Preview: Georgia St. at VCU

via USAToday.com: Trying to become the first team in the Colonial Athletic Association to post

Theus, Rams tip Zips in OT, 76-75

Darius Theus’ layup with 1 second left in overtime lifted Virginia Commonwealth to a 76-75 win over Akron on Thursday night for the Rams’ seventh-straight win.

For VCU’s Smart, It’s All About Family

VCU’s 2011 Final Four appearance was an incredible story. Many journalists wrote about and captured

CAA Walk-ons, the Soul of Sports!

    “A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you

CAA buzz is high, but it needs more teams to win

The Colonial Athletic Association has put two more teams in the Final Four in the past six seasons than every other league outside the power six.

VCU wins “Best Upset” ESPY Award

Virginia Commonwealth University wins the ESPY for “Best Upset” for beating Kansas in the Southwest Regional final their 2011 NCAA Final Four run.

CAA Basketball schedule rotation announced

Over the past 6 years, the 12 CAA basketball teams have been working on a set rotation of opponents. That rotation that involved 7 home-and-home series each year (5 of which were with permanent partners), plus two additional road-only and two home-only opponents. For 2010-2011, everybody knew what teams they’d be playing at home and on the road six years ago. For 2011-12 and the two seasons after that, there is a new rotation that was announced on Tuesday. Here are some quick thoughts on both the Northeastern schedule and the rotations for other CAA teams. We know that the Huskies will be playing both a home game and a road game against each of Delaware, Drexel, Georgia State, Hofstra, and Towson for the next three seasons. In the coming year, Northeastern will also have home-and-home series with Old Dominion and William & Mary. NU will host George Mason and UNC-Wilmington, and will travel to James Madison and Virginia Commonwealth. For 2012-13, the two additional home/away partners are GMU and VCU, with home games against ODU and JMU plus road games at UNCW and W&M. The following year, the Huskies get home-and-home series with JMU and UNCW, home games only against VCU and W&M, and away games only at GMU and ODU. STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: Looking at the level of talent that’s expected to be on each of those teams, Northeastern has a favorable schedule. It’s no secret that the powerhouses of the CAA are George Mason, VCU, and Old Dominion – each one of those schools made it to the NCAA tournament in 2011, with VCU making an improbable run to the Final Four after squeaking into the field in one of the new “First Four” games added for this year. Each of those three teams has been highly competitive for the last several years, and likely will be for many more to come – so it’s nice that NU only has to play each of them twice in one of the three seasons on the new rotation (ODU in 2011-12, GMU and VCU both in 2012-13). Georgia State and Towson have long been bottom-feeders in the league, though both have new coaches (Ron Hunter and former Northeastern assistant Pat Skerry, respectively) this year. I’m not going to make any predictions on the Huskies’ end of season record right now, but it certainly should be better than the 6-12 mark the team played to this past season. ROAD GAMES: Travel-wise, Northeastern couldn’t have asked for better permanent partners. That was no doubt a consideration for each team, as the cost of travel for 12+ players per team plus coaches and team staff can get high. The team can take a bus to each of Delaware (just south of Philadelphia), Drexel (in Philly), and Hofstra (on Long Island); Towson is just outside of Baltimore making that a quick and easy trip through the air, and Georgia State is in downtown Atlanta – again, not hard to find flights to. James Madison and UNC-Wilmington are the most difficult to get to, so it’s nice that Northeastern will only have to play at each of those locations (Harrisonburg, VA and Wilmington, NC) twice each over the next 3 years. For those that don’t know the geography of the CAA, George Mason is in Fairfax, VA, just a short drive from Washington’s Dulles International Airport. Virginia Commonwealth is in downtown Richmond, VA, Old Dominion is in Norfolk, VA, and William & Mary is just north of Norfolk in Williamsburg (there is an airline adding direct flights from Boston to Norfolk in May, making trips to both ODU and W&M much easier). PROMOTION: In terms of promotion of games and drawing fans in, it’s too bad Northeastern doesn’t get to host VCU in 2011-12. Of the three CAA teams that danced this past March, the Huskies only get to host the one that didn’t win a game. They lost to two-time national runner-up Butler, but that doesn’t have nearly the promotional value of a team that made the Final Four coming to Matthews Arena, or even a team that beat Villanova in the first round (and, of course, made it to the Final Four back in 2006). Delaware, Drexel, Georgia State, Towson, and William & Mary have very little name recognition on Northeastern’s campus, and Hofstra is mainly recognized because of the population of New York students. Old Dominion beat Notre Dame in the 2010 NCAA tournament, but they still don’t have much name value. OUT OF CONFERENCE: For now, we don’t have much information on the out of conference schedule. Head Coach Bill Coen and Boston University Coach Pat Chambers reportedly came to an agreement last year that says the two teams open the season against each other for the next few years, alternating between home arenas. Expect a game on Commonwealth Ave on November 11th or 12th, and be prepared to see the Terriers raise their America East banner before the game. We’ve been told that Southern Illinois will be coming to Boston for homecoming, likely on November 19 in a basketball/hockey doubleheader similar to what we had this past year. The only other game we’re aware of is a road game at Louisiana Tech, probably the week before Christmas which would prevent the Huskies from playing another 3-game tournament in an exotic location like Hawai’i or Cancun. They’ll also host a Bracketbusters game sometime around February 17-19. All of those games could change, and there will probably be about 6 more games added to that list – possibly including an in-season tournament (or two, if the LaTech game gets moved to a different time on the schedule). THE REST OF THE CAA: There’s not a whole that that jumps out about the rest of the rotation. One good thing, though, is that Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth, and George Mason will all play each other twice per year for the next three years. Those will be some very exciting matchups, and it wouldn’t be too surprising to see some of those games on national networks. For the most part, travel makes sense. As I mentioned before, it had to have been a consideration. UNC-Wilmington will have a tough test each year, as that’s another team that’s been lower down in the standings for a few years and they drew each of George Mason, Old Dominion, and Virginia Commonwealth as permanent partners (to go with Georgia State and Hofstra).

Okereafor inks NLI to join Rams next season

RICHMOND, Va. – Just weeks after Head Coach Shaka Smart guided VCU basketball into NCAA history, he and his staff have brightened the future of the program with the signing of Teddy Okereafor, a 6-4, 185-pound point guard out of Christchurch (Va.) School. “The addition of Teddy is huge news to our program and vital to our future,” Smart said. “His biggest asset is making his teammates better, which is a trait that all winning players share.” Originally from London, England, Okereafor came to the Commonwealth last fall to finish his high school career at Christchurch School under the guidance of Head Coach Ben Thompson. Since his arrival, he has become one of the top players in the state and helped his squad to one of its best seasons ever, reaching the state semifinals in March. His ability to make an impact on the Rams immediately makes the point guard spot an extremely competitive position for the Black & Gold after the graduation of All-CAA performer, Joey Rodriguez. “Teddy brings a tremendous basketball IQ to the game and plays with a terrific understanding of pace,” Smart said. Okereafor was named Virginia Prep League Player of the Year and First-Team All-State after pouring in 13.1 points per game and dishing out 7.2 assists per game for the Seahorses. He led his school to a 23-6 overall mark and perfect 14-0 in the Virginia Prep League. Prior to coming to Virginia, he was a member of the U-18 England National Team. He is described as an outstanding ball handler, who changes speeds well and excels using ball screens, a trademark of the Rams offensive attack. His ability to run and pass in transition makes him an ideal fit for Smart’s “HAVOC” style of play. Okereafor’s skills are not limited to the hardwood as he is a terrific student with a 3.5 grade point average. He will plan on majoring in business this fall. In only one season in the country, Okereafor became a hot recruiting target, drawing interest from Clemson and Virginia out of the ACC, as well as Georgetown out of the Big East.

VCU’s Smart and Rodriguez earn invites to the White House

The benefits of making the Final Four for the first time in school history continue to roll in for VCU. Coach Shaka Smart and star senior point guard Joey Rodriguez have earned separate invites to the White House to celebrate their success. Smart will be the first to visit on April 30 as a guest of the Washington Times for the annual White House Correspondents dinner. He’ll meet President Barack Obama during a cocktail reception prior to the dinner. “This is an honor that is truly humbling,” Smart said on the team's website. “I look forward to meeting President Obama, a man who my wife and I have admired for many years. It's a privilege to be included among such a distinguished guest list and such a historic event.” Rodriguez will visit the White House on May 5 as part of the Cinco de Mayo dinner celebration. Rodriguez had 15 minutes (or six) of fame on April 6 as a guest on TBS’ George Lopez Tonight, but getting to meet the President is something he could have never imagined. “I'm blown away by this and really can't believe it,” Rodriguez said via the VCU website. “This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm truly honored. It's really a testament to all my teammates and the way we pushed each other to reach goals that only we thought were possible. The past month is something that I'll never, ever forget.” Wonder if either will bring up the President’s pick of Kansas to win the national championship?

Towson, VCU, JMU Refuse to Stand Pat. Well, Towson Sorta’ Does…

Three quick hitters as we get life back together: Towson has hired Pat Skerry as its new coach, replacing Pat Kennedy. Skerry was an assistant at Pitt this past year. Skerry has crossed paths with CAA teams frequently in his past. He was an assistant at three schools who are popular nonconference foes–Providence (2008-2010), Rhode Island (2005-2008), and College of Charleston (2003-2005). Skerry has also been on the bench at Nor’easter (1998-2000) and William & Mary (2000-2003). Skerry was the head coach at division 3 Curry College in Massachusetts from 1996-98. *** The JMU Board of Visitors approved a new arena to be constructed in 2014 as part of its six year capital outlay plan. Estimated cost: $87.5 million. According to Mark Selig at the DNR: “In July, 2010, JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said the school would spend $5 million to renovate the Convocation Center – including a new video scoreboard and new lighting. That plan appears to now be on hold.” I agree. *** Finally, in a news item slightly more shocking than the sun coming up tomorrow, Shaka Smart has reached a contract extension at VCU. The administration is holding off on contract terms, but my keen grasp of the situation allows me to say that Smart will earn “more money for a greater number of years.”

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