Men's Basketball Weekly Honors - Jan. 29
Rob Washburn
CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY REPORT - JAN. 29 (PDF format)
CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Tramaine Isabell • Drexel
Jr., G, 6-1, 180 - Seattle, Wash./Garfield
Isabell averaged 30.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals in Drexel’s 2-0 week. The junior guard poured in a career-high 40 points in an 83-79 victory over Elon, which was the first 40-point effort by a DU player since 1988. He followed with a team-high 21 points and seven rebounds in a 68-67 triumph over first-place Northeastern, including the game-winning free throw with 1.6 seconds left. For the week, Isabell shot 51.1% from the floor, including 8-of-16 from 3-point range.
CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Zane Martin • Towson
So., G, 6-4, 205 - Philadelphia, Pa./Ss. Neumann-Goretti
Martin averaged 33.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists as Towson split a pair of games last week. The sophomore guard set a career-high and tied a SECU Arena record with 35 points in a 96-82 overtime victory over William & Mary, including 10 in the extra session. He followed with 32 points in an 83-76 loss to Elon, 30 of which came in the second half. He became the first TU player since 2007 with consecutive 30-point outings. For the week, Martin shot 55.8% from the floor and 8-of-15 from three.
CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:
Matt Lewis • James Madison
Fr., G, 6-5, 180 - Woodbridge, Va./Bishop O’Connell
Lewis averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in JMU’s two road games last week. The freshman guard hit four treys and scored 21 points in a 71-68 setback at UNCW and tallied 13 points and six boards in a 66-59 loss at Charleston. Lewis has tallied double figures in nine straight games.
CONFERENCE NOTES:
CLOSEST CAA RACE IN 21 YEARS: For the first time since the 1996-97 season, every CAA team has at least three conference losses after the first 10 games. Charleston, Northeastern and William & Mary enter the week tied for first place at 7-3, and there are six teams within two games of the league lead. The CAA is one of only two conferences nationally (along with the Big South) that has a three-way tie for first through games of Jan. 28.
RECORD-SETTING WEEK: It was a week of outstanding individual performances around the CAA. Drexel’s Tramaine Isabell scored 40 points against Elon last Thursday, which was the most points by a Dragon since Michael Anderson tallied 42 in 1988. Towson’s Zane Martin became the first Tiger since Gary Neal in 2007 to post consecutive 30-point games, including a career-high 35 points vs. William & Mary, which tied a SECU Arena record. UNCW’s Devontae Cacok scored 26 points and tied his career-high with 24 rebounds in a win over JMU last Thursday. The 24 caroms are the most by any player in the nation this season (topping the previous mark of 23 by Hofstra’s Rokas Gustys) and tied his own record for most rebounds in a CAA game. Northeastern had three different players (Vasa Pusica, Anthony Green and Bolden Brace) record double-doubles in the same game for the first time since 2008 at Hofstra last Thursday. William & Mary’s Justin Pierce averaged 25.0 ppg and 11.5 rpg last week, highlighted by a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds at Towson. Hofstra’s Justin Wright-Foreman averaged 26.0 ppg last week, including a 32-point performance at Delaware that was his sixth 30-point outing of the year.
CAA GAMES MEAN CLOSE GAMES: Conference play has brought plenty of down-to-the-wire finishes. Nine of the league’s 10 teams have had at least one conference game go into overtime, with James Madison and UNCW each having three. Of the 50 CAA games played thus far, eight have gone to overtime and 16 others have been decided by six points or less. All five games last Saturday had margins of seven points or less.
THREE TEAMS IN TOP 96 OF RPI: Three CAA teams are ranked in the top 96 of the latest NCAA RPI through games of Jan. 28. Northeastern leads the way at #77, William & Mary follows at #87, and Hofstra is ranked #96. The CAA is one of only 12 conferences (American, ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Pac 12, SEC, West Coast) with three teams ranked in the top 96. The CAA is ranked 12th out of the nation’s 32 Division I conferences.
COHN BECOMES W&M CAREER ASSISTS LEADER: David Cohn became William & Mary’s career assists leader last Saturday with 417, surpassing the previous mark of 409 set by Scott Coval (1983-86). Cohn, who leads the CAA with 6.4 apg this season, achieved the record in less than three full seasons with the Tribe after transferring from Colorado State.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Home teams are 30-20 (.600) in CAA play so far, but Charleston (6-0) is the only squad that is still unbeaten. Thirteen of the 20 road wins have been recorded by three teams - William & Mary (5-1), Northeastern (4-2) and Hofstra (4-2). For the season, CAA teams are a combined 69-28 at home and also have 12 victories on neutral courts.
CHARLESTON EXTENDS HOME COURT WIN STREAK: Charleston has won 13 consecutive games at TD Arena dating back to last season. That home court win streak is tied for the 14th-longest in the nation through games of Jan. 28.
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD: Offenses have taken center stage in conference play. Through the first 50 league games, the winning team has scored at least 80 points in 31 of them. Seven squads are averaging 75.6 ppg or more in CAA action. Shooting percentages have been impressive as well. Seven teams are shooting better than 45.6% from the floor, six are hitting at least 36% from 3-point range, and six squads are shooting better than 73.6% from the free throw line in conference play.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Young players are making a big impact in the CAA. There are five sophomores, one freshman and only three seniors among the CAA’s top 15 scorers through games of Jan. 28. There are also just three seniors among the CAA’s top 10 in rebounding.
UNCW’S CACOK LEADS NATION IN REBOUNDING: UNCW’s Devontae Cacok leads the nation in rebounding (13.3 rpg) and Hofstra’s Rokas Gustys ranks 8th (11.5 rpg) through games of Jan. 28. Cacok has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in 17 of 22 games and is also 3rd in the nation with 16 double-doubles. Several other CAA players are among the nation’s top 20 statisically. W&M’s David Cohn ranks 14th in assists (6.4 apg). Drexel’s Austin Williams is 12th (2.9 bpg) in blocks. W&M’s Connor Burchfield is 1st in 3-point FG percentage (52.4%).
WRIGHT-FOREMAN EXTENDS SCORING STREAK: Hofstra junior Justin Wright-Foreman, who leads the CAA and ranks fourth in the nation in scoring with 25.2 ppg, extended his double-digit scoring streak to 44 games last week. The streak is the fifth-longest active streak in the nation. Wright-Foreman has scored 20 or more points 18 times this season and has topped the 30-point mark in sxi games. He’s the first player since Towson’s Gary Neal in 2007 to score 35 or more points in three CAA games.
W&M AMONG NATION’S BEST OFFENSIVE TEAMS: William & Mary can make a strong case as the top shooting team in the nation. The Tribe leads the nation in 3-point FG percentage (44.2%) and ranks 2nd in free throw percentage (79.5%), 10th in field goal percentage (50.8%), 8th in 3-pointers per game (11.2) and 16th in scoring (85.0 ppg).
College of Charleston (16-6, 7-3 in CAA)
• On a 4-game win streak after beating Delaware (62-54) and JMU (66-59) last week.
• Joe Chealey scored a team-high 23 points at UD, which was his 8th 20-point outing, and added 19 vs. JMU. He’s reached double digits in 21-of-22 games and is 5th on CofC’s all-time points list (1,625 pts).
• Jarrell Brantley scored a game-high 21 points with 8 rebounds vs. JMU. He’s averaging 17.5 ppg and 6.7 rpg in CAA play.
• Grant Riller has scored double figures in 14 of his last 16 games with six 20-pt. efforts.
• Cam Johnson hit 3-of-5 treys and scored 11 points vs. JMU. It matched his highest point total in a CAA game this season.
• Nick Harris ranks 9th in the CAA in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and 4th in blocks (31).
• CofC committed just 8 turnovers at UD and 6 vs. JMU. They lead the CAA with 10.0 tpg.
• CofC leads the CAA in scoring defense (65.6 ppg) and is 2nd in FG% defense (41.8%).
Delaware (11-12, 4-6 in CAA)
• Dropped narrow decisions to CofC (62-54) and Hofstra (64-59) last week.
• Ryan Allen made 5 treys and scored a team-high 19 points vs. CofC and added 11 points vs. HU. He’s tallied double figures in 16 of the past 18 games and has made at least one 3-pointer in 20 straight contests.
• Ryan Daly added 12 points and 8 rebounds vs. CofC, but suffered an ankle injury that will sideline him for several weeks. He’s scored double figures in 20 straight games. Daly ranks in the top 15 in the CAA in scoring, rebounds and steals.
• Eric Carter averaged 12.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg last week, including his 6th double-double (16 pts/12 reb) vs. Hofstra. He ranks 3rd in the CAA in rebounding (8.9 rpg).
• Skye Johnson matched his season-high with 10 points against Hofstra on 4-of-7 FG shooting.
• UD had just eight turnovers vs. CofC and ranks 2nd in the CAA with 10.5 tpg.
Drexel (9-14, 3-7 in CAA)
• Posted impressive wins over Elon (83-79) and Northeastern (68-67) last week.
• Tramaine Isabell scored a career-high 40 points vs. Elon, including 28 in the 2nd half, and had a team-best 21 points vs. NU. The 40 points were the most by a DU player since 1988. He has 8 20+-point games.
• Austin Williams posted his 6th double-double (13 pts/11reb) and added 6 blocks vs. NU. He’s 3rd in the CAA in FG%, 5th in rebounds and 1st in blocked shots.
• Sammy Mojica filled the stat sheet with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals vs. NU. He’s 9th in career steals at DU with 126.
• Troy Harper scored 14 points for the second consecutive game in the win over Elon.
• Alihan Demir had 11 points and 7 rebounds vs. Elon. He’s averaging 13.3 ppg on 55.9% FG shooting in CAA play and has scored double figures in 9 of the last 10 games.
• Drexel committed a season-lpw 6 turnovers vs. Elon and has had 10 or fewer turnovers in 4 of the past 6 games.
Elon (13-10, 5-5 in CAA)
• Split two road games last week, losing 83-79 at Drexel but winning 83-76 at Towson. Elon’s last six games have been decided by 7 points or less or in overtime.
• Tyler Seibring averaged 18.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg last week and has reached double digits in 11 straight games. He’s averaging 17.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg while shooting 53.3% from the floor and 46.8% from 3 in CAA play.
• Dmitri Thompson scored a team-high 20 points at Towson, which was his 10th double-digit outing in the last 11 games.
• Brian Dawkins also tallied 20 points at TU on 8-of-11 FG shooting. It was his 3rd 20-point outing of the season.
• Sheldon Eberhardt contributed 13 points and 4 assists off the bench at DU, which was his first double-digit game since Dec. 7.
• Elon leads the CAA in FG% defense (42.8%) in conference play.
• Elon made 11 threes at DU and 12 at TU, which was its 16th game with 10+ treys. They are averaging 10.8 treys per game.
Hofstra (13-9, 6-4 in CAA)
• Rebounded from an 81-67 loss to Northeastern by winning 64-59 at Delaware.
• Justin Wright-Foreman averaged 26.0 ppg last week, including a team-high 32 points at UD, which was his 44th straight game with double digits. He’s tallied 20+ points in 18 games, topped 30 points six times and is 4th in Div. I in scoring (25.2 ppg).
• Rokas Gustys recorded his 9th double-double of the year the 43rd of his career with 13 points and 10 rebounds vs. NU. He’s 2nd on the CAA’s career rebounds list and has 10+ caroms in 15 games this season.
• Eli Pemberton added 10 points vs. NU and 12 points at UD. He’s reached double figures 17 times this season.
• Kenny Wormley scored 7 points on 3-of-4 FG shooting vs. NU. It was his most points since Dec. 30.
• Hofstra made a season-low 4 TO’s at UD.
• Hofstra has had eight games decided by 3 points or less and another go to OT. The Pride is 7-2 in those contests.
James Madison (6-17, 2-8 in CAA)
• Dropped road games at UNCW (71-68) and CofC (66-59) last week. Eight of JMU’s 10 CAA contests have been decided by single digits or in OT.
• Stuckey Mosley scored a team-high 23 points at UNCW and averaged 20.0 ppg for the week. He’s 4th in the CAA in scoring (19.2 ppg), has hit double digits in 16 straight games and has 10 20-point outings. He’s been JMU’s top scorer in 16 games.
• Matt Lewis poured in 21 points at UNCW and added 13 points at CofC. He’s scored at least 13 points in 9 straight games and is averaging 15.4 ppg in CAA play.
• DeVelle Phillips had 13 points on 5-of-6 FG shooting and a team-high 9 boards at CofC. He’s scored double figures in 7 of his past 9 games and is averaging a team-high 7.2 rpg.
• Darius Banks has reached double digits in 5 of his last 8 contests and is averaging 10.4 ppg and 6.1 rpg in CAA play.
• JMU committed only nine turnovers in both games last week and is averaging just 9.6 tpg in CAA play.
UNCW (7-15, 4-6 in CAA)
• Edged JMU 71-68, but fell 84-81 to W&M last week. UNCW’s last six games have been decided by four points or less.
• Devontae Cacok averaged 19.0 ppg and 19.5 rpg last week, including 26 points and a career-high tying 24 rebounds vs. JMU. He leads the nation in rebounding and ranks 3rd in Div. I with 16 double-doubles.
• Cacok posted just the 2nd “20-20” game in UNCW history. The 24 boards are the most by any player in the nation this season.
• Jordon Talley scored a career-high 25 points vs. W&M and averaged 19.0 ppg for the week. He’s 9th in the CAA in scoring and 2nd in assists. Talley has recorded double digits in 20 of the last 21 games.
• Marcus Bryan grabbed 9 rebounds vs. JMU and had 10 points and 7 boards vs. W&M. He’s averaging 8.3 rpg in CAA play.
• UNCW out-rebounded JMU 47-30 and had 17 offensive boards in both games last week. The Seahawks lead the CAA in rebound margin (+5.8 rpg).
Northeastern (14-8, 7-3 in CAA)
• Picked up an 81-67 victory at Hofstra, but lost 68-67 at Drexel, ending a four-game winning streak.
• Vasa Pusica scored a team-high 20 points at DU and had his 1st double-double (16 pts/career-high 10 ast) at HU. He’s hit double digits in 17 of the last 18 games and is 10th in the CAA in scoring and 3rd in assists.
• Shawn Occeus had 16 points and 4 steals at HU and tied a career-high with 5 thefts at DU. He has 9 double-digit efforts in the past 13 games and tops the CAA in steals (46).
• Bolden Brace had his first double-double at HU (14 pts/season-high 10 reb). He’s hit 12-of-21 threes in the past 6 games.
• Anthony Green recorded his 1st double-double with 14 points and a season-high 12 boards at HU. He’s shooting 71.1% from the floor for the season.
• Freshman Tomas Murphy scored 16 points on 7-of-10 FG shooting at Drexel.
• NU shot 53.2% from the floor at Hofstra and is shooting a league-best 50.4% in CAA play.
Towson (15-8, 5-5 in CAA)
• Went 1-1 at home last week. Overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to beat W&M, 96-82 in OT, but fell 83-76 to Elon.
• Zane Martin scored a career-high and SECU Arena-record 35 points vs. W&M and had 32 points vs. Elon, with 30 coming in the 2nd half. He’s reached double digits in 17 straight games and has 13 20-point outings.
• Mike Morsell averaged 13.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg last week, including 16 points vs. Elon. He’s 12th on TU’s career scoring list (1,372 pts).
• Brian Starr contributed 15 points, 5 assists and 4 steals vs. W&M. He’s reached double digits in 5 of the last 8 games.
• Deshaun Morman added 13 points off the bench against W&M and is averaging 11.0 ppg over his past four games.
• TU has scored 90 or more points in 3 of the last 5 games and has had at least five players score double figures in 6 of the last 8 games. TU is shooting 49.1% in CAA play.
• Towson leads the CAA in FG% defense and is 2nd in scoring defense, 3-point FG% defense and rebound margin.
William & Mary (14-7, 7-3 in CAA)
• Split a pair of road games last week falling 96-82 in OT at Towson before winning 84-81 at UNCW. Now 5-1 in CAA road games.
• Justin Pierce averaged 25.0 ppg and 11.5 rpg while shooting 60% from the floor last week. He had a career-high 27 points and 14 boards at TU and followed with a team-best 23 points at 9 rebounds at UNCW.
• Connor Burchfield averaged 20.0 ppg last week, including a team-best 23 points at UNCW. He was 10-of-17 from three and tops the CAA in 3-pt FG% and 3’s per game.
• David Cohn became W&M’s career assists leader (417) after averaging 15.0 ppg and 7.5 apg last week. He’s scored double figures in 9 of the last 10 games and leads the CAA in assists (6.4 apg).
• Nathan Knight scored 11 points at UNCW and has tallied double digits in 21 of the last 22 games. He’s among the top 6 in the CAA in scoring, rebounding, FG% and blocks.
• W&M shot 55.8% at UNCW and is 12-1 when shooting 50% or better from the floor.
• W&M leads the CAA in scoring, FG%, FT%, 3-point FG% and 3-pointers per game.