By AARON COLEMAN
Philahoops Staff
Injuries are every coach’s and fan base’s worst nightmare during the grind of a Division I basketball season. Yes, they are an unlucky part of the game, but every team inevitably has to deal with them.
In the last week of CAA hoops action, two of the conference’s best squads, Drexel and Northeastern, suffered two huge injury-related losses as the Dragons lost CAA Preseason First Team junior guard Damion Lee to a torn ACL and the Huskies lost CAA Preseason Second Team junior swingman Quincy Ford after complex lumbar microdiscectomy surgery.
For the Huskies (the defending CAA regular season champions), they are losing a player that has averaged 11.8 points per game and 5.3 boards in his three seasons in Massachusetts. While Ford has only played twice this season while figuring out the issue with his back, the 2-6 Huskies desperately miss the junior’s presence as they have lost four straight games at press time. Ford was a preseason second team All-CAA selection heading into 2013-14.
In Philadelphia, Drexel head coach James “Bruiser” Flint has stressed for critics to not feel sorry for his 5-2 Dragons squad. “Damion is not coming back,” Flint told reporters this after Wednesday’s triple-overtime 85-82 victory over Cleveland State. ”We won two games without him and hopefully we win more. It is what it is.”
At the time of his injury, Lee was averaging 13.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in a starting role for the Dragons. Heading into the season, Lee was a first team All-CAA selection. He was expected to improve on an impressive sophomore campaign where he led Drexel with 17.1 points per game.
Thus far, Flint has gotten his troops to respond with gusto as the Dragons have notched two straight tough wins in the absence of Lee. Led by the clutch play of junior guard and team leader Frantz Massenat as well as sharpshooting senior Chris Fouch, (who himself is returning from a season-ending ankle injury from last season) Drexel has not missed a beat with players such as juniors Tavon Allen (Lee’s replacement in the starting line-up) and Kazembe Abif also taking huge strides in their development into full-time starters.
Simply put, there is nothing that can be done about injuries. It is up to each individual squad to step up in their teammate’s absence and pick up the slack. Thus far in 2013-14, Drexel has done that. Can the Huskies find that same magic?
College of Charleston
Record on the Week: 1-1 (Overall: 3-5)
Nov. 29 – Arizona State 80, CoC 58
Dec. 1 – Cal State Fullerton 48, CoC 61
Player of the Week: F Adjehi Baru (12 ppg, 9.5 rpg)
CoC continued the John Wooden Legacy Tournament Friday as they took on the ASU Sun Devils but a horrendous shooting night led to them shooting just 35 percent from the field while ASU shot 53 percent from the field. Despite a 41-24 rebounding advantage (Baru pulled down nine by himself), the Sun Devils ended the night with a comfortable victory. CoC got back on track against Cal State Fullerton, holding their opponents to 31 percent shooting and enjoying a 40-35 rebounding advantage.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 12 vs. Coker College
Delaware
Record on the Week: 2-0 (Overall: 5-3)
Nov. 30 – Robert Morris 67, Delaware 86
Dec. 3 – Delaware 85, Charleston Southern 80
Player of the Week: G Jarvis Threatt (21 ppg, 5.5 apg)
The Blue Hens’ offense is literally scorching at the moment as the team is averaging over 80 points in two contests and 48 percent shooting as a team. Against Robert Morris, Delware got a combined 46 points from guards Jarvis Threatt and Devon Saddler while outscoring their opponents 38-20 in the paint, thoroughly dominating Robert Morris all night long. Charleston Southern put up a better fight Tuesday night but the Blue Hens got double figure scoring performances from all but one of their starters, including a 29-point night from guard Kyle Anderson, who shot a ridiculous 8 of 10 from deep.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 7 at Notre Dame
Drexel
Record on the Week: 2-0 (Overall: 5-2)
Nov. 29 – Alabama 83, Drexel 85 (3OT)
Dec. 4 – CSU 82, Drexel 85 (3OT)
Player of the Week: G Frantz Massenat (19 ppg, 6.5 apg)
Despite losing star guard Damion Lee, the resilient Dragons were able to rip off two improbable triple overtime wins this week against both Alabama and CSU. Against the Crimson Tide in the third place game of the NIT Season Tip-Off, a combined 52 points from starters Massenat (17), Chris Fouch (19), and Tavon Allen (16) led the way. They were up to the task again Wednesday night in their home opener, defeating a gritty Cleveland State squad after a 21-point, nine-rebound night from Massenat.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 7 vs. Tennessee State
Hofstra
Record on the Week: 0-2 (Overall: 2-6)
Nov. 30 – Manhattan 66, Hofstra 59
Dec. 4 – Sacred Heart 73, Hofstra 59
Player of the Week: G Zeke Upshaw (18.5 ppg, 3.5 apg)
The Pride welcomed Manahattan Saturday but a poor second half doomed them after leading 30-27 at the half. The Pride were held to just 34 percent shooting in the final half after shooting 45 percent in the first and were completely manhandled in the post as Manhattan outscored them 36-16 in the paint. It only got worse Wednesday as Sacred Heart made 12 of 24 three-point attempts in another deflating home defeat for Hofstra.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 7 at SMU
James Madison
Record on the Week: 0-1 (Overall: 2-6)
Nov. 30 – James Madison 53, Richmond 68
Player of the Week: G Charles Cook (20 points, 3 rebounds)
The Dukes’ disappointing season continued this week after a 15-point thumping at the hands of the Richmond Spiders. The Dukes’ offense was quite frankly a mess as they missed all 16 of their three-point attempts and shot just 30 percent from the field overall.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 6 at Sam Houston State; Dec. 7 at Stephen F. Austin (Lumberjack Classic)
Northeastern
Record on the Week: 0-2 (Overall: 2-6)
Nov. 29 – Northeastern 66, VCU 79
Dec. 4 – Harvard 72, Northeastern 64
Player of the Week: F Scott Eatherton (17 ppg, 9.5 rpg)
For a struggling Huskies squad, a date with VCU was not what the doctor ordered as the Huskies lost a shootout as both teams just better than 50 percent from the field. VCU held a 28-11 advantage on bench points, which proved to be the difference. Northeastern’s defense struggled again against their state rival Harvard Wednesday as the Crimson scored at will (they shot 56 percent from the field), negating another double-double from Scott Eatherton and sending the Huskies on a four-game skid since their shocking win over Georgetown in Puerto Rico.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 7 vs. UAB
Towson
Record on the Week: 2-0 (Overall: 6-2)
Nov. 29 – The Citadel 59, Towson 84
Nov. 30 – Abilene Christian 47, Towson 74
Player of the Week: F Jerrelle Benimon (13 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg)
The Tigers won both contests during the Battle 4 Atlantis, destroying both The Citadel and Abilene Christian by 20+ points. The Tigers’ offense was running at peak efficiency with four out of five starters averaging at least 10 points per game. However, their greatest strength is still their board play as the Tigers enjoyed a combined +28 rebounding advantage in their two contests.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 6 at Stephen F. Austin; Dec. 7 at Sam Houston State (Lumberjack Classic); Dec. 10 vs. Central PA College
UNC Wilmington
Record of the Week: 2-1 (Overall: 6-5)
Nov. 29 – Stephen F. Austin 60, UNCW 55
Dec. 1 – UNCW 70, ECU 68
Dec. 3 – Campbell 50, UNCW 69
Player of the Week: F Shane Reybold (11 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
UNCW bounced back over the .500 mark with three strong performances in which their defense held their opponents under 40 percent shooting in each contest. The trio of Reybold, Cedrick Williams, and Addison Spruill are really beginning to gel offensively and have made them a real threat on both sides of the ball.
Upcoming Schedule: No games scheduled in the next week
William & Mary
Record on the Week: 1-1 (Overall: 4-4)
Nov. 30 – W&M 84, Howard 79
Dec. 4 – Richmond 71, W&M 60
Player of the Week: G Marcus Thornton (20 ppg, 2 apg)
Even though they needed an overtime period to do it, the Tribe beat a struggling Howard team in a game where neither team’s defense made an appearance with both teams shooting over 50 percent. The Tribe had four of five starters chip in 12+ points while Omar Prewitt provided 24 huge points off of the bench. Against Richmond however, the Tribe’s porous defense spoiled a 26-point effort from Marcus Thornton and 10 made threes from the offense as they fell to their state rivals.
Upcoming Schedule: Dec. 7 at Wofford
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Philahoops CAA Player of the Week: Drexel G Frantz Massenat (19 ppg, 6.5 apg)
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Philahoops CAA Team of the Week: Towson (2-0)
After dropping two straight to Villanova and Kansas, the Tigers have won three straight. Dominating teams with unmerciful board play and bruising post offense, there is no more complete squad in the CAA than the Tigers.
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Philahoops CAA Power Rankings
- Towson (6-2)
- Delaware (5-3)
- Drexel (5-2)
- UNCW (6-5)
- William & Mary (4-4)
- College of Charleston (3-5)
- Northeastern (2-6)
- Hofstra (2-6)
- JMU (2-6)
-Aaron Coleman covers Drexel for Philahoops. Reach him at [email protected], @shutupcole on Twitter, or leave a comment below.
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