Way back in the pre-Internet days, we used to prepare for big sporting events by reading the newspaper, within whose sports section often contained something called thumbnail sketches of the teams and people involved in said big events. 

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We were never really good at art, so we can’t explain the term thumbnail sketches, but if you are of a certain age, they did a good job of setting up what was to come.

And that is what we’ll try do here, in pixels instead of newsprint. With the CAA Tournament scheduled to tip off tomorrow afternoon, there’s no better time to try and provide a quick micro and macro look at the tournament and what could transpire over the subsequent four days. 

Hope you enjoy, and if you need to know what a newspaper was, consult your local library (we presume it still carries newspapers).

1.) Hofstra (14-4 CAA, 24-7 overall)

The Pride was picked first in the preseason poll — the 10th time in 19 seasons since the CAA expanded in 2001-02 that the preseason favorite has earned the top seed in the conference tournament. Hofstra took control of the league race by winning eight straight games from Jan. 25 through Feb. 22 and going 9-1 down the stretch.

Championship History: The Pride has never won the CAA title, though it has fallen in the title game in 2006 and 2016 to UNC Wilmington and last year to Northeastern. Hofstra has reached the NCAA Tournament four times, most recently in 2001, when it won the America East.

By The Numbers: The Dutchmen enter today ranked 119th at KenPom.com, where they are first in conference-only offensive efficiency (114.4) and third in conference-only defensive efficiency (103.5)

On The CAA Leaderboard: Senior Desure Buie ranked seventh in the CAA in scoring (18.5 ppg), first in assists (5.9 apg) and second in steals (2.1 spg). Senior Eli Pemberton was eighth in scoring (17.3 ppg). Sophomore Isaac Kante was sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg).

CAA Honor Roll: Buie was named to the all-CAA first team as well as the all-defensive team. Pemberton was named to the all-CAA second team while Kante was selected to the all-CAA third team.

2.) William & Mary (13-5 CAA, 21-10 overall)

The Tribe was picked seventh in the preseason poll. Its leap is the biggest since Towson was picked 10th prior to the 2013-14 season and finished second. William & Mary raced out to a 6-0 CAA start and was the final unbeaten team in league play before losing five of its next seven and then bouncing back to end the season with five straight wins.

Championship History: The Tribe, which fell in the CAA title game in 2008,  2010, 2014 and 2015, is one of four original Division I members to never reach the NCAA Tournament. Army-West Point and St. Francis (NY) have already been eliminated from their conference tournaments while The Citadel, which went 0-18 in Southern Conference, is scheduled to play its tournament opener today. 

By The Numbers: The Tribe enter today ranked 191st at KenPom.com, where they are fifth in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.5) and sixth in conference-only defensive efficiency (104.4)

On The CAA Leaderboard: Senior Nathan Knight ranked second in the CAA in rebounding (10.5 rpg) and fourth in scoring (20.6 ppg). Senior Andy Van Vliet was fourth in rebounding (8.6 rpg). Senior Bryce Barnes was tied for seventh in assists (3.5 apg).

CAA Honor Roll: Knight was named the Player of the Year as well as the defensive player of the year. Van Vliet was named to the all-CAA third team. Knight and Luke Loewe were selected to the all-defensive teams. Head coach Dane Fischer won Coach of the Year honors. 

3.) Towson (12-6 CAA, 19-12 overall)

The Tigers were picked sixth in the preseason poll. The Tigers lost their first three league games before going 12-3 the rest of the way, a stretch in which they had seven- and three-game winning streaks, the latter of which ended the regular season.

Championship History: Towson’s two NCAA Tournament appearances came in back-to-back seasons in 1990-91, when it earned the East Coast Conference’s final automatic bids. The Tigers, in their 19th season in the CAA, have never reached the conference title game.

By The Numbers: The Tigers enter today ranked 148th at KenPom.com, where they are second in conference-only offensive efficiency (109.5) and fourth in conference-only defensive efficiency (103.7).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Senior Brian Fobbs ranked ninth in the CAA in scoring (16.2 ppg). Senior Nakye Sanders finished eighth in rebounding (6.5 rpg)

CAA Honor Roll: Fobbs was named to the all-CAA second team. Sophomore Allen Betrand was selected to the all-CAA third team. Senior Dennis Tunstall was voted to the all-defensive team. Jason Gibson was elected to the all-rookie team.

4.) Charleston (11-7 CAA, 17-13 overall)

The Cougars were picked second in the preseason poll, though they received more first-place votes than Hofstra. Charleston opened CAA play 5-0 and was in first place with a 9-3 record on Feb. 8 before losing four straight. The Cougars ended the season with two straight wins, including a victory over Delaware that gave them a sweep of the season series and the tiebreaker for the fourth seed.

Championship History: The Cougars, who joined the CAA in 2013, are 1-1 in CAA title games won the title game in overtime over Northeastern in 2018 to reach the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time as a Division I member and the first time since 1999, when Charleston won the Southern Conference.

By The Numbers: The Cougars enter today ranked 159th at KenPom.com, where they are fourth in conference-only offensive efficiency (107.7) and second in conference-only defensive efficiency (102.5).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Senior Grant Riller finished second in the CAA in scoring (21.7 ppg), fourth in assists (3.9 apg) and tied for seventh in steals (1.5 spg). Senior Sam Miller ranked 10th in rebounding (6.0 rpg). Junior Brevin Galloway finished first in steals (2.3 spg).

CAA Honor Roll:  Riller was named to the all-CAA first team. Galloway was selected to the all-defensive team.

5.) Delaware (11-7 CAA, 21-10 overall)

The Blue Hens were picked fifth in the preseason poll. Delaware opened CAA play by going 2-4 and then won seven in a row before losing three of its final five games.

Championship History: The Blue Hens became the first America East import to win the CAA when they did so in 2014. It was the first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1998 for Delaware and the program’s fifth overall.

By The Numbers: The Blue Hens enter today ranked 183rd at KenPom.com, where they are third in conference-only offensive efficiency (108.1) and seventh in conference-only defensive efficiency (107.1).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Junior Nate Darling ranked third in the CAA in scoring (21.1 ppg) and was tied for 10th in assists (2.8 apg). Sophomore Justyn Mutts ranked fifth in rebounding (8.4 rpg). Junior Kevin Anderson was fifth in assists (3.8 apg).

CAA Honor Roll:  Darling was named to the all-CAA first team. Anderson was selected to the all-CAA third team. XX Nicolas Timberlake was named the CAA’s sixth man of the year.

6.) Northeastern (9-9 CAA, 15-15 overall)

The Huskies were picked third in the preseason poll. Northeastern, which opened CAA play with a three-game winning streak and later had two two-game winning streaks as well as a four-game losing streak, suffered eight of its league defeats by five points or fewer, making it the seventh-unluckiest team in the nation, per KenPom.com.

Championship History:  The defending CAA champion Huskies, who beat Hofstra in the 2019 title game, are 2-2 in CAA championship games, Northeastern beat William & Mary in 2015 and fell to James Madison in 2013 and Charleston in 2018. The Huskies have made the NCAA Tournament nine times.

By The Numbers:  The Huskies enter today ranked 143rd at KenPom.com, where they are tied for sixth in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.2) and first in conference-only defensive efficiency (99.1).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Senior Jordan Roland led the CAA in scoring (22.7 ppg) and was fifth in steals (1.7 spg). Senior Bolden Brace finished sixth in rebounding (6.6 rpg). Freshman Tyson Walker was tied for seventh in assists (3.5 apg) and was tied for third in steals with junior Maxime Boursiquot (1.8 spg)

CAA Honor Roll: Roland was named to the all-CAA first team. Walker was voted to the all-rookie team.

7.) Elon (7-11 CAA, 11-20 overall)

The Phoenix was picked last in the preseason poll. Elon opened CAA play with four straight losses and was 1-7 before going 6-4 the rest of the way, a stretch in which it had a three-game winning streak that included victories over Northeastern and Charleston.

Championship History:  Elon, which joined Division I in 1998-99, has never made the NCAA Tournament and hasn’t gotten out of the quarterfinals in five seasons in the CAA. The Phoenix made the Southern Conference title game in 2008 but fell to Davidson, which went on to reach the Elite Eight with Stephen Curry. 

By The Numbers:  The Phoenix enter today ranked 281st at KenPom.com, where they are tied for sixth in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.2) and last in conference-only defensive efficiency (112.1).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Senior Marcus Sheffield II ranked sixth in the CAA in scoring (18.6 ppg) and was tied for 10th in assists (2.8 apg). Freshman Hunter Woods finished ninth in rebounding (6.1 rpg). Freshman Hunter McIntosh was ninth in assists (3.1 apg).

CAA Honor Roll:  Sheffield was named to the all-CAA second team. McIntosh was voted the CAA rookie of the year and made the all-rookie team along with Woods.

8.) Drexel (6-12 CAA, 13-18 overall)

The Dragons were picked eighth in the preseason poll. Drexel started 5-2 in CAA play, a stretch it ended with an 84-57 win over previously unbeaten William & Mary, but went 1-10 the rest of the way and ended the regular season with seven straight losses, all by 11 points or fewer.

Championship History:  The Dragons have made four NCAA Tournament appearances but none since 1996, when a Malik Rose-led team finished off a three-peat in the North Atlantic Conference. Drexel lost in the CAA title game in 2003 and 2012.

By The Numbers:  The Dragons enter today ranked 239th at KenPom.com, where they are eighth in conference-only offensive efficiency (103.0) and eighth in conference-only defensive efficiency (107.7).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Sophomore Camren Wynter ranked 10th in the CAA in scoring (16.1 ppg), second in assists (5.3 spg) and sixth in steals (1.6 spg). Junior James Butler led the CAA in rebounding (11.6 rpg).

CAA Honor Roll:  Wynter was named to the all-CAA second team. Butler was selected to the all-CAA third team.

9.) UNC Wilmington (5-13 CAA, 10-21 overall)

The Seahawks were picked ninth in the preseason poll. An 11-game losing streak from Nov. 29 through Jan. 11, which ended with UNC Wilmington dropping its first six conference games, led to the firing of C.B. McGrath. Interim head coach Rob Burke directed the Seahawks to a 5-7 record and a sweep of Charleston as well as wins over William & Mary and Northeastern.

Championship History:  UNC Wilmington has made six NCAA Tournaments, most recently after winning back-to-back CAA titles in 2016-17. The six CAA titles are the most of any current member and tied for the most all-time with Old Dominion.

By The Numbers: The Seahawks enter today ranked 303rd at KenPom.com, where they are last in conference-only offensive efficiency (95.8) and fifth in conference-only defensive efficiency (104.4).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Freshman Shykeim Phillips was tied for seventh in the CAA in steals (1.5 spg).

CAA Honor Roll:  Phillips was named to the CAA all-rookie team.

10.) James Madison (2-16 CAA, 9-20 overall)

The Dukes were picked fourth in the preseason poll. The six-spot drop between preseason prediction and regular season finish is the largest since Elon was picked third and finished 10th (albeit via tiebreakers as part of a four-way logjam for seventh at 6-12) in 2017-18. James Madison, which swept UNC Wilmington and got swept by everyone else, is the first CAA team to win two league game or fewer since Delaware went 2-16 in 2015-16.

Championship History: James Madison won its third CAA title and made its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014. The Dukes, one of two CAA original members with William & Mary, won the first CAA championship in 1983.

By The Numbers: The Dukes enter today ranked 305th at KenPom.com, where they are ninth in both conference-only offensive efficiency (99.3) and conference-only defensive efficiency (111.5).

On The CAA Leaderboard: Junior Matt Lewis ranked fifth in the CAA in scoring (19.0 ppg) and sixth in assists (3.6 apg). Junior Dwight Wilson finished third in rebounding (9.4 rpg). Junior Deshon Parker was third in assists (4.0 apg). Junior Darius Banks was tied for seventh in steals (1.5 spg).

CAA Honor Roll:  Lewis was named to the all-CAA second team.