Colonial Fans

Scores

Monday, December 19

Delaware 70, La Salle 66

James Madison 67, Citadel 49

UNC Wilmington 67, Campbell 65

Tuesday, December 20

Manhattan 81, Towson 62

Richmond 90, Old Dominion 82 (OT)

VCU 68, UAB 49

Northeastern 56, Louisiana Tech 53

Wednesday, December 21

Wake Forest 87, UNC Wilmington 78

Duquesne 75, George Mason 64

Iona 83, William & Mary 65

Thursday, December 22

Drexel 68, Binghamton 44

Hofstra 82, Colgate 59

Old Dominion 81, Virginia Military 73

VCU 80, UNC Greensboro 68

North Carolina State 88, Northeastern 59

Georgia State 72, Georgia Southern 52

James Madison 62, George Washington 57

Howard 88, Delaware 83 (OT)

Friday, December 23

George Mason 81, Manhattan 61

Vermont 65, Towson 49

There wasn’t a whole lot to point to for better or worse in the Colonial Athletic Association this past week. The conference that was a mid-major powerhouse last season isn’t as strong this time around, but the past week really can’t be seen as a damning indictment of the league. The schedule was too light to serve as an accurate barometer of either strengths or the weaknesses of the CAA.

Virginia Commonwealth is clearly taking care of business and doing what it can to produce an at-large-worthy NCAA portfolio. The Rams topped UNC Greensboro this past Thursday, but it was their Tuesday spanking of Alabama Birmingham which should gain even more traction. VCU and UAB both went to Dayton, Ohio, as part of the initial First Four event last year at the start of the NCAA Tournament. UAB faced Clemson in one contest while VCU took on Southern California in the other game between teams who just made the NCAA cut line. UAB lost to Clemson while VCU rocked USC. Just under two weeks later, VCU had proceeded to the Final Four in Houston, while Alabama-Birmingham sat at home and watched. The fact that VCU and UAB were brought together on the court gave UAB a chance to prove itself on a national stage; instead, Virginia Commonwealth reasserted its dominance and added more credibility to the notion that last year’s Final Four run wasn’t an isolated event. VCU’s continued success is a definite boost to the Colonial, which wants teams to continue to inhabit the spotlight the way George Mason did in 2006.

Other games just didn’t move the needle for the CAA; member schools in the league beat cupcakes such as Binghamton, Virginia Military, Georgia Southern, George Washington, Manhattan, and Louisiana Tech.

Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer