-- Happy Monday! The top three all held serve to remain tied at the league summit but that will change this week. Iona travels to Manhattan on Saturday trying to avenge a loss from a game in which it held a 17-point second half lead. Look out for BracketBusters, which are announced tonight at 6:30 on ESPNU. Expect both Iona and Loyola to find themselves in high-profile games. Now without further ado, around the MAAC we go:


Standings:

1. Iona (17-5, 9-2): Last week -- lost to Siena, 65-62; def. Fairfield, 71-62; def. St. Peter's, 64-40. This week -- Feb. 2 vs. Canisius; Feb. 4 at Manhattan. *Iona has head-to-head win over Loyola

1. Loyola (16-5, 9-2): Last week -- def. Niagara, 69-57; def. Canisius, 70-52. This week -- Feb. 3 vs. Rider; Feb 5 at St. Peter's. *Loyola has head-to-head win over Manhattan

1. Manhattan (16-7, 9-2): Last week -- def. Canisius, 78-66; def. Niagara, 87-70. This week -- Feb. 2 vs. Marist; Feb. 4 vs. Iona. *Manhattan has head-to-head win over Iona

4. Fairfield (11-10, 6-4): Last week -- lost to Iona, 71-62; def. Marist, 81-53. This week -- Feb. 3 vs. Niagara; Feb. 5 vs. Siena.

5. Rider (9-14, 6-5): Last week -- def. St. Peter's, 90-55; def. Siena, 83-72. This week -- Feb. 3 at Loyola; Feb. 5 vs. Niagara.

6. Siena (10-11, 5-6): Last week -- def. Iona, 65-62; def. Marist, 66-55; lost to Rider, 83-72. This week -- Feb. 3 vs. St. Peter's; Feb. 5 at Fairfield.

7. Niagara (9-14, 4-7): Last week -- lost to Loyola, 69-57; lost to Manhattan, 87-70. This week -- Feb. 3 at Fairfield; Feb. 5 at Rider.

8. St. Peter's (4-18, 3-8): Last week -- lost to Rider, 90-55; lost to Iona, 64-40. This week -- Feb. 3 at Siena; Feb. 5 vs. Loyola.

9. Marist (7-14, 2-8): Last week -- lost to Siena, 66-55; lost to Fairfield, 81-53. This week -- Feb. 2 at Manhattan; Feb. 4 vs. Canisius.

10. Canisius (4-17, 1-10): Last week -- lost to Manhattan, 78-66; lost to Loyola, 70-52. This week -- Feb. 2 at Iona; Feb. 4 at Marist.


News and Notes:

• Manhattan has won seven in a row, with the last of those seven coming in a game where leading scorer George Beamon went 2 of 15. That says a lot about Steve Masiello's squad that it's able to win a game on the road when its leading scorer has an off day. By the way, Beamon had 33 in the Jaspers' win over Canisius. Beamon is having an all-league season.
• Before the season, everyone would have circled the Iona/Fairfield matchups on their calendars, but one of those two teams hasn't lived up to its lofty billing. The Stags, of course, have scuffled under first-year coach Sydney Johnson despite being a side oozing with talent. Those two met for the first time last week and Iona opened up a big first-half lead then held on when Fairfield did make a run. While the Stags have struggled, it's still hard to imagine they won't have some say as to who wins the league's automatic NCAA berth when everybody arrives in Springfield.
• Love the toughness that OD Anosike brings to Siena. He's long and strong and would be a handful for anybody in the country. He extended his double-double streak to 17 straight with 22 points and 16 rebounds in the loss to Rider. That streak tied Tim Duncan for the second longest in Division I in the last 15 years.
• Behind the inside-out combo of Dylon Cormier (14.5 ppg) and Erik Etherly (13 ppg) Loyola has won seven of its last eight. At 16-5 you have to wonder if the Grehounds wish they could have that season-opening loss to Wake Forest back. Jimmy Pastos' side's profile probably isn't strong enough to merit at-large consideration but that shouldn't take away from the season its had thus far.
• Keep an eye on Rider. Since starting the year 1-10, the Broncs are 8-4 and finally won a close game in the MAAC. Of their six league wins, they had 20-plus point leads in five of them. 
• Probably safe to say St. Peter's, Marist and Canisius will occupy the bottom three slots in the conference while Rider, Siena and Niagara battle to avoid having to play on the MAAC tournament's opening night.
• Quick update: Tim Cluess has signed a multi-year extension that will keep him in New Rochelle through 2017, the school announced today.

Looking at Iona's NCAA profile (numbers according to statsheet.com):

• 17-5 overall, 9-2 conference
• RPI: 58, SOS: 165
• Quality wins (RPI Top 100): St. Joseph's (53), Loyola (86), Maryland (100).
• Bad losses (RPI 150 or higher): Hofstra (245), Siena (187).
• It's looking more likely that the Gaels are going to have to win the conference tournament to secure an NCAA bid. There's nothing sexy about the names they have beaten -- the season-opening loss to Purdue in Puerto Rico could loom large -- although there should be a chance for another quality win once the BracketBusters are announced tonight. If Iona could finish the regular season 15-3 in the league (very possible) and reach the conference tournament championship game that would put it at 26-6 overall (including a win in BracketBusters) before playing that game. The large quantity of wins could then play a factor. Also have to wonder if the allure of having Scott Machado, Mike Glover and Lamont Jones will have any sway on the selection committee. Stuff like that's not supposed to, but you just never know.