Redshirt junior forward Mouhamed Sow bolted through the paint, grabbed a free-floating ball and laid it in as time expired, sending Saint Peter’s to the 2024 MAAC Championship and Quinnipiac home packing.
The five Bobcats on the floor — graduate student guards Matt Balanc and Savion Lewis, senior forward Alexis Reyes, graduate student forward Paul Otieno and junior forward Amarri Monroe (then Tice) — stood in silence while the Peacocks fluttered down the court toward the Quinnipiac bench, cheerleaders and pep band.
Quinnipiac’s quest for its first-ever conference championship and first NCAA appearance was over just like that.
It was the best season in Quinnipiac men’s basketball history; garnering the regular season champion banner, tallying 24 wins and eclipsing 2,630 points — the most in program history. But they never finished what they started, falling short of that illustrious MAAC ring despite being at the top.
“I mean, people tell us we got a target on our back,” Monroe said. “We had a great season, best season in Quinnipiac history, but at the end of the day, we didn’t win anything other than the regular season championship, so I don’t really see why we have a target.”
That target grew larger after being named No. 1 in the MAAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll. If the Bobcats can’t live up to expectations, it’ll be another painful memory to look back on.
“We just want to finish and leave a legacy, leave something behind and leave it better than we came,” senior guard Doug Young said.
Here’s a look at who makes up the 2024-25 roster, and who Quinnipiac must go through to get back to Atlantic City.
POINT GUARDS
Point guards are the maestros of any basketball team, with the ability to scan the whole court to find the open man. They’re the No. 1 priority in creating a top program, and Quinnipiac has its guy.
Now in his seventh year of eligibility, Lewis has his name all over Quinnipiac’s record book. Scoring isn’t his primary focus, it’s his assists that make him a standout.
“He’s more than a teammate,” Monroe said. “He’s definitely one of my favorite teammates, just because his work ethic shows up every day. Coaches are on him harder than probably anybody and he handles it well. So seeing him do that and seeing how hard he works definitely pushes me too.”
The graduate guard is the program leader for assists in a season, recording 248 — beating the previous record of 211 by Mike Busctto ‘93. Lewis posted over eight assists in 18 of 34 contests, garnering a program-record 17-assist night against Rider on Jan. 5.
His presence on the court and patience in finding the open man has been a major asset to the Bobcats’ roster. Not to mention he’ll be an assistant captain alongside Otieno, Reyes and Monroe.
However, he almost wasn’t named a leader at all when he tested the transfer portal after being granted that extra year to play. But ultimately, he didn’t leave Hamden.
“This is my last year and (I didn’t) want to gamble that on what ifs,” Lewis said. “Knowing we had a great opportunity and there is unfinished business, when you taste that type of success it’s so tough to walk away from.”
Head coach Tom Pecora places Young in the backup point guard position, who was a top bench option for the Bobcats last season. The Houston, Texas native brings the total opposite playstyle of Lewis, presenting a quicker option as a point guard. Though he did dish out 1.2 APG, he can get you double-digit points off the bench, which he did seven times in 34 games.
“I think my voice is growing a lot,” Young said. “I had to just play a role, and just go with the flow. Now I’m more just leading with my voice, like, you know, just leading.”
Young has the skills to be a force off the bench with how he complements Lewis. Once Young is on the court, opponents have to keep an eye on him as he can score on all three levels.
“My game is similar to (Dion Waiters, nine-year NBA veteran), just growing up as a kid, watching him, I could say a couple of other players too, but just like him, probably Dwayne Wade, a slasher, scorer, defender, getting (into the) lane and pass,” Young said.
Pecora went out and got five freshmen before the season starting with guard Samson Reilly. The Manchester, Connecticut native is a quick and energetic guard. He brings shifty handles, strong outside shooting and on-ball defensive tenacity to Quinnipiac, with the potential to grow as a passer behind Lewis this season.
SHOOTING GUARDS
With Balanc — who signed for Horsens IC in Denmark on July 30 — missing from the starting lineup and five others leaving Hamden, the transfer portal was the place for Quinnipiac to fill holes. Pecora and his staff, however, only brought in one transfer.
That was junior guard Ryan Mabrey from Miami University of Ohio. The Belmar, New Jersey native is a natural sharpshooter with 62.4% of his field goal attempts coming from behind the arch, striking on 35.9% of them.
“I really felt it home right away,” Mabrey said. “And I’m close to home here, only, two, three hours away, so it was a big come for me when I came here and loving it so far. They had four returners back who all played serious college minutes. When you have that, you have a real chance to win. So I really want to be a part of that.”
Mabrey’s three-point touch will demand attention from defenses. With Lewis’ ability to find his teammates in open spots, Mabrey should excel in the offense. With Monroe and Reyes able to attack their defenders one-on-one and Otieno down low, Mabrey will need to hit his shots when called upon.
“(Mabrey’s a) crafty basketball player, he can really shoot the ball, but he’s an exceptional passer as well. He’s got a great feel for the game.” Pecora said.
The singular freshman among the shooting guards is 6-foot-5 guard Jaden Zimmerman from the Bronx, New York. His high energy and ability to shoot the ball makes him a solid recruit for a growing Bobcats program.
“(He) has definitely stood out to me. He’s really athletic, has got a nose for the ball, just plays hard,” Mabrey said.
Sophomore Khaden Bennett rounds out the shooting guards, giving quality performances across 16 games, with 22 points and 30 rebounds in 111 minutes.
FORWARDS
In 2023-24, Balanc won MAAC Player of the Year. In preseason, another Bobcat was named by coaches for this season’s award: Monroe.
“I’m extremely grateful. Kind of caught me off guard a little bit,” Monroe said. “I have to do it, and I feel like it puts more pressure on me being that the whole conference knows.”
After transferring from Wofford before his sophomore year, Monroe started every game except one. His contributions on both ends of the court, finishing second in points for the Bobcats with 12.9 PPG, and setting the Quinnipiac Division I single-season record with 62 steals — earned him a spot on the All-MAAC Second Team.
“(I want to) get better with defense. I love defense,” Monroe said. “No one really likes defense growing up, but that defensive award, I wish it was mine last year. So another reason I came back (was) because I got to get that one. You know, I’m dying to get the (MAAC) Defensive Player of the Year award.”
Following a dominant first year, the Newburgh, New York native was one of the most sought-after mid-major players during the transfer period. But, despire serious interest, Monroe was happy to return to Hamden.
“It was a no-brainer,” Monroe said. “The support system around here is great. You know, I love Coach P, the coaching staff, my teammates and I had a pretty decent year last year, and I’m just dying to build on that because I know I can do way better than I did last year.”
Otieno, playing the five, averaged 11 PPG — third on the team — and led the Bobcats with 6.9 RPG. As an under-sized center standing at 6-foot-8, Otieno made up for his height with his effort, averaging 3.4 offensive rebounds per game (ORPG), best for second in the conference.
In the MAAC quarterfinals he got a double-double — 19 points and 12 rebounds — en route to a 76-52 win.
The fourth starter from last year, Reyes, did not put up the biggest stat line compared to the other starters, but he filled the scoresheet. The Roxbury, Massachusetts native succeeded in any role that Pecora had for him. The senior forward scored 7.8 PPG — a career-high — to go along with 4.2 RPG, also a career-high, in a heightened role for the Bobcats.
Springs — in his second season at Quinnipiac — hails from UConn where he played 32 games in his four years in Storrs. After only playing eight games per season, the former three-star recruit appeared in all 34 for the Bobcats as a backup big to Otieno, showing some “rust” according to Pecora, but had flashes to become a key factor this season.
Alongside Monroe, Otieno, Reyes and Springs, Pecora brought in three freshman forwards to bring in a new strategy of players. While many teams are dipping into the transfer portal for talent, these three first years are turning heads.
“These kids are not freshmen. Their work ethic, you know, their attention to detail, how much they want to work, how much they want to learn,” Monroe said. “I can tell you now, when I was a freshman, you know, I wasn’t in the gym as much as they are. I wasn’t watching as much film as they are. Wasn’t asking as many questions as they are.”
The coaching staff has similiar opinions.
“They are just long and athletic, and they can play multiple positions, which is something I love,” Pecora said.
Let’s look at three-star recruit Braylan Ritvo. The top-rated prospect, via ESPN, averaged 14.6 PPG and 5.8 RPG en route to a First Team All-CHSAA “AA” at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, New York. To complement Mabrey, the Harlem, New York native is another sharpshooter shooting 42% from behind the arc for the Crusaders.
While he may not have the resume Ritvo has, Grant Randall is somebody to look out for. The Queens, New York native has the height to become a threat in the MAAC. Randall stands at 6-foot-9 but can play as a guard. Known for his athleticism and explosiveness, Randall’s ability to drive the lane has turned heads.
“(Grant) Randall has done some things, we scrimmaged against Seton Hall the other day, and he gets a steal and goes down and his head’s above the rim, throwing the ball down,” Pecora said.
Lastly, Spence Wewe, a 7-foot center, is expected to slide into the backup five behind Otieno and will provide a height advantage not seen for Quinnipiac since the 2020-21 season with 7-foot-1 Seth Pinkney. Wewe averaged a double-double at Toronto Terror Prep where he set a single-season program record for blocks and rebounds.
“He was playing at a small school up in Toronto, he had come over from England, we got him here for a great visit,” Pecora said. “And he’s a great young guy. He’s really impressive as a person, and he just gets better every day in practice, he just keeps getting better.”
Wewe averaged a double-double in a friendly tournament for the U-23 Austrian national team in Portugal over the summer.
SCHEDULE
After a record-setting year, the Bobcats have a non-conference schedule with top teams in bigger conferences. To start, Quinnipiac travels to its Whitney Avenue counterpart in Yale on Nov. 4 to open the season.
“We’re going to try to open the season every year with them. I think it’s great for the basketball community in New Haven, greater New Haven area,” Pecora said.
The Bobcats then go up against Division III Worcester Polytechnic Institute — assistant coach Jeff Robinson’s previous gig.
The season’s most anticipated game follows, as the Bobcats head to Queens, New York to face St. John’s.
“I’m really excited for that game, obviously, playing in New York (Pecora’s) from there. Bunch of our guys are from there. So definitely excited for the St. John’s game,” Reyes said.
The St. John’s matchup is the first Big East opponent Quinnipiac has faced since it played Villanova in the 2018-19 season. With former Iona men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino at the helm, the Johnny’s were a top contender for an at-large bid for March Madness until bids started to be stolen by unlikely conference winners.
Quinnipiac’s next major opponent is Saint Louis in the second game of the 314 Classic — a multi-team event with UMass Lowell. Saint Louis has a top forward in junior Robbie Avila who gained stardom last year for his performance — scoring 17.4 PPG — along with wearing goggles while playing during his time at Indiana State.
“We played down (at) Alumni Hall that first weekend. It’ll be a great challenge because they’re good, talented, and as always, well coached, they’re going to go after you,” Pecora said. “And then a game out of St Louis right before Thanksgiving. It’ll get us ready for conference play.”
The toughest MAAC competition for the Bobcats will come from Merrimack and Marist.
Merrimack joins the MAAC after excelling in the NEC, winning the conference in 2023. Sophomore guard Adam “Budd” Clark is one player to look out for on the Warriors. In his first year, Clark scored 13.5 PPG shooting 46.7% from the field while dishing 3.9 APG.
Marist, a semifinalist in the MAAC, returns top players in sophomore guards Josh Pascarelli and Jadin Collins-Roberts. Marist plays with a slow tempo making it hard for their opponents to gain an advantage. In both of the games last season, the Bobcats scored under their average, which can cause a concern for the Bobcats.
Quinnipiac’s season is about redemption, fueled by last year’s missed opportunities. With veteran leadership and a young mix of talent, the Bobcats are ready to chase the MAAC.
