We the American people were stripped of an annual spectacle earlier this year when NCAA March Madness was canceled. On the bright side, college basketball makes its triumphant(ish) return this week. While Dayton Flyers fans are likely to find much solace after they were robbed of a chance at a title with NBA lottery pick Obi Toppin, the rest of the A10 Conference is bound to be looking forward to stepping back on the hardwood. A great way to gauge who’s who early on in the season is to examine the Atlantic 10 Conference odds.
For sports bettors who are weary of betting game lines due to the ever-present threat that is the China Virus, futures betting presents an intriguing option in the early stages of the college basketball season. We are a long way away from March, but getting a feel for each of the A10 teams early on in the season can be helpful in placing bets that have a shot at cashing down the road. Read on for a full snapshot of the preseason odds to win the Atlantic 10 Conference.
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Preseason Atlantic 10 Basketball Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Bovada Sportsbook
Atlantic 10 Basketball Preseason Betting Odds Reactions
The preseason A10 conference odds seem to suggest a three-horse race for supremacy this season. Saint Louis, Richmond, and Dayton are the only teams with odds shorter than 10-1 in the conference. All three are separated by just 20 cents. Will the chalk hold throughout the season and come March at the A10 tournament in Brooklyn? Can a preseason long-shot insert themselves into the conversation through their play on the court? Here are three takeaways for bettors to note.
Saint Louis Gets the Nod as Preseason Favorite
Head coach Travis Ford has done a phenomenal job turning around a Saint Louis (+250) program that was floundering just three years ago. The Billikens have seen improvement each year under Ford. They were a surprise March Madness participant in 2018-19 when they won the A10 Tournament to secure the automatic bid. Last year, the Billikens finished fourth in the regular season standings.
Saint Louis welcomes back plenty of experience. Senior guards Jordan Goodwin and Javontae Perkins anchor the backcourt while senior big man Hasahn French is simply a beast of a human being. At 6’7″ and 240 pounds, good luck out-muscling him in the paint. The Billikens talent is undeniable, but it’s not easy living up to the expectations of being a favorite in the unpredictable Atlantic 10 Conference odds.
Dayton and Richmond Worthy Challengers
It should come as no surprise that Dayton (+270) and Richmond (+255) also have short Atlantic 10 Conference odds given that they finished one-two in the conference standings a year ago. Both teams return plenty of talent and figure to be mainstays atop the league once again in 2020-21.
The Flyers are coming off a season in which they had National Championship hopes before the March Madness cancellation. Obi Toppin is gone, but senior guard Jalen Crutcher is back to lead Anthony Grant’s team. While a dropoff from last year has to be expected, Dayton’s starting lineup will feature all upperclassmen. Redshirt freshman forward Zimife Nwokeji could be trouble for opponents off the bench as well.
The Spiders are led by senior guard Jacob Gilyard who figures to battle with Crutcher for A10 Player of the Year honors. Perhaps most importantly for Richmond is the fact that they didn’t lose any key players from what was already a great team last year. The starting lineup is composed of entirely seniors, four of which averaged double figures scoring last season. Chris Mooney’s squad is worth a look for those betting the Atlantic 10 Conference odds.
Potential Value on St. Bonaventure
Unlike the A10 preseason betting favorites, St. Bonaventure (+1000) doesn’t have a single senior in their starting lineup. That doesn’t make Mark Schmidt’s squad a pushover though as he brings back four players who averaged double-digit points a season ago. Junior guard Kyle Lofton is the headliner. The Bonnies have finished in the top-5 in the conference standings each of the past two seasons. They’ll look to take the next step this season and perhaps offer some betting value to win the A10 Conference at 10-1 odds.
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