CAA as a whole 2015-2016

[hualum]

Here is my issue with the NCAA. There is a solid chance that Hofstra (or even UNCW for that matter) could win the CAA where up to 5 teams will finish with 20+ wins. That team could pick up 2 more victories in the CAA Tournament...LOSE the Championship game to a 23-24 win team... finish with a record of 24-9 and not even get a mention for the NCAAs.

I get it... I know its the CAA but we are the 9th ranked Conf (out of 32) so top THIRD by RPI.
this may have been a year that the BracketBuster may have helped us be a 2 bid conference.

[hualum]

futhermore...Clemson (16-11) 103RPI on next four out (based on 3 big wins) yet they lost to minnesota
Hofstra - - -(20-8) 67RPI not even a sniff- i get no big wins...but no loss as great as Minnesota...

[EvanJ]

Hofstra doesn't deserve an at-large bid, and I don't know if they would deserve one if they won four in a row and then lost the CAA Final. If Hofstra goes loss at UNC Wilmington, win over College of Charleston, win in CAA Quarterfinal, and loss in CAA Semifinal, I think Hofstra would deserve the NIT. Hofstra would be 21-10 vs. Division I in that case, and they wouldn't have any more home losses or bad losses than they do now.
I agree that Clemson is not deserving, and I think anybody who considers a team outside the Top 100 of the RPI is crazy. Clemson has 11 losses, 7 more home games than away games, and a strength of schedule of 86th, which is bad by ACC standards, and worse than Drexel. Quality wins should help, but shouldn't be enough help to get teams with RPIs that are down NCAA Tournament at-large bids.

[EvanJ]

On Thursday, the CAA has a doubleheader on TV with Delaware at Drexel at 6:00 P.M. and James Madison at Towson at 8:00 P.M. Unfortunately, SNY isn't showing Delaware at Drexel until Friday at 1:00 P.M. SNY is showing James Madison at Towson live.

[hualum]

i agree they dont deserve it. I'm simply saying how is Clemson in the conversation and we aren't. OR like i said...UNCW if they are #1 seed and lose to US in CAA Final...

[Cards]

Of course we are all hoping for the NCAAT this year......That being said, with Colonial being a single bid conference (and UNCW currently in first - at least until Thursday around 9 pm ), DRATINGS.com has us now as a 3 seed in the NIT. Trust me when I say that I am not hoping for this, but if we end up in the NIT with a seeding as high as 3, I believe that would mean a home game for at least the first round, would it not????

[Polito]

hush your mouth cards! We don't discuss that unless necessary

FOCUS!

[Wags]

hush your mouth cards! We don't discuss that unless necessary

FOCUS!

Exactly! Whatever that site says, the last home game I want this current team to play is on Saturday.

[EvanJ]

Of course we are all hoping for the NCAAT this year......That being said, with Colonial being a single bid conference (and UNCW currently in first - at least until Thursday around 9 pm ), DRATINGS.com has us now as a 3 seed in the NIT. Trust me when I say that I am not hoping for this, but if we end up in the NIT with a seeding as high as 3, I believe that would mean a home game for at least the first round, would it not????

We got a 3 seed in the 2006 NIT, so it would be inconsistent if we got a 3 seed this season because the 2006 NIT team was much better than we are now. Yes, a 3 seed would get at least one home game (as long as the better seed always hosts).

[Polito]

The CAA needs another team (HU!) to make a run in the tourney - outsiders need to see the conf is legit and still capable/likely to do what it did with the VA 3

This yrs rep can do a lot for everyone in that regard


Evan, inconsistency in college athletics? Naaahhhh.... LOL

[Flying Dutchmen]

Of course we are all hoping for the NCAAT this year......That being said, with Colonial being a single bid conference (and UNCW currently in first - at least until Thursday around 9 pm ), DRATINGS.com has us now as a 3 seed in the NIT. Trust me when I say that I am not hoping for this, but if we end up in the NIT with a seeding as high as 3, I believe that would mean a home game for at least the first round, would it not????

We got a 3 seed in the 2006 NIT, so it would be inconsistent if we got a 3 seed this season because the 2006 NIT team was much better than we are now. Yes, a 3 seed would get at least one home game (as long as the better seed always hosts).

This team and the '06 team are very close, I actually think this year's team has a much better resume' actually.

If we finish 14-4, I think we get a home NIT game if we don't take Baltimore. The reality of the NIT is that they always give the 1-2 seeds to the bubble schools who draw well, because it ensures solid attendance for the tournament. I think based on merit, we will get a top 4 seed if we do win the last two regular season games though.

I still don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for us or UNCW to get an at-large bid. If we win out but lose to UNCW in the final, we would have a top 50 RPI, if UNCW wins out, but loses to us in the final, they would also have a top 50 RPI, but at this point it would need to take a perfect storm for either team to be considered.

[joeg1]

I still don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for us or UNCW to get an at-large bid. If we win out but lose to UNCW in the final, we would have a top 50 RPI, if UNCW wins out, but loses to us in the final, they would also have a top 50 RPI, but at this point it would need to take a perfect storm for either team to be considered.

Agreed. For us, I think we would need to win out until the CAA finals. Long shot, but not impossible.

[EvanJ]

Of course we are all hoping for the NCAAT this year......That being said, with Colonial being a single bid conference (and UNCW currently in first - at least until Thursday around 9 pm ), DRATINGS.com has us now as a 3 seed in the NIT. Trust me when I say that I am not hoping for this, but if we end up in the NIT with a seeding as high as 3, I believe that would mean a home game for at least the first round, would it not????

We got a 3 seed in the 2006 NIT, so it would be inconsistent if we got a 3 seed this season because the 2006 NIT team was much better than we are now. Yes, a 3 seed would get at least one home game (as long as the better seed always hosts).

This team and the '06 team are very close, I actually think this year's team has a much better resume' actually.

If we finish 14-4, I think we get a home NIT game if we don't take Baltimore. The reality of the NIT is that they always give the 1-2 seeds to the bubble schools who draw well, because it ensures solid attendance for the tournament. I think based on merit, we will get a top 4 seed if we do win the last two regular season games though.

I still don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for us or UNCW to get an at-large bid. If we win out but lose to UNCW in the final, we would have a top 50 RPI, if UNCW wins out, but loses to us in the final, they would also have a top 50 RPI, but at this point it would need to take a perfect storm for either team to be considered.

Responding to what I underlined, we were 29th in the RPI in 2005-2006 and we're 68th now. We have one Top 70 RPI win now and we had five Top 70 RPI wins in 2005-2006 before the 2006 NIT.

[Polito]

That 05/06 team was definitely one of HU's best - I mean an RPI of 29 and 26 wins with a decent run in the NIT is right up there with HU's best NCAA teams - although the home loss to ODU with MSG on the line is where my love for TP came to a screeching halt - you don't lose that game - you just can't - anyhoo, no denying that team was awesome - and a lot of that rememberence has to do with the post-season success

So, with that in mind, this yrs team is also a very good team in the history of the program, but it's true legacy is still TBD - it CAN be one of the best ever if it does what we all know it needs to do/what it's capable of doing...

This is certainly one of the most important season finishes for the program in a long time - exciting, but nerve-wracking!

[ProudofPride]

Drexel beat Delaware 74-64, so Drexel locks up the 9th seed while Delaware gets the honor of being 10.

[Wags]

I still don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for us or UNCW to get an at-large bid. If we win out but lose to UNCW in the final, we would have a top 50 RPI, if UNCW wins out, but loses to us in the final, they would also have a top 50 RPI, but at this point it would need to take a perfect storm for either team to be considered.

Agreed. For us, I think we would need to win out until the CAA finals. Long shot, but not impossible.

I like where this team is at right now and I still think they're the favorite to win in Baltimore.

But I can't help but think of where they could be if not for being unable to close out 3 extremely winnable games: the 2 OT games against JMU and the first game against UNCW.

Instead of 13-4 and 21-8, they'd have already locked up their first-ever CAA title of any kind and would be 16-1 and 24-5.

Then, throw in a win this Saturday (just for argument's sake, not assuming anything) they'd probably be able to lose a close one in the CAA Finals, and at 27-6, would likely be considered for an at-large with a higher NCAAT seed than even the CAA champion, even if it were UNCW.

As it is, HU probably can no longer get an at-large. But man, those 3 very close games that were all won and later lost. Sometimes, it's such a fine line that change a lot in one direction or the other.

Really saying it to show the potential of this team (not to be a downer at all after such a great win tonight). This team might have been good enough to go to the NCAAT at 28-5, as both regular season and CAA Tourney champs (with of course the last of those two still being achievable). Of course, you could also say that instead of 21-8, they could have 10 or 11 losses already, had they not pulled out a few others games like tonight.

[Flying Dutchmen]

Yesterday, I Tweeted at Jerry Palm (College RPI/CBS Sports) about our at chances for an at large:



I still think if we cobble three more wins together we have a shot at the at-large. The CAA is so underrated this year nationally, its kind of disgraceful how little coverage we have received relative to the A-10 or American, even the Mountain West, who we're ahead of in all metrics. The play this year, top to bottom, is nearly as good as any CAA season I can remember. Charleston has the 7th ranked Pomeroy defense nationally, beat LSU, and they're tied for 7th place! They're tied with Northeastern who beat #12 Miami!

Every game has been a war.

[Polito]

Hey it's a fair take unfortunately, and most agree.

I want no part of an at-large roll of the dice, I want this squad to CUT NETS, period.

And like I said, the CAA absolutely needs it's NCAAT team to make a run and regain the respect that left with the VA 3. A Sweet 16 + run this year would do wonders for perception next yr.

And quite frankly, I think HU gives the conf it's best shot to do so. I just think HU's starting 5 is the best in the league top to bottom, and they are built for the individual games of the dance...

Alas, must fight through 3 in 3 first, so we shall see.

[Cards]

updated today - Drankings site has HU as a 12 seed representing CAA in NCAAT

Lunardi bracketology has not been updated yet.

[Wags]

updated today - Drankings site has HU as a 12 seed representing CAA in NCAAT

Lunardi bracketology has not been updated yet.

I didn't ask Lunardi about an at-large, but I did ask him about the highest seed HU might get if they win out from this point through Baltimore.
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