By Alex Faust, News Staff

This Friday marks the sixth year of Northeastern’s trip to Richmond for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) men’s basketball tournament. A lot has changed since the Huskies’ first trip to the Richmond Coliseum, both on and off the court.

In 2006, there the team had was a honeymoon of sorts, as the Huskies reached the semifinal round with with Jose Juan Barea, Shawn James, and the rest of Ron Everhart’s squad. NU achieved more than what many would expected out of their first trip south for the tournament.

As the years went by, reality set in that winning in Richmond takes a lot more than just a talented lineup. Even last year’s much-vaunted senior class proved that with all of the chances in the world (six open shots under the basket in the closing minute), reaching the title game is extremely difficult. The Coliseum has proven to be yet another frustrating hurdle for Northeastern, and the fans who have grown wary of coming up short in crucial moments.

What makes this year’s trip intriguing is the low baseline for our expectations. The Huskies’ mediocre season has led to a simple goal:  Just win one game.

To be eliminated on Friday would validate how far the program has fallen in just one year. The team that was a few bounces away from a trip to the championship game last year – eliminated on a sleepy, empty Friday in Richmond? It’s not unthinkable, but it would be embarrassing, akin to how quickly UNC-Wilmington fell off the map after 2007 – though one can only hope if the Huskies are eliminated early, they don’t suffer the same long-term mediocrity the Seahawks have endured.

I’m approaching the tournament with an open mind. Anything past the opening round is a bonus. For a team that’s played some excruciatingly low-quality basketball this season (including blowing some late leads), one can take comfort in the glimpses displayed. Among the gloom, there have been flashes of brilliance – a 91-point performance against VCU, a comeback for the ages at UNC-Asheville (and for that matter, against Texas State), and little bits and pieces along the way that get you thinking, “If they could do that for a full 40 minutes…”

Well, the Huskies have one final chance. This year, there are no post-season tournaments to fall back on. No at-large bids are up for grabs. It’s simple: win, and move on. Lose, and go home.

We already have five years worth of memories (some good, some bad) from past trips to Richmond. It’s time for this year’s team to create some of their own.