Colonial Notebook
by Beth Iskoe
Falling and they can’t get up
Drexel’s 88-72 loss to Niagara Saturday night extended its losing streak to three games. The Dragons (3-4) have not won since December 3rd when they defeated Lafayette 65-47.
Hofstra’s disappointing season continued to get worse Saturday night when they dropped a 65-52 decision to America East opponent Stony Brook. The loss is the fourth straight for the Pride (1-6) whose last victory came November 30th when they beat Lehigh 63-50.
Towson (3-5) has now lost two straight, including Friday’s embarrassing 62-59 road loss against winless Morgan State, which was without two of its starters. The Tigers second loss was expected, as they fell 70-60 to George Washington Sunday at home.
Movin’ on up
After dropping its first three games to start the season, George Mason (4-3) has rebounded to win four straight.
Virginia Commonwealth now has the best record in the conference at 5-3 by virtue of home victories last week over Hampton and TCU.
Spoilers
Two CAA teams handed squads their first loss of the season. On Thursday night, George Mason snapped East Carolina’s seven game winning streak with a 66-56 victory.
Virginia Commonwealth made the CAA two for two against unbeaten teams Thursday night when they ended Hampton’s four game winning streak by beating the Pirates 90-85.
1000-point milestones
James Madison senior guard David Fanning became the 20th Dukes player to break the 1000-point barrier when he scored nineteen points in James Madison’s 71-57 home victory over Florida Atlantic last Monday.
Old Dominion senior forward Ricardo Marsh reached the 1000-point mark when he scored 24 points in the Monarch’s 71-67 loss to Dayton Friday night at home. Marsh is the 37th Old Dominion player to score over 1000 points.
Unselfish
Delaware sophomore guard Mike Slattery, the CAA’s leading assist man (5.8 apg), set a Bob Carpenter Center record when he dished out fifteen assists in the Hens’ 74-71 home victory over UNC Greensboro Thursday night. The fifteen assists were Slattery’s career high and the second most in Delaware history. Slattery followed up that performance with a ten-assist effort in the Hens’ 87-78 road defeat of Siena Saturday night.
Big contributors
Virginia Commonwealth senior forward Willie Taylor set a new ALLTEL Pavilion record Thursday night when he scored 38 points on ten-of-eighteen shooting in Virginia Commonwealth’s 90-85 home victory over Hampton. In Saturday’s 91-78 home win over TCU, Taylor added thirteen points for the Rams (5-3).
Senior forward Jon Larrangua scored a career-high 29 points on eleven-of-sixteen shooting in George Mason’s defeat of East Carolina.
Delaware junior guard Mike Ames scored a season-high 26 points, including nineteen in the second half, in the Hens’ (4-3) win over UNC Greensboro.
UNC Wilmington’s big two continued to propel the Seahawks (4-3). In their 71-60 home win over Texas-San Antonio Saturday night, senior guard Brett Blizzard scored 28 points and last week’s CAA player of the week, senior forward Craig Callahan, added nineteen points.
Helping William and Mary (2-4) pick up its second win of the season Sunday was junior forward Adam Hess, who scored 23 points on eight-of-fifteen shooting in the Tribe’s 73-66 defeat of visiting Morgan State.
Last week’s CAA rookie of the week, Towson’s freshman forward Lawrence Hamm, continued his hot streak as he scored nineteen points and pulled down a career-high nine rebounds in Towson’s loss to George Washington.
Suspended
UNC Wilmington junior forward Tim Burnette has been suspended indefinitely for violating university policy. Burnette had started five of six games and is currently the Seahawks’ third leading scorer, averaging 9.5 points per game.
San Juan Shootout
James Madison (4-5) did not fair well in the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico, losing two of three games. The Dukes fell to Denver 79-72 Friday, destroyed Puerto Rico Mayaguez 98-58 and lost a close contest Sunday to Northeastern by the score of 69-66.
Next Up
Friday December 27th
Delaware vs. Eastern Washington (at Wisconsin-Green Bay) at 6 p.m.
Saturday December 28th
Old Dominion at George Washington at 2 p.m.
Hofstra at St. Peter’s at 3 p.m.
George Mason at Pittsburgh at 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at Drexel at 4 p.m.
Delaware vs. UWGB or Oral Roberts (at Wisconsin-Green Bay) at 6 or 8 p.m.
