Breaking down college basketball’s most competitive conference championship races
Colonial Athletic Association
The Favorite: None
The Contenders: Northeastern (11-5), William & Mary (11-5), James Madison (11-5), and UNC-Wilmington (11-5)
The CAA has a four-way tie at the top of its standings as it begins the final week of the regular season. There is no other conference in the country that can say that now, or that will be able to say that in seven days. The only downside? There is just one game featuring two teams from the quartet, Wednesday’s tilt between James Madison and UNC-Wilmington. Northeastern wraps up against the bottom two teams in the conference, while William & Mary gets to play both of its last two games at home.
If you’re looking sentimental favorites, William & Mary and UNCW are probably the best route. The Tribe (that’s William & Mary) is one of just five original Division-I programs that has never qualified for the NCAA Tournament, and they dropped a gut-wrenching 75-74 decision to Delaware in last season’s CAA title game. Wilmington, meanwhile, has finished at or near the bottom of the league for the last six seasons, and was picked second-to-last in the league’s preseason poll. First year front man Kevin Keatts has done one of the best coaching jobs in the country.
Key Games:
James Madison at UNC-Wilmington (2/25)
Drexel at William & Mary (2/28)