CAA Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 10: The Hofstra Pride celebrate winning the CAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Championship college basketball game against the Northeastern Huskies at the Entertainment & Sports Arena on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

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Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images /

2. Hofstra Pride

Hofstra is certainly hoping they’re able to win the conference tournament for a second straight year and finally return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in two decades. Considering what they’re losing, they have an uphill battle ahead of them.

Desure Buie isn’t walking through that door next season. Neither is Eli Pemberton. The two formed one of the most lethal guard duos in school history.

The expectation is for senior guards Tareq Coburn and Jalen Ray to step into that void. Coburn, a St. Bonaventure transfer, averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season while leading the team in blocks. Ray averaged 11.9 points per game and shot 39.7 percent from three-point range.

But Hofstra’s best player is actually junior forward Isaac Kante, who is expected to take a big leap this season. The Georgia transfer led the CAA in field goal percentage while averaging 11.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, pulling in eight double-doubles. He should be one of the best forwards in the conference.

Head coach Joe Mihalich quietly took a medical leave of absence from the team in August and it’s unclear when he’ll return. Associate head coach Mike Farrelly is serving as the head coach in the interim.

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