NCAAB Colonial Athletic Assoc
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Colonial Athletic Association: 2007-08
Virginia-Commonwealth
VCU (28-7 SU, 17-14 ATS) had another terrific season under 40-year old first-year head coach Anthony Grant. Grant spent 12 years at Florida and was a top assistant under veteran coach Billy Donovan, culminating in the Gator's first national title in basketball. Before making the journey south to Florida, Grant spent two years at Marshall, also under Donovan, helping the Thundering Herd to a 35-20 record. Florida ran a wide-open attack, and VCU became far more offensive minded last season. They used to be a power-defensive team, but were more offensive under the new coach, averaging 75 ppg (22-10 over the total).
The Rams are not a tall group, with the guards leading the team in scoring, though they lose seniors B.A. Walker and Jesse Pellot-Rosa. Junior point guard Eric Maynor (13 ppg) is back and they will ask more of senior guards Jamal Shuler (8.6 ppg), so the backcourt has quality, just not the depth they had last season. The Rams earned their first berth in the NCAA tournament since they won the Colonial title in 2004. They upset Duke 79-77 before falling to Pitt in OT, 84-79. Maynor was named co-Player of the Week in February after he averaged 21.5 points, 9.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds, including a big win 102-84 win over Houston.
The frontcourt has excellent depth with 6-9 senior Mike Anderson (6.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and 6-7 senior Wil Fameni (9 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Sophomore forward 6-4 T.J. Gwynn is a good role player and they have 6-8 Kirill Pischainikov, who came to VCU from the Russian development leagues. 6-7 senior Michael Anderson adds depth up front.
This group was terrific on the road, at 11-2 SU, 7-4 ATS and 4-2 SU/5-1 ATS as a dog. VCU did not play a tough non-conference schedule, losing 70-67 on a neutral court to Xavier as an 8-point favorite. Virginia-Commonwealth should have another strong offensive team, and note that they were 17-9 over the total as a favorite and 19-2 SU in conference play. Another winning season is likely, and 20 wins is a possibility.
Hofstra
Hofstra went 24-6 SU, 17-9 ATS two years ago and is off another terrific season, going 22-10. This has been a budding program the last four seasons, with a run and gun offense (73 ppg). That.5?s why Hofstra was 17-13 over the total last season and 19-11 over two years ago! Hofstra has a great backcourt returning with 6'-3" senior Antoine Agudio (20 ppg), a preseason Conference POY. He teamed with Loren Stokes (21 ppg, 6 rpg), who has graduated, to form the highest scoring backcourt tandem in the country, and the fourth highest scoring pair of teammates overall, regardless of position.
The role playing frontcourt sports 6'-8" junior Mike Davis-Sabb and 6-8 junior Arminas Urbutis whose jobs are to box out and grab rebounds and let the guards run the show. 6-5 junior Zygis Sestokas add depth to the backcourt. Hofstra opened last season with three straight losses to Charlotte, Manhattan and Hawaii, all away from home. They also lost 85-60 at Syracuse, so while the guard play is great, they have struggled when stepping up. Two new players to keep an eye on are 6-10 freshman Greg Washington and 6-10 junior Dane Johnson. Washington is a terrific athlete, while Johnson is a wide body JC transfer.
The Pride had won 28 regular season home games dating back to 2004-05, including its last 22 CAA home games, before Drexel upset them in overtime late last season. They finished 10-1 SU, 4-6 ATS at home. Overall, Hofstra is 70-21 at Mack Sports Complex since the building opened on January 2, 2000. Their electric guard play will have them in the running for a CAA title again, and this team was 19-12 SU, 16-12 ATS on the road the last two years! This team has plenty of talent and should be over the .500 mark again.
George Mason
No, it wasn't quite as good as the previous season (27-8), when George Mason made it to the Final Four. But coach Jim Larranaga went through a rebuilding season and still came out with an 18-15 record while making the Colonial championship game. They dropped a 65-59 battle to VCU, narrowly missing the Big Dance again. With an 18-15 record, Mason has finished better than .500 for the ninth-straight season, a school record. The best news of all is that EVERYONE is back!
The frontcourt still has 6'-7" senior Will Thomas (13 ppg, 7 rpg) up front with 6-4 senior Folarin Campbell (14 ppg, 4 rpg). The two led the Patriots in scoring and rebounding. The George Mason defense allowed 59 ppg overall, the same number that their Final Four team allowed. George Mason is 19-12 and 15-14 UNDER the total the last two seasons.
The backcourt returns juniors John Vaughan and Andre Smith. Smith is a 6-foot point guard, who averaged 8 ppg but has great potential to score more. Smith averaged 23.1 points per game in junior college and he was named first team All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association. Smith was fourth in the nation's junior college ranks in scoring two years ago, when he also averaged 3.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals.
They beat Mississippi State and lost to Duke, so this school is not afraid to schedule the big schools. They play great defense and will be a CAA force again. Over the last three years they are 46-13 SU/33-20 ATS at home! There is plenty of talent on this well coached team to shoot for a 20-win season.
Old Dominion
The Old Dominion Monarchs (24-9) have really put it together the last two seasons, winning 28 games two years ago and making the Big Dance last season. The strength of this team is a terrific frontcourt anchored by 7'-3", 260-lb senior Sam Harris, who was more of a role player off the bench. One player to watch is Gerald Lee, a 6-9, 220-pound forward from Korihait, Finland. Lee averaged 18.1 points, and 8.3 rebounds for the Finnish under-18 squad two summers ago. He scored 30 points with eight rebounds against Hungary as his season high. He shot .566 from the floor and last season with Old Dominion he averaged 18 minutes as a freshman.
The big front line is why Old Dominion was one of the top defensive teams in the Colonial Athletic Association, holding opponents to 62 points and 41% shooting per game. Old Dominion has a capable and veteran backcourt returning in senior Brandon Johnson and 6-4 senior Brian Henderson. Old Dominion was third in the CAA in scoring (70 ppg). They went 3-5 SU/4-4 ATS as a dog. They had a 12-game win streak end with a stunning loss to George Mason in the CAA tourney, so they may be on a mission this season.
6-6 junior Jon Adams is a good role player up front, along with 6-8 Keyon Carter. Old Dominion went 8-5 SU, 7-5 ATS on the road. The most impressive win was 75-62 at Georgetown as a +12 dog. OD was 15-2 SU/9-6 ATS at home. They should be one of the top teams in the CAA again.
Drexel
Coach Bruiser Flint's Drexel Dragons (23-9 SU, 12-17 ATS) play super-tough defense around a bruising frontcourt. Drexel was 18-10 under the total two years ago allowing 60 points per game, and they allowed 61 ppg last season (17-12 under the total). This is a terrific frontcourt for the Colonial Athletic Association led by 6-9 senior center Frank Elegar (14.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and 6-7 senior F Randy Oveneke. Elegar was their leading scorer.
The backcourt is deep behind juniors Scott Rodgers (8 ppg) and speedy Tramayne Hawthorne. Drexel was a strong 4-2 SU/ATS as an underdog. They won 84-79 at Syracuse as a +8 dog and won 81-76 at Villanova as a +10 dog! Drexel also won 72-56 at St. Joe's as a +3 dog. The veteran leadership is why they were not been afraid to play on the road, going 13-3 SU, 9-6 ATS on the road. They trailed 43-36 at the half at Syracuse and still rallied to win. Elegar had 27 points and 10 rebounds that game, as surprising Drexel beat the then 23rd-ranked Orange, 84-79.
Drexel accomplished a lot of firsts last season. The Dragons upset Villanova 81-76 for the first victory in school history over the Wildcats after 17 straight losses. Drexel beat another Philadelphia rival, Saint Joseph's, only its seventh victory in 49 games against the Hawks, and posted its first win in three tries against the Orange. Drexel coach James "Bruiser" Flint said, "We're not coming into these games thinking we'll lose. We have a good chance to win." Drexel went 4-2 SU/ATS as a dog and is 12-7 ATS the last 17 as a dog. They will win more than they lose again behind frontcourt force Elegar.
Northeastern
Northeastern (13-19) joined the CAA two years ago and won 19 games, than slipped to 13-19 overall, though a respectable 9-9 in the Colonial last season. They used to be a running team, but first-year coach Bill Coen stepped in last season and slowed things way down, as the Huskies averaged 62 ppg (they averaged 75 ppg two years ago). It's Coen first head coaching role after serving as an assistant and associate head coach at Boston College under Al Skinner for the previous nine years.
They lost 3 starters, so the Huskies will build around 6-4 sophomore Matt Janning, who was CAA Rookie of the Year. Janning led all rookies in scoring (11.6 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg). Janning was second on Northeastern in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, minutes, 3-pointers and free throws. He played in all 32 of NU's games and started 31, averaging 35.4 minutes per game. He averaged 11.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Janning hit 55 3-pointers, shooting 35.3 percent from the 3-point line. He posted 90 assists with only 77 turnovers for a 1.17 assist-to-turnover ratio. The backcourt is a bit thin outside of Janning, but the frontcourt looks deep. Up front, 6-8 junior Eugene Spates (7.7 ppg), 6-8 sophomore Manny Adako and 6-7 senior center Mark Washington all saw significant time off the pine last year. A key newcomer is 6-8 Chris Alvarez, a transfer from Dayton who is eligible to play this season. Northeastern was 9-2 SU, 7-1 ATS at home last season and an incredible 19-4 SU, 16-2 ATS the last two years at home!
William & Mary
The William & Mary Tribe (15-15 SU, 12-12 ATS) was one of the big surprises last season, improving from 8-20 to a .500 season. William and Mary head coach Tony Shaver was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year by CollegeInsider.com. It marked only the fifth time in the 102-year history of W&M men.5?s basketball that the College had won 15 games against Division I foes. The Tribe's six-game improvement is the sixth-best in school history and ranks 34th nationally (Division I games only) last season.
The 2007-08 season could be an even better one for a Tribe squad that returns four starters. W&M returns 75 percent of its scoring, 82.3 percent of its rebounding and 77 percent of its assists. The College will welcome back six of its top seven scorers and five of its top six rebounders. The backcourt is solid behind senior Nathan Mann (9.1 ppg) and sophomore David Schneider. Schneider earned CAA All-Rookie honors, averaging 8.2 points and 2.6 assists per game during his freshman campaign. He ranked 11th in the CAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.47.
Up front they are in fine shape with the return of 6.5?-8.5? senior Laimis Kisielius (11.3 ppg) and 6.5?-9.5? junior Peter Stein Hutt. Kisielius was the Tribe's second-leading scorer at 11.3 points per game and had a sizzling 3-point field goal percentage of 41.9 percent. Off the bench they have 6-7 senior guard Kyle Carrabine. In his junior campaign, he made the first two starts of his career and connected on 33.3 percent from long range. They need to improve on a 4-11 road record to get over the .500 mark.
Towson
The Towson Tigers (15-17 SU, 19-10 ATS) surprised fans and oddsmakers last season, one of the best cover-teams in college basketball. Towson head basketball coach Pat Kennedy got a contract extension that will keep him in charge of the Tigers' program through the 2010-11 season. Under Kennedy's leadership Towson has shown marked improvement each year. After winning just five games in 2004-05, the Tigers were 12-18 in 2005-06 and completed the 2006-07 with a 15-17 record, posting their most wins in 11 years.
Moving upward for a winning record might be difficult this season as electric guard Gary Neal (25 ppg) is gone. He averaged 26 and 25 points per game the last two years! They also lose their top rebounder and second highest scorer in 6'-9" senior Dennard Abraham. The backcourt has junior Tim Crossin (4 ppg) and Curtis "C.C." Williams, a 6-1 point guard. He was the all-time leading scoring at Brunswick (N.C.) Community College who was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association's All-American third team two years ago.
Guard junior Vernon Carter is eligible to play after sitting out last year while coming over from UTEP. Up front, sophomore Rodney Spruill, a 6-4 swingman (the 2004-05 Baltimore City Player of the Year), 6-9 senior Tommy Breaux and 6-6 senior Jon Pease have to step up. Towson was 9-2 SU/ATS as a favorite, but might take a step back this season.
James Madison
James Madison hasn't fared well the last three season under head coach Dean Keener, going 6-22, 5-23 and 7-23. 4 starters returns, so perhaps there is hope for the new season. The backcourt has sophomore guard Pierre Curtis, who was been named to the CollegeInsider.com Freshman Mid-Major All-America Basketball Team. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Curtis is among 16 freshmen nationally named to the squad, and his selection follows him being named to the Colonial Athletic Association's all-rookie team for his play during the 2006-07 season.
Curtis started in each of JMU's 30 games during the 2006-07 season and averaged 11.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and a team-leading 3.7 assists per game. He also led the Dukes in playing time, averaging 35.5 minutes per game, the No. 2 all-time mark for a JMU freshman. The backcourt also has 6-5 junior guard Joe Posey (10 ppg) and 6-5 junior Colbey Santos, so the entire backcourt and top reserve return. This team was 0-3 SU/ATS as a favorite, and is 11-58 SU, 28-39 ATS as a dog. When they were supposed to lose, they did. The only good news is that this was a very young team, so plenty of experience returns.
The frontcourt lacks height, but has two good players. 6-5 senior Terrance Carter, a 205-pounder, averaged 12.8 points and 6.9 rebounds as a junior, leading the team in rebounds. James Madison junior forward 6-6 Juwann James averaged a team-leading 13 points and 5.3 rebounds. The team.5?s top two scorers and rebounders return, but as you can see they are not tall. Perhaps
6-7 Dazzmond Thornton can help out. Thornton has three years of eligibility remaining and joins the team after sitting out last season as a transfer. The six-foot, seven-inch, 265-pound forward played two years ago at Texas Tech. They should be improved, but it still looks like they are a year or two away from getting above .500.
NC Wilmington
NC Wilmington had one of the biggest slides in the nation, going from (25-8 SU, 20-10 ATS) two years ago with a great defense to just 7-22 SU, 11-17 ATS last season. What happened? No defense, for one thing, allowing 71 ppg. We.5?ll have to blame that on the new coach in first-year coach Benny Moss. The Seahawks used to be a slow-down, dynamite defensive team, but that's no longer the case. It.5?s no wonder they went 16-12 over the total with a more open offense (and far worse defense).
The NC Wilmington Seahawks have four starters returning, including its top 4 scorers, as well as almost its entire bench. The offense revolves around the frontcourt, led by 6'-9" senior Todd Hendley (11 ppg) and 6'-10" senior center Vladimir Kuljanin (13 ppg, 7 rpg), who excelled as a starter after being 6th man. Throw in 6-7 senior Kevin Swinton, a transfer from Wake Forest, and they have excellent height in the frontcourt.
The backcourt has 6-4 senior Daniel Fountain (10 ppg) and 6-5 sophomore Montez Downey. They have excellent height and a ton of returning experience, but this team was 1-13 SU, 6-7 ATS on the road. They should be better, but good coaching can get a team to play well on the road, and the coaching staff failed badly in its first season on the road for the Seahawks. Which makes us wary of this team improving that much.
Delaware
There's been something missing when it comes to the Delaware Blue Hens: mainly wins! They had a 9-21 season two years ago despite excellent depth and talent, then flopped last season at 5-26 SU, 11-16 ATS. Delaware is rebuilding going with head coach in Mont.5 Ross, his first as coach, last season. Ross, 36, has served as an assistant coach under Phil Martelli at Saint Joseph.5?s University the previous 10 seasons, helping to lead the Hawks six NCAA Tournament appearances, and three National Invitation Tournament appearances. The 2003-04 team went 30-2 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
They have all 5 starters back, so this year.5?s team has plenty of experience. What they don.5?t have is any height. Senior forward 6-7 Herb Courtney (18 ppg, 8 rpg) is back and led the Hens in scoring and rebounding. He doesn.5?t have a lot of help, though, unless senior 6-8 Henry Olawoye can step into the starting lineup. Delaware went only 3-11 SU/4-9 ATS at home, and 1-12 SU, 5-6 ATS on the road. That makes Delaware 3-24 SU/11-13 ATS on the road the last two years.
Senior guard Sam McMahon (10 ppg) returns to anchor the backcourt. Sophomore Brian Johnson adds backcourt depth, but there is little help up front. 6-5 sophomore Jawan Carter transfers over from St. Joe's, but may have to sit out this season. Carter was the 2006 Delaware Player of the Year as he led the Tatnall High School to the state title. The 6-0 guard averaged 29 points and seven assists then. Govens was the Class 4A Pennsylvania Player of the Year for consecutive seasons, earned All-State First Team honors and helped Chester to the 2005 state title.
The second-year coach has to get this team to play better defense (16-11 over the total) and install some confidence on the road as they allowed 70 ppg last season (75 on the road). Note that Delaware was 1-5 SU/ATS as a favorite!
Georgia State
Georgia State is off an 11-20 campaign and let go of head coach Michael Perry. New coach Rod Barnes comes over from Ole Miss and will have 3 returning starters to build around. The frontcourt returns 6-7 junior Rashad Chase (8.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg), while the backcourt has 6-4 junior Leonard Mendez (13.8 ppg).
The bench has returning players, but will need some candidates to step up. 6-9 senior Justin Billingslea along with 6-9, 255-lb senior Deven Dickerson were the leading scorer and rebounder two years ago, but slipped on the depth chart last season. 6-7 sophomore Kevin Lott and point guard .5?Trae.5? Goldston some saw time as freshmen and are back. Guard Shamaine Dukes transferred over from Wake Forest. There are more holes and question marks to this team and they were 3-11 on the road.
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