College basketball is back baby! Whether you watch for the court stormings, the legendary commentary of Bill Walton, or to have an edge over your March Madness office bracket pool competitors, no one can deny the magic of the sport. Most of the 14 schools in the Atlantic 10 Conference will be playing their first games of the year as part of the Thanksgiving Feast Week return. There are plenty of formidable teams in what is always one of the most competitive leagues in all of college basketball.
This article offers a preseason outlook and predictions to help get you set for the 2020-21 Atlantic 10 basketball season.
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Atlantic 10 Basketball Standings Predictions
- Richmond Spiders
- Saint Louis Billikens
- Dayton Flyers
- St. Bonaventure Bonnies
- VCU Rams
- Duquesne Dukes
- Davidson Wildcats
- Rhode Island Rams
- UMass Minutemen
- George Mason Patriots
- George Washington Colonials
- La Salle Explorers
- Saint Joseph’s Hawks
- Fordham Rams
Atlantic 10 Basketball Preview | The Favorites
The A10 has gained a reputation for being one of the most unpredictable conferences in all of college basketball. Even in past seasons where one or two teams have asserted dominance throughout the regular season, long-shots have managed to run the table in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament and steal a March Madness bid. Nonetheless, there are a handful of teams who appear to be the cream of the crop ahead of the 2020-21 season.
Richmond Spiders
Head coach Chris Mooney returns all of the key contributors from a team that went 14-4 in A10 Conference play a season ago. Senior guard Jacob Gilyard headlines a lineup that brings as much or more experience to the table as it does pure talent. The Spiders were well on their way to March success last season prior to the pandemic and figure to be at or near the top of the A10 standings again this season.
Saint Louis Billikens
This season will be all about taking the next step for Travis Ford’s Saint Louis team. A year after stealing a ticket to the NCAA tournament by virtue of winning the conference tourney, the Billikens were back among the back in the standings last year. The backcourt duo of Jordan Goodwin and Javontae Perkins is as dangerous as any in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season.
Dayton Flyers
Obi Toppin is gone, but Anthony Grant’s team returns plenty of talent, headlined by Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year contender Jalen Crutcher. While the ceiling is no longer a National Championship, a conference title is still very much within reach for the Flyers.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
St. Bonaventure lacks the senior experience that the other three A10 favorites have but still brings plenty of talent to the table. Junior guard Kyle Lofton is the leader of a projected starting lineup that saw four players score in double figures last season. Mark Schmidt’s team will remain in the mix amongst the conference’s best.
Atlantic 10 Basketball Preview | The Middle
This second tier is home to teams who could see their 2020-21 seasons go in any number of directions. While they have the potential to contend with the Atlantic 10 Conference favorites, significant question marks leave them a step behind entering the year.
VCU Rams
VCU’s ninth-place finish in the conference standings last season really wasn’t indicative of the team’s potential at full health. Plenty of young talent remains, but the Rams must overcome several key departures.
Duquesne Dukes
Duquesne has long been a staple of the bottom of the Atlantic 10 Conference and will look to build off of last year’s fifth-place finish. Keith Dambrot is an excellent coach, while forward Marcus Weathers and guard Sincere Carry are capable of giving any opponent problems.
Davidson Wildcats
Kellan Grady is the star of the show for Davidson. He may need to out-do his averages of 17.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists from a season ago given the youth around him.
Rhode Island Rams
Senior guard Fatts Russell is a real candidate to win A10 Player of the Year. Unfortunately, the Rams don’t have a lot else in terms of certainties. An emergence from Maryland transfers Makhi and Mahkel Mitchell would provide a huge boost.
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Atlantic 10 Basketball Preview | The Longshots
Could one of these teams come out of nowhere and take the Atlantic 10 Conference by storm? Possibly. Is it likely? Not at all. Longshots indeed.
UMass Minutemen
Sophomore forward Tre Mitchell is one to watch, but UMass doesn’t have a lot around him. Redshirt freshman T.J. Weeks will lead the backcourt.
George Mason Patriots
There is potential for a bounceback here. Guards Javon Greene and Jordan Miller both averaged north of 12 points and 5 rebounds last season. Sophomore forward Josh Oduro is teeming with potential.
George Washington Colonials
2019-20 was wrought with roster turnover for George Washington as several players departed the program both during and after the season. Jamion Christian has the rebuild going, but it’s not finished yet.
Atlantic 10 Basketball Preview | The Bottom of the Barrel
To put it simply, don’t get your hopes up for any of these teams to make much noise this season.
La Salle Explorers
La Salle struggled to score last season with defense being the driving force behind the handful of A10 wins they did manage to pick up. Ashley Howard’s team is young and still a year away.
Saint Joseph’s Hawks
St. Joe’s had very little in the way of 3-point shooting last season and that’s unlikely to change in 2020-21. Ryan Daly, who averaged over 20 points per game last year, is the lone bright spot.
Fordham Rams
Fordham doesn’t stack up well in the Atlantic 10 Conference on talent alone. Injuries struck the team in a big way last year as well making their efforts all the more futile. Stingy team defense is the Rams’ best weapon to try and be competitive.
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