An Opening Note To The Media The CAA put together another outstanding men’s basketball season in 2006-07 and continued to make its presence felt on the national stage. Among last season’s many highlights: • Four CAA teams (Drexel, Hofstra, Old Dominion and VCU) earned post-season berths for the third con- secutive season. The conference placed two teams in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. • CAA champion VCU pulled off the most noted upset in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, defeating Duke 79-77 on Eric Maynor’s jumper with 1.8 seconds to play. The Rams took 3rd-seeded Pittsburgh to overtime in the second round. • VCU (#44), Old Dominion (#45), Drexel (#55) and Hofstra (#75) were among the top 75 nationally in the final NCAA RPI and each won 22 or more games. • Showing its overall strength, six of the CAA’s 12 teams (Drexel, George Mason, Hofstra, UNC Wilmington, Old Dominion and VCU) have earned post-season invitations over the past two years, including four teams making the NCAA Tournament. • The CAA has gone 10-8 in post-season play over the past two years, including a 5-4 mark in the NCAA Tournament that was highlighted by George Mason’s magical run to the Final Four. • The semifinals and finals of the CAA Men’s Basketball Championship were played before sell-out crowds of 11,200 for the first time in league history. While its impossible to predict what the 2007-08 season will bring, the league features an in- triguing mix of old and new. CAA teams return 65% of their starters from last season, includ- ing seven all-conference performers. The conference also welcomes a highly-touted group of new recruits. Included in this prospectus is information on each of the CAA’s 12 teams as of July 30, 2007. All information and rosters are subject to change. We look forward to your coverage of CAA basketball throughout the season and feel free to contact us with any requests. Rob Washburn, CAA Assistant Commissioner/Communications Office Phone: (804) 754-1616, ext. 19 Cell Phone: (804) 229-4796 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.caasports.com CAA 2007-08 Men’s Basketball Preview Plenty Of Talent Return- CAA Shows Overall Strength: The CAA has been ing: CAA teams welcome represented by four different teams in the NCAA back 65% of their starters Tournament over the past two seasons. George from a year ago. Delaware Mason and UNC Wilmington went to the Big Dance and George Mason have all in 2006 and VCU and Old Dominion represented five starters returning, while the conference in 2007. Outside of the six BCS con- James Madison and Wil- ferences, only the Missouri Valley has sent more of liam & Mary have four back. All 12 teams have its members (five) to the NCAA Tournament in the at least two regulars returning. Statistically, 10 of last two seasons. Half of the CAA’s 12 teams have the league’s top 20 in scoring, 12 of the top 20 in earned post-season berths in the past two years rebounding and six of the top 10 in assists are back with Hofstra having made three straight trips to the from a year ago. NIT and Drexel having gone to the NIT four times in the past five years. Seven All-Conference Players Are Back: Seven players who have received All-CAA honors are back No. of Different Teams in NCAA Tournament in 2007-08. Hofstra senior guard Antoine Agudio Over Past Two Years (Non-BCS Leagues Only) and VCU junior guard Eric Maynor were both first Missouri Valley - 5 team All-CAA selections last season. Agudio aver- (Bradley, Creighton, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Wichita St.) aged 20.2 ppg and led the conference with 100 CAA - 4 three-pointers, while Maynor poured in 13.9 ppg (George Mason, UNC Wilmington, Old Dominion, VCU) and dished out a league-high 6.4 assists per game. Mountain West - 4 Returning from the All-CAA second team are Dela- (Air Force, BYU, San Diego State, UNLV) ware senior forward Herb Courtney, Drexel senior forward Frank Elegar and George Mason senior for- Horizon - 3 ward Will Thomas. Courtney was fourth in the CAA (Butler, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wright State) in scoring (18.1 ppg) and second in rebounding (8.0 WAC - 3 rpg) and recorded a league-high 10 double-doubles. (Nevada, New Mexico State, Utah State) Elegar was among the conference’s top six in scoring (16.0 ppg), rebounding (6.7 rpg), FG percentage Agudio On National Scoring, 3-Point Lists: Hof- (52.8%) and blocked shots (1.2 bpg). Thomas con- stra senior guard Antoine Agudio enters his final tributed 13.3 ppg and 6.9 rpg and hit 62.7% of his season with 1,664 career points, which is the third- shots from the floor. Back from last year’s All-CAA highest total of any returning player in Division I. He third team is George Mason senior guard Folarin also ranks third nationally in career three-pointers Campbell, who tallied 13.9 points and 3.8 assists with 273. Agudio was third in the CAA and 23rd in per game, while UNC Wilmington senior guard T.J. Division I in scoring last season with 20.2 ppg. He Carter, who made the All-CAA third team in 2005-06 led the conference with 100 treys, which set a Hof- before sitting out last season due to hernia surgery, stra record and was the fourth-highest season total returns after averaging 13.6 ppg. in league history. Agudio is on pace to become the all-time leading scorer in Pride history and he has a Worldwide Exposure: Four CAA men’s basketball chance to break the CAA career mark of 371 three- players participated in this summer’s Pan American pointers set by UNCW’s Brett Blizzard. Games in Brazil. VCU junior guard Eric Maynor earned a spot on the United States squad, UNC Wilmington senior center Vladimir Kuljanin made Top Returning Career Scorers the Canadian national team, in Division I Reggie Williams, VMI 1,861 Drexel senior forward Frank Jaycee Carroll, Utah State 1,737 Elegar represented the U.S. Antoine Agudio, Hofstra ,664 Virgin Islands and William Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro 1,591 Chris Lofton, Tennessee 1,572 & Mary junior forward Alex Smith was a member of the Top Returnees Career Panama national team. 3-Pointers Made Chris Lofton, Tennessee 313 Jack Leasure, Coastal Carolina 300 Antoine Agudio, Hofstra 273 Jaycee Carroll, Utah State 255 Shane Nichols, Wofford 246 Eric Maynor 2 CAA 2007-08 Men’s Basketball Preview CAA Puts Four In Post-Season For Third Straight Year: A league-record four CAA teams participated in post-season play for the third year in a row, including two teams earning berths in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive sea- antoine son. CAA champion VCU was seeded 11th in the AGUDIO West Region and upset national power Duke 79-77 in the first round before falling 84-79 in overtime to Big East foe Pittsburgh in the second round. Old Dominion received an at-large berth and was seeded #12 in the Midwest Region, but was beaten 57-46 by Butler in the first round. The CAA also placed multiple teams in the NIT for the fourth straight year as Drexel made the field for the fourth time in five years and frank Hofstra participated in the event for the third straight season. ELEGAR Bustin’ The Brackets: CAA teams have made their presence felt on the national stage during the past two seasons. VCU pulled off the most noted upset of the first round in last year’s NCAA Tournament by knocking off Duke 79-77 on Eric Maynor’s jumper with 1.8 seconds to play. In 2006, George Mason captured the country’s attention by becoming the first mid-major team to reach the Final Four since 1979 with victories over Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut. Old Dominion also became the first CAA team to reach the semifinals of the NIT in 2006 and Hofstra reached the quarter- finals. herb Elite Company: The CAA was one of nine Division I conferences that had four teams with 22 or more wins last season. VCU (28-7) COURTNEY was one of 17 Division I squads with at least 28 victories, while Old Dominion (24-9), Drexel (23-9) and Hofstra (22-10) also hit the 22-win mark. Over the past two years, eight CAA teams have eclipsed the 22+ win total. Road Warriors: The top four teams in the CAA standings all had winning records on the road last season and were a combined 42-18 will (.700). Drexel led the way at 13-4, which included victories at Vil- lanova, Syracuse, Creighton, Hofstra and Saint Joseph’s. The 13 wins was tied with Vermont for the most in Division I. VCU had an 11-2 road THOMAS mark, while Old Dominion was 8-5, including a triumph at George- town, and Hofstra was 10-7. Four CAA Teams Among Top 75 In Final RPI: The top four teams in the CAA standings were among the top 75 nationally in the final NCAA RPI ratings. VCU led the way at #44, followed by Old Dominion at #45, Drexel at #55 and Hofstra at #75. The CAA was ranked #13 among Division I conferences. eric Pair of Sellouts At CAA Tournament: The 2007 CAA Men’s Basket- ball Championship was played before sell-out crowds of 11,200 at the MAYNOR Richmond Coliseum during Sunday’s semifinals and Monday’s title game for the first time in league history.