All CAA Honors and CAA Tourney Musings
The CAA Basketball Banquet took place this evening in Baltimore. The highlight of the event was the announcement of All CAA honors. Towson’s Jerrelle Benimon was selected as the conference player of the year for the second year in a row. We didn’t have a vote (imagine that), but if we did it would have gone to him. There were a number of outstanding players in the CAA this year, but nobody in the league could match the all around play of Benimon.
As far as the Dukes go, sophomore’s Andre Nation and Charles Cook both earned Third Team All CAA honors. Fellow sophomore Ron Curry (who could arguable be the team MVP) finished 20th in the All CAA voting. As the official JMU basketball Twitter feed revealed, the top 20 players in the league consisted of 12 seniors, 4 juniors, and 4 sophomores. Three of those four sophomores were Dukes. We’ve said all season that this year was more about taking a step forward and preparing for the future than it was about wins and losses. JMU’s “Big Three” took a step forward this year with their play on the court. Assuming Nation can avoid any additional struggles off the court, this team should have a dangerous core of players the next two seasons.
But it’s not time to think about the next few seasons. It’s time to focus on the tournament. A And the defending champion JMU Dukes have a very tough match-up Saturday night against Jerrelle Benimon and his Towson teammates. The Dukes played Towson tight in their second game this season. As is often the case with close contests, it came down to free throws. Towson nailed them. JMU didn’t. Ballgame. JMU can definitely pull off the upset, but it’s probably going to take their best effort of the year to do it. If they manage to win the opener, it’s wide open.
Actually the entire tournament is wide open. Delaware stormed out of the gate and won its first 11 CAA games. However, the Blue Hens hit a few speed bumps down the stretch losing 2 of their last 5. They’re the #1 seed, but by no means an overwhelming favorite. For my money Towson is the best team on paper and William & Mary’s Marcus Thornton has the talent to end his schools lifetime NCAA tourney drought. And it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that CofC, Northeastern, or the Dukes get hot and rattle of a few wins. Don’t even put it past Hofstra or UNCW to shock a higher seed. It should be a great weekend of hoops in good ol’ Baltimore. Hope to see y’all there.
It wasn’t as simple as Towson nailed the FTs and JMU didn’t.
Towson went other-worldly 30-31. Even if both teams shoot their average, JMU wins that game.
However, they’re the home team this time, so I’m less optimistic than you.
Has there been any information about Andre Nation’s future with the Dukes? If not, what is your gut feeling?
“Assuming Nation can avoid any additional struggles off the court..”
That is a dangerous sentence to write.
Hofstra won late last night … now they have to play #1 Delaware at noon today. Who makes up this crazy arrangement? Why not have them play in a late game?
This team’s inability to shoot all year has been sickening to watch. Brady better be recruiting some people with a shooter’s touch or nothing will change next year.
The poor shooting, especially from three point range, was definitely frustrating. As was the fact that the team still launched them at will. A good shooter would help. If they don’t have one next year, then a new attacking style with fewer 3 point attempts is needed.