CAA Tournament Preview

As you may know already, we're from Richmond, Virginia and our town gets to host the CAA Tournament. We all pull for VCU since they're the local team, and for some reason, they always come through. They didn't do as strong as predicted so they get to play an extra cupcake, er, game this year in the tourney. Unfortunately, there are a couple of other good teams in the conference that may ruin the same celebration that we attended last year at the Richmond Coliseum. I'm here to offer a preview of this tournament, and during the next few days, other conference tournaments that will enhance the sports world before the Masters puts us to sleep without Tiger Woods.

Enough rambling... on to the predictions:


Friday 12:00: (7)UNC-Wilmington vs (10)Towson - For starters, the attendance at this game might not reach 1000 fans at tip-off, as the VCU game starts at 2:30-2:45, and fans should be showing up midway thru the second half. Hecklers: you've been warned, you will be heard by coaches and players. On to the game, where, according to my CAA Basketball guru/genius Tevin points out that "Wilmington will shoot lights out if Towson plays the same crappy D they've played all year." Well then, maybe basketball is that simple, if you can't stop the team that shoots really well, you will probably have a long night and a short tournament. If they do hope to stay in the game, they will need to rely on the play of Robert Nwankwo, who almost averages a double-double and also doesn't possess the name of my next child. Chad Tomko will make sure this one stays out of reach with his shooting and overall point guard play.

Prediction: Wilmington wins and if you watch, you will be asleep by the 15 minute mark of the second half.

Friday 2:30: (12)Delaware vs (5)VCU - The Coliseum will be a little more full for this one, as the hometown team makes an appearance for the first time. VCU is led by Larry Sanders and Joey Rodriguez, whose inside/outside combo should completely take Delaware out of this one. Deleware is led into this fire, er, game by Jawan Carter who is a one man band who might need to score40 points to keep this one competitive.

Prediction: VCU should roll at home, and on to a rematch from last year's championship game with George Mason.

Friday 6:00: Georgia St. vs Hofstra - Our CAA guru Tevin thinks that this will be a defensive struggle with both teams having lots of senior leadership to keep this game close either way. I'll agree, but then again I would have agreed with anything he had to say in reference to a CAA game. These teams should be familiar with each other, since they played this past Saturday with Hofstra winning by 13 in a faster paced game. Also, the guru wants you to watch out for Charles Jenkins(ppg - 20.4), who could have a coming out party during this year's tournament. Joe Dukes is the stud for Georgia State, leading the Panthers in points, assists and is second in rebounding.

Prediction: Hofstra for three reasons, Charles Jenkins, lack of non-home wins by Georgia State, and Tevin told me to. Seems logical.

Friday 8:30: James Madison vs Drexel - Right off the top, the guru thinks that this is the best game of the day and I couldn't agree more(since he's the genius and I'm an ACC fan.) James Madison has a dominant post player in Denzel Bowles, who made Larry Sanders look like Garry Shandling in their last meeting. However, Drexel swept James Madison during the regular season winning by 21 at Drexel and by 3 at home vs the Dragons. James Madison doesn't close games well, as indicated by their lowly 4 conference wins, and they have a tough time spelling the word defense.

Prediction: Call me crazy, or irrational, or an idiot, but I'm taking the Dukes in a major upset. I have no good reason except for the fact that they will have the dominant player on the floor, which is always enough for me.