The CAA

      All the talk about mid-majors for this year’s NCAA Tournament is surrounding that of the Missouri Valley Conference. Many skeptics believe that a week strength of schedule has led to these teams success but in all reality the opportunity for a mid-major to develop an impressive schedule is a difficult task for coach’s at all universities. While being an esteemed program rich in tradition such as Duke or UNC coaches are looked down upon when scheduling “weak mid majors” granted this didn’t stop Jim Calhoun from doing that this year but that’s a story in itself. Besides the Missouri Valley that is getting so much attention the Colonial Athletic Association should really be given a look.      Currently the Colonial Athletic Association has a good chance to get 2 teams into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1986 when David Robinson’s Navy team went in along side Richmond. At the end of the regular season UNC Wilmington snuck into first place, followed by George Mason, Hofstra and then Old Dominion. Each of these four teams has RPI’s within the top 50, each has accumulated at least 20 wins and the fact that they all had to butt heads is impressive. The team that wins the conference tournament will obviously be awarded the automatic bid, but if any of the afore mention teams makes it to the Conference tournament finale look for them to get an at-large bid.
      Nearly all of these analysts believe George Mason is a lock for the tournament. Mason has recently received national attention as it was ranked 25th on ESPNS coaching poll before being beaten by Hofstra at Hofstra. Mason had a 15-3 conference record, finishing with a 22-6 record overall. The Patriots earned the number two seed in this tough conference tournament and are thriving for the automatic bid by winning the conference tournament. Mason is led by senior forward Jai Lewis who was recently named to the All-CAA first team and senior guard Tony Skinn who received All-CAA second team honors. The Patriots are 18-17 all time in the CAA tournament but they may have chance on their side. The last time Mason won the conference tournament, they were the number two seed, and UNC Wilmington was the number 1, the two met in the finals in a game which went down in history for the shot clock era. Mason won 35-33, the final score set the record for fewest combined points in the shot clock era.
      Analysts are also greatly impressed by the likes of UNC Wilmington. The Seahawks are led by junior guard T.J. Carter, senior guard John Goldsberry, and Sophomore forward Todd Hendley. The only low point in a rather succesful season for the Seahawks spanned December 27th to January 3rd when they dropped three straight games seemingly hurting their chances to be the number one seed come post season time. After that point Wilmington went on to lose two more games to Hofstra and George Mason respectively. Wilmington proven Hofstra didn’t have their number though as they got the last laugh defeating them 77-68 on their home turf. If Wilimington makes it to the Tournament finals look for them to get an at-large bid.
      Hofstra is a personal favorite of mine being from Long Island but that doesn’t change anything as they are more then deserving for an NCAA bid. Hofstra finished the season a game behind both Mason and Wilmington but was able to beat each head to head. The Pride currently have the second longest home winning streak in the nation standing at 20, in large part due to a huge supporting cast in a relatively small arena. For the past 5 regular season games there was standing room only for Pride fans. Hofstra has an impressive three guard attack that includes junior guard Loren Stokes, Sophomore guard Antoine Agudio and junior guard Carlos Rivera. Stokes was recently named first team All-CAA and was runner up for the CAA player of the year award. Agudio was named to the second team All-CAA. Hofstra had an impressive victory at home against the then ranked George Mason Patriots but the Pride can not dwell on the past. Leading scorer Loren Stokes went down with an ankle injury in the final game of the season against Drexel and the Pride will greatly miss his 17 ppg if he can not go. If any team can lose such production out of their guard it might just be the Pride. Sophomore Antoine Agudio has the ability to career the team and heat up from three point range, just as he did in Stokes’ absence against Drexel in which he went 5-5 from three point range. Look for Agudio to surpass his ppg total of 16.9 come tourney time. Carlos Rivera is also a streaky shooter but when he turns it on he is as tough as a matchup as anyone out there. The Pride are looking for their first NCAA Tournament bid since Speedy Claxton was alongside Jason Hernandez in the backcourt. Coach Tom Pecora led them to the NIT last year but says anything short of an NCAA appearance will be a disappointment, Lets hope the Pride can pull one out.
      The final team with an outside chance of making the tournament is the Old Dominion Monarchs. Going into the season the Monarchs were heavily favored to win the conference and even to appear in the top 25. Most people compared their senior forward Alex Loughton to the likes of Andrew Bogut. Loughton did not exactly live up to expectations as he averaged 14.1 ppg to go along with 7.6 rpg, but performed well enough to earn second team All-CAA honors. Loughton is joined by fellow Monarchs Isaiah Hunter and Arnaud Dahi to lead them to the big dance. Hunter a senior guard also averages 14.1 ppg while Dahi a junior forward from South Africa averages 12.1 a game. The Monarchs had some tough conference loses along the way to the likes of Drexel, Hofstra, George Mason and VCU but an impressive victory against UNC Wilmington. Old Dominion will need to appear in the Conference finale for a hope at an at-large bid.
      All in all the CAA was as good of a mid major conference as it gets this year as four teams won 20 plus games while maintaining an RPI within the top 50. Each team ventured out playing an above average non conference schedule to compliment their arduous conference one. The two teams in the conference tournament finale will likely get the call on Selection Sunday while others will be waiting for their invitation to the NIT. This was an impressive season for the CAA as a whole and they are becoming increasingly closer to asserting themselves as a paradoxical, “power” mid major conference.