Sports Briefs

Carter leads Seahawks to conference title

T.J. Carter scored 12 of his team-high 23 points in the final three minutes as top-seeded UNC Wilmington held off a late rally by third-seeded Hofstra for a 78-67 win to claim the CAA Championship Monday night at the Richmond Coliseum.

CAA Third Team selection Carter also had a game-high 13 rebounds, earning the tournament’s most outstanding player award. Todd Hendley contributed 15 points, Mitch Laue added 12 and Beckham Wyrick registered 10 of his 12 points in the first half to propel the Seahawks to 38-26 lead at the break. John Goldsberry finished with 10 assists and nine points

The Pride, which trailed by as many as 20 on two occasions was led by CAA First Team selection Loren Stokes with a game-high 26 points. Carlos Rivera added 16 points, and Antoine Agudio, who scored 34 against VCU in the quarterfinals, contributed 13 in the championship.

Wyrick, Goldsberry, Stokes and Rivera were all-tournament selections along with Northeastern’s Shawn James.

The crown is the Seahawks’ fourth title in the past seven years, and they earn the CAA’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.

George Mason is likely to earn an at-large bid based on an RPI in the top 30, and the Pride is on the bubble to gain entrance into the big dance. The Rams are on the bubble for a possible NIT spot.

Women’s tennis enters top 20

VCU’s Women’s Tennis Team is ranked No. 18 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Poll released March 8, jumping seven spots.

This is the highest ranking the Rams, who are 15-0, have held since February 2004, when the Rams earned the No. 14 spot. The Rams began the season as the 49th-ranked squad.

VCU will put its perfect mark on the line on March 14, taking on Southeast Louisiana on the first day of the Blue-Gray Classic in Mobile, Ala.