By By Dan Barrack
1. University of North Carolina Wilmington: 7-1 (2-0)
The Seahawks won five of their first six games and jumped into first place in the conference after defeating Virginia Commonwealth on Dec. 4.
2. Northeastern University: 5-1 (1-0)
An 86-83 road win against James Madison University placed the Huskies in second place in the CAA. The victory was Northeastern’s first ever CAA win, aided by Jose Barea’s 22 points and six assists.
3. George Mason University: 4-2 (1-0)
George Mason has gone on a tear recently, shaking off the remnants of a slow start. The Patriots are riding a three-game winning streak, all of which were road wins. GMU has won the last three by a combined 78 points. They have a core of talented guards on staff.
4. Towson University: 3-2 (1-0)
Towson won its first CAA game on Dec. 3 against William & Mary, 76-45. The Tigers have been led by forward Lawrence Hamm, who is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game.
5. Georgia State University: 2-3 (1-1)
With an even 2-2 record through Dec. 6, Georgia State has a very difficult upcoming schedule. Two of the Panthers next three games are against ranked teams-No. 15 Kentucky on Dec. 6 and No. 19 Alabama on Dec. 17.
6. Old Dominion University: 5-1 (0-0)
Arnaud Dahi and his 16.3 PPG have helped Old Dominion get off to a terrific start. The Monarchs only loss this season was a TO Wisconsin on Nov. 21.
7. Drexel University: 3-5 (0-0)
Drexel’s 3-0 start has quickly evaporated into a losing record after for the fifth straight game. The latest Dragon loss was to a hot La Salle team that is off to its best start since 1994.
8. James Madison University: 2-2 (0-1)
James Madison’s early two-game winning streak was snapped by an 86-83 loss to Northeastern on Dec. 3. The Dukes play Drexel before finishing out the year against non-conference opponents.
9. Virginia Commonwealth University: 2-2 (0-1)
Virginia Commonwealth has played three of its first four games on the road, resulting in a respectable 2-2 record. The Rams latest loss was a 20-point shellacking from the CAA leading Seahawks on Dec. 4.
10. College of William & Mary: 4-3 (0-2)
After starting the season with a 4-1 record, William & Mary has dropped to the bottom of the CAA after losing consecutive conference games to UNC Wilmington and Towson.
11. University of Delaware: 2-5 (0-2)
A 2-0 start did not last long, as Delaware has dropped its last five contests (all on the road). Two of those losses came to CAA opponents, with the latest being a 79-65 loss to the Pride on Dec. 3. Forward Harding Nana has been outstanding, averaging 18.1 PPG and 11.4 RPG.