College basketball: VCU hoping payoff for CBI crown comes in 2010-11
ARLINGTON - The hope for teams in pay-to-play postseason tournaments is they experience extended success and use it as a springboard for the next season.
That's the benefit Old Dominion reaped last year - and the one Virginia Commonwealth would like to collect this year.
The Rams have four starters - including preseason all-Colonial Athletic Association first-team guard Joey Rodriguez - and three other experienced players back from last year's team, which went 27-9 and followed a disappointing conference season by winning the College Basketball Invitational championship.
They are picked to finish third in the CAA, although the thinking at yesterday's media gathering is the race should be a tossup among the top four picks: Old Dominion, George Mason, VCU and James Madison, all of whom return talent and experience.
"I think this year is very similar to 2006," said George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, referring to the season Mason went to the Final Four, UNC Wilmington played in the NCAA tournament, and Old Dominion and Hofstra were in the NIT.
"The veteran teams at the top of the preseason poll, if they stay healthy and play up to their ability, every one could be in consideration for an NCAA at-large bid."
ODU won the CollegeInsider.com tournament in 2009. Monarchs coach Blaine Taylor pointed to that as "a launching pad" for a club that went 27-9 last year, won the CAA regular-season and tournament titles, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
