CAA Basketball: 2021 conference tournament preview, predictions

This has been a season unlike any other in the history of CAA Basketball. The regular season is in the books, however, and the conference tournament is still going to send one lucky winner to the NCAA Tournament in Indiana.

The CAA is typically one of the stronger mid-major conferences to send one team to the Big Dance every year. Amid the rise of potential two-bid mid-majors (like the Missouri Valley) and the fall of the sport’s blue bloods, however, the CAA is largely flown under the radar.

Those who tuned out during the season missed the stunning rise of the James Madison Dukes, who went from afterthought to regular-season champions. Their hold on the conference is perilous at best, however, after losing their best player for the rest of the season.

That opens up the tournament to virtually all comers. There’s a chance that one of the four teams that play in the opening round could be the last team standing when this tournament shakes out. The lack of a true alpha program makes the CAA Tournament arguably one of the most exciting – and important – in all of college basketball this season.

The CAA Tournament will resemble conference tournaments of the past in terms of structure. The opening round will begin Saturday and kick off four straight days of hoops, leading to the final on Tuesday night. All games will be played in Harrisonburg, Virginia, home of the Dukes.

The CAA champion always poses a threat in the Big Dance. Let’s evaluate the key teams to look at this week.