Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Vincent Simone
Paddy Power News
Introducing the “One and Only”, Vincent Simone! World champion dancer, TV Star of Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, West End Star, Olivier Award nominee, qualified adjudicator and teacher and not to forget Rear of the Year!
Vincent Simone reveals what viewers don’t see behind Strictly Come Dancing curtain
Strictly Come Dancing continues to fill our living rooms with a little more glitz and glamour than we might have expected during these chilly winter evenings. Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu became the latest dancing duo to boogie their way out of the competition with nine couples now left in the running for glory. It can be easy to get confused between your rumbas and your sambas, so if you’re looking to take break from the dancefloor, you can always check out Paddy Power Games.
Vincent Simone: Movie Week came too early for Strictly Come Dancing stars
Strictly Come Dancing took centre stage last Saturday and it was Movie Week! We had our first elimination as our new presenting trio of Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe continued to find their feet.
Vincent Simone: Strictly Come Dancing insights after thrilling opening night
Get your dancing shoes on and stretch off those calf muscles because it’s that time of year again…. Strictly Come Dancing is back! Glitz and glamour will fill our Saturday night screens all the way until Christmas as 15 celebs aim to be crowned as the king or queen of the ballroom.
In the blink of an eye, researchers detect early signs of movement disorders
George Gitchel, a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering at VCU, models an automated eye-tracking system that detects and analyzes eye movements as a means to accurately differentiate and diagnose more than 20 neurological diseases.
Yale 69, Quinnipiac 68 (CIT)
No one heard whether or not Justin Sears called his shot, so it’s a good thing they don’t play by playground rules at Yale. With his team trailing by two and the season on the line, the sophomore forward stepped behind the 3-point line and banked the winning shot off the glass and through the net with less than a second remaining. The clutch bucket lifted Yale to a 69-68 victory over Quinnipiac in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com tournament.
Nico Clareth Will Not Return To Siena
In a statement issued by the Siena Athletic Communications office Wednesday afternoon, it was announced junior guard Nico Clareth will not return to the basketball program. Junior guard Nico Clareth and the Siena Basketball program have reached a mutual decision to part ways. Clareth intends to complete the academic year at Siena College, then transfer following the conclusion of the upcoming spring semester to finish his collegiate academics and basketball eligibility.
Hofstra Pulls Out Miraculous Win At Monmouth
Hofstra took a trip to the shore and it ended up dead in the water. Until a miracle took place in New Jersey. With five seconds on the clock and somehow down three after a furious comeback, Hofstra’s Justin Wright-Foreman appeared to be fouled in the act of launching a half-court shot. Despite coach Joe Mihalich’s furious protest, the junior went to the line for a one-and-one. Wright-Foreman sunk the first, then intentionally clunked the second.
MAAC Weekly Recap - December 6
Wednesday means MAAC Recap, and this week brought some solid wins and a few close calls. Manhattan represented the league in the inaugural Belfast Classic, while Monmouth traded blows with UConn, and Marist picked up its first win of the year. Once again, teams are listed in the order of my unofficial power rankings. It should be noted that I see a line developing between the top four teams and the rest of the league, and within those groups I’d expect plenty of movement throughout the year.
MAAC Weekly Recap - November 29
Welcome to another weekly MAAC recap, and the debut of our league power rankings! Previous recaps were done in geographical and alphabetical order, but from now on teams will be listed in order of their standing in the (un)official NYC Buckets power rankings. The order will no doubt shift dramatically as the year wears on, but now that we’re a few weeks into the season, we can somewhat judge each team.
MAAC Weekly Recap - Thanksgiving Eve
Mark it down as a week to forget for the MAAC, which went a combined 5-16 since our last recap. A few programs picked up their first wins of the season while others suffered some losses where “disappointing” would be an understatement.
Siena Freshmen Will Determine Saints’ Success
Following the graduation of four 1,000 point scorers, Siena will lean heavily on a group of freshmen to fill in the gaps. More than any other factor, it may be their success (or failure) that determines the Saints’ fate in 2017-18. Javion Ogunyemi, Marquis Wright, Brett Bisping, and Lavon Long accounted for two-thirds of Siena’s minutes and 72% of the team’s points a season ago. With their departure, there is ample opportunity to make an impact on this year’s roster.
34 Teams in 34 Days: Niagara
Outlook: Finally benefitting from stability in the offseason, the Purple Eagles have the pieces to make a jump into the upper echelon of the MAAC. College basketball is built on great stories, and Niagara could end up the MAAC’s Cinderella this season. During head coach Chris Casey’s previous four years at the helm the Purple Eagles have been gutted by transfers, with over a dozen players leaving the team in that short time.
2017-18 MAAC Preseason Predictions
This evening the MAAC will announce its preseason all-league teams and rankings. In advance of that announcement, here is the official NYC Buckets prediction and analysis for team rankings and all-league squads. All selections are provided in alphabetical order: Two members of last year’s First Team are easy picks to repeat that honor. Tyler Nelson and Micah Seaborn project to be two of the league’s highest scorers and should easily lead their respective squads in points per game.
34 Teams in 34 Days: Monmouth
Outlook: After winning the regular season title but falling short of the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, the torch passes to Micah Seaborn and others to lead the Hawks forward after the graduation of Justin Robinson. Last season, Monmouth became the first team in the MAAC to ever win 18 conference games en route to their second straight regular-season title.
34 Teams in 34 Days: Rider
Outlook: After graduating 80% of his starting rotation from a year ago, sixth-year head coach Kevin Baggett has reloaded quickly and aims to finally guide the Broncs over the playoff hump. Rider is but one of many MAAC squads seeking to find its way back to success after the graduation of a large senior class. The Broncs return just one starter from a season ago – sophomore point guard Stevie Jordan.
34 Teams in 34 Days: Quinnipiac
Outlook: A new coaching staff, a slew of fresh faces, and a handful of returners begin a new era of basketball in Hamden. Quinnipiac joined the MAAC prior to the 2013-14 season and enjoyed immediate success. The Bobcats earned 20 wins and finished third in the MAAC with a 14-6 conference record. Since then however, there has been little cause for celebration. Over the following three seasons, Quinnipiac went just 34-57 with a 22-38 record in conference play.
34 Teams in 34 Days: Marist
Outlook: A deep junior class must come into its own to prevent the Red Foxes from finishing in the MAAC cellar yet again. Stuck in the doldrums for the better part of the last decade, the Marist men’s basketball program is desperately searching for a bright spot. The Red Foxes haven’t posted a winning record since the 2007-08 season, and have finished at the bottom of the conference each of the past three seasons.
Baker Dunleavy Introduced At Quinnipiac
The Baker Dunleavy era has officially begun. The former Villanova associate head coach was officially introduced as the new head coach at Quinnipiac University Tuesday afternoon. A player for the Wildcats between 2002-06, Dunleavy returned to the program as Director of Basketball Operations in 2010 following a post-graduate role on Wall Street working for Merrill Lynch.
Villanova’s Baker Dunleavy To Be Named Quinnipiac Head Coach
Villanova associate head coach Baker Dunleavy has been tabbed as the new lead man at Quinnipiac, according to reports. Dunleavy fills the void created when former head coach Tom Moore was let go nearly three weeks ago. Moore put together a 162-150 record over ten years in Hamden, but was unable to guide the Bobcats to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
Rookie Crawford Comes Through Late As Iona Captures MAAC Title In OT Thriller
Iona did not have a fourth-year senior to lead their charge back to the NCAA Tournament. So instead, they turned to a freshman. In a game rife with critical baskets, and the first overtime in the MAAC championship since 2010, it was the Gaels’ rookie who came through with the most important of the night. The Gaels entered the final minute of overtime clinging to a two-point lead they had just been provided on a pair of Jordan Washington free throws.
Quinnipiac Fires Tom Moore
Quinnipiac severed ties with head coach Tom Moore Tuesday morning, firing the coach after his 10th season with the program, following the Bobcats’ first round loss to Niagara. Moore finishes his time with the Bobcats with an overall record of 162-150 and a 106-82 mark against conference opponents between the NEC and MAAC. The 51 year-old former longtime UConn assistant joined the Hamden, Conn. program in 2007 to replace Joe DeSantis, who led the Bobcats’ transition from Division II to Division I.
Resurgent Long, Clutch Ogunyemi Lead Siena Into Clash Against Monmouth
Lavon Long did not see the court until Siena’s fourth game of the season, but it is the embattled senior who could make the difference in the Saints’ final games of the year. A native of Baltimore, Long is just one of a talented quartet of seniors that has guided the Saints to a MAAC tournament semifinal showdown with top-ranked Monmouth Sunday afternoon.
Iona 88, Rider 70: McGill and Casimir Carry Iona To Another Semifinal
ALBANY, N.Y. – For those considering Iona might not be at its best this weekend, you can put those thoughts to bed. While some other squads have gotten off to sluggish starts this weekend, the Gaels put together an impressive debut in the 2017 MAAC tournament with an 88-70 demolition of the sixth-seeded Rider Broncs. Sophomore Rickey McGill poured in a career-high 25 points and padded the stat sheet with six assists, five rebounds, and four steals.
Locked-In Valenti Leads Canisius Into Quarterfinal Clash With Saint Peter’s
In the opening round of last year’s MAAC tournament, then-junior Phil Valenti poured in a career-high 33 points as the Golden Griffins survived a triple-overtime marathon against local rival Niagara. This time around, it was again Valenti who keyed the Griffs’ opening-round victory, a 77-73 win over Marist. Now a senior, Valenti led all scorers with 23 points, with 17 of them in the second half and two key buckets in the final 1:10.
Rider Edges Manhattan On Taylor’s Controversial Three
Okay, now that we got the cliché out of the way, let’s talk about the craziness that went down as the clock struck midnight and MAAC Thursday morphed into MAAC Friday. With just over eight minutes remaining, Rider led Manhattan by 10. But the Jaspers, harder to kill than a T-1000, rattled off a 16-5 run to grab their first lead since the game’s opening minute with just 3:50 to play. The teams traded blows until Kahlil Thomas’ layup knotted things up at 66 entering the final minute.
Niagara’s Chris Barton Embraces Top Defensive Assignment
Saint Peter’s Chazz Patterson became the first guard in six years to win the MAAC’s Defensive Player of the Year award Friday morning. Later this evening, a young man with the potential to replicate that feat in the years to come will take on the toughest assignment of his career. Niagara sophomore Chris Barton will draw the defensive assignment on Monmouth’s Justin Robinson when the teams meet at the Times Union Center in the MAAC tournament quarterfinals Friday night.
MAAC Announces Postseason Awards
The MAAC handed out individual postseason award Friday morning. Here’s a rundown of who took home the hardware: Monmouth’s Justin Robinson was named MAAC Player of the Year. Robinson also took home the award following the 2015-16 season, and thus becomes the first player to take home the award in consecutive seasons since Manhattan’s Luis Flores accomplished the feat in 2003 and 2004.
Niagara Turns Tables On Quinnipiac With Big Second Half
ALBANY, N.Y. — Someone had to end their losing streak, and it was Niagara who got the job done. The Purple Eagles took down Quinnipiac 88-69 in the opening game of the MAAC tournament Thursday evening at the Times Union Center. Matt Scott led the way, as he has all year. The junior paced all scorers with 19 points and led four Purple Eagles in double figures. Kahlil Dukes finished just behind his counterpart with 18 points, including an 11-12 mark from the charity stripe.
MAAC Tournament Primer: Monmouth
Monmouth enters this weekend’s conference tournament not only the hottest team in the MAAC, but riding one of the longest winning streaks in the nation. Since dropping a January 2 contest at Saint Peter’s to fall to 2-2 in MAAC play, the Hawks have done nothing but win. Their 16-game winning streak to end the season is the second longest in the nation only to Vermont, who pushed their run to 19 in a row Wednesday night.
MAAC Tournament Primer: Saint Peter’s
The Saint Peter’s Peacocks may be the most consistent team in the MAAC not named Monmouth. John Dunne’s squad went 14-6 in league play and won their final six contests of the year to capture the #2 seed in this weekend’s conference tournament. As one of the top two seeds, Saint Peter’s will open play on Friday, then resume action Sunday should they win their quarterfinal matchup.
MAAC Tournament Primer: Rider
The Rider Broncs enter this weekend’s MAAC tournament as one of the league’s hottest teams. Head coach Kevin Baggett’s squad is averaging an astounding 98.3 points per game over its last three contests, all double-digit wins in which the Broncs shot over 54% from the field.
2016-17 All-MAAC Teams
The MAAC announced all-league teams Monday afternoon with few surprises. Monmouth, which on Sunday became the first MAAC team to win 18 league games, placed two players on the First Team, including likely Player of the Year Justin Robinson. Saint Peter’s, Siena, Canisius, and Rider all saw multiple players receive all-league honors, with Iona and Quinnipiac receiving additional recognition on the all-Rookie team.
Manhattan Routs Quinnipiac On Tyler Wilson's Senior Night
Manhattan sent off senior Tyler Wilson with a flourish. The Jaspers put up 56 second-half points and routed Quinnipiac 95-74 in their home finale at Draddy Gymnasium Sunday evening. For the first time in coach Steve Masiello’s six-year tenure in Riverdale, the Jaspers saw three separate players score 20 or more points. The effort was led by 26 points from junior Zane Waterman while Calvin Crawford matched a career high with 22 and freshman Aaron Walker Jr. set a new personal best with 20.
Monmouth 62, Manhattan 58: King Rice Reaches 100
King Rice is a member of the century club, and Monmouth moved one step closer to a second straight MAAC regular-season title with a 62-58 win over Manhattan Friday night at Draddy Gymnasium in the Bronx. For the third game in a row, Monmouth was forced to mount a dramatic comeback in its quest for victory. The Hawks trailed by six at the final media timeout with 3:23 remaining, but an ensuing 9-0 run capped by a Micah Seaborn triple gave Monmouth a lead it would not relinquish down the stretch.
Siena 81, Iona 79: The Return of Nico Clareth
As they say, it’s like déjà vu all over again. In a scene reminiscent of their win in New Rochelle last season, Siena stormed back from a 13 point second half deficit to upend Iona 81-79 Tuesday night. The excitement began well before tip, when it was announced Siena sophomore Nico Clareth would be making his first appearance on the court since January 12. Clareth entered the game off the bench in the game’s fifth minute and finished the contest with 14 points and eight rebounds.
MAAC Midpoint
At the midpoint of the MAAC season, it’s worth examining where each team in the league stands and where they might end up over the next six weeks. Here is a team-by-team analysis based on the current standings, along with mid-season all-MAAC teams: After a middling start to the new year, the Hawks are starting to look like the MAAC favorite we all expected.
Iona Holds Off Fairfield, Who Lose Cobb To Injury
Iona has still yet to lose a regular season series in the Tim Cluess era. The Gaels led throughout and held off conference foe Fairfield 96-89 Friday night, earning revenge for a 93-87 loss earlier in the month in Bridgeport. Senior forward Jordan Washington rebounded from a lackluster effort last time out, leading the Gaels with 30 points against the Stags after posting just four points in 12 minutes of play Tuesday night at Manhattan.
Quinnipiac Downs Iona in OT
Quinnipiac’s freshman sensation Mikey Dixon continued his stellar rookie campaign with a career-high 27 point performance, leading the Bobcats in a 97-91 overtime win over defending MAAC champions Iona Saturday afternoon at the TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, CT. “I never expect freshmen to do what he’s done,” head coach Tom Moore said of Dixon after the game.
Hofstra 84, Siena 64 - Four Thoughts
Hofstra closed out the non-conference portion of their schedule with an impressive 84-64 cruise control victory over MAAC contender Siena Thursday night at the Mack Sports Complex in Hempstead, NY. Here are four thoughts from Hofstra’s win over the Saints: Powering Through – Senior point guard Deron Powers broke through with perhaps his most commanding effort of the season against the Saints.
Iona Rebounds To Earn First Home Win
Iona erased a 12 point deficit to earn a 79-75 comeback win over Ohio University Saturday afternoon at the Hynes Athletic Center in New Rochelle, NY. The Gaels rebounded from a loss to Niagara last weekend to earn their first home victory of the season, avoiding their first set of back-to-back home losses since December 2009, when Kevin Willard was head coach.
Canisius Stuns Manhattan In MAAC Opener
Canisius erased a 15 point second half deficit to edge Manhattan 77-76 Friday night at Draddy Gymnasium in Riverdale, NY. Redshirt junior Jermaine Crumpton posted a career high 26 points, single-handedly keeping the Griffs in contention through stretches of the evening. However, the road home was driven by his teammates, as Crumpton’s final points came with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game and the Griffs down by four.
Monmouth Defeats Quinnipiac In MAAC Season Opener
Monmouth showed off the best version of itself Thursday night with a 91-72 victory over longtime rival Quinnipiac in the opening night of MAAC play. The two schools met for many years as conference rivals in the NEC before joining the MAAC prior to the 2013-14 season. Although Quinnipiac holds a 19-16 edge in the all-time series, the Hawks have now won three in a row over the Bobcats. Here are three thoughts on Monmouth’s MAAC-opening win at Quinnipiac: The Hawks can shoot.
Iona 79, Monmouth 76: Gaels Are Dancing Again
Albany, N.Y. – For the third time in five years, Iona is headed to the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels knocked off top-seeded Monmouth 79-76 Monday night at the Times Union Center to claim the MAAC’s automatic bid to the Big Dance. Monmouth and Iona split the regular season series with each team winning on the other’s home court. The Hawks 110-102 win in New Rochelle January 15 remains one of the most entertaining games of the college basketball season.
Monmouth Proves They Are The Team To Beat In The MAAC
Monmouth had already proven themselves as a MAAC contender before they ever set foot on the court at the Hynes Center Friday evening. Wins over UCLA, Notre Dame, USC, and Georgetown had stamped the Hawks as a force to be reckoned with in college basketball this season. A win over Quinnipiac last week ended a 10-game losing streak to the Bobcats and proved Monmouth could overcome past demons. But a win over the MAAC’s top team proved the Hawks are the new team to beat.
Fight Breaks Out After Monmouth Takes Down Iona
Monmouth upended Iona 110-102 Friday evening, handing the Gaels their first home loss in over two years, but what followed the final buzzer soon became the real story. The Hawks, who have garnered national attention this season with wins over UCLA, USC, Notre Dame, Georgetown and more, have also riled up opposition with the antics of their bench players.
Richmond Magazine May 2015 Issue
Concert season is upon us, and our writers have picked some of the best shows, from indie rock to big-time bluegrass festivals, from metal to opera — in town and around the state — drawing from popular outdoor series as well as year-round venues.
Three Thoughts: Canisius 65, Quinnipiac 63
With one more home game looming later this week against Siena, Quinnipiac used their weekend game against Canisius as an opportunity to honor their 10 senior players and staff. However, redshirt freshman Kassius Robertson ruined that celebration with a deep jumper in the final minutes to give the Golden Griffins the 65-63 victory and the season sweep over the Bobcats.
Tempers Flare At End Of Iona's Win Over Saint Peter's
Iona closed out a victory over Saint Peter’s at home on Saturday night; however, the event to see was the mix up that took place after the buzzer sounded. Here is another angle of the mix up, following the end of the Gaels’ 68-61 win. Vincent Simone covers Quinnipiac, the MAAC, and Hofstra for Big Apple Buckets. You can follow him on Twitter @VTSimone.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Vincent
Contact Vincent, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack