Mount Basketball Teams Set Sights on MAAC Tournament Run

Jasmin Sorrell

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship for women’s and men’s basketball kicks off on March 5, 2026. This five-day tournament hosted in Atlantic City, NJ where the top 10 teams in the conference fight to be the MAAC Champions.  

Junior guard Giana Hoddinott on the Women’s Basketball Team and Senior guard Arlandus Keyes on the Men’s Basketball Team, were interviewed about finishing their conference season strong and the team’s focus heading into the tournament.  

The Mount women's basketball team has a record of 12-12 and is currently the 6th seed in the MAAC as of Feb. 9, 2026 with five games remaining in the regular season. Having the chance to speak with Hoddinott about the remaining games she said, “For us it’s about not getting too high or too low and continuing to play as a team because that’s when we play our best basketball, when we play together.”  

The Mountaineers have gone through a roller coaster of a season. Experiencing wins and losses on the court as well as off the court, due to injury as their team leading guard Gabrielle Kennerly (C’28) is out for the rest of the season. Adversity has shaped this team, but Hoddinott knows it’s a part of the game, everything they have faced so far has allowed them to grow closer together as a team.  

There’s an understanding within the team that they have to play their best basketball in March, not January or February. With the tournament approaching, the key focus for the Mountaineers is to master the little things that they struggle with, those being communication, rebounding and fighting the full 40 minutes.  

As for Hoddinott, she’s enjoying the memories with her teammates and appreciating everyday she gets to play the game she loves with this special group of girls. “We’re really excited to play in March” Hoddinott stated, “We look forward to competing for a MAAC title and doing something that has never been done before in the Mount women’s basketball program and that’s a MAAC Championship.”  

The men’s basketball team has a record of 11-15 and is currently the 7th seed in the MAAC as of Feb 9, 2026, with five games remaining in the regular season. When asked about finishing up the season, Keyes said, “Our focus is really on sharpening the details. The last few games are about building good habits and creating memories which will help us find momentum as we head into the MAAC tournament.”