LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference today announced its updated men's basketball league slate for the 2020-21 season. The MAAC Council of Presidents adjusted the season's scheduling format in early November after taking into consideration evolving COVID-19 testing, travel and venue standards.
 
The new schedules feature a Friday/Saturday playing format at the same venue for both games, with 24 hours of spacing between the two contests. The men's and women's schedules mirror each other so that one institution's program is home while the other is away, both facing the same opponent.
 
Teams have the weekend of Dec. 25-26 open for the holiday break, where non-conference games are permitted to be scheduled. In addition, the weekend of Feb. 22-27 remains open for all teams as an opportunity to make up any conference games due to COVID-19 disruptions. 
 
As stated in the recently announced revised scheduling policy release, MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor noted "The MAAC's goal with the revised scheduling format is to complete the conference season and meet the NCAA minimum of 13 Division I games to be played by teams. In light of the evolving state and local health standards, the increasing levels of infection rates, and decisions related to testing teams and officials three times a week for COVID-19, the MAAC membership revised its existing format for this season. The health and safety of our student-athletes and those associated with our programs is the priority of the Council of Presidents."
 
The Council is also in the process of reviewing draft guidelines for Commissioner Ensor to use in the rescheduling of make-up games this season, anticipating disruptions to the schedule caused by the pandemic. The draft policy would grant the commissioner wide latitude and flexibility in rescheduling games, working with the Director of Athletics of the institutions affected, but relying on the commissioner to make the final decision. This would also apply to any additional games that may be scheduled between MAAC teams in their effort to reach the NCAA minimum of 13 contests, including up to four total contests between schools.
 
"With the focus on conference scheduling, and given COVID-19 disruptions, it is unlikely most schools will play the maximum NCAA limit of 27 games," said Ensor. "Non-conference games, while helpful for conditioning teams for conference competition, are not mandatory and need to be evaluated to insure student-athlete safety. It's at an institution's discretion how many non-conference games should be played."
 
Television information and start times will be announced at a later date.

Manhattan
Dec. 11-12 * Riverdale, NY

Series History: Rider leads, 32-24
Winning Streak: Rider, 2
Last Meeting: Rider, 71-59 (Mar. 4, 2020; Lawrenceville, NJ)
Quickly: The final three league opponents Rider will see in 2020-21 represent the three it swept the season series from last year, with Manhattan first on the list. The Broncs defeated the Jaspers, 67-63, at Draddy Gym before closing the regular season with a convincing 71-59 victory at Alumni Gym. The Jaspers were another team hit hard by transfers, as All-MAAC Third Team honoree Pauly Paulicap (10.4 ppg., 6.6 rpg.) and second-leading scorer Tykei Greene (9.7 ppg.) were lost to DePaul and Stony Brook, respectively. Samir Stewart (8.4 ppg.) and Warren Williams (8.3 ppg.) are the Jaspers' top returning scorers.

Iona
Dec. 18-19 * Alumni Gym

Series History: Iona leads, 41-26
Winning Streak: Iona, 4
Last Meeting: Iona, 70-69 (Feb. 21, 2020; New Rochelle, NY)
Quickly: The Gaels hired Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Pitino to lead the program this season following Tim Cluess' retirement. While just five letter winners remain from last year's team, including key contributors Asante Gist and Isaiah Ross, Pitino has also secured a highly-touted recruiting class for his first season in New Rochelle.

Fairfield
Jan. 1-2 * Fairfield, CT

Series History: Fairfield leads, 34-33
Winning Streak: Rider, 5
Last Meeting: Rider, 65-51 (Mar. 1, 2020; Fairfield, CT)
Quickly: The Broncs have won five straight against Fairfield, including a pair of double-digit victories last season. The Stags return key contributors Jesus Cruz (11.0 ppg.) and Taj Benning (9.8 ppg.) for Head Coach Jay Young's second year at the helm.

Niagara
Jan. 8-9 * Niagara University, NY

Series History: Rider leads, 27-23
Winning Streak: Rider, 1
Last Meeting: Rider, 73-58 (Feb. 9, 2020; Lawrenceville, NJ)
Quickly: The Purple Eagles eclipsed expectations in Greg Paulus' first year at the helm, earning the No. 6 seed in the MAAC Championships and winning a first-round game prior to the cancellation of a would-be rubber match with the Broncs in the quarterfinals. Niagara's Marcus Hammond hit a buzzer beater to defeat the Broncs in Western New York on Jan. 17, before the Broncs led wire-to-wire in beating the Purple Eagles at Alumni Gym on Feb. 9.

Siena
Jan. 15-16 * Alumni Gym

Series History: Siena leads, 34-18
Winning Streak: Siena, 1
Last Meeting: Siena, 73-64 (Feb. 14, 2020; Albany, NY)
Quickly: Siena's Jalen Pickett was named 2020 MAAC Player of the Year, becoming just the second sophomore to earn the honor in MAAC history (La Salle's Lionel Simmons). The two teams split last year's season series, with Rider taking an 85-77 win at home on Jan. 5, before falling on the road, 73-64, on Feb. 14.

Quinnipiac
Jan. 22-23 * Hamden, CT

Series History: Rider leads, 13-4
Winning Streak: Rider, 1
Last Meeting: Rider, 79-63 (Feb. 16, 2020; Lawrenceville, NJ)
Quickly: Following a dominant start to the all-time series, Rider stumbled in back-to-back meetings in Hamden spanning the last two seasons, before earning a convincing 79-63 win at Alumni Gym last Feb. 16. The Broncs have never lost to the Bobcats in Lawrenceville, posting a 7-0 record. Like the Broncs, the Bobcats lost a pair of transfers to high-major programs in Rich Kelly (Boston College) and Kevin Marfo (Texas A&M). However, the Bobcats return key contributors Tyrese Williams (9.9 ppg.) and Jacob Rigoni (8.6 ppg., .402 3ptFG%).

Marist
Jan. 29-30 * Alumni Gym

Series History: Rider leads, 38-24
Winning Streak: Rider, 8
Last Meeting: Rider, 69-52 (Jan. 12, 2020; Poughkeepsie, NY)
Quickly: Rider defeated Marist twice in its first five league games last season, with a 74-64 win on Dec. 16 in Lawrenceville and a 69-52 victory on Jan. 12 in Poughkeepsie. Rider's eight-game winning streak against Marist represents its longest current streak, winning or losing, in league play. The Red Foxes return their top three scorers in Michael Cubbage (9.3 ppg.), Matt Herasme (9.0 ppg.) and Jordan Jones (8.5 ppg.).

Saint Peter's
Feb. 5-6 * Jersey City, NJ

Series History: Rider leads, 38-31
Winning Streak: Saint Peter's, 1
Last Meeting: Saint Peter's, 73-54 (Feb. 23, 2020; Jersey City, NJ)
Quickly: Saint Peter's snapped a three-game Rider winning streak to earn a 73-54 win last Feb. 23 at the Yanitelli Center and split the season series. The Peacocks were incredibly balanced a year ago, with their leading scorer, MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year KC Ndefo, averaging 8.5 points per game. Ndefo leads a solid group of returners, along with 2020 MAAC All-Rookie Team selections Daryl Banks III (7.9 ppg.) and Doug Edert (7.8 ppg.), who went off for 28 points on 7-of-10 shooting from long range against the Broncs last Feb. 23.

Canisius
Feb. 12-13 * Alumni Gym

Series History: Rider leads, 37-15
Winning Streak: Rider, 1
Last Meeting: Rider, 61-60 (Feb. 7, 2020; Lawrenceville, NJ)
Quickly: A young Canisius team gave Rider trouble last year, winning a 95-86 shootout in Buffalo before the Broncs needed three Willy Nuñez, Jr. free throws with 5.9 seconds remaining to edge the Griffs at Alumni Gym. Do-it-all point guard Malik Johnson has graduated, but the Griffs return top scorer Majesty Brandon (13.9 ppg.) and its next five leading scorers after Johnson, including MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree Jacco Fritz (7.1 ppg.).  

Monmouth
Mar. 5-6 * West Long Branch, NJ
Friday, Feb. 5 * Alumni Gym

Series History: Rider leads, 31-23
Winning Streak: Rider, 1
Last Meeting: Rider, 79-67 (Feb. 28, 2020; Lawrenceville, NJ)
Quickly: hOURglass rivals Rider and Monmouth have split the season series in each of the last four years. The Hawks were another team bit by the transfer bug, with Ray Salnave moving on to DePaul. However, Monmouth does return one of the top scorers in the MAAC in Deion Hammond (16.3 ppg.).