By Matt Doyon and Alonna Artis
VCU InSight
WASHINGTON, D.C. — At the Colonial Athletic Association’s recent Media Day in the nation’s capitol, the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball team was projected to finish in third place.
Sports information directors and media professionals from around the CAA voted the Rams to finish behind Old Dominion and Northeastern in their annual gathering Oct. 20.
VCU won the conference regular-season crown the past three seasons, all under the former head coach Anthony Grant. Shaka Smart replaces the departed Grant. At 32 years old, Smart is the youngest coach in the CAA.
Smart says age isn’t an important factor.
“I don’t really look at it like that. I’ve had great preparation with the coaches that I’ve been around and I’m here,” Smart said.
One of the toughest tasks for Smart is to replace the back-to-back conference player of the year, Eric Maynor. Maynor set records in scoring and assists during his four years at point guard. Minutes will be divided at that position this season.
“Right now we have three guys that are getting most of our reps at the point: Joey Rodriguez, Isaiah Grayson and Darius Theus. Jay Gavin also occasionally gets in there because he’s very good with the ball, but there’s no question that’s our least experienced spot.”
Junior Larry Sanders is expected to pick up some of the slack. He lead the CAA in blocks last season and is on the all-conference first team.
Sanders is respected by many around the CAA.
“Larry Sanders is one of the most gifted athletes to ever play in the league,” said George Mason head coach Jim Larranaga. “He’s tall, he’s long, he’s athletic. He can alter the game with his shot-blocking ability, his rebounding ability.”
Hofstra’s Charles Jenkins and Old Dominion’s Gerald Lee are the co-players of the preseason.
VCU is picked to finish lower than first for the for time since 2006 — the last time the Rams changed head coaches — when they were projected sixth. Howver, they won the CAA regular season and tournamnet titles.
