If it wasn't already clear Derek Needham was the prohibitive early favorite to be the MAAC Rookie of the Year, consider Needham's game last night in Fairfield's 70-61 win over Marist.

The point guard from Chicago played arguably his worst game of the season, provoking Ed Cooley to say the following to the Connecticut Post: "I don't know where Derek's head was for 35 minutes -- it was somewhere in Chicago. He has to understand teams are going to scout you. They are going to come after your leading scorers and you're not a secret any more. You are a great player and you have to prepare for that."

You'd think, given that assessment, that he'd have been held to four points, committed six turnovers and fouled out five minutes into the second half.

Yet Needham's bad performance produced the following stats: 14 points, seven assists and only two turnovers in 31 minutes.

Sure, if Needham was REALLY on the game might not have been as close as it was. But if he wasn't on the court, it could have been worse for the Stags, who couldn't have afforded to start their MAAC season with a loss to the woeful Red Foxes.

Then there's this quote from Yorel Hawkins, which you won't always hear upperclassmen say about freshmen:

"We follow his lead," Hawkins told the Post. "He's the captain of the team."