The madness has finally arrived, and the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship is in full swing at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. The Delaware Blue Hens proved that this is truly anyone’s tournament last year, as they entered the postseason with a 10-8 conference record and shocked the world by winning the title as the fifth seed. This year’s tournament opened on Friday afternoon with some early fireworks as the 13th-seeded Monmouth Hawks toppled the 12th-seeded Hampton Pirates 100-64 in the first round. With four days of action still ahead, it’s time to take a look at the twelve remaining contenders and evaluate their chances at the CAA crown.
12. Monmouth Hawks
After tallying a conference-worst 7-25 regular season record and stumbling into the postseason on a four-game losing streak, Monmouth was not expected to make any noise in the tournament whatsoever. The Hawks certainly turned heads in the preliminary round on Friday, as they torched Hampton for a season-high 100 points and won by a comfortable 34-point margin, their largest victory of the year. Monmouth was simply unconscious from the field, shooting 56% and boasting five double-digit scorers in the win. Freshman guard Jack Collins led the way offensively with a career-high 32 points on 76% shooting. Monmouth’s usual leader on both ends is junior forward Myles Foster, who leads the team with 12.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Foster has been a catalyst for the Hawks both offensively and defensively this season, but undoubtedly flourishes when his supporting cast steps up the way they did on Friday. After previously being deemed a pushover, Monmouth has certainly put the conference on notice with Friday’s demonstrative first-round win. The Hawks will face the fifth-seeded Drexel Dragons in their second-round matchup on Saturday at 2:30.
11. Northeastern Huskies
If Northeastern is going to make a run through the CAA Tournament, it’s likely going to be on the back of junior forward Jahmyl Telfort. Telfort carries an immense load offensively, taking over 30% of Northeastern’s shots and playing 85% of all possible minutes. Despite his high usage rate, Telfort averages 16 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on a very efficient 45% shooting. Players like Chris Doherty and Joe Pridgen will be counted upon to provide support for Telfort on this run, as consistent guard play remains the key to success for Northeastern. The Huskies ranked dead last among CAA teams in turnover margin and steal percentage, largely due to their lack of a strong ball handler up top. The Huskies are a top-50 tallest team in college basketball and lead the CAA in defensive rebounding percentage, meaning that this team could start to string wins together if the backcourt is able to find some consistency. The Huskies will meet the sixth-seeded Delaware Blue Hens in their second-round matchup on Saturday at 8:30 pm.
10. Stony Brook Seawolves
Despite posting a 6-12 conference record, Stony Brook is a versatile squad that has earned wins in every way imaginable. The highly touted senior duo of Tyler Stephenson-Moore and Frankie Policelli has been responsible for most of the offensive production this season, but the Seawolves boast a pair of dynamic seven-footers down low in Keenan Fitzmorris and Kenan Sarvan. Much like Northeastern, Stony Brook has the size necessary to win rebounding battles and keep them in any game, but a lack of production on the perimeter has been problematic for them down the stretch. The Seawolves rank 11th among CAA teams in effective field goal percentage and 10th in three-point field goal percentage. Overall, Stony Brook will likely need an offensive renaissance of some kind if they wish to make a deep run through an offense-heavy CAA Tournament field loaded with prolific scorers. The Seawolves will meet the North Carolina A&T Aggies in their second-round matchup at 6:00 on Saturday.
9. Elon Phoenix
After sputtering out to an 0-8 start to their conference schedule, Elon has looked like a much more complete team in the latter parts of the season. The Phoenix suffered through an 11-game losing streak and held a 2-19 record with 10 games left on their schedule but rebounded nicely to finish the season at 8-23. Famous for their “small ball” lineups, Elon will often put four and five guards on the floor at a time and attempt to spread defenses thin with their deep arsenal of shooters. Elon’s four leading scorers are all listed as guards, the most notable of which being senior captain Sean Halloran. Halloran has emerged as Elon’s primary scorer and facilitator on offense, posting over 13 points and 4 assists per game this season. If Elon can find a way to limit their conference-worst 20% turnover rate, some victories could be in their future down in D.C. The Phoenix will meet the William & Mary Tribe in their second-round matchup at noon on Saturday.
8. College of William & Mary Tribe
Despite accumulating an unimpressive 12-19 record this season, the William & Mary Tribe has some banner victories on their resume this year, most notably stunning Towson and UNC Wilmington Earlier this season. The Tribe plays at a slow pace and works hard to create efficient looks, playing at the second-lowest tempo in the CAA but ranking fourth in the league in effective field goal percentage. Anders Nelson, Ben Wright, and Gabe Dorsey all hold scoring averages in double figures this season and all boast field goal percentages over 45%. The Tribe will get their postseason run underway on Saturday at noon against the Elon Phoenix. The winner will earn the right to play the top-seeded Hofstra Pride.
7. North Carolina A&T Aggies
North Carolina A&T boasts one of the more balanced rosters in the conference, as the Aggies rank 7th among CAA teams in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The backcourt duo of Kam Woods and Marcus Watson is a duo to look out for in this tournament, as they average 17 and 14 points per game, respectively. This is a squad that likes to push the tempo throughout games, as the Aggies average just 15.7 seconds per possession before getting a shot off. This team most notably pulled off a stunning 81-70 victory over the Hofstra Pride on New Year’s eve, and that contest will certainly be on the mind of any team that faces the Aggies throughout the postseason. NC A&T will face the Stony Brook Seawolves in their second-round matchup at 6:00 on Saturday.
6. University of Delaware Blue Hens
The Blue Hens enter this tournament as the defending champions and proved last year that they’re not afraid to make noise from the bottom half of the bracket. After winning the conference title as the fifth seed last season, the Blue Hens find themselves in familiar territory at the sixth position this year. Jameer Nelson Jr. is undoubtedly the main attraction for this team, as the junior has taken his game to new heights this season with a conference-leading average of 20.5 points per game. Nelson Jr. has also demonstrated the ability to create on the offensive end time and time again, averaging five rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in conference play this season. Sophomore forward Jyare Davis won CAA Tournament Most Outstan
ding Player honors last season and is back to lead the Blue Hens in 2023 with an impressive stat line of 15.4 points per game on 45% shooting. Ultimately, Delaware can go as far as this tandem can take them, and the Blue Hens will begin their title defense against Northeastern at 8:30 pm on Saturday.
5. Drexel Dragons
If defense truly does win championships, the Drexel Dragons certainly like their odds in this year’s CAA Tournament. The Dragons are led by 2023 CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams, who has developed into this team’s leader at both ends of the floor. The junior averages 14 points, 9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game on 51.6% shooting. At 6’10” and 250 pounds, Williams has demonstrated the ability to defend all five positions on the floor, while his team has posted a top-three defensive efficiency rating in the conference. The Dragons play at the slowest tempo among CAA teams and have not allowed over 80 points in conference play this season. Drexel will face the Monmouth Hawks on Saturday at 2:30 pm.
4. UNC-Wilmington Seahawks
Over the course of the season, UNC Wilmington has grown into a defensive powerhouse with the potential to disrupt any and every game plan. The Seahawks are not afraid to utilize a full-court press for the duration of the game and lead the conference in steals as a result. The Seahawks force turnovers on 21.5% of defensive possessions, placing them among the top 50 teams in the nation in that department. Offensively, sophomore guard Trazarien White carries a bulk of the load and leads the team with 14 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting a smooth 45% from the field. This team’s unorthodox defensive style is sure to create some chaos this weekend and could catapult them into a deep tournament run. After receiving the final double-bye, the Seahawks will open their tournament run against either Monmouth or Drexel on Sunday at 2:30 pm.
3. Towson Tigers
After entering the year as the consensus favorites to take home the title, Towson has unceremoniously tumbled to the third seed. Nonetheless, the Tigers pose a matchup nightmare, as their defense and physical style has proven to be quite problematic. Towson can catch fire at any given moment, reflected in their conference-leading 40.2% three-point percentage. Three of Towson’s players cracked the preseason all-CAA First Team, as Cam Holden, Nick Timberlake, and Charles Thompson are all capable of taking over a game at any given moment. Timberlake has emerged as one of the conference’s premier scorers late in the season, while Thompson and Holden have proven themselves as elite defensive talents capable of locking up any team’s top option. The Tigers will face the winner of Northeastern and Delaware in the quarterfinals on Sunday at 8:30 pm.
2. College of Charleston Cougars
This year has been nothing short of a storybook season for the Charleston Cougars, with a record-shattering win streak and a series of thrilling finishes every step of the way. The Cougars stormed out to their 28-3 record with startling speed and efficiency, playing at the conference’s highest tempo and leading the league in scoring. The senior trio of Dalton Bolen, Pat Robinson III and Ryan Larson has proven to be difficult to contain, with a combined 35 points and 10 rebounds per game between the group. The Cougars like to score in bunches, attempting three-pointers at the highest rate in the CAA. This team can fill up the score sheet in the blink of an eye, and has their eyes on revenge as a potential rematch with the Hofstra Pride looms ahead. The Cougars will open their run at 6:00 pm on Sunday as they await either NC A&T or Stony Brook in the quarterfinals.
1. Hofstra Pride
After winning the regular season conference title, Hofstra waltzes into the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed. They are led by CAA Coach of the Year Speedy Claxton on the sidelines, while CAA Player of the Year Aaron Estrada leads the way on the court. Additionally, Estrada’s supporting cast of Tyler Thomas, Jaquan Carlos and various other contributors function as a well-oiled machine, creating a versatile offensive barrage. This team has been able to get it done at both ends of the floor, leading CAA teams in both offensive and defensive efficiency since the beginning of conference play. Warren Williams and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom have developed into a formidable tandem down low, cleaning up the rebounding issue that plagued this team in earlier parts of the year. After finishing the regular season on an 11-game winning streak, expectations are sky-high for the Pride. The Pride will open their CAA Tournament run on Sunday at noon against the winner of the second-round matchup between Elon and William & Mary.
Photo courtesy of the Colonial Athletic Association
