NCAAM 2019 MAAC Tournament Odds: Iona & Rider Listed as Co-Favorites
- Iona is the three-time defending MAAC Tournament champ.
- The winner earns an automatic bid to NCAA tournament.
- Are the Gaels the best bet or will Rider, Siena, or Quinnipiac break the streak?
March Madness technically starts with the NCAA Tournament, but in practice, it begins this week with mid-major conference tournaments, like the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament.
Just how up for grabs is the MAAC’s lone berth to the NCAA Tournament?
The top two seeds — the Iona Gaels and Rider Broncos — both have losing records on the season.
Let’s delve into this one, and see if we can’t find a value bet amongst this cluttered field.
Odds to Win MAAC Men’s Basketball Tournament
| Team | Seed | Overall Record | Conference Record | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iona Gaels | 1 | 14-15 | 12-6 | +325 |
| Canisius Golden Griffins | 2 | 14-16 | 11-7 | +700 |
| Quinnipiac Bobcats | 3 | 16-13 | 11-7 | +375 |
| Rider Broncs | 4 | 16-14 | 11-7 | +325 |
| Siena Saints | 5 | 16-15 | 11-7 | +375 |
| Monmouth Hawks | 6 | 11-20 | 10-8 | +2000 |
| Manhattan Jaspers | 7 | 10-20 | 8-10 | +5000 |
| Marist Red Foxes | 8 | 12-18 | 7-11 | +1600 |
| Saint Peter’s Peacocks | 9 | 9-21 | 6-12 | +5000 |
| Fairfield Stags | 10 | 9-21 | 6-12 | +2000 |
| Niagara Purple Eagles | 11 | 13-18 | 6-12 | +3300 |
*Odds taken on 03/05/19
Beware Betting the No. 1 Seed
Something’s gotta give in this year’s MAAC tournament. The Iona Gaels enter as the top seed and winners of three straight conference tournaments.
The Iona Gaels love to dance pic.twitter.com/g2ALhEfdYT
— Christian Anzalone (@cja0901) March 6, 2018
But all those wins have come as a non-1 seed.
In fact, the MAAC is the most volatile conference in the country: no top seed has claimed this tournament title since 2010, the longest drought among the 32 conferences. The next closest streak is the Atlantic 10, with five.
CT Native EJ Crawford gives Iona its first lead of the second half at 60-57 with 6:17 to play. Crawford has 16. #MAACHoops pic.twitter.com/4qRKdJ5Ka1
— Peter Dewey (@peterdewey2) February 20, 2019
Iona has made it to the final of the MAAC Tournament six straight years, but as mentioned, they are on shaky ground both with history and their play this season. Thankfully, a 12-6 conference record was the determining factor in seeding, as they went just 2-9 in all other games this season.
Congrats to our three All-MAAC honorees! #ICMBB #MAACHoops pic.twitter.com/PYB9E8itRM
— Iona Men’s Basketball (@IonaGaelsMBB) March 4, 2019
They’re led by All-MAAC First Team stars EJ Crawford and Ricky McGill. Crawford was second in the conference in scoring at 18.8 points per game while shooting 53% from the field. McGill, a senior, averaged 16.9 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.4 steals per game in MAAC play, a top four ranking in all conference categories. Junior Tajuan Agee was also named to the Second Team.
Other Players to Watch
After Iona, there’s a log jam, with four teams tied for second in the conference standings.
If star power is the key to escaping the tourney with the title, then a player to keep an eye on is Quinnipiac University’s Cameron Young, a unanimous First Team choice. The senior scorched in league play, dropping 25.5 points a game to lead all players.
Cameron Young's record-breaking 55 points gets us a 3OT win at Siena, and we land the top spot on @SportsCenter!#BobcatNation #MAACHoops pic.twitter.com/S7WQOH0rwZ
— Quinnipiac Men's Basketball (@QU_MBB) February 18, 2019
He hung 55 points on Siena in a triple-overtime extravaganza in February – setting the MAAC all-time mark. His 55-point output was the highest-scoring game in the NCAA this season.
It was a part of a duel with Siena freshman Jalen Pickett, who scored the second-most points in a game in MAAC history, with a 46-point, 13-assist gem. Pickett earned both All-MAAC First Team honors and a unanimous choice on the All-Rookie Team.
The second-seeded Canisius Golden Griffins will go as far as sophomore Takal Molson takes them. He led Canisius in scoring at 17 points a game, while building on his rookie of the year campaign from a season ago.
Rider 58 | Niagara 27 – HALFTIME – Stevie Jordan now leading all scorers with 14 points, shooting 2-3 from three-point range to go along with 3 assists & 2 steals. https://t.co/DwhrKDAx08 #GoBroncs #MAACHoops pic.twitter.com/SHP9kA666y
— Rider Men’s Basketball (@RiderMBB) February 23, 2019
Meanwhile, Rider shares the best odds with Iona (+325), but with far less fanfare. Some impressive numbers for the Broncos: they rank eighth in the nation in free throws attempted and sixth in steals. Within the conference, they’re first in offensive rebounding and second in scoring at 76.8 points a game.
A team that can defend, rebound and get to the line will always have value in short tournaments.
What is the Right Bet to Make?
While Iona is the favorite, we’re wary of the top-seed jinx, and how this tournament can go any which way, without surprise.
If you must bet a favorite, then roll with Rider (+325).
We lean to value and the best player. That conveniently lands on Young and Quinnipiac (+700).
Looking for some long shots? The Monmouth Hawks (+2000) started the season 0-12, but ended on quite a run, going 11-8 down the home stretch. Meanwhile, Marist (+1600) is ranked fifth in the conference, according to KenPom, so don’t be scared by their 7-11 mark in conference play.
SBD’s NCAA conference tournament coverage:
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
