George Mason Returns To Top Of CAA

Patriots have senior core to get back to NCAA Tournament

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Features ----- WCC ----- 11/10: WCC Has Plenty Of Punch ----- Big West ----- 11/09: Monson Starting Over In SoCal 11/09: Gauchos Getting Bigger In Big West ----- Pac-10 ----- 11/08: Bruins Back On Top Of Pac-10 11/08: Mayo Embracing The Spotlight 11/08: Ducks Are Still Flying High 11/08: UCLA's Showing A Lot Of Love ----- Missouri Valley ----- 11/07: Young Creighton Team Looking To Soar 11/07: Masochistic Scheduling Tendencies 11/06: It's Not Just About Falker 11/06: Salukis Cream of MVC Crop ----- Big Ten ----- 11/05: Speedier Spartans 11/05: Matta’s Starting Over With More Youth 11/04: Hoosiers, The Sequel 11/04: Indiana Going Nowhere But Up ----- Big East ----- 11/03: Forgetting About Last Year 11/02: 'Nova Knows No End 11/02: Hibbert's Standing Front and Center 11/01: Hoyas, Cardinals Are Neck and Neck In Big East ----- SEC ----- 10/31: Big Blue Revival 10/31: Bridging The Tennessee Gender Gap 10/30: Open The SEC, Find A Pearl 10/30: Chomping At The Bit ----- A-10 ----- 10/29: Happiness At The Right Place And Time 10/29: Crossing To The Atlantic ----- ACC ----- 10/26: Young Blood Giving Blue Devils New Life 10/26: Wake Keeping Prosser In Its Thoughts 10/26: Tar Heel To Watch May Not Be Hansbrough 10/26: Sweet Carolina ----- Big 12 ----- 10/25: Embracing Expectations 10/25: Freshmen Duo Has K-State Looking Up 10/24: The Knight In Light Blue 10/24: Kansas Looking Much The Same 10/23: Jayhawks, Longhorns Top Big 12 ----- MWC ----- 10/23: Plaisted's Persistence Paying Off 10/22: Kruger Has UNLV Moving Forward 10/22: Coaching Changes Leave Mountain West Wide Open ----- SoCon ----- 10/21: Not Far From The Same Tree 10/21: Taking The High Road ----- CAA ----- 10/20: George Mason Returns To Top Of CAA 10/20: Drexel's Forgetting About The Past ----- C-USA ----- 10/19: Memphis The Class Of C-USA 10/19: Tigers Are Smelling This Rose -----Horizon----- 10/13: Butler Back On Top 10/13: Graves Gives It One More Shot -----Big South----- 10/11: To The Highest Point

Oct. 20, 2007

By Phil Kasiecki

Special to CSTV.com

	PHIL KASIECKI Phil is the Sr. Editor of Hoopville.com, and contributes regular content to CSTV.com. E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- 1/15: Don't Write In The Hoyas Just Yet 1/8: The Sun Is Starting To Shine On These Devils 1/1: Three Teams Ahead Of The Pack 12/28: Terps Taking Much-Needed Break 12/18: Transparent Cornhuskers 12/11: Biggest Of The Big Five 12/4: Hardwood Series Draws Rave Reviews 11/27: Beware of the Pirates 11/20: Not Necessarily Rebuilding In Miami 11/13: Atlantic Sun Already Out-Doing Itself 11/5: Speedier Spartans 10/24: Jayhawks Looking Much The Same 10/20: George Mason Returns To Top Of CAA 10/13: Graves Gives It One More Shot 6/27: Blossomed Green Ready For Next Level 6/5: Senior Standing 3/28: Points of Emphasis 3/21: A Season of Unpredictability 3/14: X-Factors: Friday's Games 3/13: X-Factors: Who to Watch on Thursday 2/28: Orange Closing In On NCAA Tournament 2/21: Familiarity Creates Parity Within Conferences 2/7: Big East Having A Down Year 1/31: Tale Of Two Divisions 1/23: Not A Sure Bet 1/17: In CAA, It's VCU 1/8: Providence Success No Surprise 12/18: Turning The Corner? 12/5: ACC and Pac-10 Back on Top 11/29: Questions Abound in Early Polls 11/20: Nothing Small About These Wins 10/30: MVC Has Cracked the Code 10/25: Neal Ready To Move Towson On Up 6/25: NBA Draft - P. O'Bryant 6/24: NBA Draft - C. Simmons 4/04: Final Four Reflection 3/29: A Colonial Invasion 3/22: The Value of Experience 3/15: X-Factors, Part II 3/14: X-Factors, Part I 3/11: Xavier's Home Court Advantage 2/21: Can The Colonial Step Up? 2/15: A Tiger Changes His Stripes 2/11: Patriot League Powers 2/08: The Lone Rangers 2/01: Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk 1/23: Rough Rides on Welcome Wagon 1/17: Not a Normal Start 1/16: Blue Devils Poised For Final Four 1/11: Eagles' Difficult ACC Childhood 1/09: As Good As The Hype 1/03: Contenders and pretenders

Last season gave the Colonial Athletic Association a tough act to follow, as the 2005-06 season saw unprecedented success. Even with George Mason's Final Four run getting all the publicity, and for good reason, 2005-06 would have been a historical season had the Patriots lost in the second round. While the Colonial did produce four postseason teams again last season, including two in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, it had a different look.

Whereas the top half of the conference could all claim postseason-worthiness in 2005-06, last season saw the conference split into three tiers of four teams, with a clear dividing line between the bottom of one tier and the top of the next. In the first tier were the clear top four teams, VCU, Old Dominion, Hofstra and Drexel. The second tier had Northeastern and George Mason four games behind Drexel in the standings, with William & Mary and Towson each a game behind. The last tier had Georgia State three games behind the Tribe and Tigers, followed by UNC Wilmington, James Madison and Delaware.

What does the league look like in 2007-08? Suffice it to say that any preseason predictions aren't likely to feel safe, because just about every team has a key question or two. The safest picks might be George Mason and VCU as the top two teams, but even they aren't without detracting questions since the Patriots weren't playing well down the stretch in an up-and-down season before their CAA Tournament run and the Rams have seven new players. It wouldn't be a shock to see a team picked in the top four wind up finishing in the second division, or for a team picked in the bottom third to wind up contending for a bye in the conference tournament. Perhaps more than ever, an injury or off-court issue leading to disciplinary action could have a major effect on how things shake out.

1. George Mason

They were picked to finish high last season, but the Patriots were up and down and then simply down in the latter part of the regular season en route to tying for fifth. Too much was expected of last season's team and not enough credit was given to the seniors two years ago that led the Final Four run. This season's team has plenty of seniors, and that along with the learning experience of last season should go a long way towards success this season. Forward Will Thomas and guard Folarin Campbell lead the way, with Thomas being arguably the best defender in the conference and Campbell as talented and versatile as anyone. They are supported by good complementary pieces such as seniors Darryl Monroe and Jordan Carter and juniors John Vaughan and Dre Smith. The main reason to think this team will get it together is simple: all players now know their roles, they now know what their new roles require, and both Jim Larranaga and his players who were new last year now know each other. They should look more like they did in the CAA Tournament than they did in February last year.

2. VCU

Anthony Grant had tremendous success in his first season at the helm, and now he'll try to do it again with a number of new faces -- seven to be exact. Fortunately, he still has Eric Maynor, the point guard who makes this team go.  Even before he stole the show in the conference title game or buried the big shot against Duke, Maynor showed he can play as he led the conference in assists. There are also good senior leaders in Michael Anderson, Will Fameni and Jamal Shuler. Fameni anchors the inside, while Shuler is the best shooter on the team. The best prospects among the newcomers look to be guards Joey Rodriguez and Brandon Rozzell, the former of whom comes in with a good reputation and the latter of whom can play both guard spots. Lance Kearse should get minutes right away in the frontcourt as well.

3. Drexel

The snub of Drexel from the NCAA Tournament last season made big news. While this year's Dragons are still strong, led by senior Frank Elegar, they took a big hit with the losses of Bashir Mason and Dominick Mejia in the backcourt and Chaz Crawford up front. Mason is the first player to be selected to the All-Defensive team all four years, while Crawford is perhaps the best departed player no one talks about. The guards will now be less experienced, although there is proven talent in juniors Scott Rodgers and Tramayne Hawthorne, the latter of whom coach James Flint thinks should have made the all-defensive team last season. Flint also thinks sophomore Rob Hampton will be much improved. There isn't much proven depth in the backcourt, but there is plenty of talent. In the frontcourt, Boston College transfer Evan Neisler is among those who will help Elegar inside. If some depth emerges in the backcourt and Rodgers and Hawthorne successfully move up to being key leaders, the Dragons should be in the hunt again.

4. Old Dominion

The Monarchs received the conference's at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last year after good non-conference play that included a win at Georgetown and an excellent CAA run. They lose three key players from that team, all of whom were crucial to the best four-year stretch in the program's history. What they return starts with the senior backcourt of Brandon Johnson and Brian Henderson, with another senior among those coming off the bench in Abdi Lidonde. Johnson will run the show and is a good defender, while Henderson will need to be the primary scorer and shooter and Lidonde can come off the bench to knock down jumpers. Sophomore Marsharee Neely had a limited role last year but is very athletic and will see more minutes. The frontcourt is home to budding star Gerald Lee, who showed flashes of his potential as a freshman and will now get a more prominent role. Junior Jonathan Adams is the consummate role player on the wing who plays at both ends of the floor.  After that are the questions, as senior Sam Harris and several players who will make their collegiate debuts are next on the depth chart. Blaine Taylor is an excellent coach and that's another factor that should help keep the Monarchs in the top third of the conference.

5. Hofstra

The Pride has an interesting reversal with their personnel compared to last year and Tom Pecora says this team will play a little bit differently as a result. A year ago, the question about the team was its frontcourt, while they boasted a terrific guard trio. This year, the frontcourt looks to be the strength while the backcourt has questions beyond super shooter Antoine Agudio. The senior guard is the conference's top returning scorer but will have to do without backcourt mates Loren Stokes and Carlos Rivera, the former of whom was the conference's Player of the Year.  Junior Greg Johnson is the incumbent at the point and should run the team capably, and after him there are mostly talented but unproven players. The frontcourt, meanwhile, saw Chris Gadley transfer but has plenty of capable bodies, the most important of which may be Greg Washington, who was slated to go last year but had to sit because of academics. Washington is long and athletic, and alongside unheralded junior Mike Davis-Sabb will form a good starting duo inside. The depth includes junior Arminas Urbutis, who came off the bench last year and will likely remain in that role.

6. James Madison

A couple of transfers and a core of young players that now has some experience have the Dukes poised to make a jump in the standings. Transfers Abdullai Jalloh (Saint Joseph's) and Dazzmond Thornton (Texas Tech) will boost the team's talent immediately, as Jalloh will be the go-to guy on the perimeter and Thornton will be an important presence inside along with senior Terrance Carter, one of four returning starters. That will allow junior Juwann James to move away from the middle, and with more good complements he should be better since he won't have to do everything. Dean Keener thinks James will put up better numbers as a result, and has challenged him to be a better rebounder. The ultimate beneficiary might be sophomore point guard Pierre Curtis, who will still score but not as much out of necessity now that he'll have more scoring options to get the ball to. Now that scoring doesn't figure to be a problem, the Dukes need to address things on the defensive end, where no team in the CAA was worse last season as they surrendered over 72 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field, including 41 percent on three-pointers.

7. William & Mary

The Tribe made a jump near the top half of the conference last season, finishing 8-10 in CAA play and 15-15 overall. But they were still a streaky team, winning seven straight at one point and following that up with five straight losses, and they lost their last four games of the season. Head coach Tony Shaver said that most of the players stayed in Williamsburg this off-season, which should only help the team chemistry as they try to be more consistent and keep moving up in the standings. Four returning starters and three more key reserves return, but the one starter lost isn't a small one as Adam Payton had a big senior year to lead the Tribe last season. Seniors Laimis Kisielius and Nathan Mann are the top holdovers, with Kisielius being versatile and Mann a threat from long range. David Schneider had a nice season running the team as a freshman, and junior Peter Stein leads the attack inside and might be the team's most improved player since the end of last season. There is some talent among the newcomers, and sophomore Danny Sumner came with high expectations last season but had a difficult adjustment; Shaver thinks he will have the kind of year many thought he would have as a freshman. The main question mark looks to be that they don't appear to have a clear go-to guy. The non-conference schedule isn't overly difficult, but starts with a bang: the first two games are at Georgetown and at North Carolina State.

8. UNC Wilmington

Arguably the biggest wild card in the conference (and there are plenty of them) is the impact of T.J. Carter's return to the Seahawks. The senior shooting guard will be the go-to guy on offense, and should allow others to play more to their strengths without the pressure of having to be the lead scorer. That includes players like Daniel Fountain, who can shoot the ball, and Montez Downey, who showed promise as a freshman and should be better now that there are other options. In the frontcourt, Vladimir Kuljanin had a breakout junior season and Todd Hendley is a skilled big man and one who can certainly thrive in Benny Moss' system. The big question mark is at the point, where they currently have several candidates but no clear leader and might have to go by committee.

9. Northeastern

The Huskies were perhaps the most pleasant surprise last year, finishing fifth despite entering the season with a depleted roster. Now the three seniors that meant so much to that team are gone, leaving just one senior on the roster. Second-year head coach Bill Coen will build the team around sophomore Matt Janning, the CAA Rookie of the Year, as well as classmate Manny Adako, who got better as the season went along. Senior Mark Washington is a solid role player inside with Adako, and they'll get help from transfers Chris Alvarez and Nkem Ojougboh. Six-foot-8 junior Eugene Spates can do several things for this team. Janning will get help on the perimeter primarily from freshmen Chaisson Allen and Allen Aragbaye, two skilled guards. The Huskies have to endure another brutal non-conference schedule that features just one home game, which means the talented youngsters will be tested right away.

10. Towson

Pat Kennedy is calling this his "mystery team." The Gary Neal era is over at Towson, and while that's a blow to the team's scoring, it could also be a case of addition by subtraction. Last year, many of the complementary pieces seemed to defer to Neal too much and not make themselves offensive threats, and that left Neal taking too many shots and with little support. There's plenty of scoring ability still around on the perimeter with senior C.C. Williams and juniors Tim Crossin and Rocky Coleman, and Kennedy is high on junior college transfer Vernon Carr as a floor leader. The X-factor is sophomore Rodney Spruill, who Kennedy thinks could become the team's best player after an off-season of much improvement. The frontcourt will look different with one starter gone and Tommy Breaux out until at least December with a broken bone in his foot. Breaux's injury wasn't as serious as first thought, but even if healthy he would get a push from newcomers Tony Durant (Kevin's older brother) and Junior Hairston.

11. Delaware

Last season was one of transition for Monte Ross as he took over the program, and it showed with a 5-26 mark in between injuries, suspensions and player turnover. This team is deeper and more talented, which means there should be some notable improvement. Senior Herb Courtney is one of four starters back from last season's team and could average a double-double, while classmate Sam McMahon is the designated long-range shooter and sophomore point guard Brian Johnson will run the show after playing more than 38 minutes per game last year.  Transfers Marc Egerson (Georgetown) and Jim Ledsome (Nebraska) will give the team a boost, as will four freshmen Ross brought in. Scoring wing Alphonso Dawson looks to be the most ready to contribute, while Edwin Santiago will likely play a little at both guard spots.

12. Georgia State