Miscellaneous CAA

While I still have to finish my CAA Preview, I wanted to let you know a few miscellaneous CAA things going on.

Hofstra Men's Basketball Coach Tom Pecora was on the Mike Francesa Show on WFAN here in New York yesterday. Listen to the interview here. Pecora talked about how they got to play Kansas this Friday night (hint - Pecora has an old friend working at Kansas). This was also noted in the Pecora interview - While it's not on the official schedule, Hofstra will play two more games in the Preseason NIT on November 23, 24. Teams and location to be announced. Hofstra is already playing in the "UConn Pod" of the Preseason NIT next Monday and Tuesday, November 16, 17. If they beat Yale on November 16, they will play UConn on November 17.

When Francesa commented about Charles Jenkins, the 2008-09 Haggerty Award winner for best player in the NYC area taking Hofstra to the "promised land" this season, Pecora made an excellent comment about that. He noted that they have won 20 plus games four of the last five years and made the NIT's three of those four years. He then went on to say that it is so difficult to get into the NCAA and NIT, noting that only NINE mid major teams total went to both the NCAA and NIT last season. Wow, I didn't realize it was THAT low.

One other thing I noticed about the interview with Pecora was the tail end. Francesa said, "Maybe we'll get you on again before the St John's game". Now Hofstra plays St John's in the Holiday Tournament at MSG on December 20. That's more than one month after the game this Friday night. During this time, Hofstra very well could be playing nationally ranked UConn next Tuesday night. How come Francesa won't interview him before that game potentially, or better yet, why over a month before interviewing him again period? Hofstra has the best player in New York with Charles Jenkins returning, but yet can't get consistent media coverage on WFAN, the largest sports radio station in the tri state area. This is why decent mid major teams can't get the publicity they need.

Ok enough with the soapbox. on to more CAA stuff. Michael Litos has some tidbits, including Hofstra possibly not having two players available Friday night against Kansas (how did I miss that..I know why, been too busy with Microsoft Outlook installs at work!). Hofstra is not the only CAA team playing a nationally ranked team Friday night. William and Mary plays #14 UConn around the same time on ESPN 360.

Also one last note, but not CAA related. #10 Butler hosts Davidson in a rematch of their Bracketbuster game from last season Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. Sadly this game would have had more publicity had Stephen Curry stayed in school. However, it should still be a fun game.

Hope to finish my CAA preview tonight. Well I have to, because I will be leaving for Kansas early tomorrow morning. :-)