#CAAHoops MBB Notebook - Jan. 6
Rob Washburn
CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY RELEASE - JAN. 6
THREE TEAMS START 2-0 IN CAA PLAY
Charleston, Elon and William & Mary got off to 2-0 starts during the opening week of CAA play. The Cougars, who have won four in a row and eight of their last nine, are 2-0 in CAA action for the third year in a row. The Phoenix is 2-0 in CAA play for the first time since 2017-18 and Elon’s 11-4 overall mark is the program’s best ever through 15 games at the Division I level. The Tribe opened CAA play with two road wins for just the third time in program history and are 2-0 for the first time since 2021-22.
FRONTRUNNERS FACE OFF ON CBS
The CAA’s 24-game regular-season package on CBS Sports Network tips off on Thursday as frontrunners Elon and William & Mary meet at 7 p.m. John Fanta and Dr. John Giannini will be on the call.
COMPETITION FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
If the opening week of CAA play is any indication, expect a tight race and plenty of close games. Eight of the league’s 14 teams went 1-1 and nine of the 14 contests were decided by nine points or less.
MAKE IT A DOUBLE
Showing the depth throughout their rosters, William & Mary has had 12 different players score double figures this season and UNCW has had 11 different players reach double digits.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Hofstra ranks 6th nationally in field goal percentage defense (37.0%) and Elon is close behind at 37.7%, which ranks 10th. Drexel ranks 5th nationally in 3-point defense at 27.0%.
CHECKING THE POLLS
Charleston moved up to No. 14 in this week’s CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. UNCW is ranked for the sixth straight week, coming in at No. 24. Elon and Hofstra received votes.
LET IT FLY
Monmouth’s Abdi Bashir, Jr. ranks 2nd nationally with 59 three-pointers made and North Carolina A&T’s Landon Glasper is 8th with 51. As a team, William & Mary ranks 6th with 11.5 treys made per game.
Campbell
• Colby Duggan posted his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Drexel and had a team-high 22 points at UNCW. He’s averaging 24.3 ppg in the last 3 games.
• Jason Sinani averaged 13.5 ppg in the two games last week. He’s tallied double figures in 10 of the last 13 contests.
• Campbell is shooting a CAA-best 79.1% from the free throw line.
Charleston
• Derrin Boyd averaged 20.0 ppg in two wins last week, including a season-high 26 points vs. Hampton. He has reached double digits in six straight games.
• Ante Brzovic contributed 18.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg last week. He scored 21 vs. Hampton and posted his 5th double-double (16 pts/11 reb) against Towson.
• AJ Smith poured in a season-high 20 points in the victory over Towson.
Delaware
•John Camden averaged 18.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 5.0 apg in two games last week. He’s scoring 23.3 ppg and is 15-of-23 from 3- point range (65.2%) in the last 3 games.
•Niels Lane tallied 15.5 ppg last week, including a team-high 17 points in the win over Monmouth. It was his eighth straight game in double figures.
•Delaware has committed 10 or fewer TO’s in 3 of its past 4 contests.
Drexel
•Yame Butler scored 24 points on 9-of-13 FG shooting in a win at A&T. He’s reached double digits in 7 of his last 8 games with three 20+-point outings.
•Kobe MaGee hit three treys and scored a team-high 15 points at Campbell. It was his 12th game in double figures.
•Drexel held A&T to 2-of-15 shooting from 3. The Dragons lead the CAA and rank 5th nationally in 3-point defense (27%).
Elon
• Sam Sherry posted his 4th double-double (20 pts/12 reb) in the win over Hampton. He’s averaging 18.8 ppg and 11.3 rpg over his past four contests.
• Nick Dorn averaged 18.5 ppg last week, including a team-high 24 points vs. Hampton. It was his 4th 20+point outing.
• Matthew Van Komen had his 2nd double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds at A&T. He blocked 9 shots last week and is 5th nationally with 4.5 bpg.
Hampton
•Daniel Johnson scored a career-high 22 points at Charleston and followed with 15 points at Elon. He’s reached double digits in four of his last six games.
•George Beale, Jr. hit 5-of-10 threes and averaged 12.0 ppg last week. He leads HU with 29 treys and is shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc.
•Hampton ranks 2nd nationally in bench scoring (40.3 ppg).
Hofstra
• Jean Aranguren posted a double-double (14 pts/10 reb) at Northeastern and had 10 points and 7 assists vs. W&M. He ranks among the top 15 in the CAA in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
• Cruz Davis hit 4-of-5 threes and scored a team-high 22 points at NU. It was his fifth game with 20+ points.
• Hofstra held Northeastern to 37 points, which were the fewest allowed by the Pride in a game since 1989.
Monmouth
• Abdi Bashir, Jr. hit 7-of-10 threes and scored 31 points in a win vs. Stony Brook and tallied 20 points at Delaware. He ranks 6th nationally in scoring at 21.7 ppg, which includes 10 games with 20+ points and 10 with at least three treys.
• Cornelius Robinson III added 10 points at Delaware, which his top scoring effort since Nov. 18.
• Monmouth has won 15 straight home games, setting a school record.
North Carolina A&T
• Landon Glasper averaged 17.5 ppg last week, including a team-high 22 points vs. Elon when he hit six threes. He has tallied double figures in all 15 of his games.
• Nikolaos Chitikoudis posted double-doubles vs. Elon (12 pts/15 reb) and Drexel (12 pts/12 reb). He has double-doubles in all 3 CAA games this season.
• Jahnathan Lamothe contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists vs. Elon. He’s averaging 11.2 ppg.
UNCW
•Harlan Obioha averaged 15.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg last week, including a double-double (18 pts/13 reb) vs. Towson. He shot 58% from the floor and added four blocks.
• Donovan Newby scored 17 points in both games last week and had 7 assists vs. Towson. He tops UNCW in scoring (16.3 ppg) and assists (3.2 apg) for the season.
•Khamari McGriff tallied 15 points and 7 rebounds off the bench vs. Campbell.
Northeastern
•Rashad King had a career high-tying 27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals in a win over Delaware and posted a double-double (16 pts/11 reb) vs. Hofstra.
•Masai Troutman contributed 19 points against Delaware. It was his 6th straight double-digit outing.
•Harold Woods grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Delaware. It was his 6th game this season with 10+ boards.
Stony Brook
•CJ Luster II poured in a team-best 22 points vs. W&M. It was his 10th double-digit outing and 4th with 20+ points.
•Joe Octave scored a team-high 15 points and added 5 rebounds at Monmouth. It was his 12th game in double figures.
•Jared Frey scored a season-high 18 points against W&M, while Nick Woodard contributed a season-best 12 points at Monmouth.
Towson
• Tyler Tejada scored a team-high 21 points, including six in OT, in a win at UNCW and followed with 22 points at CofC. He’s reached double figures in 8 of his 9 games and is averaging 17.9 ppg.
• Tomiwa Sulaiman scored 15 points at CofC and grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds at UNCW.
• Mekhi Lowery added 10 points on 5-of-6 FG shooting at Charleston.
William & Mary
• Chase Lowe filled the stat sheet last week, averaging 11.0 ppg, 6.5 apg and 6.0 rpg in wins over Hofstra and Stony Brook.
• Gabe Dorsey averaged 11.0 ppg in the two wins and hit 6-of-9 from 3-point range. He leads the Tribe with 44 treys.
• W&M ranks 6th in Div. I with 11.5 threes made per game and has hit at least nine treys 12 times. W&M has shot 50% from the floor in 6 of its last 7 contests.