Pre-CAAT Discussion

[Jojogunne]

Starting some threads for the 2024 CAA Tournament.

All games will be on FloHoops except for the last three, which the CBS Sports Network will carry.

Predictions for the tournament and individual league honors?

Here are all the games:

https://caasports.com/news/2024/3/2/bra ... nship.aspx

[dutchPride86]

Espn had 4 of their cbb writer/reporters pick the winner for every conference tourney, and fwiw 2 of the 4 picked Hofstra:

Borzello: Hofstra
Gasaway: UNC Wilmington
Lunardi: Charleston
Medcalf: Hofstra

Why Hofstra will win: Charleston should be the favorite to cut down the nets; Pat Kelsey's team is looking like the group that went to the NCAA tournament a year ago. But I sense a potential upset in Washington, D.C. The Pride are playing the best defense in the league over the past month, and Tyler Thomas is capable of going for 35 and carrying this team to a bid. -- Borzello

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... ournaments

[HUSID80]

When you wish upon a star...hope it comes true!

[Wags]

Espn had 4 of their cbb writer/reporters pick the winner for every conference tourney, and fwiw 2 of the 4 picked Hofstra:

Borzello: Hofstra
Gasaway: UNC Wilmington
Lunardi: Charleston
Medcalf: Hofstra

Why Hofstra will win: Charleston should be the favorite to cut down the nets; Pat Kelsey's team is looking like the group that went to the NCAA tournament a year ago. But I sense a potential upset in Washington, D.C. The Pride are playing the best defense in the league over the past month

Except that one of the two times over the past month that they didn't play the best in the league was their last game, getting torched for 87 points by Charleston.

I hope he's right but Borzello ignoring that game while talking about HU's defense and Lunardi being the only one of the four to take the team that won the conference by two games is... interesting.

[Polito]

Thanks Jojo for starting this thread!

Wouldn't that be something... not sure I sense a champion upset, but I DO think there will be upsets, so once those occur you never know - CofC is clearly the best, I don't think it's a question. BUT the CAAT can get weird, and I do think any of those 3 could pull it off. Each game could go either way, and I expect to see some wars.

I think HU will need some help in this - but if they have to play CofC again for all the marbles, I think it'll be a closer game being the third time, and anything could happen.

For me right now, just get to the champ game. That would be a positive milestone for this year. And then you throw the kitchen sink in that game and let the chips fall. TT is going to need to be better than he has been on the offensive side. He's doing some nice off the ball things - keep that up. But HU isn't dancing without him fulfilling his full role in the big 3 of Dubar, Carlos, and Thomas.

German to me is the X factor this year. I agree with others that the post is a hit or miss spot, it has been all year, and it's been an issue. But it is what it is at this point. IMO if the big 3 play their game, AND German is utilized effectively to play his, that's how this team wins it all.

And should go without saying that all that is moot without them playing the level of D standard they've set for themselves. That's the foundation of this team, and therefore a non-negotiable in the tourney if they want to cut any nets. DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE.

No matter what, DO NOT get bounced early. This can go from a respectable year to a joke of one in a hurry. They have an easy path - title game is a MUST. Do that and they'll have a real shot at the grand prize.

[triplec2195]

Clearly COC is the team to beat for anyone who saw them dismantle us last week. If however they can't make it to the finish line since they were beat by UNCW twice then the path to cutting down the nets becomes far easier. We have seen crazy upsets in this tourney over the years but like Polito said we just need to focus one game at a time and get to the championship game because in a one game one and done anything can/will happen.

[Jojogunne]

COC and UNCW could meet again in the semifinals:

https://caasports.com/news/2024/3/2/bra ... nship.aspx

[Wags]

20 Players to watch - Check #2, we know #14 well, and #17 played very well at The Mack in November:

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basket ... tournament

[triplec2195]

A good article with a lot of interesting info. Early in the season losses plague USF they need to win out it seems.

[Wags]

Here's another SB Nation article if you like - I just started writing for Mid-Major Madness (part of SB Nation) this week. This CAA tourney preview is my first article with them (I'll be covering the tourney in DC for them starting with the quarterfinals on Sunday):

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2024/3/ ... s-champion

[triplec2195]

Nice article Wags really good analysis of the top teams down and like you said balance is the key for Charleston who has a productive bench and can seemingly outscore most of their opponents. The addition of Policelli I think is key for this team because of his size and ability to shoot outside the perimeter. Pair him with Brzovic and this creates a lot of matchup problems for most teams.

[Wags]

The addition of Policelli I think is key for this team because of his size and ability to shoot outside the perimeter. Pair him with Brzovic and this creates a lot of matchup problems for most teams.

Yup, imagine if Stony Brook still had him! As I noted, I think they could already be dangerous and go on a run in this tournament without him.

Wondering: cuts the nets anyway HU can get it (i.e. say, if UNCW knocks off Charleston for a third time), or do HU fans here want the challenge of beating the best to be the best, and want a third shot at Charleston?

[HUSID80]

Wags, good article...I would not mind meeting Charleston in the final. There's something to be said for the revenge factor and it's REALLY tough to best a team three times.
I think on a neutral court we would stand a better chance as well.

[cactus]

Here's another SB Nation article if you like - I just started writing for Mid-Major Madness (part of SB Nation) this week. This CAA tourney preview is my first article with them (I'll be covering the tourney in DC for them starting with the quarterfinals on Sunday):

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2024/3/ ... s-champion

congrats wags

[Wags]

Wags, good article...I would not mind meeting Charleston in the final. There's something to be said for the revenge factor and it's REALLY tough to best a team three times.

It'll be very interesting to see how this plays out. If we go by the idea (which I subscribe to as well) that it can be difficult to beat a good team a third time, then Charleston may have difficulty beating Hofstra a third time, but that matchup may only happen because UNCW can't beat Charleston a third time.

I think on a neutral court we would stand a better chance as well.

If the past couple of years is any indication, it would sound and feel pretty close to a road game for Hofstra if they play UNCW or Charleston. But maybe the lack of comfort of UNCW or CofC not being in their own gyms could help HU a bit. At least one thing that helps is that no matter who HU plays before the finals (should they get there), they won't have to play multiple pseudo road games in the tourney and none until the last one (if that's CofC or UNCW, as expected - it helps that CofC and UNCW are on the same side of the bracket, opposite HU, since those two will bring the best crowds, especially for later rounds).

[Wags]

Here's another SB Nation article if you like - I just started writing for Mid-Major Madness (part of SB Nation) this week. This CAA tourney preview is my first article with them (I'll be covering the tourney in DC for them starting with the quarterfinals on Sunday):

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2024/3/ ... s-champion

congrats wags

Thanks, cactus!

[Jojogunne]

Very nice article, Wags. It must have taken you a while to compile all those stats.

[Wags]

Very nice article, Wags. It must have taken you a while to compile all those stats.

Thanks for checking it out, Jojo. Not too long because I knew where to reference as I wanted to add in different stats. What took long was 14 teams instead of a smaller conference.

[The Shadow]

Congrats Wags, Very good article.

[stuball888]

Great work as always Jon