ALBANY, N.Y. – Every time Quinnipiac wins a game, head coach Tom Pecora gives out two hard hats and a pair of gloves to three different Bobcat players to emphasize the hard, blue-collar work that it takes to win a game.
On Friday, all three went to sophomore big man Spence Wewe.
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“I think that’s the first time ever in Quinnipiac history,” Amarri Monroe said about Wewe taking home all of the prizes. “So congrats bro! You just made history.”
Wewe’s point total won’t show it, but he was the most impactful player on the floor. He finished with four points and 18 rebounds as Quinnipiac picked up its biggest road win of the season at Siena, 74-62, to improve to 11-5 in the MAAC.
“Now there’s a standard,” Tom Pecora said. “You’re gonna be held to it. I don’t expect 18 rebounds every night, but 10 would be nice.”
It’s the Bobcats fourth straight win after staring down the barrel of three straight losses, down by double digits in the second half to Fairfield.
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There was none such drama in the capital region. While Siena cut the Quinnipiac lead down to one possession multiple times, Quinnipiac always seemed to have the right response.
“We just remained calm, even-keeled the whole game,” Monroe said. “We had some great leadership from Tai (Turnage) as always, even (Jaden Zimmerman) and Asim (Jones), and Spence had a great game.”
“There were a couple of quick hitting plays where it was still a two-possession game that we weren’t able to capitalize on,” Siena head coach Gerry McNamara said. “I think we had one or two turnovers after we got the ball, so those are the plays I look at, where you’ve done a really good job defensively, you got an opportunity to shrink the game, and you give the ball right back without making them have to work.”
The most memorable play from the game was a near half-court 3-pointer from Monroe with under eight minutes to play to extend Quinnipiac’s lead to double digits. It wasn’t a death blow, as the Saints brought it back within two possessions from there, but it certainly felt like it. It’s hard to lose a game when even shots like that are going your way.
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But it came immediately after Monroe blatantly stepped with his back foot into the backcourt and the officials didn’t call an over-and-back. Both teams played through the whistle, and Monroe just rattled one in.
“I definitely didn’t step behind the line,” Monroe said. “But I practice that shot every day. Every guy on the team could tell you that I’m shooting half-court shots before I leave the gym every day.”
But he said he’d never made that shot in a game. McNamara was upset with the officials during the under-eight timeout after they missed that call, but there was nothing they could do.
“It’s bang-bang,” McNamara said. “A huge play because I didn’t expect him to make a half court shot either. From our vantage point, I thought it was clear, but it’s tough for those guys. I was pretty upset in the moment, but that wasn’t the play that beat us.”
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Back to Wewe. He took it to Francis Folefac with two successful contests, including a block in the first few minutes of the game. He followed that up with making Folefac rethink attempting shots in the lane against him, and for much of the night, Siena’s bigs struggled.
Siena, who has the best two-point offense – and overall offense – in the MAAC, shot just 42% inside the arc and scored .92 points per possession.
“(Folefac) is a big, strong powerful player, so he’s used to owning the paint,” Pecora said. “But people forget how big Spence actually is when he’s got his motor going and he’s moving the way that he needs to.”
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Just a week and a half from his first double-figure scoring game of his career at Fairfield, he had his first double-figure rebounding game on Friday night.
He’s playing his best basketball as March approaches, which adds another element to the already dangerous Bobcats.
“It’s a journey,” Wewe said. “I’m just trying to get better every game.”
“We’ve been waiting for this game (from Wewe),” Monroe said. “I think he’s getting better as the season goes on, and we’re just instilling that confidence in him every day in practice, every game, every warmup. You just keep letting him know that we need you, and he showed up major tonight.”
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“I just came to play,” Wewe said. “That’s really it, I’m not gonna lie.”
Other MAAC Notes
Merrimack 81, Marist 56
Despite entering Thursday’s game with the highest KenPom rating in the MAAC, Marist left Lawler Arena with just a 1-5 record against the other teams in the top five of the conference standings. The Red Foxes will have to find a way the rest of the year without Elijah Lewis, who suffered a right knee injury and has been ruled out for the season. He’s their second leading scorer. Meanwhile, it was another dazzling display from Kevair Kennedy, who scored 22 points with seven assists. Chants of “We Love Gallo” reigned down upon the winning head coach all game, as he has the Warriors at 13-2 and two games ahead of the MAAC pack before facing Quinnipiac on Sunday in Hamden.
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Manhattan 76, Niagara 69
This marks ten losses in a row in games against teams that aren’t Canisius for Niagara. And perhaps more importantly, back-to-back wins for Manhattan for the first time since Jan. 2. Terrance Jones scored a season-high 21 points, and he’s quietly put together a terrific season, averaging 11 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. John Gallagher has discussed how every year, multiple teams make February climbs up the standings, expressing how he believes the Jaspers can be one of those teams this year. If they can sweep Buffalo with a win over Canisius on Sunday, it sets up a marquee matchup with Marist at home next Friday.
Sacred Heart 78, Saint Peter’s 71
Try to get a read on Sacred Heart heading into Atlantic City next month. I dare you. The Pioneers lost six in a row, then won five in a row, lost three in a row, and now upset Saint Peter’s at home to move to 7-9. A berth in AC is all but assured now after a 1-6 start. SHU didn’t have Mekhi Conner due to a dental injury (day-to-day), but still scored 1.22 points per possession against a top MAAC-level defense. It was a frustrating day for Saint Peter’s backcourt. Brent Bland fouled out after shooting 2-for-8 from three, and Bryce Eaton was just 2-of-10 from the field for five points. Bashir Mason might physically drag me to Run Baby Run Arena on Sunday, given that the Peacocks are 6-0 when I’m in attendance this year, and he said “all things are possible when Sam is in the building,” after SPU defeated Siena last week.
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Mount St. Mary’s 65, Rider 55
The Mount got another double-double from A.K. Kebe, who is emerging into one of the most dynamic players in the conference. He finished with 15 and 10. Rider is all-but eliminated from MAAC Tournament contention, needing to win out and get help in order to qualify, sitting at 2-13. The Broncs fought back from being 4-11 and 0-4 in the MAAC last year to finish 9-11 and win a MAAC Tournament game, but this year, no dice. The Mount is back to .500 for the first time all season in MAAC play, and it hosts Niagara and Canisius next weekend. Every chance to get to 10-8.
Iona 69, Canisius 63
You definitely don’t come out of this game feeling like Iona has solved its problems, but every win, especially those on the road, is extremely important this time of year. The Gaels changed around the starting lineup, putting Alliou Fall in for Toby Harris, and held a 15-point lead in the second half, but Canisius stormed back to tie the game. Denver Anglin made his first shot of the game from three to break the tie and then made his second shot a minute later after a stop to extend the lead and seal the win.
