#CAAHoops MBB Recap – Feb. 29 – Charleston Clinches Regular Season Title; Hofstra, Drexel Earn Double-Byes
Miles McQuiggan
RICHMOND, Va. (Feb. 29, 2024) – Charleston secured the first outright CAA men’s basketball regular season title in four years and its first outright title after sharing the top spot a year ago, while key wins from Hofstra and Drexel earned the Pride and Dragons spots in the Quarterfinals of the 2024 Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
Charleston 96, Campbell 73
Reyne Smith drilled 10 three-pointers – one shy of the CAA single-game record – in a 32-point night to power Charleston to the regular season title.
Smith became the sixth player in CAA history with 10 or more threes in a game and the first since Hofstra’s Omar Silverio sank a league-record 11 in 2022. The guard from Australia is the first player in CAA history to make nine or more twice in his league career; Smith made nine in December’s win over Saint Joseph’s.
Charleston (23-7, 14-3) made 15 triples for the second-consecutive contest and eclipsed 90 points for the sixth time in its conference slate. The Cougars are the first outright regular season champion since Hofstra in 2020 and have pushed their winning streak to eight, which ranks fifth nationally.
Anthony Dell’Orso had 21 points and seven rebounds for Campbell (13-17, 7-10), which will be either the No. 9 or 10 seed in its first CAA Championship.
Hofstra 69, UNCW 58
Hofstra responded to UNCW’s comeback run with a surge of its own to secure a spot in the CAA Quarterfinals for the Pride.
Hofstra (19-11, 12-5) led 43-30 with 16:18 to play before UNCW (20-9, 11-6) scored the next 14 to move in front by one. Hofstra responded, as
Jaquan Carlos’ basket, followed by a
Shykeim Phillips three for UNCW, set up a 16-1 run for the Pride to regain control of the contest. Hofstra would lead by double digits the rest of the way.
Darlinstone Dubar scored 28 points for Hofstra in the victory while adding eight rebounds; the Pride will be either the No. 2 or 3 seed in the CAA Championship.
Trazarien White scored a team-high 13 for UNCW, which would earn a double-bye with a win over Towson on Saturday afternoon.
Drexel 90, Stony Brook 86
Drexel held on down the stretch in a wild second half that saw 111 combined points after the break.
Drexel (19-11, 12-5) trailed 35-30 at the half before scoring 60 points in the final 20 minutes, shooting 64% and leading by 10 with 1:43 remaining before Stony Brook (16-14, 9-8) whittled down the deficit to two in the closing seconds. Six
Luke House free throws in the final 37 seconds would help Drexel hold on and earn a top-four seed in the CAA Championship for the second time in the last three years and first under the present format.
Justin Moore scored 15 of his game-high 25 points after halftime and added six assists.
Dean Noll paced the Seawolves with 21 points; Stony Brook can finish as high as the No. 6 seed in DC.
Delaware 73, Northeastern 67
Delaware climbed back from an early deficit to pick up a victory in its final home game of the year.
Delaware (18-12, 10-7) trailed by nine midway through the first before an 8-2 stretch put the hosts in front for the first time with 5:42 to play in the half. The teams would trade the advantage before seven quick Blue Hen points gave Delaware a lead into the break. Northeastern (12-18, 7-10) briefly moved back in front on a
Masai Troutman three with 4:06 to go but Delaware answered with eight of the next nine to seal the victory.
Jyáre Davis had 19 points and nine rebounds for Delaware, which can finish as high as No. 6 in the CAA bracket;
Harold Woods scored a game-high 20 for Northeastern, which will be either the No. 9 or 10 seed in the CAA Championship.
Elon 76, William & Mary 71
Elon outlasted William & Mary down the stretch for a home victory on CBS Sports Network.
Elon (13-17, 6-11) trailed by three at the break on a banked-in buzzer-beater for William & Mary (8-22, 3-14) by
Gabe Dorsey. Elon would not lead in the second half until a pair of
Zac Ervin free throws as part of a 10-2 run that gave the Phoenix a 72-67 lead with 2:21 to play after a
Sam Sherry basket.
Max Mackinnon scored the final four points of the game at the free-throw line.
TK Simpkins scored 18 to lead Elon, which will be the No. 11 seed in D.C. Gabe Dorsey’s 20 were a game-high; William & Mary will be either the No. 13 or 14 seed depending on Saturday’s result.
Hampton 64, Monmouth 56
Hampton built an early advantage to down Monmouth and win for the third time in its last four contests.
Hampton (8-22, 3-14) used a 16-0 run in the first half with eight of the points from
Daniel Banister to lead by 12 late I the first half. Monmouth (16-14, 9-8) would answer with a 14-3 stretch heading into the half powered by three triples from
Jack Collins to get within one at the break. Hampton opened the second half on an 8-2 run and led by at least five the rest of the way.
Banister’s 18 points led Hampton, which will be either the No. 13 or 14 seed depending on Saturday’s result. Collins had a game-high 19 for Monmouth, which will be either the No. 7 or 8 seed.
Towson 84, North Carolina A&T 58
Towson led by as many as 30 points in a convincing victory to set up a win-and-in to the CAA Quarterfinals on the final day of the regular season.
Towson (18-12, 11-6) led 42-21 at the half and shot 52% for the night while holding N.C. A&T (7-23, 5-12) to 33%. The Tigers were +24 (51-27) on the glass with
Nendah Tarke turning in a double-double and
Charles Thompson grabbing 12 boards.
Christian May’s 15 points in 26 minutes led the Tigers, who can earn a top-four seed with a win on Saturday.
Jalal McKie scored a game-high 16 points for the Aggies, who will be the No. 12 seed in D.C.
Up Next
The regular season concludes Saturday with seven games, highlighted by a de facto play-in to a double-bye and CAA Quarterfinal slot on CBS Sports Network.
Monmouth at Elon, 1 p.m. (FloHoops)
Towson at UNCW, 2 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Hofstra at Charleston, 2 p.m. (FloHoops)
Hampton at William & Mary, 2 p.m. (FloHoops)
Delaware at Stony Brook, 4 p.m. (SNY, FloHoops)
N.C. A&T at Campbell, 4 p.m. (FloHoops)
Northeastern at Drexel, 4 p.m. (FloHoops)
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