CAA MEN’S BASKETBALL Co-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

John Fields, UNC Wilmington

Jr., C, 6-9, 230 – Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt

Fields averaged 18.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 85% (17-20) from the floor in UNCW’s two victories last week. The junior center recorded his second double-double with 22 points and 14 boards in a 115-95 victory over VMI and had 14 points and nine caroms in an 86-56 road triumph at Elon. Fields is averaging 14.8 ppg and 8.8 rpg for the season.

CAA MEN’S BASKETBALL Co-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jamie Harris, Drexel

Jr., G, 5-10, 175 – New York, N.Y./Wings Academy

Harris averaged 21.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in Drexel’s 3-1 week. The junior guard poured in a career-high 22 points in a 58-49 win at Penn and then topped it with 28 points in a 74-61 victory over Vermont. He also scored 19 as the Dragons beat Toledo 69-59. Harris, who shot 53.7% from the floor for the week, ranks fourth in the CAA in scoring with 17.3 ppg.

CAA MEN’S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Darren White, James Madison

Fr., G, 6-3, 200 – Danville, Va./Dan River

White averaged 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in James Madison’s two victories last week. The freshman guard matched a career-high with 20 points and grabbed a team-best nine boards in a 79-66 victory over N.C. Central and followed with seven points and four caroms as the Dukes beat UMBC 53-51. White leads all CAA freshmen in scoring with 12.6 ppg.

CONFERENCE NOTES:

Conference Play Tips Off On Saturday: All 12 CAA teams will play their conference openers on Saturday and four of those games will be televised regionally. Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Philadelphia and New England and CSS will televise the VCU at William & Mary game at Noon followed by Georgia State at James Madison at 2 p.m. The Comcast Network will air Northeastern at Drexel at 4 p.m. and MASN will show the George Mason/UNC Wilmington clash at 5 p.m. Rounding out Saturday’s league slate are Hofstra at Towson at 4 p.m. and Delaware at Old Dominion at 7 p.m. Following the full slate of CAA games on Dec. 5, there will be no more conference contests until Jan. 2.

William & Mary Knocks Off Wake Forest: William & Mary posted a 78-68 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday, handing the Demon Deacons their first loss ever at Joel Coliseum in the month of November (50 games). It was the Tribe’s first win over an ACC opponent since beating Virginia on Dec. 5, 1984 and its first victory over an ACC foe on the road since topping the Cavs on Jan. 10, 1977. W&M led nearly the entire game and sealed the win by making 13-of-14 at the free throw line in the final minute. The Tribe (4-2) is currently on a four-game winning streak, which is its longest since capturing six straight in 2007-08.

Challenging Early Season Schedules: CAA teams have already faced sevenTop 25 opponents this season, and another one is on tap this week as Drexel travels to #3 Villanova. VCU upset #17 Oklahoma 82-69 on Nov. 21. Hofstra and William & Mary both gave #12 Connecticut a battle before suffering close losses. George Mason led #5 Villanova until the final seconds before falling 69-68 in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament.

Tribe Ranked #13 In Latest RPI: William & Mary is ranked #13 in the latest RPI report through games of Nov. 29 according to Jerry Palm’s CollegeRPI.com. VCU is the next highest CAA team at #87 and Old Dominion is #114.

Newcomers Make An Impact: Several newcomers are among the CAA’s statisitcal leaders early in the year. UNCW junior John Fields, a transfer from East Carolina, is ninth in scoring (14.8 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.8 rpg). Freshman Darren White of James Madison ranks 19th in scoring (12.6 ppg). Five freshmen are among the league’s top 20 in rebounding – Hofstra’s Halil Kanacevic (7.3 rpg/4th), UNCW’s Keith Rendleman (5.9 rpg/13th), Delaware’s Kelvin McNeil (5.8 rpg/15th) and Mason’s Luke Hancock (5.7 rpg/18th) and Kevin Foster (5.7 rpg/18th). Hofstra rookie Chaz Williams ranks eighth in assists (4.2 apg).

Four CAA Teams In Mid-Major Top 25 Poll: Four CAA teams are ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll released on Nov. 30 by CollegeInsider.com. VCU leads all CAA squads at #6, followed by Old Dominion at #7, George Mason at #12 and Northeastern at #17. The CAA was the only conference to have four teams ranked in the top 17 of the poll.

Home Court Success In Non-Conference Play: CAA teams are 20-6 at home in non-conference play, but just 8-18 on the road and 6-10 on neutral courts.

Dominant Defense: Five CAA teams are holding their opponents to under 39% shooting from the floor thus far. Drexel is limiting foes to 38% FG shooting, while James Madison (38.1%), VCU (38.4%), Old Dominion (38.6%) and Georgia State (38.9%) are close behind.

Welcome To Matthews Arena: For the first time ever, a Big East team will play at Northeastern’s Matthews Arena on Tuesday as the Huskies entertain Providence. Northeastern beat the Friars 70-66 at Providence last season, which was its first win in 82 years in the series.

VCU Receives A Vote In Associated Press Top 25: For the fourth straight week, VCU has received at least one vote in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Old Dominion also received votes during the first three weeks of the season.

Sanders Moves Up To #9 On CAA Blocks Chart: VCU junior center Larry Sanders has moved up to ninth on the CAA’s career blocked shots list with 203. He needs just five more rejections to pass Drexel’s Robert Battle and VCU’s L.F. Likcholitov for seventh. Sanders tops the CAA with 16 blocks in five games this season.

Mason Extends Home Winning Streak To 18: George Mason is off to a 2-0 start at home this season and has now won 18 consecutive games at the Patriot Center. The streak is the 8th-longest currently in Division I.

DELAWARE (1-4 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Blue Hens were beaten by Siena (90-56) and Virginia Tech (74-66 ot) in the Philly Hoop Group Classic last week. Junior guard Jawan Carter tallied a team-high 23 points and eight assists versus Tech and hit a layup with 18 seconds left that sent the game to overtime. Carter, who had 13 points at Siena, has led UD in scoring in all five contests and is averaging a league-high 21.0 ppg. Junior backcourt mate D.J. Boney averaged 12.5 ppg last week and has scored double digits in four straight contests. Freshman forward Josh Brinkley tallied 12 points against Tech, which doubled his scoring total for the season. Freshman Malcolm Hawkins scored six points and dished out five assists at Siena. Freshman Kelvin McNeil grabbed nine boards versus VT and leads the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg). Delaware visits Delaware State before opening CAA play at ODU.

DREXEL (3-4 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Dragons topped rival Penn (58-49) for the third straight year and then went 2-1 in the Legends Classic with wins over Vermont (74-61) and Toledo (69-59) before losing to Cornell (61-54). Junior guard Jamie Harris averaged 21.0 ppg and 4.3 apg for the week while shooting 53.7% from the floor. He scored a career-high 22 points at Penn and then topped it with 28 points against Vermont. Freshman Chris Fouch hit seven treys in the Legends Classic, scoring a career-best 14 points against UVM followed by 11 points against Toledo. Sophomore Samme Givens averaged 7.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 3.3 apg in the Legends Classic. Senior Evan Neisler posted his first double-double of the year (10 pts/10 reb) against Penn. The Dragons were 0-for-11 on threes against Penn, ending a streak of 520 straight games with a trey. Drexel faces Villanova before hosting Northeastern on Saturday.

GEORGE MASON (3-3 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Patriots suffered a 76-71 setback at Tulane last Saturday in their only action of the week. Junior guard Cam Long, who matched his career-high with 24 points, hit a 3-pointer to tie the contest at 64-64 with 2:26 left but missed a game-tying trey in the final seconds. Long also contributed five assists and two steals at Tulane. Freshman forward Luke Hancock turned in another strong performance with 14 points and four boards. Hancock ranks second on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg) and leads the squad in assists (3.3 apg). Guard Andre Cornelius is shooting 50% (11-22) from 3-point range for the season. The Patriots shot 55.6% from the floor in the first half at Tulane, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range. Mason concludes a stretch of six straight on the road with trips to local rival George Washington and CAA foe UNC Wilmington this week.

GEORGIA STATE (3-4 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Panthers defeated Utah Valley (59-52), but lost to host South Alabama (70-66) in the title game of the South Alabama Thanksgiving Tournament. Senior guard Joe Dukes netted a career-high 26 points and grabbed six rebounds versus USA and backcourt mate Trae Goldston scored 16. Dukes is averaging 15.0 ppg and 5.6 rpg over his last five contests. Senior forward Xavier Hansbro scored a career-high 21 points and snared seven rebounds in the Utah Valley win. Hansbro went to the free throw line a school-record 17 times in the game. Dukes and Hansbro were selected to the all-tournament team. Senior forwards Ousman Krubally and Trey Hampton rank first and second in the CAA in offensive rebounds. The Panthers lead the league in steals (8.3 spg). After playing five road games in seven days, GSU hosts Jacksonville tonight before heading to JMU for its CAA opener.

HOFSTRA (3-3 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Pride finished 2-2 in the NIT Season Tip-Off following a 70-46 win over Elon and an 80-72 loss to Charlotte last week. Junior Greg Washington averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks for the week while shooting 72.2% (13-18) from the floor. He netted a career-best 18 points versus Charlotte. Junior guard Charles Jenkins, who had been held to nine points in his previous two games, broke loose for a team-high 25 points against Charlotte. Jenkins is now 21st on the Pride’s career scoring list (1,173 pts) and is 73 points ahead of the pace set by all-time scoring leader Antoine Agudio. Senior Cornelius Vines poured in a team-high 17 points versus Elon. Hofstra has held opponents to 52.3 ppg in its three wins, but has given up 85.7 ppg in its three losses. The Pride entertains Fairfield tonight and then starts CAA action at Towson on Saturday.

JAMES MADISON (3-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Dukes are riding a three-game winning streak after victories over N.C. Central (79-66) and UMBC (53-51) last week. Sophomore forward Julius Wells scored a team-best 18 points versus UMBC as the Dukes won their fourth straight home opener. Freshman guard Darren White scored 20 points for the second straight game in the NCCU victory and also snared a team-high nine rebounds. Senior Pierre Curtis added 16 points, seven boards and six assists versus NCCU. Curtis is just eight points shy of becoming the 24th player in JMU history with 1,000 career points. He’s also fourth in career steals (133) andf fifth in assists (348). Senior Dazzmond Thornton, who is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, contributed 14 points on 6-of-7 FG shooting against NCCU. The Dukes continue a three-game homestand against Norfolk State and Georgia State.

UNC WILMINGTON (3-4 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Seahawks posted convincing wins over VMI (115-95) and Elon (86-56) last week. UNCW set a school Div. I record for points against the Keydets. Junior center John Fields averaged 18.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in the two wins, including his second double-double (22 pts/12 reb) versus VMI. Fields, who made 17-of-20 from the floor, leads the CAA in FG percentage (65%) and rebounding (8.8 rpg). Junior guard Chad Tomko also posted a double-double against VMI with 20 points and 12 assists. He added 12 points at Elon and has reached double figures in 12 straight games. Junior Dominique Lacy averaged 14.5 ppg for the week, including a season-best 17 points versus VMI. The Seahawks shot 58.6% from the floor last week, including 14-of-28 (50%) from 3-point range. UNCW is off until Saturday’s CAA opener with George Mason.

NORTHEASTERN (2-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Huskies rebounded from an overtime loss at Boston U. (69-64) by pulling out a thrilling 70-67 win over Wright State on Saturday. Junior Chaisson Allen hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from midcourt against WSU and finished with a  team-high 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Senior guard Matt Janning averaged 16.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg last week. Janning, who has 80 career double-figure games, is just five points shy from cracking the top 10 on the Huskies’ all-time scoring list. Freshman forward Alwayne Bigby made his first collegiate start at BU and responded with 16 points and seven boards. He added three steals versus WSU. All four of NU’s games this season have been decided by six points or less. The Huskies host a Big East foe for the first time in school history on Tuesday when Providence comes to Matthews Arena. NU beat the Friars for the first time in 82 years last season, 70-66.

OLD DOMINION (4-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Monarchs fell to Missouri (66-61) and Mississippi State (69-55) at the South Padre Island Tournament last weekend. Senior center Gerald Lee earned all-tournament honors after averaging 16.5 ppg and shooting 54.2% from the floor in the two games. He scored a team-high 20 points against MSU. Senior guard Marsharee Neely matched a career-high with 20 points versus Missouri, hitting 6-of-10 from the floor including four treys. It was Neely’s fourth straight game in double digits. Junior forward Ben Finney added 12 points against Missouri and 10 points in the Mississippi State setback. The Monarchs haven’t been out-rebounded in a game this season and are a league-best +11.3 in rebound margin. ODU also leads the CAA in scoring defense (55.8 ppg). The Monarchs are at Richmond on Wednesday and then host CAA foe Delaware on Saturday.

TOWSON (1-3 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Tigers dropped road games at Navy (87-70) and A-10 preseason favorite Dayton (74-69) last week. Towson led Dayton 64-46 with 9:36 to play before the Flyers rallied. Senior guard Josh Thornton scored a team-high 22 points at UD, with many of them coming on 6-for-6 three-point shooting in the first half. Thornton is now Towson’s career treys leader with 161. Senior Calvin Lee added 12 points at UD and Robert Nwankwo grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds after sitting out the previous two contests. Sophomore guard RaShawn Polk scored a team-high 19 points off the bench at Navy in his Tigers’ debut. The JUCO transfer was 3-for-6 from 3-point range. Junior forward Jarrel Smith added 15 points and junior walk-on guard Josh Brown netted 11 points as Towson’s bench outscored the starters 46-24. Towson is at home against UMBC and Hofstra this week.

VCU (4-1 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Rams are on a three-game winning streak following victories over Hampton (63-52) and Nevada (85-76). Junior center Larry Sanders posted his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds against Nevada. He also blocked five shots and moved into ninth place on the CAA’s career blocks list (203). Junior Ed Nixon added a career-high 17 points off the bench against Nevada. Sophomore Bradford Burgess posted his first double-double with career-bests in points (18) and rebounds (10) at Hampton. Burgess has netted double figures in four of his five games and leads the Rams in scoring (13.0 ppg). Senior forward T.J. Gwynn grabbed a career-high with 11 rebounds at HU and averaged 9.0 ppg and 9.0 rpg for the week. Junior Joey Rodriguez tops the CAA  with 15 steals. VCU faces Rhode Island and goes to W&M this week.

WILLIAM & MARY (4-2 overall, 0-0 in CAA)

The Tribe extended its winning streak to four by beating Hampton (62-61) and Wake Forest (78-68) last week. W&M’s victory at Wake was its first over an ACC foe since 1984 and snapped the Deacs’ 50-game November win streak at Joel Coliseum. Senior David Schneider posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds at WFU and also had 16 points and eight boards against Hampton. Senior Danny Sumner tallied double figures for the eighth straight game with 16 points against the Deacons and junior Marcus Kitts just missed his first double-double with nine points and a career-best 10 boards. Sophomore Quinn McDowell tallied 11 points and seven boards versus Hampton and sank two free throws that provided the winning margin. W&M drained 12-of-27 from 3-point range versus HU and tied a school record by making double-digit treys in five consecutive games. The Tribe leads the CAA in 3-pointers per game (10.8) and 3-point FG% (41.4%).

– The information above was provided by Rob Washburn with the CAA