ODU women: CAA Power Poll 8.0

1. Delaware (18-1, 9-0, RPI is No. 6) – It’s going to be pretty fun to see what the Blue Hens are seeded in the NCAA Tournament isn’t it? The RPI says Delaware should be a No. 2 seed, but it’s hard to imagine the big schools letting that happen. The most recent Bracketology has the Blue Hens as a No. 4, which seems fair to me. Previously 1.

2. James Madison (15-5, 6-3, RPI is No. 30) – The NCAA Tournament Committee ought to mark down the seven-point loss to Delaware as a quality loss. The Dukes played with the Blue Hens most of the game and became the only CAA team to stay within double-digits of JMU. The most recent Bracketology on ESPN has the Dukes as a No. 10 seed playing at Norfolk. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants? Would the Norfolk crowd support the Dukes? Previously 2.

3. Hofstra (15-5, 7-2, RPI is No. 41) – The Pride are probably on the outside of the NCAA Tournament looking in right now, but with a strong finish and a trip to the CAA championship, a bid is a reasonable possibility. Splitting with Drexel and Delaware this week isn’t bad. The latest Bracketology has the Pride as a No. 10 seed. Previously 3.

4. Drexel (10-9, 6-3, RPI is No. 65) – The loss to Hofstra puts the Dragons on the outside of the big three, but they’re a dangerous team because of their deliberate pace. If we’re talking tennis, here ends the big four. Unfortunately for Drexel, they get to be Andy Murray. Previously 4.

5. UNC-Wilmington (13-7, 6-3, RPI is No. 79) – Cynthia Cooper-Dyke has done one of the CAA’s best coaching jobs for the second season year in a row. Last year, the Seahawks made a huge jump with her in charge. This season, UNCW has made significant in-season improvement. She’s controversial, she’s loud, but she’s good. Previously 5.

6. VCU – (12-8, 5-4, RPI is No. 109 ) – The Rams have made great strides in the last few years, but what happens when Courtney Hurt and Andrea Barbour depart next year? The role players haven’t shown much. Previously 7.

7. George Mason (10-10, 4-5, RPI is No. 180) – The Patriots start the area where the teams really become a jumbled mess. The wins over VCU and William & Mary elevate them, and they stay ahead of ODU because they barely lost on the road and won big over ODU at home. Previously 6.

8. Towson (12-8, 3-6, RPI is No. 51) – The Tigers are 2-6 in their last eight games. Sure, they beat James Madison, but that was early in the season, when the Dukes were a different team. Previously 8.

9.  Old Dominion (7-14, 4-5, RPI is No. 230) – Take away that putrid showing against North Carolina-Wilmington and ODU really does seem to be getting better. The William & Mary crowd carried the Tribe over ODU, just as ODU’s crowd lifted it over George Mason. Play the game somewhere else, and the results are probably different. Previously 10.

10. William & Mary (9-11, 2-7, RPI is No. 169) – The Tribe’s win over ODU came at home, in front of a crowd that gave them good energy, and they followed it up with a loss at Northeastern. The Lady Monarchs would have loved a return visit, I’m sure. The 9-10 choice was the toughest I had to make. Previously 9.

11. Northeastern (4-16, 2-7, RPI is No. 204) -- Basketball is played indoors right? And the courts are the same size and all that? Because nobody seems to be having an easy time in Boston and William & Mary, perhaps suffering an ODU hangover, became the latest victim. Previously 11.

12. Georgia State (6-14, 0-9, RPI is No. 206) – The five-point road loss to VCU on Sunday might be the high point of the Panthers’ CAA season. Previously 12.

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