Hello and welcome to the second installment of the 2016 edition of “Just The Facts.” Today we’ll look at how no. 1 seeds (really, Hofstra’s the no. 1 seed, I can’t believe it) has fared in the conference tournament, both since the start of the Defiantly Dutch era in 1993-94 and since the CAA was formed in 1982-83.
The numbers, quite frankly, are staggering. Over the last 22 seasons, the no. 1 seed in Hofstra’s conference tournament is a robust 55-6 in tourney play. That’s a winning percentage of .902. Whew.
The no. 1 seed has won the conference tournament 16 times and fallen in the finals three other times. It has failed to make the championship game just three times.
In 33 seasons of CAA play, the no. 1 seed has gone 72-14 (a lower but still pretty good winning percentage of .837) while winning the championship 18 times and losing in the finals nine times. It has fallen prior to the title game just six times.
Good numbers, right? Unless you’re like me and worry not about an overdue hiccup. I’m the guy who would have sat there during games 40 through 56 of Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak (GOOGLE IT CRAIN) saying “He’s due for an 0-fer, I’m telling you, he’s due.”
Here’s a reason to gnash teeth heading into Friday night: A no. 1 seed in Hofstra’s conference tournament has won its first game in each of the last 21 seasons. The only one to lose? Troy State (hey, it was a State back then) in the 1994 East Coast Conference semifinals, when the Trojans received a bye to the semifinals but lost to the Flying Dutchmen, 90-89, in overtime.
And in the CAA, the no. 1 seed is 32-1 all-time in its opening game. The only top seed to fall in the quarterfinals was the 1991 James Madison squad, which fell to Navy, 85-82, also in overtime. The no. 1 seed has won its last 24 openers. OH GOD WE’RE DUE!
On the flip side, the no. 1 seed is in the midst of something resembling a market correction. The top seed has not won the championship in four of the last five seasons, and it took a stunning last-minute comeback for Delaware to avoid a similar fate in 2014. That came following a 16-season stretch in which the top seed won the championship 15 times. WHOO HOO! WE’RE DUE!
Anyway, the odds are good we’ll all still have something to root for come Monday night. Here is the raw data on no. 1 seeds in Hofstra’s tournament dating back to 1994:
2015: W&M (beat no. 8 Elon in QFs, beat no. 5 Hofstra in SFs, lost to no. 3 Northeastern in championship)
2014: Delaware (beat no. 8 Hofstra in QFs. beat no. 5 Northeastern in SFs, beat no. 3 William & Mary in championship)
2013: Northeastern (beat no.4 George Mason in SFs, lost to no. 3 James Madison in championship)
2012: Drexel (beat no. 9 UNCW in QFs, beat no. 4 Old Dominion in SFs, lost to no. 2 VCU in championship)
2011: George Mason (beat no. 9 Georgia State in QFs, lost to no 4 VCU in SFs)
2010: Old Dominion (beat no. 8 Towson in QFs, beat no. 5 VCU in SFs, beat no. 3 W&M in championship)
2009: VCU (beat no. 8 Georgia State in QFs, beat no. 4 Old Dominion in SFs, beat no. 2 George Mason in championship)
2008: VCU (beat no. 9 Towson in QFs, lost to no. 5 William & Mary in SFs)
2007: VCU (beat no. 9 Georgia State in QFs, beat no. 4 Drexel in SFs, beat no. 6 George Mason in championship)
2006: UNCW (beat no. 9 Delaware in QFs, beat no. 5 Northeastern in SFs, beat no. 3 Hofstra in championship)
2005: Old Dominion (beat no. 9 William & Mary in QFs, beat no. 5 Hofstra in SFs, beat no. 2 VCU in championship)
2004: VCU (beat no. 9 Towson in QFs, beat no. 4 Old Dominion in SFs, beat no. 3 George Mason in championship)
2003: UNCW (beat no. 9 Hofstra in QFs, beat no. 5 Delaware in SFs, beat no. 3 Drexel in championship)
2002: UNCW (beat no. 9 James Madison in QFs, beat no. 5 Delaware in SFs, beat no. 3 VCU in championship)
2001 A-East: Hofstra (beat no. 8 Vermont in QFs, beat no. 4 Maine in SFs, beat no. 2 Delaware in championship)
2000 A-East: Hofstra (beat no. 8 Boston U. in QFs, beat no. 5 Drexel in SFs, beat no. 2 Delaware in championship)
1999 A-East: Delaware (beat no. 9 Towson in QFs, beat no. 4 Maine in SFs, beat no. 2 Drexel in championship)
1998 A-East: Delaware (beat no. 9 Towson in QFs, beat no. 4 Hofstra in SFs, beat no. 2 Boston U in championship)
1997 A-East: Boston U. (beat no. 8 Maine in QFs, beat no. 5 Delaware in SFs, beat no. 2 Drexel in championship)
1996 A-East: Drexel (beat no. 8 Hartford in QFs, beat no. 5 Towson in SFs, beat no. 2 Boston U. in championship)
1995 A-East: Drexel (beat no. 9 Hofstra in QFs, beat no. 4 Boston U. in SFs, beat no. 3 Northeastern in championship)
1994 ECC: Troy State (lost to no. 5 Hofstra in SFs)
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