College hoops scoops
Ballin' and bloggin' on the national and local college hardwood.
Hoops Scoops: The new CAA
Photo credit: Photo by Shane Bufano
We know this conference realignment issue is not settled and likely won’t be for several years. The Big East, Big West, CAA, Conference USA and Mountain West are still in a bit of flux, while the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC could still expand.
Right now we’ll just take a look at the local fallout from the latest edition of conference musical chairs.
Here’s one Hoops Scoops version of what...
Recruiting hasn't stopped for Pride
Photo credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
It was a pretty big Tuesday for Hofstra.
The day started with the introduction of new athletic director Jeff Hathaway and ended with men's basketball coach Mo Cassara announcing the signing of 6-8 forward Darren Payen to a national letter of intent.
Payen chose Hofstra over Rhode Island, Northeastern, St. Bonaventure and Rice.
Payen, from Hamden Hall, Conn., is a long and athletic...
VCU's timing not good for CAA
Photo credit: AP
VCU’s move to the Atlantic 10 couldn’t have come at a worse time for the CAA.
With Towson and UNC-Wilmington facing a ban from next season’s NCAA Tournament because of low APR scores, and Georgia State bolting the conference, the CAA will have only nine NCAA-eligible teams.
Georgia State won’t be permitted to play in the CAA Tournament in 2013.
There is also the matter of Old Dominion,...
Hathaway ready for Hofstra challenge
Photo credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
Hofstra is not UConn.
And Jeff Hathaway, newly hired director of athletics for Hofstra, understands that.
Big state schools with big athletic budgets tend afford athletic directors a little more leeway. The University of Connecticut certainly fit that bill. With a student body of nearly 30,000 and an entire state behind it, the Huskies have become a dominant name in college sports.
Even...
The Ivy League sticks with tradition
Photo credit: Jim McIsaac
There will be no free rides in the Ivy League. A team still has to win the regular season championship to earn the conference’s automatic bid. So you won’t see a Cinderella squad come from out of nowhere stealing a bid.
The league announced Thursday that it has decided not to have post season tournaments to determine its men’s and women’s basketball championships.
The Ivy League is the...
Steve Lavin ready for next season
Photo credit: Getty Images
With last season quickly fading into the rear-view mirror, St. John’s coach Steve Lavin is ready to hit the ground running for the 2012-2013 season.
Lavin announced the addition of six recruits for next season. Shooting guard Felix Balamou out of Our Savior New American by way of West Africa, Monroe College point guard Marco Bourgault, Texas A&M transfer Jamal Branch, Harvard transfer...
Marinatto bolting is no shock
Big East Commissioner John Marinatto stepping down from the post shouldn’t a shock.
We’re not saying it was a forgone conclusion that Marinatto would quit, we’re saying it isn’t a shock when you consider how crazy things have been in the Big East has been the last couple of years.
West Virginia bolting the league, the impending defections of Syracuse and Pittsburgh and the reports of...
America East tourney moves to Albany
Photo credit: AP
The America East men’s and women’s basketball tournament will have a new home, at least for next year.
The league announced Thursday that the combined 2013 tournament will be held at Albany’s SEFCU Arena, a 4,538-seat campus facility. The tournament was held in Hartford the last three years. Albany last hosted the tourney in 2009.
The league’s Athletic Directors voted for the change...
Atlantic 10 making big moves
Photo credit: AP
The Atlantic 10 Conference has been the center of attention the last six weeks or so, with Temple leaving and the talk of at least three more teams being added.
The Temple loss was a big blow, but the league made up for it quickly with the addition of Butler. The move was officially announced on Wednesday. Adding Butler to the mix keeps the Atlantic 10 right where it has been, a multi-bid...
CAA losses could help locals
Photo credit: Joe Rogate
After a tough 2011-2012 season, Hofstra (10-22) is expected to make some noise next season with several transfer players set to suit up.
UConn transfer Jamal Coombs-Daniel and Penn State transfer Taran Buie are both eligible to play next fall for the Pride, while Fresno State transfer Daquan Brown could suit up in November, too, if the NCAA grants a waiver that allows him to play immediately.
The...
