Busting Brackets
Fansided

CAA Basketball: 2018-19 preseason power rankings

By Holden Walter-Warner

WICHITA, KS - NOVEMBER 13: Guard Grant Riller (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
WICHITA, KS - NOVEMBER 13: Guard Grant Riller (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – MARCH 07: Justin Wright-Foreman #3 of the Hofstra Pride drives to the basket past Devontae Cacok #15 of the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks during the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship college basketball game tournament at Royal Farms Arena on March 7, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – MARCH 07: Justin Wright-Foreman #3 of the Hofstra Pride drives to the basket past Devontae Cacok #15 of the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks during the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship college basketball game tournament at Royal Farms Arena on March 7, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

2. Hofstra Pride

2017-18 season record: 19-12 (12-6 CAA)

At the end of the season, fans will look atop the NCAA scoring chart and see one name: Justin Wright-Foreman.

There is no returning scorer more dynamic than the rising senior. The reigning CAA Player of the Year averaged 24.2 points per game, finishing fifth in the country in scoring. He hit at least 30 points on seven different occasions in 2017-18. He even flirted with the NBA Draft before returning to Long Island for one more go-around.

There’s at least a chance – a slim one, but one nonetheless – that Wright-Foreman averages 30 points per game to cap off his stupendous career.

With Wright-Foreman alone, the Pride can contend. But frankly, they have other pieces, plus the loss of only one significant player (Rokas Gustys).

Jalen Ray will look to build on a promising freshman season. The guard from Hampton, Virginia averaged 6.9 points per game, shooting 39.7% from 3-point range.

Other significant returnees include guards Eli Pemberton and Desure Buie, as well as the hope Serbian national Matija Radovic will continue his development in Year 2 of his stateside experiment.

Speedy Claxton is an assistant coach of his alma mater and nothing is cooler than that.

Joe Mihalich has had fits and starts in his five years in charge of Hofstra, including trips to the NIT and CBI. Fans will be expecting a big breakthrough this season.