CAA Basketball: 2021 conference tournament preview, predictions

First Round

No. 8 Elon Phoenix vs. No. 9 Towson Tigers

Both of the scheduled contests between these teams were taken off the scheduled this year due to COVID-19. The one-two punch of Hunter Woods and Hunter McIntosh is a potent one for the Phoenix. Towson hasn’t played in weeks, regressed badly after a third-place finish in the conference last year, and lost eight straight before beating Northeastern in their most recent game. The Tigers are in trouble.

Prediction: Elon 72, Towson 58

No. 7 William & Mary Tribe vs. No. 10 UNC Wilmington Seahawks

Another matchup of teams who had their regular-season contests scuttled. That being said, UNC Wilmington would’ve been the underdog in both – that’s what happens when you win just one conference game all season. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll see signs of strength – for instance, the Seahawks were never blown out by a conference opponent. They’ll keep this close, but senior guard Luke Loewe will prove to be the key to a Tribe win.

Prediction: William & Mary 75, UNC Wilmington 71

Quarterfinals

No. 4 Hofstra Pride vs. No. 5 Delaware Blue Hens

These two teams split their season meetings, with Delaware winning a blowout and Hofstra winning a close one. The Pride hasn’t played a game since Valentine’s Day, which feels like a problem until you see that Delaware hasn’t played a game since January. That’s a long layoff and the team won’t have much time to warm-up and get it going ahead of an 11 am tip. This may not be as close as some would expect.

Prediction: Hofstra 76, Delaware 60

No. 1 James Madison Dukes vs. No. 8 Elon Phoenix

James Madison is a different team without Matt Lewis, but that doesn’t mean they’re a bad team. The Dukes pride themselves on their defense, where they’ve held opponents to just 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.9 percent shooting from three, both tops in the CAA. Mark Byington exceeded expectations by a long shot in his first season at James Madison, there are no plans to end the season with a whimper.

Prediction: James Madison 68, Elon 58

No. 2 Northeastern Huskies vs. No. 7 William & Mary Tribe

These two teams didn’t play during the regular season. Tyson Walker gets the press for Northeastern, but William & Mary doesn’t have a ton of high-caliber players with size. That could increase the chances of Shaquille Walters having a solid game. Walters averaged 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game during the regular season.

Prediction: Northeastern 70, William & Mary 61

No. 3 Charleston Cougars vs. No. 6 Drexel Dragons

These teams are fairly evenly matched. The Cougars won both regular-season games, but only by a combined six points. This is the kind of game where one guy will make the plays needed to push his team over the edge. Zep Jasper is a solid candidate to do so for Charleston. Camren Wynter is a better candidate to do it for Drexel.

Prediction: Drexel 68, Charleston 65