Each week, Hoop Ten Harbor’s staff ranks each team in the Atlantic 10 conference and creates an average power ranking. Here’s a look at this week’s power rankings, and the games that lie ahead for each team.
1. Dayton Flyers
The Dayton Flyers surpass George Washington as Hoop Ten Harbor’s number 1 team in the Atlantic 10 after the Colonials got blown out on the road by DePaul. Dayton got a sneaky 64-63 win over Miami (OH) this past week, moving the Flyers to 9-2 on the season. This week they’ll take on Arkansas at home on Wednesday and open up conference play with a road matchup against Duquesne on Saturday.
2. George Washington Colonials
The Colonials had one game this week, a road matchup against DePaul in which they got blown out, causing them to drop to number two in our rankings. This week will feature one last non-conference game for George Washington, a road matchup against UCF, and then a conference home-opener against Fordham.
3. St. Joseph’s Hawks
The Hawks climb up to number three this week after dominating Virginia Tech at the Barclays Center on Tuesday. Isaiah Miles put up 36 points en route to a 79-62 St. Joseph’s victory. Next up for the Hawks is a home matchup against Maryland-Eastern Shore, and a conference opening road game versus Richmond.
4. Davidson Wildcats
Davidson takes the number four spot this week after edging Morehead State in its only game last Wednesday. Jack Gibbs led the way for the Wildcats with 41 points, though he turned the ball over 10 times. This week, the Wildcats will have a very tough road game against California on Monday. They’ll open conference play at St. Bonaventure on Saturday.
5. Richmond Spiders
The Spiders come in at number five this week after beating Presbyterian 74-44 last Tuesday. The Spiders have been trending up recently, as they’ve now won their last four games. Richmond will have a very good test on Tuesday when it goes and plays Texas Tech on the road; then the Spiders will face St. Joseph’s at home for their conference opener.
6. Duquesne Dukes
The Dukes, off to the one of their best starts in a long time, slide in at the six spot this week. They did not have a game this past week, but they still sit at the top of the Atlantic 10 conference with an impressive 10-2 record. That record will certainly be tested this week though, because the Dukes will be playing Georgia Tech, a team that beat VCU, in Atlanta on Tuesday. They’ll open conference play on Saturday at home against Dayton.
7. Fordham Rams
The Rams lost their only game this week, a matchup with Boston College at the Barclays Center last Tuesday. Despite falling 64-55 to the Eagles, the Rams remain one of the better teams in the Atlantic 10 with a 9-2 record. Their next matchup will be a road game against George Washingon to open up A10 conference play on Sunday.
8. VCU Rams
The Rams come in at the 8 spot after winning two games this week. VCU took down Buffalo 90-69 last Tuesday, and it easily handled Liberty 85-57 on Sunday. The Rams will play an underrated North Florida team at home on Thursday before hosting George Mason in their A10 conference opener.
9. Rhode Island Rams
The third straight Rams team comes in at number 9 this week after losing a tough one on the road to Old Dominion. Rhody has lost some close matchups as of late but stands with a 7-5 record regardless. The Rams will look to turn things around this week when they take on Brown on the road on Wednesday and then Saint Louis at home on Saturday.
10. St. Bonaventure Bonnies
Despite losing to Siena on the road this week, the Bonnies come in at the number 10 spot with a 7-3 record overall. They had won four straight before getting edged by the Saints 73-70 last Tuesday. St. Bonaventure’s next matchup will be a home game against Niagara on Wednesday; then the Bonnies will open A10 conference play at home against Davidson.
11. Massachusetts Minutemen
The Minutemen drop to the 11 spot this week after getting blown out at home by Providence. The Minutemen didn’t stand a chance against Ben Bentil and the Friars, and they’ve now lost 4 of their last 5. They’ll certainly look to turn things around heading into conference play where they’ll travel to play La Salle on Sunday, but before that, they’ll get Long Island at home on Tuesday.
12. George Mason Patriots
George Mason moves to the 12 spot this week after it got a confidence boosting win over Wagner on Tuesday. The Patriots topped the Seahawks 71-60 during their last outing in the non-conference portion of their schedule. George Mason will open up conference play this week with a tough road matchup against VCU on Saturday.
13. Saint Louis Billikens
The Billikens have really been trending in the wrong direction as of late, as they have now lost 6 of their last 7. The latest team to walk into Chaifetz Arena and get a win was Southern Illinois who handled Saint Louis 65-52 on Monday. Now the Billikens will have a very difficult road game against Kansas State before they’ll open up conference play at Rhode Island.
14. La Salle Explorers
La Salle rounds out this weeks power rankings in the 14 spot. The Explorers have struggled immensely as they have now lost their last four matchups. This past week, they got blown out by Miami (FL) at home 95-49. They’ll look to rebound on the road this week when they take on Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday. Then they’ll open conference play with a home game against Massachusetts.
