In the words of Jon Rothstein: This is March!
With the conclusion of the regular season comes the excitement of postseason play in March and even a few days in April. The Colonial Athletic Association tournament kicks off this Saturday between William & Mary and Northeastern. The tournament is in Washington D.C. this year after being held in Harrisonburg, Virginia last year, when the Drexel Dragons won the title.
One of the best teams in the conference is Towson. The Tigers have one of the best players in the conference with Nicolas Timberlake. The junior from Braintree, Massachusetts is averaging 14.3 points on the season and had 26 points in the team’s latest contest against James Madison. The team is 24-7 on the year and 15-3 in conference play. According to Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, Towson is projected to play Illinois in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. The team has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 1991. The Tigers also have talented players on the roster that include Charles Thompson and Jalen Gibson, who helped contribute to a big win at UNC Wilmington on February 17th. With the consistent play of Nicolas and others, Towson should have no issues in the conference tournament, but you never know what can happen this time of year. With the case of other mid-major conferences, the CAA should be a one-bid conference in terms of sending a team to the NCAA Tournament.
One of my sleeper teams that could make a run in the CAA Tournament is Hofstra, the number three seed. Hofstra will take on Charleston in the Quarterfinals in the 3-6 matchup. The Pride come into the conference tournament with a 21-10 overall record and took the Houston Cougars down to the wire early on in the season, but ultimately losing in overtime. One of Hofstra’s best players is Aaron Estrada. The junior guard from New Jersey is averaging 18.5 points and will be a name to watch during ‘Champ Week.’ This tournament has always been fun to watch over the years, and the semifinal and championship games can be found on CBS Sports Network on March 7th and 8th. A Towson/UNC Wilmington final could be a fun way to determine who will go to the big dance in a couple of weeks.
My pick to win the tournament: Towson