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CAA Basketball: Hofstra headlines 2019 conference tournament

By Zac Voynow

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Head coach Joe Mihalich of the Hofstra Pride reacts against the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half of the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival at Barclays Center on December 11, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Head coach Joe Mihalich of the Hofstra Pride reacts against the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half of the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival at Barclays Center on December 11, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – MARCH 07: The North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks celebrate winning the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship college basketball game tournament against the Hofstra Pride at Royal Farms Arena on March 7, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – MARCH 07: The North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks celebrate winning the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship college basketball game tournament against the Hofstra Pride at Royal Farms Arena on March 7, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Tournament Prediction

First Round

8. James Madison over 9. Towson

James Madison has a great guard in Stuckey Mosley, and he will bring them to victory over a Towson team that didn’t meet expectations this season. These two teams split their season series, so it should be an interesting day one matchup.

10. UNCW over 7. Elon

Elon defeated UNCW both times they played this season, but UNCW has Devontae Cacok. He’s a senior, and he won’t let his career end this easily.

Quarterfinals

1. Hofstra over 8. James Madison

Hofstra is too strong a side to lose to a James Madison team that basically only has one really good player. These teams split the season series, but I don’t expect Hofstra to struggle this time around.

4. William and Mary over 5. Delaware

This game is really a toss-up, but I think the combination of Justin Pierce and Nathan Knight will be too much for Delaware to handle. They split the season series, but William and Mary destroyed Delaware in their victory, while Delaware barely scraped by William and Mary by two when they were victorious.

2. Northeastern over 10. UNCW

Northeastern will frustrate UNCW with their strong fundamental and defensive play. UNCW doesn’t have a wing who can handle Vasa Pusica effectively, and the Huskies will throw too many bodies on Devontae Cacok for him to dominate the paint. Northeastern swept the season series against UNCW.

3. College of Charleston over 6. Drexel

Charleston will have too much firepower for Drexel to handle defensively. Riller will score 30+ and Jarrell Brantley will have a big game inside. Easy win for the Cougars.

Semifinals

1. Hofstra over 4. William and Mary

Hofstra shouldn’t have too much of a problem making it to the CAA championship game and at the very least securing an automatic bid to the NIT postseason tournament. Hofstra swept the season series against William and Mary, albeit by a pair of close games.

3. College of Charleston over 2. Northeastern

This will be a great matchup in the CAA semifinal round. Charleston will barely edge out of a very good Northeastern team. Charleston’s Jarrell Brantley will lead the team in scoring and rebounding, and they will do just enough to beat Northeastern at their home arena in North Charleston.

Next. Most likely bid thieves in the conference tournaments. dark

Finals

1. Hofstra over 3. College of Charleston

Justin Wright-Foreman will put the college basketball world on alert when he drops 40 points in the CAA championship game. The dynamic duo of Grant Riller and Jarrell Brantley won’t be enough, and they will be beaten on their home floor. Hofstra will be crowned CAA champions and will punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament.