When Mike Schrage came to Elon in 2019, he brought a philosophy cultivated in tenures coaching alongside Chris Holtmann and Brad Stevens that each individual team should craft its own identity unique to the personalities, talents of and circumstances facing it. 

Years from now, no one will remember three of the four 2021 CAA Tournament quarterfinal games turned out as projected as fourth-seeded Hofstra and second-seeded Northeastern beat Delaware and William & Mary while sixth-seeded Drexel, favored by the computer models, beat third-seeded Charleston.

Several conference tournaments turned into chaotic free-for-alls Saturday — the equivalent of a road race being overtaken by the casual runners who sprint at the sound of the shooter’s gun and run as hard as they can for as long as they can.

Zach Spiker, a veteran of 12 Senior Days as a head coach at two different stops, figured there’d still be some of the familiar trappings in a most unfamiliar season. Maybe he’d commission paintings of seniors, as he did during his seven years as Army’s head coach. Maybe he’d oversee the framing of their uniforms.

Basketball is for the kids. 

No Grant Riller, who graduated last spring.