umainealum

So...prior to tonight's CAA games, here are the RPI's of the teams within each conference:

AMERICA EAST (25th in RPI)
89 - Stony Brook
123 - Albany
164 - Vermont
194 - Hartford
214 - BU
249 - Maine
300 - UNH
340 - UMBC
341 - Bing

CAA (24th in RPI)
71 - George Mason
163 - Towson
166 - Delaware
205 - Northeastern
209 - James Madison
222 - Drexel
261 - William & Mary
271 - Georgia St
299 - Old Dominion
301 - UNC-Wilmington
317 - Hofstra

Amazing how far CAA hoops has fallen off this year...all the way to 24th in the RPI standings? Crazy...and with Northeastern beating Mason tonight, Mason will drop lower in the rankings as well. And Old Dominion? What on earth happened there as they are 2-12? Injuries? Mason, Madison along with William & Mary are the only ones with winning records!!

Too bad UMBC & Bing hadn't had a little bit more of an improvement as the AEast has a chance to overtake the CAA and wouldn't that be some fun...LOL!

__________________
UMaine - the epitome of mediocrity

Proud supporter of an AMERICA EAST team that made a coaching change...

Redwyn

Might be worth taking a look at notable additions/subtractions to both conferences as well:

CAA:

Leaving:
Georgia St - 271
Old Dominion - 299

Joining:
College of Charleston - 78

Verdict: Upgrade. Even though ODU is on a negative swing, just by virtue of also losing bottom dwelling Georgia St the CAA stands to be improved next season. Lots of rave reviews of NBC Sports contract - will improve recruiting

America East:

Leaving:
Boston U - 214

Joining (Rumored):
Bryant - 143
CCSU - 178
Robert Morris (stretch) - 125

Verdict: Upgrade - BU is having a down season, but is playing well to enter conference play. However, while nothing more than mediocre mid-majors overall, the mass of potential entrants for the AEC may continue to dilute the bottom-dwelling performances of UMBC/Bing. The biggest upgrade for the AEC will not be due to entrants, but rather elimination of multiple bottom-20 performances each season. Bing is on its way to relevance. How bout UMBC?

bosiydid

I'm a firm believer in this being the bottom for Bing...Dempsey is a decent coach and they have a lot going for them. They will be back to something resembling half decent next year...UMBC I have no faith in...

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UVM Hoop Cat

ODU is rebuilding

Drexel had a key injury and is underperforming. Was supposed to be good.

Hofstra is a disaster- I think Coombs McDaniel just left as well. Hey, where's my iPad?

Towson could very well be the CAA's best team and they are ineligible for the tourney.

VCU- which would have been far and away the best team in CAA- got off the titanic immediately.


Tough times in the CAA but- no surprises there.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

UVM Hoop Cat

When looking at George Mason I also don't think you can underestimate that not only is the coach that brought them national success gone- but their two biggest rivals in VA, VCU and ODU, are in different conferences and do not think that will not have a negative effect on their recruiting.

CofC is a terrific add for hoops but...I think the CAA is in for an uphill climb basketball-wise. It really needs some of the ex-AE schools to emerge.

Ironically, looks like it could be Towson, of all teams. How sad that must be.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

umbc32244

340 - UMBC

TerrierNation

Agree with UVMHC.

It's just one season and circumstances; not an indictment on programs. Drexel is a few months away from nearly being an at-large NCAA tournament team. They would be the best program in the AE if they were still here. Their current RPI is not an indication of the type of program they run. Think about how bad URI was last year? You know they are going to bounce back and could make a run in the tourney soon.

mainejeff

Despite their struggles this season, losing ODU is HUGE. The Monarch athletic program is the best overall program in the CAA. While C of C may be the equal of ODU men's hoops most years........no way that their overall program matches ODU's. I'm not sold on Drexel sustaining their success either as conference realignment swirls around their region and might make it more difficult for them to recruit. I do agree that Towson will most likely be on the upswing with their new facility and $$$ commitment to hoops (RIP baseball and men's soccer). Hofstra is finished IMO..........Stony Brook will dominate the Island.........Hofstra just has NO momentum at all now. Northeastern is Northeastern........good to see that they are playing the spoiler in the CAA now rather than in AE. Like when they were in our league, they are always capable of beating anyone.........but never seem to put it all together to become the top dog. Delaware..........who knows WTF is going on with that athletic dept.!

umainealum

Just as a follow-up to the bold, italicized part:

Mason fell to #94 (from #71) in the RPI, moving that league within 6 spots of dropping out of the Top 100 completely! I doubt that has ever happened in the history of that league...

Northeastern meanwhile climbed up to #176 from #205.

Interesting to note: former member VCU [wins over Belmont (#21), Alabama (#64), Memphis (#68) and Florida Gulf Coast (#100) and their 3 losses are all single digits to Duke (#1), Wichita State (#18) and Missouri (#34)], currently sits #38 overall at 11-3. Incoming CAA member College of Charleston [wins over #40 Baylor & #79 Elon but "bad" losses to #114 St. John's & #227 Auburn] is currently #75 in RPI...CofC has beaten Towson by 17 & ODU by 11 this year.

__________________
UMaine - the epitome of mediocrity

Proud supporter of an AMERICA EAST team that made a coaching change...

Nostrajimus

who cares, even if CAA finished below AE they would still send the AE to the PIG

umainealum

God, will you just go away already? You got reprimanded on the Maine site so now you have to come back over here? Is that it?

__________________
UMaine - the epitome of mediocrity

Proud supporter of an AMERICA EAST team that made a coaching change...

Nostrajimus

You are the biggest wussie ever Zonid (UMO ID), and besides, my above statement is 100% accurate. Ask anybody on here. Do you really think the NCAA brass would send the CAA to a PIG before the AE?

You are a joke if you think that for a second. No emoticons needed

Redwyn

1. Unless a wacky team from either conference gets the autobid (like Bing, sorry guys), neither one is going to the PIG. It's an attestation to the strength of the top of our conference - we still have 2 bottom 10 RPI programs.

2. Justtt for the sake of interest - the AEC just passed the CAA in RPI. So now you can put your money where your mouth is! Yay!

America East - 24
90 - SBU
114 - UVM
130 - Albany
169 - Hartford
204 - Boston U
262 - Maine
293 - UNH
341 - UMBC
343 - Bing

CAA - 25
83 - George Mason
150 - Towson
159 - Northeastern
167 - Delaware
224 - JMU
238 - Drexel
252 - Ga St
270 - W&M
306 - UNCW
311 - ODU
326 - Hofstra

umainealum

LOL..you are the joke...this is too funny. Um, could you please show me where anybody said anything about the PIG...it is YOU that is fascinated with that game...the whole point of this thread was pointing out that the "mighty" CAA isn't quite all it's cracked up to be anymore with VCU gone. You really do try to create arguments with people that go completely off topic.

And good try but that's not me...I actually Zonid is on here but not sure.

__________________
UMaine - the epitome of mediocrity

Proud supporter of an AMERICA EAST team that made a coaching change...

Nostrajimus

The point I was making is that the CAA will be seeded higher than the AE no matter where they finish in the rpi because the history of success for the CAA & the lackk of success of the AE (outside of PIG wins, which don't count IMO)