Later today: tonight’s action, Yeager’s letter, and every email I get.

Weekend Boxes

Dayton 58, Old Dominion 50

Mason 75, Creighton 72

VCU 65, Richmond 57

Hofstra 75, New Hampshire 58

GW 73, Towson 69

Ohio 86, Delaware 70

Eastern Michigan 75, James Madison 64

Drexel 57, St. Francis 35, Samme Givens 24

Florida A&M 60, Ga State, 58

What We Learned

1. Georgia State is fairly terrible without Joe Dukes playing well, or often. Florida A&M had not won a game this season–bagel for 10–until Sunday. Dukes was 2-12 (0-5 threes) and only played 22 minutes in the loss. But it wasn’t just yesterday. Dukes is 3-23 from three-point land and has 29 assists and 29 turnovers for the season.

2. Delaware has a lot of holes. We thought it was bad shooting, but the Hens shot 48% and lost by 16 to Ohio. They were undone by 21 turnovers and porous defense that allowed Ohio 52% shooting.

3. Expectations are like Christmas shopping. The “best” teams–Northeastern and Old Dominion–are those with the most questions. The “worst” teams–UNCW and The Fightin’ Pugs (sorry Rob)–are playing the best. The team that lost the most–VCU and Maynor/Grant–seems to have more firepower. And teams we are unsure about–Mason and Hofstra–just keep winning.

What We Verified

1. Adding players at the semester break should not be underestimated. VCUs Terrance Saintil played a significant 10 minutes, his first of the season after thumb surgery. Saintil had seven points, two steals, and two assists and changed the feel of Saturday’s game with his inspired play. Denzel Bowles played 30 minutes for JMU, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds. Importantly, he makes JMU a different team. Now Trevon Flores, who is a 6-11 version of Kyle Swanston, can go play the wing. So, keep an eye on VCUs Jamie Skeen who is now eligible, and an APB is being put out for Rashanti Harris.

2. In your best Ken Howard voice: “they’re FREE throws, Coleman. FREE. You should make them.” JMU was 4-11 and lost; Towson was 15-26 and lost; VCU 23-30 and won; Hofstra 13-15 and won; Mason 31-44 and won.

3. This is a guards league. Old Dominion, quite frankly, has received awful guard play this year. The Monarchs’ size has allowed them to bludgeon the Longwoods of the world but fall short because because bigger and more talented teams are better able to match up. While Larry Sanders rightfully gets all the VCU attention, it was big threes from Brandon Rozzell that fueled the Rams comeback win over Richmond. And this from Mull, where the main tweak from Benny Moss is in his backcourt. Cam Long with 22 beats Creighton. Cam Long with seven points and five turnover loses to GW.

What We Don’t Know

1. The secret to late game execution. Mason finished 13-4 in the last three minutes;  VCU a 13-2 over the last three and change; JMU on the wrong side of a 25-11 close, and Towson didn’t score in the final minute, giving up the last four points to lose by four. The first 37 minutes are something fun, no?

2. How you call a technical foul for being out of the coaches box with 18 seconds to go in a close game. Creighton’s Dana Altman was the recipient when his team was leading 72-70. We don’t know how much Altman was riding the officials for 39:42, or if a magic word was spoken. There are specifics we’ll never know, but short of a jacket toss, punt, or similar outburst I don’t know how that is called. Glad Mason benefited, but you have to use better judgment.

3. The impact of positive RPI, because we’re too lazy to look it up and not really motivated because it is so early. What I mean is this: the conference RPI is in the 10/11/12 range. VCU and The Fightin’ Pugs are top 20 RPI teams. Surely that will winnow away, but how far? I’d like to compare to 2006, 2007, and 2008 to see where the CAA was in middle December those seasons. See what I mean?

My Favorite Things

1. Mason’s Luke Hancock, a freshman, waved off (not really) Jim Larranaga and took two late technical free throws in the Creighton win. Larranaga wanted Andre Cornelius to take them and had turned to coach a little more when his assistants let him know Hancock jumped in to take them. Good thing for Hancock, he made them.

2. Yeager firing a shot at the Richmond Coliseum in a letter chock full of warning–and deservedly so–officially kicking off “move the CAA tournament to this city” season. More on that later.

3.  We have some great fans in this conference.

Interesting Stats

1. Chaz Williams had 10 assists and zero turnovers for Hofstra. Yes, it was New Hampshire, but that is impressive. Re: “growth.” Memo to Pecora: Williams needs the “Tim Crossin Speech.” Crossin, a baby-faced Towson guard, put a 10/0 on Hofstra in Crossin’s 2005 freshman year, and was never really heard from again.

2. Drexel was leading St. Francis 19-4 with two minutes to go in the first half. StF finished the half with nine points on 3-23 shooting.

3. James Madison scored just three field goals in the final 10 minutes against Eastern Michigan.

4. League leader in consecutive double-figures scoring games? Lee; Jenkins, Sanders, Long………..The Dub’s Chad Tomko, with 13.

5. Larry Sanders has posted four straight double-doubles, averaging 15.7ppg and 12.0rpg over the stretch.

6. Team leading the CAA in scoring? VCU; Hofstra; The Dub…………….The Fightin’ Pugs, at 75.4ppg.