The Only Conference Preview You Need To Read: Colonial

Summer officially ends on September 22nd, but for me, the end of summer always coincided with the end of August. Or when I had to go to school. (That first day was always the worst, wasn't it?) Anyway, school is right around the corner, which means that college basketball season is around the corner, down the street, through two lights, and on the left. Since we've all had a fight with our GPS at one time or another, we at BIAH will take this week to roll out our way-too-early, all-encompassing conference previews.

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Pre-season Awards

Player of the Year: Charles Jenkins, Hofstra

There are a number of quality options here, but Jenkins is the guy. He is not only the reigning CAA player of the year, but he is the two-time reigning Haggerty award winner, as the New York Metropolitan region's player of the year. Jenkins was banged up at the start of last season, but once he got healthy, Hofstra became unstoppable. The Pride finished the season with wins in 10 of their last 11 games, and Jenkins averaged an absurd 24.8 ppg during that stretch. He was one of just five players in the country last season to average 20 ppg, 4 rpg, and 3 apg. He's a big time scorer, but he is unselfish enough to be considered a leader and a play maker for this club. Hofstra will have a new coach without a ton of talent around Jenkins, but this is still a team that will finish in the top half of the CAA. He's that good.


Ed. Note: For those asking, leaving the Player of the Year off of the all-conference first-team was intentional. Maybe its because I grew up following the Big East (they always put six on the first team), but its the way I've always done it. Its not an oversight.

And a close second goes too: Chaisson Allen, Northeastern

Many people would put James Madison's Denzel Bowles in this slot, which would be tough to argue with given his numbers. But it is the intangibles Allen brings to the table that matter. Allen, who was runner-up to Jenkins in player of the year voting last season, is the lone returner from the Huskies NIT team last season. He's a point guard that can score, that can knock down a three, that can find an assist, and that can defend. But more importantly, he is going to be the senior leader on a team full of freshmen and sophomores. A great year from Allen -- and I'm not just talking statistics -- and the Huskies could very well end up in the top four of the CAA, which would be a mighty feat considering how much talent they lost. And how much talent did they lose? Allen averaged more points than the rest of the Northeastern returners combined.

Breakout Star: Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion

Bazemore isn't going to wow you with stats, but the junior guard is the ultimate glue guy. At 6'5", he is arguably the best defender in the conference, routinely drawing the assignment of the opponent's best player. He goes to the glass hard to rebound. He led the team is both assists and steal last season. And he averaged 8.4 ppg on a defensive-minded team that only saw one player average more than 9.2 ppg. With the Monarchs needing to fill the scoring void left by Gerald Lee, expect Bazemore to get more opportunities, and expect more production. He may never be a household name, but in a conference whose best teams wins through defense and teamwork, Bazemore is as valuable as anyone.


All-Conference First Team

• G - Chaisson Allen, Northeastern, Sr.
  
• G - Jawan Carter, Delaware, Sr.
  
• G - Joey Rodriguez, VCU, Sr.
  
• F - Frank Hassell, Old Dominion, Sr.
  
• F - Denzel Bowles, James Madison, Sr.
  

All-Conference Second Team

• G - Cam Long, George Mason, Sr.
  
• G - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion, Jr.
  
• F - Julius Wells, James Madison, Jr.
  
• F - Quinn McDowell, William & Mary, Jr.
  
• F - Robert Nwankwo, Towson, Sr.
  

Newcomer of the Year: Mike Moore, Hofstra

Mike Moore can score, and while Charles Jenkins is going to dominate the stat sheet most nights, without a secondary option defenses are going to be able to collapse on him. You need that second option, and Moore can be that guy. Think about it like this -- Moore hit for 20 seven times as a sophomore at Fordham in 2008-2009. In one six game stretch, he went for 21 against UMass, 24 at Xavier, 28 against URI, 25 against Richmond, and 20 at Charlotte. That's impressive. With defenses focusing on Jenkins, Moore is going to have ample opportunities to score.


What Happened?:

• Turnover at Hofstra: It started when the Pride lost head coach Tom Pecora to Fordham, a struggling program in the Atlantic 10. When Pecora left, it also cost Hofstra two of their best freshmen. Point guard Chaz Williams bolted for UMass, while Halil Kanocevic left for St. Joe's.
  
  Hofstra made a big splash with their first coaching hire, landing former Providence head coach Tim Welsh. That lasted about a month before Welsh was arrested, and eventually fired, for a DUI. Hofstra finally settled on assistant Mo Cassara for their head coaching gig.


• That wasn't it for Hofstra news: Australian guard Brad Kelleher lost over two-thirds of his Division I career over eligibility issues. Read about it here, Kelleher got royally screwed.


• Drexel players arrested: Over the summer, Drexel's leading scorer Jamie Harris and back-up big man Kevin Phillips were arrested after breaking into a student's apartment and attempting to rob her at gun point. Clearly, both are now off the Drexel team.


• Matt Brady gets sued: When James Madison head coach Matt Brady signed a contract with his previous employer, Marist University, he agreed that if he broke his contract to go to a different school, he would not recruit the players he had recruited for Marist. Well, he broke his contract, and then he started recruiting the kids he was after at Marist. Marist sued him, and they won.


• Buzz Peterson lands at UNC-Wilmington: The former Tennessee and Appalachian State head coach wound up with the Seahawks after their extensive coaching search.
  


• Notable transfers: Other than the two from Hofstra, perhaps the most notable transfers from the CAA this summer were Kevin Foster, a redshirt freshman at George Mason, who left school to be closer to his Florida home. UNC-Wilmington big man John Fields left the Seahawks and will head to Tennessee to finish up his eligibility. He had finished undergrad, meaning that Fields will not have to sit out a year after transferring.

What's Next?:

• Multiple bids?: The CAA is a very good, very competitive league. Seemingly every season, they are in the discussion to get multiple bids to the NCAA tournament. Last season it didn't work out, as the league's best team -- Old Dominion -- earned the auto-bid and their best at-large hopeful -- William & Mary -- had their hopes dashed with a late three game losing streak. This year, there are at least three team with a shot at getting an at-large bid -- George Mason, VCU, and Old Dominion. The biggest deterrant? The overall strength of the league. It is going to be very tough for more than one team to make it through with just two or three conference losses, which is likely what it would take to get an at-large bid.


• Dominant program?: Is there one? ODU would probably be the popular choice, as they have made three of the last six NCAA Tournaments, won both league titles last season, and are seemingly always finishing in the top three. But what about VCU? They've been in the tournament as well, and they have sent two players to the NBA's first round the last two years. George Mason made a Final Four, and they look primed to be back in contention for the league title. The ironic part? Its a long shot for the CAA player of the year to come from one of those three teams this season.


• Richmond Coliseum: The CAA Tournament will remain in Richmond through the 2014 season.
  

Power Rankings

1. Old Dominion: You know what you are going to get when you play the Monarchs -- a big, physical team that wins by beating you up defensively and on the glass. With six of their eight rotational players returning, its tough to envision ODU being much different next season. Obviously, the big change is going to be on the offensive end, where they won't be able to rely on the talents of Gerald Lee. While his presence in the post will obviously be missed, ODU brings back five guys that averaged between 7.0 ppg and 9.2 ppg. On a team that is built around teamwork and executing sets, I don't envision this being a huge problem. Up front, 6'5" Ben Finney and 6'9" Frank Hassell, the team's two most rugged players, are both back. Keyon Carter, a part-time starter last season, should slide into the starting spot vacated by Lee, while Chris Cooper, Nick Wright, and freshmen Richard Ross and Anton Larsen should provide more than enough depth. The back court could be the key to how good this team ends up being. Junior Kent Bazemore could be primed for a break out season. A versatile 6'5" wing, Bazemore led the team in steals and assists while averaging 8.4 ppg. He was also the team's shut down defender. Senior Darius James looks capable of becoming a reliable starting point guard, while freshman Dimitri Batten was a three-star recruit and should have an immediate impact. ODU will once against bang and scrap their way to a top four finish in the CAA.


2. VCU: How long until VCU starts getting mentioned in the same breath as the Xavier's and the Gonzaga's of the world? The past two seasons, they have sent a player to the first round of the NBA Draft. Their last two coaches have ended up at Oklahoma and Alabama. Last season, they won 27 games despite losing seven conference games by five points or fewer, two of which came in over time. Despite all of that, the Commodores Rams (Ed. Note: Not sure why, but I always think VCU is the Commodores. Apologies, VCU fans.) will once again be a favorite to win this league. It will start with point guard Joey Rodriguez, who is one of the most underrated players in the country. Last year, he averaged 12.9 ppg and 5.8 apg admirably replacing Eric Maynor. Joining him in the back court will be 6'2" senior Brandon Rozzell and 6'6" junior Bradford Burgess, giving VCU arguably the best back courts in the conference. Ed Nixon is a tough defender on the perimeter. Darius Theus and a couple of freshmen -- Rob Brandenburg and Reco McCarter -- should also see time in the back court. Up front, its going to be tough to replace a talent like Larry Sanders, but there are some pieces there. Senior Jamie Skeen is a tough, experienced senior, and junior Toby Veal -- who originally enrolled at Colorado -- should also step in and contribute significant minutes. After that, there is a lot of inexperience -- three freshmen and a redshirt sophomore that played in just nine games -- up front, but there is potential. 7'0" DJ Haley was a late, under-the-radar signee that could develop like Sanders. Heath Houston originally signed with Auburn before Jeff Lebo resigned. Juvonte Reddic is an explosive athlete that could also see immediate minutes. VCU will, once again, be a very tough out.


3. George Mason: The Patriots were supposed to be rebuilding last season, as seven of their rotation players were underclassmen. But thanks to a splendid January, Mason looked like they had a chance to make a run at a league title. Those hopes faded with a 2-7 February, but the groundwork was laid for a big year in 2010-2011 as Jim Larrananga is getting his entire starting five back. It starts with senior Cam Long, who, with an improvement in his ability to shoot from the perimeter, could turn into a first team all-CAA guard. Joining Long in the back court will be Andre Cornelius, a 5'10" sharpshooting junior. The starting front court will be quite balanced, as junior Ryan Pearson -- the team's second leading scorer and leading rebounder -- will be the main weapon, joined by Mike Morrison (a 6'9" shot blocking presence) and Luke Hancock (a promising, versatile sophomore). There is depth -- youthful, but talented -- as well. In the front court, sophomore Johnny Williams, redshirt freshman Paris Bennett, and true freshman Jonathon Alredge should fight for minutes, while sophomore Sherrod Wright, redshirt freshman Ventrail Vaughns, and true freshman Bryon Allen -- who could be the x-factor -- are all good enough to be rotational players. Throw senior Isaiah Tate in the mix as well, and Larrananga is going to have some vicious practices while he hashes out playing time and depth charts. Mason is going to be a tough team to beat in the league this year.


4. William & Mary: The Tribe had a fantastic season in 2009-2010, finishing third in the CAA, making the NIT, and knocking off Maryland and Wake Forest. It is going to be tough to build on that success, however, as W&M will lose their leader in David Schneider, as well as key seniors Danny Sumner and Sean McCurdy. Next season, this is going to be junior Quinn McDowell's team. Also returning will be the underrated Marcus Kitts as well as big men JohnMark Ludwick and Kyle Gaillard. Beyond that, there are going to be a lot of new faces for this club. That shouldn't be a huge issue, as the system that head coach Tony Shaver runs doesn't rely purely on individual talent as much as it does team play and three point shooting. Last year was a story book season for the Tribe in every sense of the word, and that is going to be tough to match. But there is no reason that William & Mary can't compete with the big boys in this conference once again.


5. Northeastern: Bill Coen did a fantastic job building this program into a contender, one that won 14 games and came a couple of tough losses in league play short of title. Now, Coen will have to rebuild this program, as he loses four of his top five scorers, including all-time leading scorer Matt Janning, Manny Adako, and Nkem Ojougbouh. The good news, however, is that Coen will get one more season with Chaisson Allen, a senior point guard that was runner-up to Charles Jenkins in CAA player of the year voting. Alwayne Bigby, a 6'5" swing man, and Kauri Black, a 6'7" forward, both return for their sophomore seasons and will be counted on for a big bump in production. After that, its a bit of a crapshoot. Redshirt freshman Chris Avenant and sophomores Jonathon Lee and Joel Smith should be able to help fill the void left by Janning, while sophomores Dinko Marshavelski and Vinny Lima, JuCo transfer Ben Felix, and three star freshman Ryan Pierson should battle for minutes in the front court. Given the return of Allen and Coen's defensive minded style, its tough to envision Northeastern sliding to the bottom of the league, but it will be a year or two before this group is contending again.


6. Hofstra: Hofstra loses head coach Tom Pecora and a couple of vital role players, but overall it was a good offseason for the Pride. Why? Because Charles Jenkins -- the reigning CAA player of the year and the best player in the New York Metro region -- didn't opt to go pro. Jenkins got out to a slow start last season, and thus so did Hofstra, finding themselves sitting at 9-12 on January 23rd. But once Jenkins got healthy, he caught fire. Hofstra won 10 of their last 11 games on the season, a stretch that saw Jenkins average almost 25 ppg. He can score, he can rebound, and he will make the extra pass. With Jenkins on the roster, Hofstra is always going to be a contender. The question is whether this will be more than just a one man team. After Jenkins, four of the next six top scorers -- all of whom started 20 or more games last season -- are gone. Nathaniel Lester is a tough, physical senior perimeter player that will help provide leadership for some of the younger, inexperienced kids, while senior center Greg Washington will be counted on for a big boost in his production in the paint. Dwan McMillan, a JuCo point guard, should be able to contribute minutes immediately, while 6'5" wing and Fordham transfer Mike Moore will provide a shooter to play alongside Jenkins. Sophomore Yves Jules and senior Brad Kelleher (if he can ever get eligible) should both also see the floor. The question is going to be up front. After Washington, there are three freshmen and a sophomore -- David Imes, who played all of 21 games last season -- to provide depth. Is there enough help for Jenkins for the Pride to compete for a CAA title?


7. James Madison: The Dukes are going to be a team to keep an eye on this season. For starters, they return the best 1-2 punch in the conference with Denzel Bowles and Julius Wells. Bowles, a transfer from Texas A&M, averaged 20.9 ppg and 9.8 rpg after getting eligible in December, while Wells scored over 16 ppg on the season. Wells did struggle a bit once Bowles came into the fold, but a full season of those two working together should yield impressive results. Devon Moore, a member of the 2009 CAA all-freshmen team before missing all of last season, will be healthy on the wing while Andrey Semenov, a versatile 6'7" forward that played just four games last year due to injury, should be healthy as well. There is some depth on this team as well, as 6'11" Trevon Flores and 6'6" JuCo transfer Rayshawn Goins should provide quality minutes up front while James Millen (a JuCo transfer), Ben Louis (junior), Alioune Diouf (sophomore), and Chad Jackson (freshman) should all see some time. The question mark is going to be at the point, where Pierre Curtis graduated. All in all, there is talent on this roster, but there was last season as well. The Dukes were plagued by struggles on the road (2-14) and in close games. They also had a tendency to coast during the season. If they can learn how to play hard for 40 minutes, this team should be in the upper half of the conference standings. If not, who knows.


8. Towson: Towson had some talent on their team last season, but due to injuries and suspensions, they couldn't find any kind of a rhythm until the end of the season -- 14 different starting lineups breeds nothing but inconsistency. With their two leading scorers graduating this offseason, Towson will looks to Robert Nwankwo, a 6'8" force in the paint. Nwankwo nearly averaged a double-double in CAA play, while also swatting over three shots a game. Maryland transfer Braxton Dupree will be joining Nwanko up front, as will sophomores Erique Gumbs and Isaiah Philmore as well as senior David Brewster. The back court has shown promise as well, with Troy Franklin and RaShawn Polk both posting a couple big games down the stretch. Add seniors Josh Brown and Brian Morris, freshman Fred Conner, and JuCo transfer Cephas Oglesby to the mix, and Towson has a decent team. I don't think this group will compete for a league title, but I could see them winning a few games they shouldn't in league play.


9. Delaware: The Blue Hens went just 7-24 last season, but there is reason to be hopeful next year. The biggest reason is the smallest man on the floor. Brian Johnson, who was a starter at the point from the second he stepped on the Delaware campus, blew an acl before the season started and was granted a medical redshirt. With a bit of luck, he will be back to his junior year form, when he averaged 10.0 ppg, 5.0 apg, and had a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. With Johnson out, Jawan Carter had to handle the ball handling duties. And while Carter put up fantastic numbers (18.2 ppg, 4.9 apg) and proved himself a star in this league, Delaware relied on him way too heavily, a reason they were near the bottom of the CAA in both FG% and assists. With Alphonso Dawson -- a double digit scorer who, at 6'4", is one of the better all around player -- and to a lesser extent DJ Boney, also returning in the back court and two good freshmen (Kaleb Clyburn and Devon Saddler) joining the mix, the Blue Hens will have a solid perimeter rotation. The front court is the bigger question. There is a lot of youth up front. Kelvin McNeil and Jamelle Hagins both had promising freshmen seasons, while sophomores Josh Brinkley and Hakim McCullar also return, but somewhere in that group a post scoring threat will need to develop. Delaware didn't lose a single senior off of last year's club, and there is some talent on this roster. But the CAA is a tough league. An improvement should be expected, but with tempered expectations.


10. Drexel: The Dragons had what looked to be a promising season go up in flames with a 1-4 finish to league play. Drexel was going to have a lot of talent return before they suffered a huge blow when leading scorer Jamie Harris and Kevin Phillip were arrested for armed robbery. There is still reason to be hopeful, however. Harris may be gone, but his void should allow CAA freshman of the year Chris Fouch to develop into a star. Gerald Colds is back to provide senior leadership as well, and sophomore Derrick Thomas could be ready for a big year. Samme Givens, a tough 6'5" forward, is back as well, giving the Dragons a solid core. Two freshmen, Stefan Manojlovic and Frantz Massenat, could also see time. The issue is going to be up front, where Bruiser Flint will lose Leon Spencer and Evan Neisler. Daryl McCoy, a 6'9" sophomore that started down the stretch, still needs some development. Freshmen Dartaye Riffin and Goran Pantovic should provide some minutes, as well as senior Yannick Formbor, but there is not a lot inside on this team. Drexel will, once again, be a tough defensive team on the perimeter that is going to rely on their perimeter players. But if the front court doesn't develop, Drexel is going to have a tough time repeating last year's performance, even if you factor in their collapse.


11. Georgia State: This could be a long season for the Panthers. Last year was supposed to be the year, as the top five scorers were all seniors. And despite a solid back court duo, the Panthers never were able to find an offensive rhythm. Now? They've lost basically everyone from a team that went just 5-13 in league play, meaning that Rod Barnes will, essentially be starting over this season. The only starter that returns is NC State transfer Marques Johnson. Johnson isn't a big time scorer, but he is a floor leader. James Fields, Jihad Ali, and Dante Curry also return in the back court. Curry, who had a good sophomore season after transferring from South Florida, should see a bump in production, while Ali showed some flashes of scoring potential toward the end of the season. There will be a number of freshmen and JuCo transfer joining the back court as well, the best of which seems to be freshman point guard DeVonta White. Up front there will be even more question marks. The only returnee is 6'10" James Vincent, a sophomore that struggled to see minutes as a freshmen. Eric Buckner was a highly regarded JuCo recruit, while Harold Doby and Brandon McGee also join the mix. This will essentially be a new team this season, and it is tough to see them improving on last year's finish.


12. UNC-Wilmington: The hiring of Buzz Peterson as head coach means the future looks bright for the Seahawks, the question is how far in the future will they see that success. Five seniors who started games last year graduated and John Fields, the rock inside for UNCW, transferred to Tennessee, depleting a roster that only mustered nine wins last season. The good news is that Chad Tomko, the point guard and leading scorer for the Hawks, does return. Senior guard Ahmad Grant and sophomore forward Keith Rendleman, who looked promising down the stretch of last season, also return. Trevor Deloach, Darryl Felder, and Jeremy Basknight should help provide some depth on the perimeter while Matt Wilson gives Peterson some size inside. There are some freshmen in the mix as well - Tanner Milson, Donte Morales, and Keegan Pace in the back court, with Shane Reybold up front. The Seahawks will be rebuilding this season.