Colonial preview: Not quite elite just yet

When I started ranking leagues I penciled the Colonial Athletic Association in at No. 12 and then immediately thought it was too low. I remembered how George Mason went to the Final Four two seasons ago and how VCU won 28 games last season and assumed there was no way this league shouldn't rank better.

The Rams welcome back T.J. Gwynn after a Colonial all-rookie season. (US Presswire)

But then I looked at the facts.

And the facts are that as good as the CAA has been -- and, for the record, I thought it was fabulous last season, one of the more enjoyable leagues in the nation -- it has never really registered well at CollegeRPI.com. Admittedly, that's not the only way to judge leagues, and I don't even think it's the best. But it's still worth noting the CAA was 12th last year, 11th two years ago and 15th the year before that in terms of conference RPI, and if you want to know why the league is still fighting for respect while the Missouri Valley Conference already has it, those numbers would be a good place to start.

Anyway, I'm rambling.

You see where I'm going with this, right?

As I continue to countdown the Top 13 leagues in the nation, No. 12 is ... the Colonial Athletic Association.

1. Virginia Commonwealth

Anthony Grant had one foot out the door this offseason, on his way to replace Billy Donovan at Florida when the two-time national champion coach appeared set to take over the Orlando Magic. Did you hear about that? Anyway, Donovan decided not to leave and Grant was in turn unable to leave (at least for the Florida job), and while the whole thing was messy, the real winner was VCU, which gets to enjoy one of the hottest young coaches in the business -- plus three returning starters from a 28-win team that was just an overtime loss to Pittsburgh from the Sweet 16 -- for at least another year.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: Eric Maynor's ability to run the show and the confidence that was gained by pulling off the biggest upset in the 2007 NCAA Tournament by taking out Duke should carry VCU a long way.

Weaknesses: Most of the starting cast is gone from last year and eight recruits have to be worked into the mix somehow.

The newcomers: Myk Brown is a 6-4 freshman forward from P.K. Yonge High in Gainesville, Fla. He averaged 18 points and nine rebounds his senior year, leading the team to a runner-up finish in Florida's 3-A. Lance Kearse is a 6-6 freshman forward from Fort Myers, Fla., who is a cousin of Jevon Kearse, the NFL star nicknamed "The Freak" because of his athletic ability. Lance averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds a game. Ed Nixon is a 6-3 freshman guard from Lakewood High in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he led his team in scoring and rebounding for three straight years, winning one state championship.

2. George Mason

The CAA's coaches, sports information directors and media representatives voted Wednesday to make George Mason the league's official preseason favorite, explanation being that five starters are returning from an 18-win team. I admit, that's one way of looking at it. But another is to acknowledge that they are also five starters from a team that lost 15 games -- including a 23-point defeat to Northeastern -- while going 2-7 against opponents that made the NCAA Tournament. Doesn't sound quite so promising when put like that, does it?

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: A versatile, experienced starting five that returns from a winning season last year and feels it has a lot to prove.

Weaknesses: Coach Jim Larranaga is hoping to get his team to the foul line more this year than last and to be better shooting from the perimeter.

The newcomers: Cameron Long, is a 6-4 freshman guard out of Freedom High in Woodbridge, Va. He averaged 18.9 points a game, six assists and seven rebounds. Vlad Moldoveanu is a 6-10 freshman forward from Romania who played at St. John's College High, Capital Heights, Md. He averaged 16 points and eight rebounds

3. Drexel

It's still kinda hard to believe that a CAA team with wins over Syracuse, Villanova and Creighton couldn't crack the NCAA Tournament. Clearly, the five league losses -- including two to Old Dominion and another to William & Mary -- were to blame, and the problem heading into this season is that because the non-league schedule isn't as challenging (the toughest guaranteed game will be against Virginia) Drexel will probably have to best the 23 wins it took into last March's Selection Sunday to have any shot at earning an at-large bid. And that's going to be difficult given how two of the top three scorers are no longer around to help ever-steady Frank Elegar.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: Elegar gives Drexel a star player who can take a game over in clutch situations.

Weaknesses: Without shot blocker Chaz Crawford, coach James Flint will need the rest of his team to play tougher on the perimeter to keep offenses from getting inside.

The newcomers: Adrian Hynes-Guery is a 6-4 freshman guard out of Montreal, where he was first-team all-league while averaging 19.4 points and 4.1 assists per game. Jamie Harris is a 5-10 freshman guard out of Wings Academy, New York, who was an All-New York City selection. Gerald Colds is a 5-11 freshman guard out of St. Raymond's, New York, where he was an all-New York City selection. Evan Neisler is a 6-8 sophomore forward transfer from Boston College where he appeared in eight games. Neisler's brother, Ross, played at Drexel from 1995 to 1999. Yannick Formbor is a 6-8 redshirt freshman forward from St. Patrick's High in Elizabeth, N.J. He averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds and was on a team that won two state titles in three years.

4. Old Dominion

With that early win over Georgetown and subsequent trip to the NCAA Tournament, even the casual fan -- including those on the selection committee -- recognized ODU was good last season. But I'm not sure the casual fan understands the Monarchs have won 75 games the past three seasons and made the postseason (two NCAA Tournaments, one NIT) each time. That's strong. But with three of the top four scorers missing from the squad that went 15-2 at home last season, the streak of postseason appearances is in jeopardy.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: Coach Blaine Taylor has a good group to work with and that should allow them to develop the unselfish chemistry they'll need to come together as a team.

Weaknesses: This is a team that figures to have early season problems as it plays "getting to know you." If it can survive that it should grow as the season comes on.

The newcomers: Kent Bazemore, 6-5 freshman swingman out of Bertie High in Windsor, N.C., where he averaged 18.8 points a game while becoming the Northeast North Carolina Conference player of the year. Ben Finney is another 6-5 freshman swingman from I.C. Norcom High and Hargrave Military Academy. He averaged 25 points at Hargrave and 26 at Norcom. Etoile Imama, a 6-3 freshman guard out of Montreal, averaged 13.4 points and 6.2 assists per game and was a member of Canada's Under 19 National Team.

5. Hofstra

The Pride were among the most-hyped CAA teams last preseason, that three-guard attack of Loren Stokes, Carlos Rivera and Antoine Agudio readily listed among the best backcourts in the nation. But two-thirds of that trio that combined to average 53.9 points per game last season is gone. And if Agudio couldn't make the NCAA Tournament with those guys (in fairness, he should've two years ago but was snubbed by the selection committee) then it's hard to imagine him doing it without them.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: Obviously, when you have a player like Agudio, you have a chance in any game. He's the leading scorer returning in the conference and may prove to be the best scorer Hofstra has ever had.

Weaknesses: Having a player like Agudio can work against you if you can't find someone to give him some scoring support. Until someone steps forward, teams will be devising defenses to shackle him.

The newcomers: Nathaniel Lester is a 6-4 freshman swingman from Carnarsie High in Brooklyn. He led Carnarsie to the semifinals of New York's PSAL championships, averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds. Darren Townes is a 6-7 junior forward from Manhattan Center and Globe Institute. He averaged nearly a double-double with 9.5 points and 9.8 rebounds a game. Dane Johnson is a 6-10 junior center who transferred from Brooklyn through Mt. San Jacinto College and averaged 13 points and eight rebounds as a senior at Paul Robeson High. Charles Jenkins is a 6-3 redshirt freshman guard from Springfield Gardens High in Queens. He averaged 21 points and 7 assists as a senior. Greg Washington is a 6-10 redshirt freshman center/forward from Winchenden Prep. He was ranked 31st among high school prospects by Hoop Scoop.

6. UNC-Wilmington

Anytime a team is coming off a 22-loss season, it doesn't need any bad luck to make things worse. But that's exactly what UNC-Wilmington got this offseason when Darryl Felder, who made nine starts last season, had back surgery and then opted to withdraw from school because of the nagging condition. Still, the Seahawks will be better. But it's all relative. And when the starting point for improvement is eight wins, well, it's hard to not be technically better.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: An inside-outside game that matches up guard T. J. Carter with center Vladimir Kuljanin and should give defenses something to think about.

Weaknesses: The Seahawks are going to have to find a way to win some games on the road after going 1-13 last year.

The newcomers: Chad Tomko, a 5-11 freshman guard out of Independence High in Charlotte, has eye-popping range on his jump shot. He averaged 19.0 points, five rebounds and 3.6 assists in high school. Dominique Lacy is a 6-7 freshman forward out of Wilson High in Florence, S.C., who averaged 19 points and nine rebounds a game his senior year. Rob Sikes, a 6-9 freshman forward from St. Martin High in Ocean Springs, Miss., averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds as a senior.

7. James Madison

When I did the player rankings two weeks ago I got an e-mail from a guy who called himself "Money" telling me that I'd better "keep an eye on" Abdulai Jalloh of James Madison. My initial reaction was to giggle, if only because it's not every day that I get e-mails from fans complaining about James Madison players not getting enough attention (lately, those types of notes are mostly from Louisville fans). But it's worth noting that Jalloh led Saint Joseph's in scoring and rebounding two seasons ago before transferring. So though he doesn't belong anywhere close to my player rankings, he could be fabulous for the Dukes, who were short on fabulous last season while losing 23 games.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: A nice offensive mix with Pierre Curtis at the point, Abdulai Jalloh and Juwann James scoring, Terrence Carter rebounding and Joe Posey hitting from the outside.

Weaknesses: The defense must be shored up as opponents averaged nearly 73 points a game while shooting just about 50 percent from the floor.

The newcomers: Abdulai Jalloh is a 6-1 junior guard who sat out a year after transferring from St. Joseph's, where he averaged 15.5 points and 5 rebounds while earning second team All-A-10 honors. Stephen Kendall is a 6-4 redshirt freshman guard eligible to play after the fall semester after transferring from Richmond, where he was injured in preseason and did not play. Dazzmond Thorton is a 6-7 sophomore forward who sat out after transferring from Texas Tech, where he played 10 games as a freshman

8. William & Mary

The 15 wins the Tribe recorded last season doesn't sound like a big deal on the surface. But it was the second-most wins for the school in the past two decades, and considering four starters are back -- among them Laimis Kisielius and his 11.3 points-per-game average -- the program seems to be in solid shape. So it won't be a shock if the Tribe finish better than they are projected here.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: William & Mary should be able to use its experience to find a way to win close games. Four starters return.

Weaknesses: The Tribe has to be careful not to become too reliant on the 3-point shot; that can run hot and cold. While they set school records for hitting 3s last year, they are without Adam Payton and all they managed last season was a .500 record.

The newcomers: Matt McFadden is a 6-2 redshirt freshman point guard out of Shawnee High in Medford, N.J., where he was a three-time captain. Vali Lazarescu is a 6-4 freshman guard out of Champlain Lambert High in Brossard, Canada, who is known for his athleticism, having won numerous slam dunk contests in high school. John Sexton is 6-3 freshman guard out of West Union High in Myrtle, Miss., where he averaged 32.7 points, 12 rebounds and 11.1 assists a game his senior season. He scored 2,969 career points in high school. Nils-Paul Skara is a freshman guard from the College of Elite Sports in Kolas, Norway. He played for the 2006 Norwegian National Team.

9. Northeastern

Even with a tough non-league schedule it's hard to start 3-12 overall and then go 9-9 in league play like Northeastern did last year in what was a respectable recovery. But the problem now is that three of the top four scorers are gone (only sophomore Matt Janning remains), meaning going 9-9 in the league again will be challenging, and by challenging, I mean unlikely.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: The second year is always easier than the first for a new coach, and Bill Coen will be able to do a whole lot more than he did the previous season, even though he has four new starters.

Weaknesses: Winning on the road is difficult, but Northeastern didn't give itself a chance for a winning record by going 2-14 away from home. This must be improved.

The newcomers: Chaisson Allen is a 6-4 freshman guard from Oakland High in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Allen Aragbaye is a 6-4 freshman guard from Worcester Academy. Ben Felix is a 6-11 freshman center from Berkshire High in Mill Bay, British Columbia. Johann Gunterberg is a 6-4 freshman guard from Gangsatra Gymnasium in Stockholm, Sweden.

10. Delaware

Iona only beat two teams last season and one of them was Delaware, which is bad. But Georgetown transfer Marc Egerson -- he of the highly publicized New York Times-reported 1.33 prep grade-point average that somehow got him admitted to Georgetown -- is on campus, scheduled to be eligible after the fall semester. So while it's possible the team's GPA could dip, I'm guessing the team's scoring average of 60.5 points per game will naturally increase, and when a school is coming off a 5-22 season, some things are just more important than others.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: The lack of players from a year ago led to a number of players gaining valuable experience and allowed Herb Courtney to show that he is one of the best players in the conference.

Weaknesses: A lot of newcomers will be working into the mix and it should take a while before coach Mote Ross comes up with the depth he needs.

The newcomers: Marc Egerson, a 6-6 wing player, transferred from Georgetown and will be eligible in December. He averaged 7.5 points and 4.0 rebounds for the Hoyas. Jim Ledsome, a 6-9 forward with two years of eligibility left, is a transfer from Nebraska, where he averaged 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds a game. He will be eligible in December. Edwin Santiago, a 6-2 freshman guard from Sanford School in Wilmington, Del., averaged 17 points a game in high school and made second team all-state. D.J. Baney, a 6-4 freshman guard, led Wilmington's Tatnall School to a state championship while averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds a game as a junior.

11. Georgia State

Rod Barnes is a good coach and great man who was undone at Ole Miss because he found it difficult recruiting in the SEC, for whatever reason. But in the Colonial he will not be forced to compete against future NBA Draft picks every night. So this is probably a better fit, though this season won't be easy because there are only two seniors on the roster.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: While you can't tell it from last year's statistics, defense will be a strength of this season's team. Barnes characterizes himself as a defensive minded coach who demands a "one-and-done" defensive philosophy, which emphasizes hard-nosed play and rebounding.

Weaknesses: As with any team, it will take a while for Barnes to establish his system. This is a team that should be better at the end of the season than at the beginning.

The newcomers: Jihad Ali is a 6-4 freshman guard from Atlanta's Martin Luther King High. D.J. Jones is a 6-2 freshman guard from Wilkerson County (Ga.) High.

12. Towson

It's possible no team in the nation -- besides Texas, of course -- will miss a single player more than Towson will miss Gary Neal, who averaged 25.3 points per game last season. If Pat Kennedy is lucky, Georgetown transfer Josh Thornton, scheduled to be eligible in December, will help fill the void. But there's still little to suggest this team will win more than it loses.

The scouting report (provided by The Sports Xchange)

Strengths: C.C. Williams' ball-handling should help Kennedy reach his goal of having more scoring balance than last year.

Weaknesses: The team has to learn to get along without Gary Neal. A go-to guy must emerge.

The newcomers: Ricardo Brown is a 6-5 freshman forward who averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds for a 28-3 Harrisburg High team. Vernon Carr is a 6-1 junior guard who averaged 15 points and six assists at Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College. Tony Durant, a 6-8 junior forward, was the top scorer (15.8) and rebounder (7.1) for Butler Community College. Junior Hairston is a 6-8 junior who sat out after transferring from College of Charleston. Josh Thornton is a 6-8 sophomore guard who redshirted last season.