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Colonial overview

Richmond scrambles for bid in strange year for CAA

Special to CNNSI.com

Jerry Wainwright's UNC-Wilmington team made it to the NCAAs last year before losing to Cincinnati. Jonathan Daniel/Allsport

Order of Finish 1. Richmond 2. George Mason 3. UNC-Wilmington 4. American 5. Virginia Commonwealth 6. James Madison 7. Old Dominion 8. William and Mary 9. East Carolina

Top storylines

This is the last year for the CAA's current nine-team alignment. East Carolina is leaving after the season to join Conference USA. American is bolting for the Patriot League. And conference cornerstone Richmond is joining the Atlantic 10. The CAA ruled that the three schools won't be eligible for any championships this season, even though they'll play a league schedule and their players will be ranked statistically and be eligible for conference honors.

Two new coaches join the league this season. Former Ohio State assistant Rick Boyages succeeds the retired Charlie Woollum at William & Mary and Jeff Jones, formerly head coach at Virginia, takes over for Art Perry at American.

Players to Watch

Top Three Players

George Evans, F, George Mason • Evans (18.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg), an Army veteran, turns 30 during the season, so he¹s literally a man among boys in this league. He's a two-time CAA player of the year. Greg Stevenson, F, Richmond • Stevenson's brother Jarod led the Spiders to the 1998 NCAA Tournament, and he'll try to do the same this year. Stevenson (18.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, .422 3 PT%) led the CAA in scoring a year ago and was second in rebounding. Brett Blizzard, G, UNC-Wilmington • Blizzard (15.6 ppg, 2.0 spg, .468 3 PT%) is a game-breaking shooter who made first-team all-conference honors as a freshman, the first player to do so in the CAA¹s 15-year history.

Top Newcomer

Johnnie Story, F, Virginia Commonwealth • Story will probably start and earn enough minutes to put together some solid statistics. He was a double-figure scorer and rebounder in high school, so he's got a nose for the basketball.

Coaches

Hot Coach

John Beilein, Richmond • Beilein, a winner everywhere he's been, is trying to guide the Spiders to a regular-season CAA title so they will have any kind of hope of earning at at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The league has ruled Richmond ineligible for its postseason tournament.

Coach on the Hot Seat

Jeff Capel, Old Dominion • Capel's in no danger of being fired, but he's feeling pressure to get the Monarchs back on track after an 11-19 record a year ago, their first losing season since joining the league in 1992.

Mark Your Calendar

Nov. 20, Richmond at Wake Forest • This would be a good scalp to bag if the Spiders want to impress the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Jan. 3, Richmond at George Mason • The Spiders could get a leg up on the regular-season championship with a win. Feb. 24, George Mason at Richmond • Richmond's season could all boil down to this game.

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