3MW’s All Conference Team:
Player of the Year: Matt Lewis, Sr., James Madison
Coach of the Year: Mark Byington, James Madison
Newcomer of the Year: Zane Martin, R Sr., Towson
Freshman of the Year: Kvonn Cramer, Hofstra
Season Storylines:
It’s impossible to discuss the Colonial without mentioning how absolutely devastated the league was by COVID this year. Only one school (Elon) played a full February schedule, and even the Phoenix had two separate pauses in December and January. All told, the league played just 56.7% of its scheduled conference games, by far the lowest in the country:
That, along with major parity among the top teams, led a shocking champion: James Madison, who surged to the top of the standings behind senior star Matt Lewis. Unfortunately, Lewis is out for the entire postseason with a knee injury, and even though the Dukes will be hosting the CAA Tournament, the event is wide open.
JMU was not the only CAA school bitten by the injury bug, though; both Charleston (Brevin Galloway) and UNC Wilmington (Jaylen Sims) also lost their best players for the year. The Cougars managed to cobble together enough wins to earn the 3-seed, but UNCW – now down to just six scholarship players – never stood a chance against the devastating wave of wounds.
Unfortunately for Charleston, the draw is not favorable, despite that relatively high seed. Drexel is the top-ranked team via KenPom yet landed as the 6-seed, and the Dragons have some momentum after winning at JMU in the season finale. Plus, Northeastern probably has the league’s best coach (Bill Coen), and following the Lewis injury, now also has the best player in sophomore point guard Tyson Walker.
The top half of the bracket is just as wide open. Hofstra was my preseason pick, but the Pride’s defense lacks pride, sitting in a Downy-soft zone that is often picked apart by patient opponents. Delaware, Hofstra’s opening round opponent, beat the Pride once and very nearly swept them; the now-healthy Blue Hens could be an intriguing sleeper, but they have not taken the court since January 31st.
Instead, my preferred sleeper is Elon, the aforementioned squad who has actually been getting consistent games in. The young Phoenix have figured things out of late, winning four straight games to end the year, three of those by double-digits. Opening round foe Towson has had injuries of its own, and the Tigers’ size could bother the smaller Phoenix, but I like Elon to go on a run against Towson and short-handed JMU (I have a small piece of Elon 30/1 to win the tournament).
Tournament Preview
Tournament Predictions
(8) Elon over (9) Towson
(10) UNC Wilmington over (7) William & Mary
(5) Delaware over (4) Hofstra
(8) Elon over (1) James Madison
(2) Northeastern over (10) UNC Wilmington
(6) Drexel over (3) Charleston
(5) Delaware over (8) Elon
(2) Northeastern over (6) Drexel
(2) Northeastern over (5) Delaware