SB Nation - Hofstra Pride

RPI WATCH: 11/23/09

BracketCat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:00:13 -0000

Well, it's officially basketball season here at BOTC, so I'm going to try and get some basketball-related stuff on here on a more consistent basis. Big 12 Outlook will return after New Year's, but in the meantime, I need to resume the Big 12 previews and shift them into overdrive a little in order to make up for lost time.

The other thing I want to do is update you on all of our opponents on a daily basis. I'll look at how they performed in yesterday's games and maybe track the RPIs a little, too. The idea is to get a general picture, on a day-to-day basis, of how strong our non-conference schedule is, because I've seen some concern from various corners of late.

For a more detailed discussion, hit the jump. But here's a short preview: We did ourselves a lot of good in Puerto Rico.

Here's how our opponents have performed to date, in order to provide a baseline comparison and bring everyone up to speed. (After all, not everyone has been paying attention to hoops like I have, given our North-contending football team and what have you.)

Kansas State RPI = 28

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Good Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (2-1) | RPI = 64: Loss at Kansas State (92-54), Win over Canisius (89-69), Win at Holy Cross (76-73)
Western Illinois (2-2) | RPI = 112: Loss at Arizona State (87-35), Loss at Kansas State (82-50), Win over Truman State (71-59), Win at Central Arkansas (56-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141: Loss at Iona (82-73), Loss to George Washington (69-59), Loss to Kansas State (80-70), Win over Indiana (71-67), Loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech (85-67)
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76: Win over UALR (92-64), Win over Alabama State (90-53), Win over Indiana (89-71), Win over Kansas State (86-74), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (79-67)
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32: Win over Creighton (90-80), Win over No. 21 Georgia Tech (63-59), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (71-65), Loss to Kansas State (83-75)
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75: Win at Drake (88-82), Win at Eastern Illinois (69-66), Win over Austin Peay (77-63), Loss at Auburn (80-65), Win over Georgia State (67-56)
Fort Hays State (2-0) | RPI = N/A (D-II): Win over Friends (82-46), Win over Central Christian College (85-66)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140: Win over MVSU (94-66), Win over Eastern Washington (67-61), Win over IPFW (89-70)
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79: Win over Youngstown State (83-57), Win over Bowling Green (101-57), Win over Sacred Heart (105-65)
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1: Win over Pittsburg State (91-52), Win over Nevada (88-75), Win over Southern Illinois (78-69)
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186: Loss to Cornell (71-67), Win over Jackson State (86-69), Win over Providence (84-75)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166: Loss at Colorado (88-72), Loss at Denver (75-56), Loss at UTEP (70-52)
Cleveland State (3-1) | RPI = 260: Loss at St. Bonaventure (72-62), Win over Wilmington (99-74), Win over Florida A&M (78-64), Win over Sam Houston State (80-65)
South Dakota (2-2) | RPI = N/A (D-I transition): Loss at Texas Tech (88-49), Loss to Oregon State (62-47), Win over TAMUCC (76-73), Win over Mayville State (99-67)
Missouri (2-0) | RPI = 280: Win over UT Martin (83-68), Win over UTPA (100-64)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135: Win over Angelo State (88-69), Win at SMU (80-68), Win over Samford (68-49)
Colorado (3-0) | RPI = 128: Win over UAPB (88-72), Win over Coppin State (82-58), Win over Texas Southern (88-77)
No. 3 Texas (2-0) | RPI = 17: Win over UC Irvine (89-42), Win over Western Carolina (73-41)
Oklahoma State (3-0) | RPI = 21: Win over Seattle (86-64), Win over Southern (93-61), Win over North Texas (82-68)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Norfolk State (86-58), Win over Hartford (71-69), Win over Southern (61-45), Win over Hardin-Simmons (106-45)
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46: Win over Hofstra (101-65), Win over Memphis (57-55), Win over Central Arkansas (94-44)
Nebraska (2-1) | RPI = 134: Win over SCUU (76-49), Loss at Saint Louis (69-55), Win over TCU (90-77)
Iowa State (4-0) | RPI = 188: Win over Idaho State (88-68), Win over Chicago State (72-50), Win at Drake (90-70), Win over MVSU (96-55)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65: Win over Mount St. Mary's (95-71), Win over UL Monroe (72-61), Loss at VCU (82-69)
Texas Tech (5-0) | RPI = 86: Win over South Dakota (88-49), Win over TAMUCC (66-59), Win over Oregon State (64-60), Win over Northwestern State (94-75), Win over Lamar (77-54)

My plan is to update this daily with the games are played the previous day, and I'll probably start looking at RPIs some time after Thanksgiving (they're pretty meaningless before that point due to the disparity in scheduling).

Update: Got bored and added the RPIs around midnight. I'll save the analysis for tomorrow's edition.

College Hoops Go-Round: November 17

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:55:30 -0000

by Ed Reinke - AP

about 1 month ago: Kentucky's John Wall goes between Miami of Ohio's Julian Mavunga (4) and Nick Winbush (20) for a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Monday, Nov. 16, 2009. Wall had 19 points in Kentucky's 72-70 win. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

View full size photo »

Since I already previewed today's action here, this post will only recap Monday night's games, with the first few contests from the early morning hours on this enjoyable gimmick of a day thrown in for good measure.

The big story of the day was John Wall's debut at Kentucky, and he bailed the Wildcats out against Miami (Ohio), which ended up 72-70 UK. You can see his game winning shot here.

The other big attraction of the night was regional play in the NIT Season Tip-Off.

In the North region, Stanley Robinson and Kemba Walker led UConn to a win over Colgate. The Huskies will next face Hofstra, 68-63 winners over Yale.
The South region final will feature Western Kentucky and LSU in Baton Rouge. The Hilltoppers got 30 from A.J. Slaughter to beat Milwaukee, 69-65, while the Bayou Bengals had little problem with Indiana State, winning 56 to 45.
Duke will meet Charlotte in the East final in Durham. Kyle Singler had a double double (23 points, 11 boards) to lead the Blue Devils to a 25-point win over Coastal Carolina. The 49ers beat Elon in game two, 75 to 61.
Out West, TCU, 83-65 winners over Cal State-Northridge, will face homestanding Arizona State, who beat Texas State 84 to 62.

After the jump, I'll have some of the other action from today, including the scores of the first few games of the round the clock marathon.

The 24-hour marathon got started with a double OT thriller, as Cal State Fullerton defeated UCLA for the first time, 68-65. The Titan win snapped the Bruins' string of 37 straight wins over unranked non-conference foes.
St. Mary's had a suprisingly easy time with San Diego State in the 2 a.m. Eastern game, winning 60-58.
At 4 a.m., Northern Colorado used a 19-0 run to get ahead of host Hawai'i, whose comeback attempt fell short in the end.
St. Peter's blew out Monmouth in the first ever Division I basketball game to start at 6 a.m. local time.
Auburn fell to Missouri State, 73 to 62, becoming the second SEC school to fall to the Bears at the JQH Center in as many years, as Arkansas lost there last season.
Florida State knocked off Atlantic Sun favorite Jacksonville by 26.
Washington State struggled with Eastern Washington, finally prevailing 67 to 61.
Indiana also had a closer game than expected, as they beat South Carolina Upstate by 8.
Cincinnati also had a rough go of it last night, beating Prairie View 69-62. Lance Stephenson only had 7 on the night.
Rider didn't slip up after their upset of Mississippi State. They defeated Lehigh 86-71.
In a battle of two teams picked to finish near the bottom of their respective leagues, South Florida ran all over Tony Bennett's Virginia, 66-49. Dominique Jones had 22 to pace the Bulls.

If I didn't list your team's score, check the rundown on the right of any of the recap pages I've linked to find the result.

Now We're Cooking...On Friday The 13th

Chris Dobbertean — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:38 -0000

by Reed Saxon - AP

Lorenzo Romar's Huskies are among the six top 25 teams that start play on Friday night. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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For me, tonight feels like the actual start of the season, as I'll be at my first live game of the new campaign. I will sitting on press row for Liberty's visit to George Mason at 7:30 Eastern (no TV). You can tell it's an early season Friday, as there are quite a few games on the slate. This contrasts with what's to come in January and February, when typically only the Atlantic Sun, Horizon, and Ivy tend to take advantage of what is traditionally the quietest hoops night of the week.

But there is some action tonight, with four of tonight's games are particularly noteworthy. If a team's name appears in red, click the link to visit that school's SB Nation site for more full coverage. All times are Eastern.

Morehead State at no. 4 Kentucky (ESPNU, 6:30): John Calipari makes his official debut as head coach of the Wildcats, while highly-touted recruits John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, and Eric Bledsoe face their first test as college players. That comes against an Eagle team, led by 6-8 forward Kenneth Faried, that gave Louisville a battle in the first round of last year's NCAAs.
Hofstra at no. 1 Kansas (Jayhawk TV/Full Court, 8): Everyone's preseason favorite for the title takes on point guard Charles Jenkins and the Pride in both teams' opener in Lawrence.
Bradley at BYU (the mtn. 9:30): The opener for the Braves (last year's CollegeInsider runners-up) and Cougars (last year's Mountain West tourney champs) also serves as the first game of the new MVC/MWC Challenge.
Wright State at no. 14 Washington (FS Northwest/FCS Pacific, 10): The Huskies open up their campaign with a game against the team favored to be Butler's biggest threat in the Horizon League. This game will be your first chance to see UW's highly-touted freshman guard, Abdul Gaddy.

Here are some of tonight's other significant openers you can watch if you have a good satellite sports package.

UNC-Greensboro at no. 9 Duke (FS South, 7)
Drexel at St. Joseph's (Comcast Network, 7)
Youngstown State at Xavier (FS Ohio, 7:30)
William & Mary at no. 12 Connecticut (Big East/Full Court, 7:30)
Howard at Indiana (Big Ten, 8)
Charleston Southern at Maryland (CSN Washington, 8)
Loyola-Chicago at Kansas State (FS Kansas City/Full Court, 8)
Idaho State at Iowa State (Mediacom-iA/Full Court, 8)
Western Illinois at Arizona State (FS Arizona, 9)
Austin Peay at no. 10 Tennessee (SportSouth, 9)

Take a look at Matt Sarz's College Sports on TV site for other games tonight that are only available on local channels, like Stanford at San Diego.

A KenPom Preview: Hofstra Pride

rockchalk — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:35:22 -0000

I'm not sure yet if this means I'm full-fledged back or not. At some point, I'm going to post some form of season preview, and being that the season starts on Friday night, it should be soon. It won't be by tipoff, but it should come on pretty soon. College basketball is so effing exciting though, and I had to post something. And I miss writing these pieces, so I figured why not.

Those of you with us last year remember the drill. To all of the newcomers, it's pretty simple. I preview our upcoming opponent simply by looking at their KenPom page (you can find Hofstra's here). Now, since the season just started, I'll be using last year's numbers. As we move on, I'll do some mix of the two, until we get enough data for this season's numbers to be relevant. They are fun pieces, and usually end up being fairly accurate, which is a testament to just how much genius is inside Ken Pomeroy's brain. Too much, man. Too much.

So, with that said, here commences the preview.

Opening Thoughts

So, here it begins. The Season of Expectations. This team is good. There's no denying that. This team is the best in the country. There's some denying that, but not enough to supplant the overwhelming national opinion that it is. This team is going to win the National Championship. Serious denial going on here, but still, we're the favorite. The favorite. If someone held a gun to your head, and told you to pick a team to win the NCAA title this year, with a correct pick saving your life and an incorrect one ending it, the majority of people would pick Kansas. That's some powerful stuff.

Hell, Kansas is good enough to incite some Undefeated talk. I've done it with my friends here at Xavier, mostly just to say it. But sometimes, when I really look closely at this team, I start to really believe. This team really could go undefeated. It has the talent. It has the depth. It has the coach. It's basically a mirror image of last year's North Carolina team. That was a team that was clearly #1, that was coming off of a disappointing loss the year before in the NCAA Tournament, and a team that received some serious Undefeated discussion. They didn't go Undefeated, but they did win it all.

I'll take that trade. So, yeah, this game basically means nothing. Obviously, a loss would send some fans off the ledge, and even a narrow win would change the nation's perspective. But in college basketball, as in every other sport, all that really matters is you win the National Championship. At least in terms of achieving Expectation or not. The fun comes from the ride, but the long-lasting feeling of success comes from actually succeeding more than anybody else.

This has gotten way too long. So now, we're just going to move on to Hofstra now. After the jump, of course.

The Background

Hofstra was actually a pretty good team last season. They won 21 games, were ranked 175 by KenPom and had a really good defense. I mean, they didn't make postseason play, and they aren't going to match up well, but they aren't a pushover either. As far as returning talent goes, there are two ways you can look at it. You could look and see that all 5 starters from a year ago are returning, and you would think that they should get better. But then you look at their bench, and you would be think that this year is entirely a rebuilding effort. 12 players played enough minutes last year to get their name on Hofstra's KenPom page, 5 of them being the starters. Of the other 7, only 1 of them is returning. The other six have run out of eligibility. So, yeah, 6 of Hofstra's players have some experience to draw on. The rest of the players are entirely unknowns.

The Offense

The Pride shouldn't be proud of their offense (I feel like an anchor on SportsCenter right now, and that isn't a good thing). Let's just put it that way.

Four Factors

eFG% (325th) -- There's only like 344 schools in KP's database, so 325 pretty much is awful. A team with a 44% eFG%, which gives extra points for 3-pointers and is thus higher than regular FG%, is embarrassingly bad. Relatively, they are actually better behind the arc, but I really should just say that they are worse inside of it. It's just ugly all over.
Turnover% (250th) -- Not as atrocious, but still not good. If you can't shoot, the least you could do is maximize the opportunities. Or not. So, hopefully we see some nice open floor dunks. I'm not expecting anything to replicate Marcus Morris or anything, but who knows.
Off. Reb% (23rd) -- OMG! Something they are actually good at. So this is how they score at all, they just keep on picking the bricks off the glass and kicking them out again, setting up another clank. But seriously, at least they are good at something. It should be a good test of how people not named Cole can box out and pull down boards. If Thomas Robinson ends up playing, it'll be interesting to see just how good of a rebounder he is. And how much muscle has been added to the frames of the Morris twins.
FTA/FGA(127th) -- This basically means nothing unless it's incredibly high or incredibly low. They get fouled some, but not a ridiculous amount.

The Defense

As awful as the Pride were on offense, their defense was pretty good. They didn't win 21 games entirely on accident. They were mostly successful when possession numbers stayed low and games became defensive struggles, because that's their strength. Especially guarding the shots.

Four Factors

eFG% (27th) -- So. This is strength of their team. They are especially good at the 2-pointers, meaning they probably pack it in tight and contest anything within 15 feet. They aren't bad with the perimeter shots, but it's still where they are vulnerable -- if you can't hit shots from outside, then you're in trouble.
Turnover% (211th) -- Hey! We actually might win the turnover battle! Last year, our downfall was the fact that we didn't force turnovers and we gave away possessions. It's exactly why we lost to Michigan State in the Sweet 16. But hey, we're actually better than Hofstra at it. So, it's not really a weakness anymore. If you think about it.
Off. Reb% (88th) -- I'm not trying to be mean. I'm not trying to be a big, bad bully or something. But let's just say, this doesn't really concern me. You try and keep Cole Aldrich off of the offensive glass. Pfft.
FTA/FGA (320th) -- They foul. A bunch. So, this should be good practice for our free throws. Last year we were pretty good, so hopefully that can stay the same.

The Players

Charles Jenkins (G Jr.) -- The star of the Pride, he's the guy who likes to shoot the most. He will take shots from the outside, but he wasn't terribly accurate with them last year, and he much prefers to drive to the basket and take contact, getting himself to the free throw line. That's his game, which makes sense considering he's an 83% free throw shooter. He's a good assist man too, which I would imagine comes from being double-teamed a bunch, leading to open players who then make shots giving him an assist. Yay! He uses a bunch of possessions, and is definitely the key to the Hofstra Pride.

Cornelius Vines (G Sr.) -- He's the best three-point shooter on Hofstra, but even he can't hit a shot every 3 times he shoots one. Of course, he can't do anything else too, so that's not really that impressive. Or good. Or anything like that. So yeah. Unless he's hot from the outside, he's a subpar player.

Tony Dennison (G Sr.) -- He can't shoot. He doesn't draw fouls. He doesn't make the free throws when he gets there anyways. He's a marginal rebounder. Essentially, he's basically useless on the offensive end. Oh, and he turns the ball over quite a bit without a whole lot of defense. Put simply -- dude isn't very good.

Nathaniel Lester (F Jr.) -- He's a pretty good offensive rebounder, but he's entirely useless on the offensive end.

Greg Washington (F Jr.) -- Maybe the Pride's best player, really. Washington is a stud rebounder, especially on the defensive glass, and isn't entirely hopeless down in the post. Best of all, he's practically the Hasheem Thabeet of the CAA, blocking more than 12% of opponents' 2-point attempts last season. That's good enough for 5th in the entire country. So, yeah, he probably won't be stuffing Cole, but everyone else needs to go at him strong and draw fouls. And I guarantee he'll deposit at least a ball or two into the stands.

Miklos Szabo (F Jr.) -- I'm assuming Szabo is on the team for two reasons -- to have an awesome name on the team, and because he can rebound the heck out of the basketball. His numbers are better than Washington's, albeit in much less playing time, which is quite impressive. Of course, he's substantially worse on offense, and isn't a shot-blocking presence. But still, dude can rebound. At least he's good at something.

The Keys

1) Really? -- We already basically won. If you were nervous at all, check out their KenPom page. Blech. Yes, I realize, upsets happen. Bam. I don't really care. We could take our starting lineup (Sherron, Cole, Morris Twins, Xavier) and sit them down on the bench for the entire game and still probably win. It'd be pretty close, at least for a long while, and we could lose, but I wouldn't bet against us. Add in those players, and there is no reason why this game should be close in the second half.

2) Three-Pointer -- I'm really interested to see how well we shoot the three this year. I didn't get to see the two exhibition games, so I don't really know how we'll shoot. We all know that Relly Ice can hit the three, and Sherron is money. And Xavier is a better shooter than I think he is, I have a feeling. However, who the hell knows how the rest of the team is going to shoot. Can Tyshawn be more consistent? Can the Morris twins consistently hit? How good is Elijah? It'll be interesting to watch. We won't need a barrage to win this game, but we will need one at some point. I'm interested to see just how potent said barrage can be.

3) Turnovers -- I get it. We're going to turn the ball over a bunch. That's okay. But we still need to cut down that number some, and more importantly force more turnovers. It's easier to swallow turning the ball over 18 times if you forced 23 turnovers, y'know? So yeah. We have the athletes. And Bill Self, if he knows how to do one thing, knows how to coach defense. But we should absolutely dominate the Pride, as turnover prone as they already are. Let's see if we can.

Conclusion

We're going to win. But in close games, with more this-season data, these things can get really sweet. I'll try and post some essay-style season preview piece tomorrow before the game. Then do more hardcore season preview stuff over the weekend or something. I'll do my best.

I can't believe college basketball is already back. It's the best time of the frickin' year, y'all. Enjoy it.

BtB 2009-10 Colonial Athletic Association Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:00:24 -0000

Virginia Commonwealth made a nice name for themselves over the past few seasons. Sure, George Mason put the CAA on the map by reaching the Final Four in 2006, but the Rams have brought a new level of consistency to the league over the past few seasons. Over the past three seasons, VCU has been the undisputed regular season league champ, the first team ever to accomplish that feat. They also won the CAA tournament in two of those three seasons--the Patriots won in '08--and proved to be a tough out in the NCAAs, beating Duke before falling to Pitt in OT in 2007 and losing to UCLA on a buzzer beater last season.

But two of the main reasons for VCU's success have moved on. Head coach Anthony Grant took over at Alabama, while starting point guard Eric Maynor, who won two CAA Player of the Year awards during his time in Richmond, is now plying his trade with the Utah Jazz. However, the Rams have four starters back,led by guard Joey Rodriguez and center Larry Sanders, they'll still be a major factor in the race this season for new coach Shaka Smart (a former Florida assistant, like Grant).

But it may be time for Old Dominion, who returns all five starters, led by Finnish forward Gerald Lee, to dethrone the Rams. Mason, Northeastern, and Hofstra will also surely have something to say in the title chase, and it wouldn't be the CAA without someone rising up the standings unexpectedly. More on these favorites and their pursuers after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Colonial standings.

Colonial Athletic Association Standings

(updated 3.31.2009 at 10:55 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Va. Commonwealth Rams	14	4	24	10
George Mason Patriots	13	5	22	11
Old Dominion Monarchs	12	6	25	10
Northeastern Huskies	12	6	19	13
Hofstra Pride	11	7	21	11
Drexel Dragons	10	8	15	14
James Madison Dukes	9	9	21	15
Georgia St. Panthers	8	10	12	20
Delaware Blue Hens	6	12	13	19
Towson Tigers	5	13	12	22
William & Mary Tribe	5	13	10	20
UNC-Wilmington Seahawks	3	15	7	25

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order.

William and Mary (last NCAA: None) The Tribe could be improved this season, if they can find a way to spread the scoring around a bit. Seniors David Schneider (14.1 ppg) and Danny Sumner (13.4 ppg) are going to attract more defensive attention this year, so Bill and Mary could use further offensive options. Sophomore swingman Quinn McDowell averaged over 9 points a game last season, so he is a possibility. 6-9 freshman Andrew Pavloff could be another. Head coach Tony Shaver is expecting him to bolster a thin frontcourt.

Towson (last NCAA: 1991) The Tigers shocked third-seeded Northeastern to reach the CAA semifinals last year, where they attempted to give GMU a game. Pat Kennedy's squad features four returning starters from a year ago, though more will be expected from Robert Nwankwo (4.4 ppg. 4.5 rpg) and Jarrel Smith (9.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) after the departure of leading scorer and rebounder Junior Hairston (13 ppg. 7.4 rpg). Freshman Isaiah Philmore will also be expected to contribute immediately, though he is a true swingman. Brian Morris (5.1 ppg, 3.8 apg) is back to run the point for the Tigers. who only venture out of the Baltimore-DC area once during their non-conference slate. They visit Dayton.

Drexel (last NCAA: 1996) The Dragons looked to be a serious contender in the CAA race, until they dropped three consecutive one point games to wrap up the CAA season. As the scorelines (49-48, 47-46, and 48-47) indicate, Drexel was an impressive defensive team that couldn't shoot a lick last year. Scoring could again be an issue, as their only double-digit scorer of a year ago, Scott Rodgers (13.1 ppg) is gone. Bruiser Flint will need more production from his three leading returning scorers, G Gerald Colds (9 ppg), PG Jamie Harris (8.1 ppg, 2.9 apg), and F Evan Neisler (7.8 ppg. 6.9 rpg). The Dragons will host one of the "subregionals" of the Legends Classic, featuring Cornell, Toledo, and Vermont. They also face three of the Big Five, St. Joe's, Penn, and Villanova, while working in a trip to Lexington to face Kentucky.

Georgia State (last NCAA: 2001) Rod Barnes' squad features six seniors, including the Panthers' three returning starters, Mississippi transfer 6-7 F Trey Hampton (4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), and the team's two leading scorers from last season, PG Joe Dukes (12.8 ppg, 4.2 apg) and G Trae Goldston (10.8 ppg). Hampton and fellow Ole Miss transfer Xavier Hansbro (4.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg) really need to be more effective inside for the Panthers to move up the standings. Freshman James Vincent, a 6-10 F/C, may help push them. If the interior play doesn't improve, it will be another long season in Atlanta. GSU will play in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in November, visiting NC State and taking on Drake, Howard, and IUPUI in Daytona Beach.

Delaware (last NCAA: 1999) The Blue Hens were basically the complete opposite of Drexel last season, plenty of scoring, but not enough stops. Scoring should continue to be a strong suit for Monte Ross' team, as juniors Jawan Carter (15.2 ppg, 2.6 apg) and Alphonso Dawson (14.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and senior Brian Johnson (10 ppg, 5 apg) all return. Someone will have to step up to replace the contributions of the graduated Marc Egerson (15.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg), particularly on the glass. UD's non-conference schedule is remarkably local. They get a home game against Temple in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, but travel to Siena and face Virginia Tech in the Palestra in that same event. They do travel to Burlington to face Vermont, however.

UNC Wilmington (last NCAA: 2006) The bright spot of a dismal season for the Seahawks was a 81-72 home win over league champs VCU. They won only six other times in '08-09, but could have had a few more. As four starters, including three double-digit scorers, return for Benny Moss, there should be a lot more happy moments in Wilmington this season. Junior Chad Tomko (15.6 ppg, 4.4 apg) could replace the departed Maynor as the conference's best point guard. He'll team with senior Johnny Wolf (13.9 ppg) to form a formidable backcourt. The biggest issue for the Seahawks is the frontcourt, where 6-7 Dominique Lacy (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) could use some help, particularly on the boards. UNCW will participate in the Charleston Classic, where they'll open with NIT winners Penn State.

James Madison (last NCAA: 1994) Matt Brady did a nice job in his first season at the helm in Harrisonburg. The Dukes won 21 games, including three postseason contests. They qualified for the inaugural CollegeInsider tournament, where they lost to eventual winners and CAA rival Old Dominion in the semifinals. JMU will have to try to improve on last year without two of that team's three leading scorers, forwards Kyle Swanston (11.6 ppg) and Juwann James (14.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg). But Brady has a lot of excellent players still at his disposal. Devon Moore (10.7 ppg) and Pierre Curtis (9.3 ppg) will be an effective backcourt, and reserve forwards Andrey Semenov (8.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Dazzmond Thornton (6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) will join starter Julius Wells (11.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to form an intimidating frontcourt unit. The Dukes will visit Ohio State as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. They also travel to Miami to face Florida International, Murray State, and North Carolina Central in one of that event's subregionals. In December, JMU flies cross country to face Stanford.

Hofstra (last NCAA: 2001) Tom Pecora's side returns four starters, including leading scorers Charles Jenkins (19.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.3 apg) and Cornelius Vines (10.5 ppg). Like Tomko at UNCW, Jenkins could really attract a lot of attention thanks to Maynor's graduation. But the big question in Hempstead is how well the Pride's five newcomers fit in, as Pecora likes to distribute the minutes. The Pride will take part in the North region of the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they'll likely face UConn if they get by Yale in their opener. Hofstra will also make the short trip into the City to take part in the Holiday Classic. They open with St. John's and will face either Ivy favorite Cornell or Stephen Curry-less Davidson in their second game.

Northeastern (last NCAA: 1991) The Huskies started well, winning at Providence and a rebuilding Indiana, then opening the CAA schedule with 10 wins in their first 11 games. Then, the wheels came off, as the Huskies only won twice more in the league, eventually falling to Towson in the quarterfinals. Still, they earned a CBI invite, where they defeated Wyoming on the road, before their season ended at UTEP. Bill Coen has four starters back off that team, and he can only hope the gas tank stays full this year. Matt Janning (14.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) will again challenge for all-CAA honors, while Chaisson Allen (10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Manny Adako (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and Nkem Ojougboh (7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are all valuable pieces of the puzzle. The biggest thing for Coen is to find some bench scoring. Northeastern's schedule gets serious right out of the gate, as they travel to Siena for a noon tip that's part of ESPN's November 17 marathon. They also welcome Providence, Utah State, and Wright State to Boston. December sees them play in two tournaments back-to-back, first the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, where they open with Patty Mills-less St. Mary's, then the Cable Car Classic at Santa Clara.

George Mason (last NCAA: 2008) The Patriots attempted to make it back-to-back trips to the Dance, but last year's CAA final was really over before it started. The season ended in further disappointment when GMU dropped a four point overtime decision to champions Penn State in the NIT. Now Jim Larranaga will have to try to stay competitive despite losing three key starters from a season ago, guards Dre Smith and John Vaughan and forward Darryl Monroe. So, with those significant losses, why are the Patriots still contenders? Well, Larranaga still has Cam Long (11.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Louis Birdsong (6.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) on the roster. Plus, he receives the services of two highly-touted freshmen this year, Capital Classic and Jordan Brand Classic selectee Paris Bennett, a 6-6 F, and 6-4 G Sherrod Wright, who also played in the Jordan game. GMU plays in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, where they have the unenviable task of opening with Villanova, a team they lost to in the Old Spice Classic semifinals in 2007. They could face Dayton in their second game there, but if they don't, the two meet in Fairfax in December, four days before the Patriots welcome Creighton to town in a BracketBusters rematch.

VCU (last NCAA: 2009) It's up to Shaka Smart to keep what Jeff Capel and Anthony Grant have gotten going in Richmond. Of course, he has to do it without Maynor, the program's heart and soul. However, the cupboard is far from bare. Sanders, a bruising 6-10 forward who averaged more than 11 points, almost 9 boards a game, and nearly 3 blocks a game, is back for his junior year. 6-8 senior Kiril Pishchalnikov (5.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) will also be a force in the frontcourt. In the backcourt, Joey Rodriguez and Brandon Burgess will have to fill the void left by Maynor, and considering they averaged a combined 16.8 points per contest last year, they're more than capable. Brandon Rozzell, who averaged almost 7 points a game last year, will also see more minutes. If one of these players can step up in the leadership department, fans in Richmond may be able to forget about Maynor. (Nah, that'll never happen.) The Rams schedule features a visit from Oklahoma, coached by Capel, and a home game against Nevada, a return of the 71-70 Wolf Pack triumph in last year's BracketBusters.

Old Dominion (last NCAA: 2007) Blaine Taylor's squad took the inaugural CollegeInsider tournament crown with a 66-62 win over Bradley in Peoria. The Monarchs return all five starters, led by Lee, a 6-10 Finnish-American who averaged almost 16 points and 6 rebounds a contest last season. Taylor preaches defense, and opponents only managed an average of 60 points a game last year. However, the Monarchs could score a bit more, as Lee was the only player to average in double figures last season. 6-5 swingman Ben Finney could improve on his average of 9.9 a game this time around. Point guard Darius James is a pass-first guy who dished out 4.5 assists per contest, so the offense is certainly in good hands. ODU will participate in the South Padre Island Invitational, where they'll open with Missouri. They'll face either Mississippi State or Richmond in their second game. If it's the Spiders, they'll play UR back to back, as ODU is already scheduled to visit the Robins Center on December 2.

So the Monarchs will hold the Colonial's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. I don't anticipate multiple bids for the CAA at the moment, but that could very well change as the season goes on.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-CAA team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-CAA Team

Player of the Year: Larry Sanders, 6-10 F, Jr. (Virginia Commonwealth)

Remainder of the Team
Matt Janning, 6-4 G/F, Sr. (Northeastern)
Charles Jenkins, 6-3 G, Jr. (Hofstra)
Gerald Lee, 6-10 F, Sr. (Old Dominion)
Chad Tomko, 5-11 G, Jr. (UNC Wilmington)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the CAA this season?

Delaware

0 votes

Drexel

4 votes

George Mason

4 votes

Georgia State

0 votes

Hofstra

1 votes

James Madison

0 votes

Northeastern

1 votes

Old Dominion

1 votes

Towson

1 votes

UNC Wilmington

0 votes

Virginia Commonwealth

6 votes

William and Mary

0 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

Now the Nerves Start - Recapping Saturday's Action

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:07:46 -0000

Even though my evening/life was ruined by this news, (Seriously, first the Cubs sign Milton Bradley, now this? It's a good thing the Leafs didn't beat the Rangers to Sean Avery on waivers.) it's March, so all is right with the world.

Well, all is right for certain fanbases. For others, the next week is going to be extremely nerve-racking.

For starters, let's congratulate the three teams who will appear in bold in Tuesday's bracket, thanks to their conference championship wins last night. (As always, score recaps are from Basketball State.)

Radford became the second team in after they defeated VMI, 108-94, in the Big South final. The Highlanders beat the Keydets at their own game. The Highlanders have a balanced attack and the Belarussian Behemoth, C Artsiom Parakhouski.
East Tennessee State took their first Atlantic Sun championship and first NCAA bid since 2004 (when they were in the SoCon) by easily beating regular-season champ, Jacksonville, 85-68. Watch out for the Bucs, who have three guys who can really put up points, guards Kevin Tiggs (21.5 ppg) and Courtney Pigram (17.6 ppg) and forward Mike Smith (15.5 ppg).
In the game of the night, Morehead State defeated Austin Peay State, 67-65 in double OT, to win the Ohio Valley crown. I finally got to see the highlights on ESPNews when I got back from Richmond. Unbelievable! All-OVC first-teamers Leon Buchanan and Kenneth Faried (also the first-ever OVC Def. POY) are players to watch on the Eagles.

In Richmond, things went according to plan in the first three games, though all three higher seeds (VCU, Old Dominion. and George Mason) got real games. The Monarchs game with Hofstra going right to the buzzer. The fourth game, however, saw 11 seed Towson win their second straight game, 58-54 over third-seeded Northeastern. VCU faces ODU and GMU takes on Towson in the semifinals this afternoon.

While all that excitement was going on, there were a ton of resume-related games I was tracking on the BracketBerry.

Creighton's at-large candidacy is very much on life support, as Illinois State demolished them by 24 in the Bizarro Valley semifinals. Osiris Eldridge had 21, including 4 treys and at least one SportsCenter-worthy dunk. The Redbirds face Northern Iowa today at 2 EDT (CBS) for the Valley crown.
Maryland's case took a major hit, after the Terps fell at Virginia, 68-63. Are wins over North Carolina and Michigan State going to be enough? It depends on how many games the Terps can win in the ACC tournament and who the opponents are.
Think Penn State is safe? Maybe not, now that they lost to Iowa, 75-67 in double OT.
Rhode Island may have put themselves out with a 72-71 headscratcher at the hands of UMass.
Florida helped their case and pretty much doomed Kentucky to the NIT with their 60-53 win.
Michigan got by Minnesota,. 67-64 win, meaning all three teams in the Big Ten bubble round-robin finished 1-1.
Texas A&M got a nice bookend win by beating Missouri, 96-86.
Miami won at NC State, 72-64, to finish at 7-9 in the ACC. If Maryland's on the bubble still, the Canes have to go back on it too.
Speaking of bubble newcomers, Auburn beat LSU, 69-53. The Bayou Bengals had a chance to finish 15-1 in the SEC, but are 13-3 after two straight losses. The Tigers, meanwhile, are 10-6 in the league. However, they went 8-2 against the weaker SEC West and 2-4 against the somewhat stronger East.
Dayton recovered nicely from their loss to Xavier Thursday, defeating Duquesne, 74-61.

Good news for bubble teams everywhere, Davidson, Siena, and Butler all won in their conference tournaments yesterday. The Bulldogs face Cleveland State at Hinkle Tuesday night for the Horizon championship.

The Mountain West has tri-champions this morning. BYU will be the one seed, Utah the two, and New Mexico the three. San Diego State defeated UNLV, 57-46, at the Thomas & Mack Center, and the two meet again in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The Runnin' Rebels are now 9-7 in the league. Earlier wins over Arizona and Louisville will give the Committee a lot to discuss next week.

Speaking of the Cardinals, Louisville laid claim to a one seed by beating West Virginia, 62-59. That win gave the Cardinals the outright Big East title. Pitt did the same with a 70-60 win over UConn that gives them the two seed in the Big East tournament. The Huskies will be seeded third. Memphis is also in the running. The Tigers closed out another regular season of C-USA perfection with a 74-47 win over Tulane. And don't count out Oklahoma, 82-78 winners over Oklahoma State.

It's just about time to head down to Richmond for the CAA semis. I apologize for not being all that responsive to e-mail yesterday evening, as my phone was dying at the end of the quadrupleheader. Today should be better in that respect. Updates to my site links and blogroll are forthcoming, probably tomorrow, as it's likely I won't be making the trip down to Richmond for the final.

But that just means I'll get to have a game or open thread here for the first time.

Happy hoops viewing!