Player of the Week
Justin Menard, Marist
So., Higganum, CT, St. Thomas More
In Marist's lone game this past week, an 82-74 triumph at Bryant for the Red Foxes' fifth straight victory, Justin Menard led all scorers with a career-high 27 points. Additionally, he tied for the team high in rebounds (four) and steals (two) while dishing out three assists. Menard shot 7-for-12 from the field, 5-for-7 from three-point range, and 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. He scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half, which were highlighted by him hitting four three-pointers in a span of five-and-a-half minutes early in the second half as Marist extended its lead to a game high of 16 and him icing the victory by going 6-for-6 from the line in the final 30 seconds.
Rookie of the Week
Brandon Benjamin, Fairfield
Fr., Newark, NJ, Bergen Catholic
Brandon Benjamin posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in a 73-65 win over Monmouth – Fairfield's only game of the week. The rookie forward shot 8-for-11 from the field to amass his 16 points, 10 of which were scored in the second half as the Stags flipped a three-point deficit at the break to an eight-point victory. The MAAC's leading rebounder corralled three of his dozen boards from the offensive glass and added two assists, two blocks, and a steal in his 31 minutes of work.
The 2025-26 campaign culminates with the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships from March 5-10 at 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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