Spinning Through Wednesday Night…

We’ll start the kudos-fest today in Towson, where the Tigers dispatched Hofstra 60-51. Stat geeks will know this was just Towson’s second victory this season when they have scored fewer than 73 points. Hint: they are starting to play some defense, a required element to winning basketball games (and other stuff, too).

CC Williams gets a game ball for his 10-point, 10-assist game, but here’s where Pat Kennedy’s great coaching job this season has slipped under the radar. About a month ago, Kennedy told Williams he was shooting the ball too much from long range. Williams thought he was a shooter and Kennedy knew differently. So the coach had the player stop shooting from behind that arc that circles the foul lane and penetrate more. Last night Williams shot only twice from Blizzardville and predictably missed both. The result was Willaims nabbing 10 assists on Towson’s 21 field goals. That’s Corchianiville.

The next thing you know Towson has won three in a row and sits at 5-5 with two big roadies this week. Side note: CAA: LAMM POY Jon Pease did exactly what POYs do: 10 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and four fouls. Pease is the kind of player I’d pay to watch. Unfortunately, after this season that will likely be my monthly dues at the Towson YMCA.

***

In Newark, Poor Bill Coen wanted to see the results of a plea for defense from Nor’Easter. He was pleased, as the Huskies stole one from Delaware 53-49. Coen now has his “game tape to never throw away.” Nor’Easter did absolutely nothing on offense except make their free throws, but pounded the Hens on the boards and kept after them on every possession (Delaware shot just 34%). Manny Adako, Nkem Ojougboh, and point guard Chase Allen all had double figures rebounding games.

***

Lennie Mendez (5-8 from down yonder) forced CAA: LAMM to write “the 2-8 Drexel Dragons.”

***

We still want to know what Tony Shaver said to Nathan Mann a few games ago. Mann led W&M to a shocking 70-67 victory over JMU. Oh, it’s for selfish reasons. The daughter of the blog is extremely creative and artistically talented, which of course makes math homework a bit of a challenge. We’re looking for motivational approaches, and I’ve seen none better than what turned Nathan Mann into a 19 ppg player.

Last season it was Nor’easter, and this season the question belongs to the Tribe. At what point do we stop being surprised by them?

As for JMU, nobody is buying the “Abdullai Jalloh is good enough to be on the floor for nine turnovers” line of thinking. This is five losses in a row, and I’m telling you this team needs Kyle Swanston.

On another note, we talked to folks up at JMU today to find out about the JYD. He took a nasty spill last night and had “concussion-related symptoms.” It appears he will be okay but nobody is going to mess with this one. James is a good kid that has persevered a lot. We wish him the best.

***

Our final stop is Norfolk, where The Dub came from 19 down, on the road, to defeat ODU 68-65. TJ Carter cored 25 points, including a late three and steal, and Vladie Kools rolled up a 20 and 12, to lead the Hawks. All I can say is “wow.”

ODU led 55-40 with about 12:00 to play but The Dub ended the game on a 28-10 run. Here’s what I will say. Freshmen have the talent to establish leads but seniors need to close out games. Blaine Taylor started three freshmen and two sophomores last night. This gives them all a month to figure it out, which might make last night a clip-and-save moment come March 7.

Here’s the deal: UNCW has been playing this way offensively all season long. They have the talent and depth to absorb off nights from Todd Hendley and Daniel Fountain and still score enough to win.

The difference: defense. The Dub travels to William & Mary on Saturday. The winner will be 8-3 in conference. Another wow. (Of course, we know UNCW wins that game…more on that tomorrow.)

Can It Happen? Absolutely…

(BTW: we didn’t forget the games last night. Hold tight.)

Will it happen? Depends. Blaine Taylor said it on Tuesday, and though it is a cliche, it is also very true: “There’s a lot of basketball to be played.”

He’s right, but we’d be violating one of the CAA: LAMM cardinal rules if we did not look at the chances for a second CAA bid to the NCAA Tournament. The rule? We’re fans. We get to look down the road at more than The Next Game. Leave the one game at a time stuff to the coaches and players. (Side note: one day we’re going to write down those rules.)

Anyway, here’s what I’ve got. I’ll start by saying I’ve restricted this to discussion about George Mason and VCU, the only two teams that really have a chance to earn an at large bid. I’m not going into the scenarios of The Dub getting hot, winning out, and confusing things. Nor will I concern myself with Old Dominion or another middle-of-the-pack team winning the conference grindfest.

Oh, both could happen. But honestly, those scenarios are too damn complicated for January 31. (Or, easy…) We’ll worry about that stuff on February 31. You see, Blaine Taylor is right. Lots of hoops to digest.

Here’s the other assumptions: both teams finish 8-1 in the regular season, losing a tough conference game. Both win tough road BracketBusters games. The CAA is 14th in the RPI this year. Last year, it was 13th. We’ll call that a marginal loss at worst and not factor it into the thoughts.

VCU

8-2, 15-5

RPI: 65; SOS: 165; Noncon RPI: 65; Noncon SOS: 116

Impressive: Maryland, Houston

Depressive: Hampton

Toughies Left: home ODU, home UNCW, at Nor’easter

Comparables: Last season VCU was the conference regular season champion and entered the CAA final at 26-6. The RPI was low 40s and the Rams had no impressive wins nor bad losses. VCU was squarely on the bubble but also probably 95% out had they lost to Mason. This year, VCU would repeat as CAA regular season champs and enter the CAA title game at 25-6. The RPI would be a simdgen better and they have a good win or two. Enough to carry over the “right side” of the bubble? Who knows…

 George Mason

7-3, 15-6

RPI: 49; SOS: 96; Noncon RPI: 22; Noncon SOS: 23

Impressive: Kansas State, Dayton, and to a lesser extent Cleveland State. The committee looks at comparables and forgives in-conference banana peel games on the road. Therefore, Cleveland State looks pretty good as long as they keep winning in the Badlands Conference, and Kent State and Georgia State aren’t “bad” losses.

Depressive: East Carolina.

Toughies Left: at ODU, home The Dub, at Nor’Easter.

Comparables: Last season ODU was 15-3 (2nd), 24-7 with an RPI around 35-40. The Monarchs’s SOS hovered around 100. ODU had Georgetown and Bracketbusters Toledo on its slate as wins, and only a bad conference loss to JMU, which as we said wasn’t factored against them in a large way.

If Mason goes 8-1 the rest of the way and wins its way to the CAA finals, the Patriots will be 14-4 (2nd) and 25-7. I’ve got to think the RPI and the “good” and “bad” games are similar to ODU.

Well within reach.

***

The summ: I think, I mean I think, the best scenario is both teams only losing one more time and meeting in the CAA finals. And based on the number, I think VCU will need to win that game and give Mason the at large. The Patriots have the better credentials.

Then again, let’s all listen to Blaine. Lots of hoops to be played. Plus he’s more fun with the quotes.

Oh, That’s Right…A Nearly Full Slate Tonight…

First, today (Wednesday) at 4:00 Kyle Whelliston  chats mid major hoops over at ESPN.com. Engage him (and the rest of the country, who needs to know, uh, things) with CAA banter.

Second, we’ll save the bid stuff for tomorrow. There’s a little more work to do on that one and I have some paying responsibilities.

Third, let’s get to it:

William & Mary at James Madison: Setting aside that “The Kyle Swanston Watch” sounds like a bad weekday afternoon teevee show–you know, one with the DNA paternity tests–it is a relevant subtext. With the names and faces and swings in the JMU season it seems odd to think a role player makes a big difference. But JMUs slump coincided with Swanston’s ankle boo-boo. Everybody’s role changes in an injury situation. Now it must change back. To be clear, this isn’t a guess solely in an effort to avoid needing to put Tommy Shafer in my Fave Five. JMU 75, W&M 70.

The Dub at Old Dominion: Check your emotions at the door on this one. Really. Old Dominion will win this game, probably about 73-68. Old Dominion fans will want to scream “see, I told Blaine to play the freshmen” and start talking about Monday, March 10. Dub fans will be tempted to think “well, maybe we’re not that good after all. I mean, a 5-4 team playing a bunch of freshmen beat us.” Both viewpoints are a little too emotional. This game is a case of the good home team beating the good road team and nothing more. Chalk it up as life and think about Saturday, folks.

Drexel at Georgia State: Seems the CAA: LAMM staff has hit brainlock. We’ve stared at the standings and tried to figure out a semi-humorous angle to this game. Can’t do it. We’re still too stunned to write the words: “the 2-8 Drexel Dragons.” Georgia State 55, Drexel 52.

Nor’Easter at Delaware: The temptation is strong to pick Nor’Easter to upset the Hens here. It’s based on nothing but gut feel. Vinny Lima received his first extended playing time last week and is getting comfortable. Cap’n Matt is shooting better and Manny Adako is playing more consistent basketball. Bill Coen said everybody wants to talk about Herb Courtney and Marc Egerson, but he feels containing Brian Johnson is the key. I agree, and this one will be decided in the final minute, if not the final seconds. My home team bias rules: YouDee 64, Nor’easter 62 (or the other way around).

Hofstra at Towson: The key here is Charles Jenkins’s health. Jenkins sat out the Longwood game with a sore throat that included a high fever. Hofstra trainer Evan Malings is an all around good guy, but I cannot believe he didn’t call to consult me on this. He’s forgotten about my tonsil issues. Hey Evan, it goes like this: two Advil and a grilled cheese sandwich, and wash them down with a huge glass of grapefruit juice. Rest under four blankets and whine a lot. Works every time. Hofstra 77, Towson 71.

Should Anthony Grant Have Called a Timeout in the Middle of Mason’s Decisive 20-4 Run?

Last night I would’ve said “absolutely,” but the more I think about it, the more I don’t think it would’ve mattered. Louis Birdsong picked up his fourth foul and Jim Larranaga responded by going to a four guard lineup. Brilliant or fortituitous? Whatever the case VCU was unable to solve/respond.

And Mason rolled. Slowing momentum had little to do with it; the four guard combination was the perfect mix and the result was inevitable. It came mostly on the defensive end.

The difference was the guards–especially the size of Folarin Campbell–who thwarted VCUs drive-and-dish offense. Eric Maynor kept hitting bodies, and Joey Rodriguez was too small to be effective in the paint. The result was a flurry of standstill jumpers, which is never a good strategy. Coaches always Nuke LaLoosh you with “good offense starts with good defense.” Last night was the poster child for this cliche.

Compounding matters was that Mason had four ballhandlers on the floor. The Patriots resisted the urge, mostly, to hurry. Mason repeatedly sprinted into the front court and backed off. A staple of VCUs defense–get the ball into the hands of a player who isn’t comfy with the ball in the open court–was ineffective because those players weren’t on the floor.

Think of it this way: how many times did Will Thomas stand at the three-point line with the ball in his hands and watch players move around while the shot clock winnowed away? He knew if he tried anything other than “get the ball to somebody who can do something with it” he was in trouble. So he basically stood still. That, my friends, is brilliance. Thomas knew by NOT making a play he was making a play. He reversed the norm: by playing passively, he solved VCUs pressure.

Side note: I realize Thomas was anything but passive when he got the ball in the post (and on defense). I think the key to this game was (1) Thomas played his usual game and didn’t try to do more; (2) Birdsong couldn’t impact the game with the basketball because he was on the pine.

I also think that barring something extraordinary occurring in the second half of the season, Will Thomas locked up CAA Player of the year. Too many people with votes saw that phenomenal performance.

You know who really hated to see how that game went last night? Pat Kennedy.

***

Later today: predictions and two-bid scenarios.

Deuce and Tommy…

Look for the inverse scouting report this evening. What the fat does that mean, you ask?

Here’s an example. Everybody knows Will Thomas passes very well out of the double team. Everybody knows Dre Smith and John Vaughan can shoot it. You can bet your bippy Anthony Grant knows that, and you know Grant will be double-teaming Thomas. For all of the talent of VCU freshman Lary Sanders, if he plays Thomas straight up I’m thinking Thomas puts up Chamberlain-esque numbers.

Here’s the inverse: Hofstra was successful passing out of the post to the foul line, not to the three-point line. Darren Townes nailed two foul line jumpers and had two dunks. The key is not how well Smith/Vaughan shoot from behind the arc; it is how successful Louis Birdsong can be shooting and distributing from 15 feet. A boxscore of 14 points and five assists from Birdsong spells doom for VCU.

Here’s another. Vaughan will likely be slated to hound Eric Maynor. Will this affect Vaughan’s offense? Doesn’t really matter. Maynor will get into the lane on Vaughan, who isn’t big enough or quick enough to guard Maynor. It’s what happens from there that matter. Maynor scoring 30 with four assists is less effective than Maynor scoring 18 points and dishing 12 assists. Michael Anderson with double figures hurts Mason.

All of the talent and all of the “stars” in this game and I’m saying the difference is Louis Birdsong and Michael Anderson? Yes I am. Two great defensive teams as well but I like this game to get into the 70s. VCU likes a high possession game and Mason prefers to run.

The more points scored the more I like Mason.

***

Shafer called me again. Woke me up, as the clock was working its way towards 4:00am. Apparantly Shafer had obtained a bootleg copy of the ODU/W&M game from earlier that evening and he was reviewing it.

“Don’t let them fool you,” he said hurriedly. I heard the click-clack of the tape machine going backwards and forwards. “I still like this team and how they are playing. Don’t you change a thing, you understand? We are all being tested here.”

With that, he shouted–not at me, I presume–”weak side, weak side!”

Feeling as though I had lost him even though he called me, I quietly put the receiver back down and rolled over to get back to sleep. “Weak side,” I thought as I drifted off. “Weak side. What does that mean?”

If The Season Ended Today…

I know, it doesn’t. In fact, some would argue that the season starts today. But that is a whole lot less fun that matching them up at the halfway point. (And yes, we’ll get to Mason and VCU.)

Side note: it’s possible I have my tiebreakers incorrect, but I don’t think so. Regardless the point is this: March 7-10 is going to be a doozie of a weekend.

Friday Opening Round

#5 William & Mary vs. #12 Georgia State (was that game last year any good?)

#6 ODU vs. #11 Drexel (typically a Sunday game now on Friday)

#7 Towson vs. #10 Northeastern

#8 Hofstra vs. #9 James Madison

Saturday Quarters

#1 VCU vs. Hofstra/JMU winner (JMU handed VCU its only defeat.)

#2 Delaware vs. Towson/Northeastern winner

#3 UNCW vs. ODU/Drexel winner

#4 George Mason vs. W&M/Ga State winner

***

Random stuff includes loving the Lock Box at The Bracketboard. After the Internet, this term is the best gift Al Gore gave the world. Accuracy isn’t why I love it. It’s just the best way I’ve seen to quantify it all in my eyes and mind.

***

Also, a friend of CAA:LAMM has devised a nice spreadhseet to keep track of potential BracketBusters opponents. He’s separated home and visitors and sorted by RPIs for possible opponents. What’s more, he’s taken into account the rules, such as you cannot play someone in BB you already have on your schedule.

For the CAA, this lines up:

VCU at Illinois State

Mason at Southern Illinois

Delaware at Northern Iowa

Hofstra at Toledo

San Jose State at UNCW

Albany at William & Mary

Morehead State at James Madison

Northeastern at Murray State

Youngstown State at Old Dominion

Tennessee Martin at Drexel

Loyola (Ill) at Towson

Georgia State at St. Peter’s

From the Home Office in Richmond, VA…

First the awards and interesting minutiae. More later this morning:

CAA MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Laimis Kisielius, William and Mary

Kisielius averaged 23.0 points, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in William & Mary’s two games last week. The senior forward tallied a season-high 20 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in overtime, as the Tribe won for the first time ever at Drexel (73-72). He then poured in a career-best 26 points in a 72-59 setback to Old Dominion. For the week, Kisielius shot 55.2% from the floor, including 9-of-16 (56.3%) from 3-point range.

CAA MEN’S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Chad Tomko, UNC Wilmington

Tomko averaged 11.5 points and 3.0 rebounds as UNC Wilmington increased its winning streak to four with a pair of victories last week. The freshman point guard scored a team-high 16 points as the Seahawks beat George Mason 61-58 and contributed seven points in a 77-69 triumph over Northeastern. Tomko was 11-of-12 at the free throw line for the week and committed just three turnovers.

Eh, Skip It. We’ll Save the Blather for Tomorrow…

You know, with “the big one” and all. Plus, I’m weary. Tommy Shafer called again; this time way after my bedtime. Details tomorrow.

***

 Highly analytical prediction on tonight’s Hofstra/Longwood game: Hofstra wins.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly…Midseason Report Card Edition

Honestly, I’m stunned we’re halfway home to Richmond already. Seems like yesterday I was unwrapping gifts under the tree.

Here’s how I came to my conclusions for the grades. Hopefully this outlandish logic makes sense and cuts down on “what do you mean B? We’re at least a B-plus” emails. You know how much we love those. But anyway…

The grading scale is a little more like a recipe and less a system. I figure coaches are adding ingredients, trying to concot something, and trying different combinations of spices to get the flavor just right, all in the effort to be cooking by early March. So I’ve attempted to mimic that thought process.

Therefore, I’ve begun with preseason expectations and factored in progression from November 9. Prognosticating is a fancy word for guessing, and more people need to admit that. I know when I’m wrong, and trying to prognosticate guess the CAA season in November is futile. How we felt coming into the season is merely a starting point.

From there I’ve skipped to right now and put another marker. Just as preseason predictions have a shelf life of three days, a team’s actual record is the ultimate arbiter. As well as a 2-7 team might be playing, they are still 2-7.

This is where it gets, uh, hazy. You see, it is at this point that I factor in progression. Yes a 2-7 team playing well is in better shape than a 2-7 team chock full of horseshoes. There is a ton for each team to overcome, and your chances of overcoming adversity (losses) are greatly increased if Uncle Mo is on your side. Again, I understand this is the arbitrary part, but it wouldn’t be any fun if I gave the top teams As and the bottom teams Fs.

Finally, we give a look-see at the tangibles (can’t shoot, injuries, unexpected great player) and the intangibles (attendance at the last home game was 23). That gets us to our number, which is really a letter. Every now and then we utilize a + or - for no other reason than to start arguments.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly, All Wrapped Into One

VCU (A): The Rams are in first place by two games, leading the country in three-point FG percentage defense, and have played a little bit better nearly every game. Anthony Grant is getting beyond-expected contributions from freshmen Larry Sanders and Joey Rodriguez. Opposing coaches are talking VCU in glowing terms, not me. That is a sign. VCU has won six in a row and 11 of 12. Importantly, the Rams are consistent on defense and have used multiple players to complement its two-headed dragon (Shuler/Maynor).

George Mason (A-): The only thing that forced me to add the (-) sign is a wicked inconsistency. The Patriots have overwhelmed a handful of their opponents and merely whelmed a few. I still say they have the best five players playing in complementary roles. It always helps, too, to have the leading candidate for conference player of the year. Keep an eye on the point guard situation, though. Two words: Achilles Heel. How Folarin Campbell runs the show and how Jordan Carter reacts is the number one key to the second half. I believe the UNCW loss was a hiccup; Trask is never easy.

William & Mary (A-): The Tribe were left for dead in early January. A home loss to Delaware–at the moment unthinkable–dropped Shaver’s bunch to 0-2 in the conference and 4-8 overall. There was no reason to think William & Mary had anything going for them–three of the wins were Houston Baptist, Montreat, and North Florida. Credit Shaver for pushing all the right buttons to get the Tribe to 6-3 in conference play at the turn. Even though William & Mary won’t win another game this season™, these guys are battling every night and it shows.

UNCW (A-): No team not playing in home games Williamsburg has changed its fortune as much as the Seahawks. The Dub scuttled through the early part of the season, relying on offensive firepower to overcome a sieve-like defense. UNCW is geeting great senior leadership from TJ Carter, Daniel Fountain, Vladie Kools, and Todd Hendley. All four are averaging double-figures so it isn’t like they are leading in practice and then letting someone else go do the floor work. Chad Tomko is playing like a freshman, a very good freshman.

Delaware (B+): All Hail Monte is becoming a theme in Newark, where the Hens are 6-3 and tied for second. Delaware is this season’s “Yeah But Wait Til” team. Wait til the transfers become elgibile. Wait til they play at Drexel. Wait til they play Mason. Wait til they play ODU. I’m here to say wait til they play with confidence. The Hens still look a little tight to me; still like they are figuring out their roles with each other. Are they Herb Courtney’s team? Marc Egerson (13.3 ppg since eligible)? Brian Johnson and his 37.6 mpg with the ball in his hands? This is a good problem for Ross.

Towson (B): Pat Kennedy faced the ultimate in transition. He lost Gary Neal; Tommy Breaux hurt his foot playing football and will likely miss the season. Kennedy was blending a pile of transfers into that mix. Other teams had question marks; the Tigers were the question mark. For this, Towson was near or at the bottom of nearly every preseason guess. Now? They are 4-5 and a home win against Hofstra Wednesday from evening the slate. Quietly, Kennedy is doing one of the better coaching jobs in the CAA. Granted, double-double machine Junior Hairston doesn’t hurt either.

Hofstra (C): Nobody knew what to make of the Pride this year. Hofstra lost the conference player of the year and a do-everything leader in Carlos Rivera. In fairness, nobody still knows what to make of the Pride. Hofstra is 3-6 and drifting towards a double-digit seed, but they have a pile of talent that is just now coming together. Dane Johnson dropped 30 pounds and has now caught up with his new body. Charles Jenkins will likely win frosh of the year. Darren Townes is a load down low. Tom Pecora only needs to get his freshmen to understand what it takes to win on this level (two overtime losses are the difference in 3-6 and 5-4).

Georgia State (C-): Speaking of the thin margin of error,  the Panthers are the Gold Standard. Two wins and four losses at the buzzer in nine games, which makes Georgia State 0-3 in games not decided on the final possession. Rod Barnes is changing the dynamic in Atlanta and it is taking some adjustments. Lennie Mendez is having an all conference season and Rashad Chase is reborn. There is a difference here in my expectations and everyone else’s. For me, Georgia State has done about what I expected, albeit in a thrilling manner. Everyone else expected more from this team and is probably disappointed.

James Madison (C): Dean Keener’s interim report card was all As. The Dukes were flying in early January, having beaten VCU to go to 2-0 in conference on the season. Everyone was playing well. But then Kyle Swanston was injured, Juwan James banged up, and Joe Posey suspended. The results: four losses in a row and 6 of 7. The Dukes still aren’t really guarding anybody and are finding out they cannot outscore people every night. The scary part is that they have the talent and can turn it around as quickly as anyone. They can be Keenerific again by late February.

Old Dominion (C-): Fingers, meet head. Now begin scratching. Surely folks in Norfolk now realize the importance of Drew Williamson’s moxie and Valdas Vasylius’s toughness. Both have been missing, as Brandon Johnson has been sleepwalking. The result? Blaine Taylor sat Johnson and two other seniors down to start the game against William & Mary. Darius James has been a wonderful surprise, and Ben Finney has been exactly what was expected. You are seeing a veteran coach change his team in midseason. It’s going to be fun to watch it play out the second half of the season. Don’t bury them yet.

Northeastern (C-): The troubling part is that Nor’easter has lost three games at Mathews in the first half of the season. The Huskies had lost twice at home in the entire two full seasons it had been a member of the CAA. Chase Allen is the second best freshman in the conference and Matt Janning is a leader and shooter and captain. Manny Adako can play with anybody. Those three are a freshman and two sophomores. Growing pains no doubt. But there is talent there and they just aren’t playing well right now. Also of note: Northeastern finishes with George Mason, VCU, and Old Dominion. The second half taint easy.

Drexel (D+): The parts have been there this season. For some reason they aren’t adding up to the whole. Frank Elegar, in my opinion, has the best big man skills in the CAA. Tra Hwthorne can shoot it. Randy Oveneke is a great role player, as is Scott Rodgers. You are tempted to lay blame at the feet of Bruiser Flint, but we aren’t willing to do that. Elegar has been banged up and a tad sulky, and Hawthorne has been hot-and-cold but mostly cold. You’re left with two freshmen guards and role players. It’s interesting to note that Drexel lost Elegar four minutes into a roadie at VCU last week with foul trouble, and at worst played VCU even the rest of the first half.

***

So there you have it. I’m going to get into some additional detail later, as well as talk BracketBusters and CAA tournament seeds. Heck, there may be a Hofstra/Longwood prediction.

Cleaning Out the Closet on a Saturday Morning…

Perhaps that was my intention, but I chose instead to load some old Blink 182 onto the iPod and clean out some random thoughts:

Whelliston puts the “mid major” discussion to bed, in my mind. Seems an appropriate source, no? You ever want a definition, check out the following, and in this order: Direct Route…Red Line Data…Second Red Line Data. That’s officially a non-issue.

This whole freshman thing keeps growing on me. It’s the whole “guards plus experience give you the the keys to kingdom” deal. Check out the two players on each CAA team who are entrusted with the basketball:

Delaware: Brian Johnson (Soph) and Fonzie Dawson (Fr.)

Drexel: Gerald Colds (Fr.) and Jamie Harris (Fr.)

Hofstra: Greg Johnson (Jr) and Antoine Agudio (Sr.)

UNCW: Chad Tomko (Fr) and TJ Carter (Sr.)

VCU: Eric Maynor (Jr.) and Joey Rodriguez (Fr.)

ODU: Brandon Johnson (Sr.) and Darius James (Fr.)

Mason: Folarin Campbell (Sr.) and Carter/Vaughan/Smith (upperclassmen)

JMU: Pierre Curtis (Soph) and Abdullai Jalloh (Jr.)

Northeastern: Matt Janning (Soph) and Chase Allen (Fr.)

Georgia State: DJ Jones (Fr.) and Lennie Mendez (Sr.)

Towson: CC Williams (Sr.) and Rocky Coleman (Jr.)

William & Mary: David Schneider (Soph.) and Nathan Mann (Sr.)

That’s 12 of the 24 players that are underclassmen.

The above list doesn’t even include these freshmen: Charles Jenkins at Hofstra (likely freshman of the year); Edwin Santiago and DJ Boney at Delaware; Ben Finney and Frank Hassell at ODU; Larry Sanders and Lance Kearse at VCU; Cam Long at Mason; Heiden Ratner at JMU; Dominique Lacy at UNCW; and Jihad Ali at Georgia State.

All are contributing significantly to their teams.

***

Later today, after cleaning the bathroom, I’m going to start working on a Midseason Report. The goal is to get that finished over the weekend, but you and I know to look for it on Tuesday.