 16-5, 9-1. 1/31 vs St. Peter's. First look at the rising Cocks. Wait, what? W, 17-5, 10-1. 2/2 at Fairfield. Stags will ugly it up and keep it interesting, but... W, 18-5, 11-1. 2/6 vs Siena. Send those whiny hayseeds home with an L. W, 19-5, 12-1. 2/8 vs Marist. Can't gauge the Foxes just yet, but they don't defend much. W, 20-5, 13-1. 2/13 at Manhattan. Friday the 13th in Riverdale? Can't be good. L, 20-6, 13-2. 2/15 at Quinnipiac. No easy game for sure, but... W, 21-6, 14-2. 2/20 at Marist. This game could be a shootout. Which we like. W, 22-6, 15-2. 2/22 vs Monmouth. Momentum builder for stretch run. W, 23-6, 16-2. 2/27 vs Manhattan. Jaspers won't sweep. W, 24-6, 17-2. 3/1 at St. Peter's. Cocks might be the most dangerous team in Albany. L, 24-7, 17-3.
I think Iona is the best team in this league, comfortably. I've been saying Siena will finish second all along, and I will stick with that. But they're no better than 14-6.
This should be Cluess' best team, or at least on par with the at-large team. There are two dangers in Albany--playing a "road game" in the final vs Siena, and playing a good team that we swept during the year. But when the chips are down, I think the only teams that could beat us up there are Siena (only because they're at home) and St. Peter's. And I do think these teams will finish 2-3 in the standings, so we likely would see one of them in the final.
I have never predicted such lofty results for Iona, but I don't see a reason for us to be WEAKER than last year, and if we prove to have the depth we think we've seen, we should be stronger. If Tim has to shorten the bench to 6-7 guys again, we will lose more than I have projected.
I also think the MAAC is a shade weaker as well. The teams expected to be near the top have major flaws, but Iona does not, and on every night in league play Iona will have 3 of the top 4-5 players on the floor.
Let's get this going.
Spot on overall record after 9 games. 1 off on conf record. Applause.
Guy's W-L picks are dependent upon Siena doing MUCH BETTER, then their recent play suggests. If they do finish second we should all tip our hats to Guy. If not, we'll say that he's spending too much time on the MAAC Board reading (and believing) Siena BS. (SF)
This is a horrible MAAC this year. Siena could EASILY still finish second. But, if I had to guess, Monmouth is the league's second best team right now. But I said it before the season above and on the MAAC board several times, and got ridiculed for it there, that Iona will win the league by 3 games. I have seen absolutely nothing suggesting that that won't happen.
Crazy array of nonconf games coming up, where I have us losing at Drexel but winning at UMass. Certainly we have a chance to win both, but obviously given the way things have broken out I think we can all see that flip-flopping.
The best team that will come into Hynes the rest of the way is UFGC. If we can beat them, we should be perfect at home. Any other team coming in and beating us would be a very big letdown on our part.
The greatest poster in the history of the MAAC as determined by THREE separate polls.
Ok, folks, you can slide back off from the edge of your seats. It's time for my annual game-by-game picks!
As a reminder, I've usually been pretty close on these, and I am not one to be overly optimistic about a given season, but...
11/14 vs Cleveland State. Tough opener for sure. Should be interesting. W, 1-0. 11/18 at Wofford. 7 am on ESPN2! Against a foe that knows us from last year. Bad news. L, 1-1. 11/21 at Wake Forest. I know we destroyed them a couple years back. And I know they're not expected to be good this year. But... L, 1-2. 11/23 at North Texas. Tricky game, though I admit I know little about them. 195 RPI last year. W, 2-2. 11/26 vs Delaware State. Cupcake city. W, 3-2. 11/30 at Arkansas. Tough test. Winnable, but... L, 3-3. 12/7 at Monmouth. I think the Hawks are building something--but we will have had a week off. W, 4-3, 1-0. 12/10 vs Rider. Broncs are not good on defense. W, 5-3, 2-0. 12/13 vs Indiana State. We almost won there last year, and you know they have no interest in this game. W, 6-3, 2-0. 12/20 at George Mason. GMU isn't what it was and is still trying to get back. W, 7-3, 2-0. 12/23 vs Florida Gulf Coast. Hope they enjoy their visit to Rockefeller Center! W, 8-3, 2-0. 12/28 at Drexel. Sluggish return after holiday. L, 8-4, 2-0. 12/30 at UMass. Minutemen are a MAAC team this year, playing 4 of our league foes, all at home. I think they'll go 2-2 vs MAAC. We won't be one to fall. W, 9-4, 2-0. 1/4 at Siena. Lots of mixed views on the Saints, but no question they have this one circled on the calendar. L, 9-5, 2-1. 1/6 vs Quinnipiac. Back on track and refocused. W, 10-5, 3-1. 1/10 vs Canisius. No Billy Baron. Nuff said. W, 11-5, 4-1. 1/13 vs Fairfield. Stags trending downward. W, 12-5, 5-1. 1/16 at Niagara. My hunch is that the Purps will exceed expectations--but they're not ready to win a game like this. W, 13-5, 6-1. 1/18 at Canisius. With both Buffalo teams down, a rare sweep! W, 14-5, 7-1. 1/22 at Rider. Broncs always pretty good at home, so no cakewalk. But... W, 15-5, 8-1. 1/25 vs Niagara. Let's get those bench guys some run, Coach Cluess. W, 16-5, 9-1. 1/31 vs St. Peter's. First look at the rising Cocks. Wait, what? W, 17-5, 10-1. 2/2 at Fairfield. Stags will ugly it up and keep it interesting, but... W, 18-5, 11-1. 2/6 vs Siena. Send those whiny hayseeds home with an L. W, 19-5, 12-1. 2/8 vs Marist. Can't gauge the Foxes just yet, but they don't defend much. W, 20-5, 13-1. 2/13 at Manhattan. Friday the 13th in Riverdale? Can't be good. L, 20-6, 13-2. 2/15 at Quinnipiac. No easy game for sure, but... W, 21-6, 14-2. 2/20 at Marist. This game could be a shootout. Which we like. W, 22-6, 15-2. 2/22 vs Monmouth. Momentum builder for stretch run. W, 23-6, 16-2. 2/27 vs Manhattan. Jaspers won't sweep. W, 24-6, 17-2. 3/1 at St. Peter's. Cocks might be the most dangerous team in Albany. L, 24-7, 17-3.
I think Iona is the best team in this league, comfortably. I've been saying Siena will finish second all along, and I will stick with that. But they're no better than 14-6.
This should be Cluess' best team, or at least on par with the at-large team. There are two dangers in Albany--playing a "road game" in the final vs Siena, and playing a good team that we swept during the year. But when the chips are down, I think the only teams that could beat us up there are Siena (only because they're at home) and St. Peter's. And I do think these teams will finish 2-3 in the standings, so we likely would see one of them in the final.
I have never predicted such lofty results for Iona, but I don't see a reason for us to be WEAKER than last year, and if we prove to have the depth we think we've seen, we should be stronger. If Tim has to shorten the bench to 6-7 guys again, we will lose more than I have projected.
I also think the MAAC is a shade weaker as well. The teams expected to be near the top have major flaws, but Iona does not, and on every night in league play Iona will have 3 of the top 4-5 players on the floor.
Let's get this going.
Bump. Off one game--Monmouth. But I had picked us to lose at Siena, and honestly I can't see that happening now.
The greatest poster in the history of the MAAC as determined by THREE separate polls.