When this blog launched in December of 2007, no one was sure if there would be enough interest in MAAC and mid-major basketball to make it worthwhile.

I wasn't fully sold on it myself, but my hope was that combining Rider beat coverage with news and some analysis from throughout the MAAC would get the attention of enough people to get it off the ground.

Thanks to an amazingly loyal and dedicated group of people who have taken part in live chats, left comments and, in many cases, contributed with original ideas, the blog has been by far the most fun part of my job at The Trentonian.

With that in mind, it's with mixed emotions that I'm leaving The Trentonian next week for Hearst Connecticut Media Group, where I'll be the morning news editor for the Connecticut Post, Stamford Advocate, Danbury News-Times and Greenwich Time.

In new my new job, I'll be overseeing day-time news coverage on the sites while chipping in for the sports department, which has a heavy focus on local colleges. Conveniently, the MAAC tournament this year will be in Bridgeport -- within walking distance of the Post newsroom.

This blog will stay up at Trentonian.com and likely be taken over by my replacement when he or she arrives. In the meantime, the sports staff will keep it active with Rider coverage and tidbits from throughout the MAAC.

I'll be at two more Rider games -- tonight against Hofstra and Thursday at Manhattan -- and will also co-host the weekly MAAC chat with Andy Santillo on Wednesday at 11 a.m.

To everyone who has read the blog and especially to those who have taken part in our live coverage, I'll always be grateful to you for making this work.