CAA Basketball Roundup: Charleston, UNCW Break 100 Points as Elon Takes Down Columbia

The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) men’s basketball season got off to an exciting start Monday, November 2, with several conference programs opening their campaigns with impressive performances.

Charleston and UNC Wilmington both eclipsed the 100-point mark in season-opening victories, while Hofstra and Stony Brook each put up 97 points. Elon also made a statement on the road, defeating Columbia 84-71 inside Levien Gymnasium.

With additional nonconference challenges against ACC opponents scheduled for Tuesday, the opening week is already providing plenty of storylines for CAA basketball.

Elon Takes Over New York With Victory at Columbia

Elon traveled to New York City and delivered an impressive 84-71 wire-to-wire victory over Columbia on Monday.

Joshua Dalton led the Phoenix with a career-high 21 points and eight rebounds, while Hunter Harding made an impressive debut for Elon.

Harding nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with a career-best 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists without committing a turnover.

Elon was efficient offensively throughout the contest, shooting 55.0% from the field (33-of-60), 58.3% from three-point range (7-of-12) and 91.7% from the free-throw line (11-of-12).

The victory also continued a positive trend for head coach Billy Taylor, as Elon improved to 4-1 in season openers under his leadership.

CAA Teams Make Statements on Opening Night

Several CAA programs delivered strong offensive performances to begin the season.

Charleston scored 111 points in a dominant victory over Southern Wesleyan, while UNC Wilmington defeated Mount Olive 101-65.

Hofstra opened its campaign with a 97-51 victory over St. Joseph’s Long Island. Stony Brook also reached 97 points, defeating SUNY Old Westbury 97-47.

William & Mary picked up an 80-66 victory over Bridgewater, adding another double-digit win to the conference’s opening-night results.

Hampton and Drexel Prepare for ACC Challenges

The CAA’s nonconference schedule continues Tuesday with two programs taking on ACC competition.

Hampton at Georgia Tech

Hampton travels to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.

The matchup is part of the ACC’s “Two Traditions. One Court.” initiative, which aims to celebrate the histories, communities and people connecting ACC and HBCU basketball.

Tuesday’s game will mark the first meeting between Hampton and Georgia Tech.

The Pirates will also be looking to secure their first victory over an ACC opponent since defeating North Carolina 77-69 on November 16, 2001.

Drexel at No. 9/10 Virginia

Drexel faces another major challenge Tuesday when it travels to Charlottesville to take on No. 9/10 Virginia at 7:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.

The Dragons and Cavaliers will meet for the first time since 2011. It will be only the third all-time meeting between the programs, with Drexel still searching for its first victory in the series.

Drexel enters the season following its sixth consecutive winning campaign under head coach Zach Spiker.

North Carolina A&T Opens Its Season

North Carolina A&T will also begin its season Tuesday, hosting Warren Wilson at 7 p.m. ET on FloCollege.

The matchup will be the first meeting in program history between the Aggies and Owls.

CAA Men’s Basketball: November 2 Results

Upcoming CAA Men’s Basketball Schedule

Tuesday, November 3

• Hampton at Georgia Tech — 7 p.m. ET (ACCNX)
• Warren Wilson at North Carolina A&T — 7 p.m. ET (FloCollege)
• Drexel at No. 9/10 Virginia — 7:30 p.m. ET (ACCNX)

Thursday, November 5

• Hofstra at Princeton — 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Towson at Utah — 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

As the nonconference schedule continues, the CAA will have opportunities to build momentum, test itself against nationally recognized competition and establish its identity for the 2026-27 campaign.