Before you sell your soul for five bucks and the possibility of winning the CAA Tournament, make sure to ponder the long odds of a Cinderella emerging from the field this weekend!
It’s that time of the year where we convince ourselves anything is possible and that anyone in the CAA can win the tournament that begins Friday afternoon with a pair of out-outbracket games,
But if the last two months have taught us anything, it’s that the CAA champion will likely be one of the top three seeds — Towson, UNC Wilmington or Charleston.
The trio all finished with 13 or more CAA wins and went 39-7 against the fourth- through 14th-place teams. Another way to put it: The fourth- through 14th-place teams went 10-49 against the top three seeds.
Towson, which has finished in the top five in each of the last four seasons, and UNC Wilmington, which lost consecutive title games in 2022 and 2023 and has earned a top-four seed four straight times, have each been gradually built towards the ultimate payoff — an impressive feat in any era, but especially one featuring NIL and the instant transfer.
And Charleston, the two-time defending league champion aiming to become the first three-peater since Navy won three in a row behind David Robinson, has somehow slipped beneath the radar (which is pretty easy to do when Pat Kelsey, one of the nation’s best coaches and biggest personalties, exits for Louisville).
A team seeded fifth or lower has reached the CAA championship game in four of the past five seasons. But come Tuesday night, it’s hard to imagine anyone outside the top three vying to cut down the nets and take home the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
But then again, the last two times at least three teams won 13 league games, a darkhorse won the tournament — fourth-seeded James Madison in 2013 and fifth-seeded Delaware in 2022. So, as always, anything is possible. Enjoy the madness and prepare for it with the (mostly) annual CAA Tournament thumbnails!
1.) TOWSON (16-2 CAA, 21-10 overall)
The Tigers were picked first in the preseason poll and became the second straight preseason favorite to earn the no. 1 seed, following in the footsteps of Charleston. Towson is one of four teams to finish within one spot of its preseason prognostication. The regular season title is the second for Towson, which went 15-3 in 2021-22, and its first outright crown. The top seed has won the CAA tournament 22 times after Charleston raised the trophy last March. The Tigers suffered six straight losses from Nov. 28 through Dec. 17 and fell to 6-9 #NotNice overall with a 77-69 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4 before they won 12 straight — the program’s longest winning streak in the Division I Era — and 15 of their final 16. Thirteen of the Tigers’ CAA wins and 17 of their wins overall were by 10 points or fewer or in overtime. Towson has finished in the top four in the CAA five times in 14 seasons under Pat Skerry after never doing so in its first 10 seasons in the league.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Towson is in its 24th season in the CAA and is the only CAA school outside of recent additions Campbell, Hampton, Monmouth and North Carolina A&T that’s never advanced to a championship game. The Tigers have fallen in the semifinals six times, including last season, when Charleston overcame a seven-point deficit in the final three-plus minutes to earn a 61-56 win. Towson made its two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1990 and 1991, when it won the ECC’s final automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers lost to Ohio State, 97-86, in the 1991 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers also won the ECC in 1992, when the league did not carry an automatic bid.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Tigers entered Thursday ranked 149th at KenPom.com, where they are second in conference-only offensive efficiency (113.0) and fourth in conference-only defensive efficiency (102.2).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Sophomore guard/forward Tyler Tejada was named the CAA Player of the Year. He is the second player to win Player of the Year honors for Towson after Jerrelle Benimon did so in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Tejada is also the first sophomore to win the Player of the Year award since George Mason’s George Evans won the first of his three straight honors in 1998-99. Redshirt senior Dylan Williamson was named to the all-CAA second team while XX Nendah Tarke was selected the sixth man of the year. In addition, Pat Skerry was named CAA Coach of the Year for the second time,
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: In a symbol of the Tigers’ depth, Tejada — who ranked fourth in the league in scoring (16.8 ppg) — was the only Towson player to rank in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists or steals.
2.) UNC WILMINGTON (14-4 CAA, 24-7 overall)
The Seahawks were picked third in the preseason poll. They are the second straight team to finish second after being picked third, following in the footsteps of Drexel. The second-place finish is the highest for UNC Wilmington since it earned the no. 2 seed in 2021-22, when the Seahawks lost to Delaware in their most recent trip to the championship game. The no. 2 seed has won the CAA tournament 11 times, most recently in 2023, when Charleston did so. UNC Wilmington is one of four teams to finish within one spot of its preseason prognostication. The Seahawks have earned a top-four seed in each of the last four seasons, the longest such streak in the league. UNC Wilmington won nine straight from Jan. 16 through Feb. 13 and then lost consecutive games to Not Twitter Guy and Hampton before winning its final three games by an average of 19.3 points.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: UNC Wilmington, which is the second-most senior CAA program with 39 years in the league, fell to Towson, 66-56, in the quarterfinals last season. The Seahawks have won six league titles, one fewer than the other 13 teams in the tournament combined. UNC Wilmington made its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017, when the Seahawks fell to Virginia 76-71.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Seahawks entered Thursday ranked 107th at KenPom.com, where they are first in conference-only offensive efficiency (116.1) and fifth in conference-only defensive efficiency (103.4).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Graduate student guard Donovan Newby was named to the all-CAA second team while graduate student forward Sean Moore was selected to the all-CAA defensive team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Newby ranked sixth in assists (3.48 apg) while Moore was tied for third in steals (1.52 spg).
3.) CHARLESTON (13-5 CAA, 23-8 overall)
The Cougars were second fourth in the preseason poll. The last team to finish third after being picked second was…Charleston in 2018-19. The no. 3 seed has won the CAA tournament four times, most recently in 2015, when Northeastern did so. Charleston is one of four teams to finish within one spot of its preseason prognostication. The Cougars opened 3-0 in CAA play, won back-to-back games five more times and have yet to lose consecutive games this season. Charleston has earned a top-three seed in each of the last three seasons and seven times in the last nine seasons overall.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Charleston, in its 12th season in the CAA, won its second straight championship and third title overall last season, when the Cougars edged Stony Brook 82-79, in overtime in the title game before falling to Final Four-bound Alabama 109-96 in a first-round NCAA Tournament game. It was the second straight year Charleston was eliminated by an eventual Final Four team. The Cougars lost to national runner-up San Diego State 63-57 in 2023. Funny how that works. The NCAA Tournament trip last year was the seventh for Charleston, which won three Trans Atlantic American Conference titles in five years from 1994 through 1998 before winning the Southern Conference crown in 1999 and the CAA in 2018.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Cougars entered Thursday ranked 151st at KenPom.com, where they are third in conference-only offensive efficiency (110.0) and sixth in conference-only defensive efficiency (104.1).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Senior forward Ante Brzovic was named to the all-CAA first team while graduate student guard Derrin Boyd and senior guard CJ Fulton were each selected to the all-CAA third team. Justas Stonkus was named to the all-CAA rookie team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Brzovic ranked second in scoring (18.4 ppg) and third in rebounding (8.2 rpg). He’s the only player in the league to finish in the top 10 in both categories. Fulton led the CAA in assists (6.6 apg) and was tied for fifth in assists (1.5 apg).
4.) WILLIAM & MARY (11-7 CAA, 17-14 overall)
The Tribe was picked seventh in the preseason poll. This is the first time the team picked seventh has finished fourth since Delaware did so in 2011-12. It’s also the highest regular season finish for a team picked seventh since Northeastern finished second in 2020-21. The no. 4 seed has won the CAA tournament twice but not since 2000, when UNC Wilmington did so. This marks the highest seed for William & Mary and the first time it has finished with a winning CAA and regular season record since 2019-20, when the Tribe were the second seed after going 13-5 in league play and entering the tournament with a 21-10 record overall. The Tribe was the CAA’s last unbeaten team in league play at 5-0 before losing seven of its final 13 games, including its last three.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: The Tribe, the lone remaining original CAA members from the league’s inaugural season in 1982-83, beat North Carolina A&T 79-62 in the first round last year before losing to Towson, 67-56, in the second round. William & Mary has never made the NCAA Tournament, though it has fallen in the CAA title game four times since 2008. William & Mary is one of just three original Division I programs to never reach the NCAA Tournament, along with Army West Point and The Citadel. Farewell, St. Francis (NY). Army West Point is slated to open Patriot League tournament play tonight against Navy while The Citadel is scheduled to face VMI in its Southern Conference tournament opener Friday.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Tribe entered Thursday ranked 323rd at KenPom.com, where it is 13th in conference-only offensive efficiency (99.7) and 10th in conference-only defensive efficiency (109.4).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Senior guard/forward Gabe Dorsey was named to the all-CAA second team. Isaiah Mbeng was selected to the all-CAA rookie team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Mbeng was tied for seventh in assists (3.4 apg) and ranked ninth in steals (1.39 spg).
5.) CAMPBELL (10-8 CAA, 15-16 overall)
The Camels were picked to finish 13th in the preseason poll. They earned the fifth seed over Monmouth by virtue of a head-to-head win on Jan. 18. The eight-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is by far the biggest positive gap this season and the largest such gap since James Madison finished first after being picked ninth in 2020-21. The only fifth seed to win the CAA Tournament was Delaware in 2022. The eight-spot leap for Campbell served as a proper symbol of a roller coaster season for the Camels, who opened the season at no. 306 on KenPom.com — ahead of only Hampton among CAA schools — and were at no. 266 entering play Jan. 18. Campbell then won seven straight — and five by 18 points or more, including a 96-55 win over William & Mary on Jan. 30 that was the biggest regular season rout in the CAA since Hofstra beat Delaware 91-46 on Dec. 28, 2018 — to improve to 9-3 in the CAA and climb to no. 167 in the KenPom rankings. But the Camels lost senior star Jasin Sinani to a career-ending broken leg on Feb. 6 and lost five of their last six, including their final four.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Campbell is in its second season in the CAA and lost its CAA Tournament debut last season, when the Camels fell to Monmouth, 90-67, in the second round. Campbell, which moved to Division I in 1977, became a founding member of the Big South in 1985 and made its lone trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1992, when the Fighting Camels were a no. 16 seed and lost to eventual national champion Duke, 82-56. Campbell has lost four Big South title games since — including the 2023 championship game, when the Fighting Camels fell to UNC Asheville and former Hofstra point guard Caleb Burgess.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Fighting Camels entered Thursday ranked 210th at KenPom.com, where they are eighth in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.2) and first in conference-only defensive efficiency (100.6).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Graduate student guard Nolan Dorsey was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Sophomore forward Colby Duggan was named to the all-CAA first team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Duggan was eighth in scoring (15.8 ppg) while Dorsey led the league in steals (1.7 spg).
6.) MONMOUTH (10-8 CAA, 12-19 overall)
The Hawks were picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. The last team to finish sixth after being picked eighth was Delaware in 2014-15. The only no. 6 seed to win the CAA Tournament is Drexel, which did so in 2021. This is the highest Monmouth has finished since joining the CAA prior to the 2022-23 season. Monmouth opened 0-8 while playing all road or neutral site games and started CAA play 3-5 before authoring a pair of three-game winning streaks on its way to winning seven of its final 10 games. However, the Hawks were 7-2 at home in the CAA and just 3-6 on the road.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Monmouth is in its third season in the CAA and won a tournament game for the second straight year last March, when the Hawks beat Campbell 90-67 in a second-round game before falling to Charleston, 83-59, in the quarterfinals. Monmouth has made four NCAA Tournament appearances, all after winning the Northeast Conference. The Hawks most recently played in the NCAA Tournament in 2006, when they beat Hampton (Spider Man meme goes here) 71-49 in a First Four game before falling to Villanova (another Spider Man meme goes here), 58-45.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Hawks entered Thursday ranked 276th at KenPom.com, where they are sixth in conference-only offensive efficiency (107.4) and 11th in conference-only defensive efficiency (109.3).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Sophomore guard Abdi Bashir Jr. was named to the all-CAA first team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Bashir led the CAA in scoring (20.2 ppg).
7.) NORTHEASTERN (9-9 CAA, 17-14 overall)
The Huskies were picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll. They earned the seventh seed over Drexel by virtue of a head-to-head win on Jan. 23. The last team to finish seventh after being picked sixth was Not Twitter Guy in 2021-22. The only no. 7 seed to win the CAA Tournament was East Carolina, which did so in 1993, though Stony Brook made the title game as the no. 7 seed last year. East Carolina remains the lowest-seeded team to win the CAA Tournament, Northeastern is one of four teams to finish within one spot of its preseason prognostication, though the only one outside of the top three. The Huskies won their final two league games — just the second time they won consecutive CAA games — to finish with their highest tournament seed as well as their best CAA and overall record since 2020-21, when they were the no. 2 seed after going 8-2 in the league and 10-9 overall.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Northeastern, which is in its 20th year in the CAA, fell to Stony Brook, 75-65, in a second-round game last year. The Huskies are one of three 21st-century additions with multiple championships, along with Delaware and Charleston. The Huskies beat William & Mary in the 2015 title game and defeated Hofstra (rats) in the 2019 championship game. The Huskies also lead all 21st-century additions with five title game appearances overall, Northeastern has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances and fell to Kansas 87-53 in 2019.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Huskies entered Thursday ranked 208th at KenPom.com, where they are tied with Hampton for ninth in conference-only offensive efficiency (105.5) and eighth in conference-only defensive efficiency (106.4).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Junior guard Rashad King was named to the all-CAA first team. Junior center Collin Metcalf was selected to the all-CAA defensive team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: King ranked third in scoring (18.4 ppg), was tied for seventh in assists (3.4 apg) and finished seventh in steals (1.48 spg). He’s the only player in the league to rank within the top 10 in three categories. Harold Woods ranked eighth in rebounding (7.32 rpg) while LA Pratt ranked eighth in steals (1.40 spg).
8.) DREXEL (9-9 CAA, 17-14 overall)
The Dragons were picked 11th in the preseason poll. They are the second straight team to finish eighth after being picked 11th, following in the footsteps of Monmouth. No no. 8 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. This is the lowest finish for Drexel since it was the eighth seed in 2019-20, but the Dragons avoided a potential Pillowfight Friday date by winning their last four games — the longest winning streak of any CAA team entering the tournament. All but two of Drexel’s CAA wins were by 10 points or fewer while seven of its losses were by 10 points or fewer or in overtime, where the Dragons were 0-3.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Drexel, which is in its 24th season in the CAA, fell to Stony Brook, 91-88, in double overtime in the quarterfinals last year. The Dragons won the league title for the first time in 2021, when they were seeded sixth and knocked off seventh-seeded Elon in the championship game. Only one other CAA champion, seventh-seeded East Carolina in 1993, was seeded lower. The Dragons fell to Illinois 78-49 in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, when, led by Malik Rose, they completed a three-peat in the North Atlantic Conference. Drexel has made five NCAA Tournaments, the first of which it reached after beating Hofstra in the 1986 ECC title game. Even I didn’t know that was a real thing back then, Litos.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Dragons entered Thursday ranked 203rd at KenPom.com, where they are 11th in conference-only offensive efficiency (103.4) and third in conference-only defensive efficiency (101.3).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Junior guard Kobe MaGee was named to the all-CAA third team. Junior forwards Cole Hargrove was selected to the all-CAA defensive team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Hargrove ranked sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg).
9.) NOT TWITTER GUY (8-10 CAA, 17-14 overall)
The Phoenix was picked to finish 12th in the preseason poll. Not Twitter Guy earned the ninth seed over Hampton by virtue of a head-to-head win on Jan. 4. The Phoenix is the second straight team to finish ninth after being picked 12th, following in the footsteps of Campbell. No no. 9 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The Phoenix opened the season ranked no. 297 at KenPom.com but earned the CAA’s best non-conference win with an 84-77 upset of then-no. 50 Notre Dame on Nov. 22. That began a 12-4 surge from in which the Phoenix won three more games against top-150 foes and opened CAA play 5-2 But the Phoenix have lost eight of 11, a span in which it’s endured two three-game losing streaks. Nick Dorn missed the final six games for Not Twitter Guy, a span in which it went 2-4, and TJ Simpkins was sidelined for the final three games, all losses.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Not Twitter Guy, which is in its 10th season in the CAA, lost to Hampton 56-55 in a first-round game last year. The Phoenix has never made the NCAA Tournament in 26 years as a Division I program. Not Twitter Guy has reached two conference title games, falling to Drexel as the no. 8 seed in 2021 and to Elite Eight-bound Davidson — featuring Stephon Curry — in the Southern Conference in 2008.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Phoenix entered Thursday ranked 185th at KenPom.com, where it is fourth in conference-only offensive efficiency (107.9) and 10th in conference-only defensive efficiency (108.0).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Junior guard TK Simpkins was named to the all-CAA second team. Graduate student center Matthew Van Komen was selected to the all-CAA defensive team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: TK Simpkins ranked seventh in scoring (16.2 ppg) while Nick Dorn (15.2 ppg) was ninth and TJ Simpkins (14.7 ppg) finished 10th. No team has had three players finish in the top 10 in scoring since Delaware (Marc Egerson, Jawan Carter and Alphonso Dawson) finished fifth, sixth and ninth in 2008-09. Sam Sherry was ninth in rebounding (7.27 rpg) while Andrew King ranked ninth in assists (3.23 apg). TJ Simpkins finished second in steals (1.6 spg). Not Twitter Guy is the only school with a player in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
10.) HAMPTON (8-10 CAA, 16-15 overall)
The Pirates were picked to finish 14th in the preseason poll. They are the first team to finish 10th after being picked 14th, possibly because there have only been 14 teams in the CAA for the last two seasons. The four-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is by tied for the second-biggest positive gap this season. No no. 10 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The Pirates, who entered the season ranked a CAA-low no. 313 at KenPom.com, won as many league games this season as in their first two seasons in the league combined and are one victory shy of matching the 17 wins they had the previous two years. Hampton opened 3-8 in CAA play but won five straight before losing its last two games by a combined four points.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Hampton is in its third season in the CAA and earned its first tournament win last year, when the Pirates edged Not Twitter Guy 56-55 in a first-round game before losing to Delaware 80-50 in the second round. Hampton has made six NCAA Tournaments, all after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Pirates made their most recent NCAA Tournament in 2016, when they fell to Virginia 81-45.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Pirates entered Thursday ranked 215th at KenPom.com, where they are tied with Northeastern for ninth in conference-only offensive efficiency (105.5) and seventh in conference-only defensive efficiency (105.8).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Graduate student guard Noah Farrakhan was named to the all-CAA third team. Daniel Johnson was selected to the all-CAA rookie team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Kyrese Mullen ranked 10th in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and Farrakhan finished 10th in steals (1.34 spg).
11.) HOFSTRA (6-12 CAA, 14-17 overall)
The Flying Dutchmen were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll. They are the first team to finish 11th after being picked fourth since Old Dominion way back in 2012-13. That’s not good! The seven-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is tied for the biggest negative gap this season and the biggest gap since Northeastern finished 10th after being picked second in 2021-22. No no. 11 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The Dutchmen’s streak of consecutive top-four finishes ended at seven seasons, which was the longest streak in the CAA since Old Dominion finished in the top four in nine straight seasons from 2003-04 through 2011-12. Another thing we have in common with the Monarchs! The sub-.500 finish in CAA play is the first for the Dutchmen since 2016-17. The Dutchmen were 1-8 in games decided by six points or fewer and were the only team in the CAA that failed to win back-to-back games in league play. No time like the present!
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Hofstra, which is in its 24th season in the CAA, fell to Stony Brook 63-59 in the semifinals last year. An agonizing semifinal loss? To a heated rival? In this or any other economy? The Flying Dutchmen finally won the league title in 2020 after falling in the 2006, 2016 and 2019 championship games. Then the Dutchmen won the national championship. Prove me wrong, children! The Flying Dutchmen last officially appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2001, when they won the America East before falling to UCLA, 61-48, in Jay Wright’s final game at Hofstra. The Dutchmen have officially made five NCAA Tournaments. It should have been six.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Dutchmen entered Thursday ranked 223rd at KenPom.com, where they are 13th in conference-only offensive efficiency (100.2) and second in conference-only defensive efficiency (101.1).
CAA HONOR ROLL: No Hofstra player made any of the CAA’s all-league teams. It’s the first time ever #Redundant the Dutchmen didn’t have a player selected to an all-CAA team. The Dutchmen had a first- or second-team all-CAA player in 22 of the previous 23 seasons and Stevie Mejia was named to the all-defensive team during the nightmarish 2012-13 campaign.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Michael Graham finished fifth in rebounding (8.0 rpg). Jean Aranguren (4.23 apg) and Cruz Davis (4.2 apg) ranked second and third in assists while Davis was tied for fifth in steals (1.5 spg).
12.) DELAWARE (5-13 CAA, 12-19 overall)
The Blue Hens were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll. They are the first team to finish 12th after being picked fifth. The 12th-place finish is the lowest for a team picked fifth since James Madison finished 11th in 2009-10. The seven-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is tied for the biggest negative gap this season and the biggest gap since Northeastern finished 10th after being picked second in 2021-22. No no. 12 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The Blue Hens opened 4-2 in CAA play but lost 11 of their last 12, a stretch that began with a 93-68 loss to Hofstra. Seven of the 11 losses were by double figures.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Delaware, which is in its 24th and final season in the CAA before exiting for Conference USA and the glory of Division I-A football, fell to Hofstra, 73-58, in the quarterfinals last season. The Blue Hens won their second championship in 2022, when they became the first five seed to triumph in the tournament. Delaware, making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, fell to Villanova #NARRATIVE ALERT 80-60 in the first round.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Blue Hens entered Thursday ranked 266th at KenPom.com, where they are fifth in conference-only offensive efficiency (107.8) and 14th and last in conference-only defensive efficiency (115.0).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Izaiah Pasha was named the CAA Rookie of the Year. Senior forward John Camden was selected to the all-CAA second team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Camden ranked fifth in scoring (16.7 ppg) while Pasha finished fifth in assists (3.6 apg).
13.) STONY BROOK (4-14 CAA, 8-23 overall)
The Seawolves were picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll. They are the first team to finish 13th after being picked ninth, possibly because this is only the third season in which the CAA has featured at least 13 teams. The four-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is tied for the second-biggest negative gap this season. The 13th-place finish is the lowest for a team picked ninth since Drexel finished last in a 10-team CAA in 2016-17. No no. 13 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The Seawolves opened 0-7 in CAA play and were 2-14 before climbing out of last place by ending the regular season with wins over Hofstra (great!) and Not Twitter Guy — their first set of back-to-back victories this season.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Stony Brook is in its third season in the CAA and nearly pulled off the greatest Cinderella run in league history last year, when the seventh-seeded Seawolves won three games in as many days before falling to Charleston, 82-79, in overtime in the championship game. Stony Brook moved to Division I in 1999-2000 and lost four America East championship games before breaking through to its lone NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016, when the Seawolves fell to Kentucky, 85-57.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Seawolves entered Thursday ranked 333rd at KenPom.com, where they are 12th in conference-only offensive efficiency (102.8) and 13th in conference-only defensive efficiency (114.9).
CAA HONOR ROLL: Junior guard CJ Luster was named to the all-CAA third team. Collin O’Connor was selected to the all-CAA rookie team.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Luster ranked sixth in scoring (16.4 ppg) while Andre Snoddy was fourth in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and O’Connor finished 10th in assists (3.16 spg), just ahead of William & Mary’s Chase Lowe (3.15 spg).
14.) NORTH CAROLINA A&T (3-15 CAA, 7-24 overall)
The Aggies were picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll. They are the first team to finish 14th after being picked to finish 10th, possibly because this is only the second season in which the CAA has featured 14 teams. The four-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is tied for the second-biggest negative gap this season. The 14th-place finish is the lowest for a team picked 10th since Monmouth finished 13th and last in 2022-23. No no. 14 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The Aggies opened 0-12 in CAA play, which was tied for the third-longest losing streak to start a CAA season, but went 3-3 down the stretch while beating Not Twitter Guy, Campbell and Stony Brook by a combined five points. North Carolina A&T earned all its wins after indefinitely suspending its top two scorers, Ryan Forrest and Landon Glasper, as well as reserve Julius Reese.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: North Carolina A&T is in its third season in the CAA and fell to William & Mary, 79-62, in the first round last year. The Aggies have made 10 NCAA Tournaments, all after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. North Carolina A&T made its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013, when it earned the first NCAA Tournament win in school history by beating Liberty, 73-72, in a First Four game before falling to eventual national champion Louisville 79-48.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Aggies entered Thursday ranked 332nd at KenPom.com, where they are 14th and last in conference-only offensive efficiency (97.4) and 12th in conference-only defensive efficiency (110.1).
CAA HONOR ROLL: No North Carolina A&T player made any of the CAA’s all-league teams.
ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD: Nikolaos Chitikoudis led the CAA in rebounding (9.3 rpg) while Jahnathan Lamothe (7.35 rpg) ranked seventh, Camian Shell finished fourth in assists (3.7 apg) and Lamothe was tied for third in steals (1.52 spg) Camian Shell ranked second in assists (4.10 apg), percentage points ahead of Charleston’s CJ Fulton, and sixth in steals (1.37 spg). The suspended Forrest (19.1 ppg) and Glasper (18.5 ppg) would have ranked second and fourth in the CAA in scoring if they’d played the minimum 75 percent of games required to qualify for the leaderboard.
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