Player of the Week
C.J. Anthony, Iona
Gr., Columbus, OH, Cincinnati/Putnam Science (CT)
CJ Anthony delivered a standout debut performance to lead Iona to an 81-73 victory over Hofstra in the Gaels’ 2025-26 season opener. The Cincinnati transfer erupted for a career-high 24 points on just six field goal attempts, including 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, while also converting 10-of-13 attempts at the free throw line. Anthony rounded out his stat line with five assists, four rebounds and a steal, helping the Gaels control the game wire-to-wire in the first contest of the Dan Geriot era. Anthony scored 15 of his points in the second half and drew 10 foul calls in the final 20 minutes. He made timely plays throughout the contest half to keep the Pride at arm’s length, finishing as the game’s leading scorer.
Rookie of the Week
Brandon Benjamin, Fairfield
Fr., Newark, NJ, Bergen Catholic
Brandon Benjamin was a force in his first week of collegiate action, averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Benjamin shot 13-for-16 (.813) from the field and 4-for-5 (.800) from the free throw line. He posted a double-double in his debut, tallying 18 points and 10 rebounds on Monday at Penn State. Benjamin was just shy of a second straight double-double in Saturday's win at NJIT with 12 points and nine boards. Benjamin also blocked four shots on the week – two in each contest.
The 2025-26 campaign culminates with the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships from March 5-10 at Historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 2026 will be the seventh consecutive year Boardwalk Hall will host the annual championship dating back to 2020. For the second straight season, the championship field will feature the conference's top 10 teams. Additionally, with the shift of the basketball championship schedule to a week earlier, the women’s championship game will be a standalone contest on Monday, March 9, while the men’s championship game will air live nationally on ESPN or ESPN2 on Tuesday, March 10. For all information regarding the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit
MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on X.
Air Force Reserve
The mission of the Air Force Reserve is to provide combat-ready forces to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace, whenever and wherever needed. As a critical component of the United States Air Force, the Air Force Reserve supports global operations while remaining ready to respond to domestic emergencies and humanitarian efforts. It is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Reserve Citizen Airmen to execute a wide range of missions that contribute to national defense and global security.
The Air Force Reserve offers part-time and full-time service options, enabling individuals to serve while maintaining civilian careers or pursuing higher education. Each year, the Reserve recruits thousands of enlisted and officer personnel across core specialties including Aviation, Maintenance, Intelligence, Cyber, Medical, Security Forces, and Logistics. This flexibility allows members to develop valuable skills, gain leadership experience, and serve their country with pride.
More information about Air Force Reserve careers and opportunities is available at:
https://www.airforce.com/ways-to-serve/air-force-reserve.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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