What Is 2014 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Overview

The 2014 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament was the annual postseason event for the Colonial Athletic Association, determining which team would receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Held from March 7 to March 10, 2014, it featured the top eight teams in the CAA based on regular-season performance.

The tournament culminated in a dramatic overtime victory by William & Mary over Northeastern, marking a historic moment for the program. This win secured the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in men's basketball, ending a long postseason drought.

• William & Mary won the championship with an 80–79 overtime victory over Northeastern on March 10, 2014.
• The tournament was held at the Richmond Coliseum, a venue that hosted the event multiple times between 2008 and 2014.
• Eight teams qualified for the tournament, seeded by their regular-season conference records.
• David Cohn of William & Mary was named Tournament MVP after averaging 16.8 points and 5.2 assists per game.
• The championship game drew a crowd of 8,240 fans, one of the highest attendances in recent CAA Tournament history.

How It Works

The CAA Men's Basketball Tournament follows a single-elimination format, with seeding based on regular-season conference standings. Teams compete over four days, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

• Format: The tournament uses a single-elimination bracket with eight teams, all of which qualify based on conference win-loss records.
• Seeding: Teams are seeded 1 through 8, with the top two seeds receiving byes into the semifinals starting in 2014.
• Location: The event was held at the Richmond Coliseum from 2008 to 2014 before moving to other cities.
• Game Structure: All games are played in 40-minute regulation, with overtime periods used if necessary to determine a winner.
• NCAA Bid: The tournament champion receives the CAA’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
• History: The CAA Tournament began in 1980, with the 2014 edition being the 34th iteration of the event.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 2014 CAA Tournament with the previous two editions in terms of key metrics and outcomes:

The 2014 tournament stood out due to the narrow margin of victory and the historic nature of William & Mary’s win. Unlike previous champions such as VCU and James Madison, William & Mary had never advanced to the NCAA Tournament before, making their 2014 victory particularly significant. The close final score reflected the competitive balance in the CAA during this era, with most championship games decided by single digits.

Why It Matters

The 2014 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament had lasting implications for the conference and its member institutions, particularly in terms of national exposure and program development. The outcome reshaped perceptions of mid-major basketball and demonstrated the unpredictability of postseason play.

• William & Mary’s breakthrough ended a 28-year NCAA Tournament drought, marking the first time the school qualified in men’s basketball.
• The tournament highlighted parity in the CAA, as lower-seeded teams like Northeastern reached the final despite not being regular-season favorites.
• Television coverage on ESPN2 brought increased visibility to the conference and its athletes during the championship weekend.
• The close overtime final underscored the importance of depth and resilience in postseason basketball.
• Success in 2014 boosted recruiting for William & Mary, helping attract higher-rated prospects in subsequent years.
• The tournament was one of the last held in Richmond before the CAA moved the event to North Charleston, SC in 2015.

Overall, the 2014 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament remains a landmark event in conference history, symbolizing both competitive excitement and program-changing achievement.