This weekly series takes us to a conference where most of the members are located in the Mid-South region of the country with a couple of exceptions. The Colonial Athletic Conference has had a resurgent year, with four teams with 20 wins on the season. The conference also gave a good accounting of itself last weekend, with a 5-2 record in the Bracket Buster games. As the regular season concludes this weekend, all the teams prepare themselves for a trip to Richmond for the conference tournament which starts March 3.

The Colonial has been mostly a one team NCAA Tournament league since the decade began. Only in 2000 has the conference had more then one team make the field. Generally the teams in the league give a descent accounting, only to fall late in the first round games. The exception was 2002, when UNC-Wilmington upset USC 93-89 in overtime. In most conferences, winning on the road is extremely difficult to do. Not so in the Colonial particularly against the spread. The top six teams are 27-23 on the road, with a 27-22-1 ATS record. What is noteworthy, the bottom six teams in the conference are a combined 9-39, yet amazingly are 25-23-1 ATS.

Colonial Athletic Standings for the 2005-06 Season   All ATS Scoring Home/Away Team W L PCT W L P PCT PF PA Home Away HOFSTRA 21 5 0.808 14 8 1 63.6% 74.5 67.6 12-0 9-5 GEORGE MASON 21 6 0.778 15 7 1 68.2% 69.5 58.6 12-1 9-5 UNC-WILMINGTON 21 7 0.750 18 8 0 69.2% 67.2 59.1 11-1 10-6 OLD DOMINION 20 8 0.714 12 14 0 46.2% 71.2 64.3 13-1 7-7 VA COMMONWEALTH 17 9 0.654 9 15 0 37.5% 67.7 62.3 12-2 5-7 NORTHEASTERN 16 10 0.615 13 8 2 61.9% 75.8 71.1 10-2 6-8 DREXEL 15 14 0.517 11 15 1 42.3% 62.5 59.6 11-2 4-12 TOWSON ST 12 14 0.462 12 8 0 60.0% 69.9 74.7 7-5 5-9 WM & MARY 8 18 0.308 8 12 0 40.0% 65.3 69.4 5-7 3-11 DELAWARE 8 19 0.296 12 12 0 50.0% 67.5 71.8 5-7 3-12 GEORGIA ST 6 20 0.231 9 15 0 37.5% 65.5 72.1 3-9 3-11 JAMES MADISON 5 21 0.192 10 13 0 43.5% 64.6 77.2 3-11 2-10

George Mason put the college basketball world on notice by defeating Wichita State on their home court from the much heralded Missouri Valley Conference. Tony Skinn made a 3-point shot with 10.8 seconds left as the Patriots held off a late Wichita State rally and beat the Shockers 70-67. George Mason has lost only twice in 2006 and are one of the best mid-majors in the land. They will visit the league’s worst team James Madison. The Dukes have had another abysmal year, winning twice in the Colonial. At home JMU is 3-11 with a 5-8 ATS record. George Mason is 8-5 on the road with an 8-4-1 ATS mark. The Patriots can and will name the score to close out the regular season.

Drexel’s season started with such promise despite losing more then half their points to graduation. Giving Duke all in could handle in late November before succumbing by 10 points and losing the following night to UCLA by a point. Bruiser Flint’s team gave hope to the Philadelphia faithful. The youth became too much to overcome, as the Dragons have lost six of last seven conference games. Drexel travels to Hofstra with a 4-8 SU record and respectable 5-4-1 ATS record. The Pride (not nearly as good as old nickname, Flying Dutchmen) is led by sophomore guard Antoine Agudio who is 3rd in scoring and 2nd in three point shots made. Hofstra is 2nd in conference in scoring and unbeaten at home with superb 8-2 ATS record. Hofsta’s state of mind will be major factor after big win against George Mason game.

UNC-Wilmington can still grab a share of the Colonial title as they host Georgia State. The Seahawks became just the second team in school history to record 20 or more victories in the regular season thanks to a win over Hofstra last week. The Seahawks are winning by 13.3 PPG at home and are 9-1, with a 6-4 ATS mark at Trask Coliseum. Georgia State is second in three point field goal percentage at 35.5; however UNC- Wilmington guards the arc like hawks. Opponents make just 27% from beyond the arc, best in the CAA. Georgia State has the second largest enrollment in the conference; unfortunately it appears not many are basketball players. The Panthers have yet to win in the underdog role, losing by 15.2 PPG in compiling 4-6 ATS record. Georgia State will have a shot to cover a number posted by WagerWeb.com; still other games hold better opportunities.

Old Dominion’s center Alex Loughton closed out his home career in style at Norfolk, with 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Monarchs defeated Marist 84-71 on last Saturday. He led ODU to a 13-1 home campaign and will try to even up the team’s record on the road at Delaware. The Blue Hens are in 8th place in the Colonial Conference, with a 2-6 month of February in which they have yet to shoot over 46%. At home Delaware is 5-7 with a 5-5 ATS record that included a 5-point loss to George Mason while shooting 34% and being out-rebounded by 9. Locals are still wondering how they stayed so close. The Monarchs have built up some nice momentum and could by a play at less then nine points.

William & Mary will close out the home season hosting Virginia Commonwealth. The only real bright spot for The Tribe was guard Nathan Mann who is ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.2%. Otherwise, not much good for William & Mary with 0-5 SU and ATS record, losing by better then 14 points a game. VCU has been mildly disappointing, after figured by most to be a title contender. All-CAA performer forward Nick George contributed all he could, ranking 4th in scoring 10th in field goal percentage. Statistically the Rams did a number of things right, nonetheless their frantic style led to dead spots, letting opponents back into games. This explains why Virginia Commonwealth is 9-15 ATS. This should be a blow-out; still you have to question VCU’s intensity after game with Wilmington and could be a Play Against road favorite at the right number.

Northeastern is the top scoring team in the Colonial at better then 75 PPG. One problem, the Huskies have to play on the road, where the scoring dips to a smidge over 70 points game. The opposition outscores Northeastern by better then five points a game when on the home hardwood, thus accounting for the Huskies doggy 5-8 and 5-7 ATS records. Towson was not the usual doormat, putting up double digit wins on the season. Coach Pat Kennedy brought in JC transfers, brightening the club’s season. The Tigers will finish above .500 at home for the first time in years. Towson should be a point or two home dog, which is good news, with the Tigers 4-1 ATS in the role and winning just as often.