The 2017 MAAC Tournament bracket with a printable version, to help you follow along and get ready for tournament season
In the final of last year’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, Iona’s victory — and clinching of the automatic bid — sank the tournament hopes of mid-major darling Monmouth. Despite a 27-7 record that included non-conference victories over five ‘Power 6’ teams and the best damn bench celebrations in basketball, Monmouth could not secure an at-large bid and lost in the second round of the NIT.
They’re back as the favorites as this year’s MAAC tournament kicks off. The No. 1 seeded Hawks have rolled to a 26-5 record, even as they maintained one of the tougher non-conference schedules in the country. They’ve lost just two of their 20 conference games — one of them in overtime to No. 6 seed Rider.
They’re carried by much the same crew as last year — their minutes continuity of 81.9 percent (per KenPom) is the third-highest in the country. Justin Robinson is the team’s best offensive player, averaging an efficient 19.7 points per game on 42.1/40.2/85.2 splits. But the team plays a deep bench full of efficient offensive players, and they’ve managed to put together a top-70 defense (by adjusted efficiency) this year.
The biggest challengers to Monmouth are likely Saint Peter’s and, of course, Iona. Saint Peter’s nearly swept Monmouth this year. They handled them at home by double digits, and fell by just a point in overtime on the road. The Peacocks play stout defense, anchored by 6-foot-8 center Quadir Whelton, and are probably the biggest roadblock to Monmouth fulfilling their NCAA tournament dreams.
Iona also lurks as the only other team in the conference with a positive adjusted efficiency margin. But, they’ll have to get through Saint Peter’s first to see Monmouth again in the championship game. Led by forward/center Jordan Washington — who uses an astounding 37.5 percent of possessions while on the floor — the Gaels will be looking to recapture some of the magic that propelled them to the tournament last year.
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What’s the path through the tournament for everyone look like? Below is the 2017 MAAC tournament bracket. To get to a printable version, just click the image below.
While upset potential always abounds when March rolls around, the real contests in the MAAC tournament should start in the semi-finals. Look for a meeting between Monmouth and either Iona or Saint Peter’s in the final.