By Frank Aimetti – STAFF WRITER
Although Hofstra is almost unanimously chosen as the preseason CAA favorite, it can’t hurt for Pride fans to know the competition. Here are the Pride’s CAA competitors:
Northeastern – A season after representing the CAA in the NCAA Tournament and nearly upsetting heavy favorite Notre Dame, the Huskies will feel the loss of big man Scott Eatherton. Despite the return of four of five starters, the loss of Eatherton – Northeastern’s fulcrum on offense and defense – leaves Northeastern as only outside contenders for the CAA title. The Huskies’ hopes to head back to the NCAA Tournament rely on two seniors: Quincy Ford and David Walker. Preseason All-CAA first team member David Walker will be asked to replace much of Eatherton’s impact on offense. After a season in which he was named Most Outstanding Performer of the CAA Tournament, Ford will have to continue the torrid pace he was on during the postseason for an entire season if the Huskies hope to contend.
William & Mary – Still searching for their first ever NCAA Tournament berth, the Tribe will have a tough road ahead of them after losing all-time leading scorer Marcus Thornton to the NBA Draft. However, the Tribe will be returning four starters from last season’s CAA runner-up squad. William & Mary will look to junior guard and preseason second team All-CAA member Omar Prewitt to replace Thornton’s scoring ability. Reigning CAA Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-CAA member and senior Terry Tarpey is expected to anchor the perennially stout Tribe defense. Barring a huge leap forward from Prewitt, the Tribe look to be a middle-of-the-pack CAA team, albeit one that will be a tough out in the CAA Tournament.
James Madison – James Madison returns every starter from last season and is led by All-CAA first team guard Ron Curry. Curry, a prolific shooter and scorer as well as an able distributor, is a player that can get hot and carry the James Madison offense for an entire half with his scoring and ability to get to the line. Curry also demonstrated an aptitude for the pick-and-roll, displaying strong chemistry with breakout big man Yohanny Dalembert. Dalembert proved to be trouble for opposing teams, displaying strong mobility and athleticism on both offense and defense. James Madison figures to be the biggest challenge to Hofstra supremacy in the CAA.
UNC Wilmington – After earning a share of the CAA regular season title, the Seahawks are primed to take a major step back, losing their top two scorers from last season in Addison Spruill and Freddie Jackson. Returning only two starters, UNC Wilmington faces an uphill battle to remain competitive this season.
Coach Kevin Keatts impressed in his first season however, taking the Seahawks from a projected ninth place finish in the CAA to a tie for first. Senior guard Craig Ponder, one of the CAA’s best shooters, stepping forward will be key to a successful Seahawks season.
Drexel – A disastrous 2-11 start, with the low point coming in a 54-52 defeat to Division II program University of the Sciences, sunk the Dragons’ season almost before it even began. While Drexel rallied to a 9-9 record in CAA play, it figures to get even tougher this year with the departure of superstar guard Damion Lee to Louisville. Drexel will look to senior guard and last year’s second leading scorer Tavon Allen to take on an increased burden in the absence of Lee. However, a 32 percent field goal percentage last year fails to inspire much confidence in Drexel’s offense. The Dragons will be firmly entrenched in the cellar of the CAA.
Delaware – The Fightin’ Blue Hens are a team on the upswing, returning two of the CAA’s best young players in Kory Holden and Chivarsky Corbett. While losing last year’s leading scorer Kyle Anderson will hurt, Delaware’s wealth of young talent makes this team a likely CAA contender in the next year or so.
There will be growing pains, but the Blue Hens look to finish mid-table in the CAA, as they did last season. Keep an eye out for Delaware in the future.
Elon – The Phoenix struggled greatly in their first season of CAA play, limping to a 6-12 record, including an embarrassing 1-11 stretch. The prognosis for this year isn’t much better as Elon lost four of their top eight rotation players from a team that already struggled greatly to win games.
Senior guard Tanner Samson is the lone standout on a team otherwise bereft of star talent. This team is at least a couple of years away from adequacy in the CAA, let alone contention. The Phoenix will rise, but not this season and likely not the next.
Towson – With the only major departure being that of leading scorer Four McGlynn’s transfer to Rhode Island, the Tigers hope internal improvement will be enough to propel them into a respectable level of play after a 5-13 CAA campaign last year. All-CAA second team forward John Davis will be assisted by Wake Forest transfer Arnaud William Adala Moto and sophomore guard Byron Hawkins. The Tigers should be much improved and have a great shot at clawing their way out of the CAA basement.
College of Charleston – A 3-15 mark in the CAA, as well as a 9-24 mark overall had the Cougars bottoming out two years after a 24-11 finish.
Second year coach Earl Grant will look to juniors Canyon Barry and Joe Chealey to pack a potent scoring punch to lead the Cougars back to respectability.
Barry in particular showed flashes of next-level talent at times and could be an under-the-radar CAA player to watch. The Cougars have a good shot at making it out of last place but have a lot of work to do to escape the bottom tier of the CAA.
