March Madness is almost here and Richmond is once again playing host to the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball championship. Twelve teams from up and down the East Coast will vie for the coveted CAA trophy and a chance to make their way up the NCAA tournament ladder to the Final Four.
In recent years, thanks to the success of past CAA champions in the national tournament, the CAA has garnered a lot of attention as a rising mid-major conference. This year, expect similar if not increased attention by the national media.
To help get you in the March Madness spirit for the tournament, we are taking an in depth look at each of the 12 teams in the CAA.
This time, we take a glance at the Hofstra University Pride and the James Madison University Dukes.
Hofstra University
Record through March 3: 12-17 overall (8-10 in conference)
Coach: Tom Pecora
Players to watch: Offensively, keep your eye on No. 13 Antoine Aguido, who leads the CAA in scoring averaging 22.8 per game. Aquido is a marksman from all over the court. He's shooting 42 percent from the three-point line, 44 percent from inside and 77 percent from the free-throw line. Defensively, check out 6-10 Dane Johnson. He leads the team in blocks (51) and at almost 300 pounds he's simply a monster in the paint.
Season summary: They got a bad start this year losing nine of their first 12 games, but they sort of made up for it in the second half of their season. With overtime loses at home against UNC-Wilmington and George Mason, they proved that they can keep it close, but with a 4-9 away record they don't seem to do so hot on the road.
How they'll win: Wear down the opponent and draw the defense off Aguido at first by letting No. 22 Charles Jenkins fire away. He's the number two shooter for Hofstra with 15.2 points per game average and a team high 77.4 percent average from the line. Then let Aguido explode later in the first half and all throughout the second half.
Reality check: With Jenkins and Aguido on the roster, Hofstra has a major offensive advantage, but they really need to step up their defensive effort, especially if they have to face off against an offensive powerhouse like VCU or George Mason.
The inside scoop: Mike Leslie, sports director for WRHU-FM, says: "This team is on a pretty good run, having won eight of their last 12, after starting 3-12...I'd say this team has a very good chance of winning one game in the tourney, but going beyond that point will be very difficult, as that second-round matchup will likely pit the Pride against one of the top two seeds, neither of whom the Pride have defeated this season. They have the proper construction (talented guards) to be successful in the tournament, but they will need to get hot at the exact right time to really make some noise."
James Madison University
Record through March 3: 13-16 overall (5-13 in conference)
Coach: Dean Keener
Players to watch: You have three to keep your eye on. No. 10 Abdulai Jalloh, No. 34 Terrance Carter and No. 33 Juwann James. All three have great shooting percentages and are pretty versatile all over the court. James is currently hitting 56 percent (third highest in CAA) of his shots from inside the three-point zone.
Season summary: JMU should have had a better record this season. They have four returning starters, three players averaging more than 12 points per game and they have the second highest scoring average in the CAA. They were 7-1 at the start of the season, but were later plagued with injuries suffered by guard Pierre Curtis and forward Kyle Swanston. Defensively, they have struggled all year. They currently have the worst scoring defense in the conference.
How they'll win: Offensively, JMU is fine but they have got to beef up the defense. Their only skyscraper, 6-11 center Gabriel Chami, has played in 23 games this season, but only seen 141 minutes on the court. Just put him in the paint and tell him to put his arms up. Remember, their scoring defense can't get any worse.
Reality check: If they are put up against typically low scoring teams like Georgia State, Drexel or Delaware, they will probably do fine. If they draw VCU, George Mason or UNC-W, expect a short stay in Richmond on tournament weekend. However, due to the rather hasty resignation of coach Dean Keener, these guys may be bringing a healthy dose of emotion with them to Richmond that could help (or hurt) their efforts on the court.
The inside scoop: Mike Schikman, JMU's play-by-play radio announcer, says: "Any combination in the championship game wouldn't surprise me. VCU is the best, but we proved that anybody can beat VCU. But it really wouldn't surprise me if Old Dominion was there or if Mason was there. Heck, even Delaware had a great start. ... But [JMU] came out hungry as heck on Saturday [Feb. 23 against Morehead State] and we are going to Drexel and who knows how they will do there, but it is a winnable ball game. Then we come home to Georgia State and that is a winnable ball game. Then we could have a team on a three-game winning streak fighting for their coach."
2008 CAA Tournament Reading Room:
Feb. 26 - A look at Delaware and Drexel
Feb. 27 - A look at George Mason and Georgia State
Feb. 28 - A look at Hofstra and James Madison
Feb. 29 - A look at UNC Wilmington and Northeastern
March 3 - A look at Old Dominion, Towson and William & Mary
March 4 - A look at Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy