A10 Talk’s weekly power rankings is a subjective list that ranks every Atlantic 10 team based on how good they are overall. This is not a direct reflection of conference standings or NCAA Tournament potential. Be sure to check out last week’s power rankings post. Here are this week’s power rankings.
1. Dayton Flyers, Previously #1
Dayton stays at the top after a gritty overtime win at Davidson. The Flyers may have gotten jumped if VCU pulled one out on the road over Rhode Island, but that didn’t happen. Dayton will have the advantage this week when VCU comes into UD Arena for an enormous showdown, and the winner of the game should be in the top spot at the end of the season. Dayton’s got the best chance as of right now.
2. VCU Rams, Previously #2
VCU had a very tough shooting day in Kingston, and Rhode Island got a much-needed win to keep tourney hopes alive. If VCU wants to win the league, it’s only option is beating Dayton at this point. If the Rams don’t, the Flyers are going to be the A-10 regular season champions. Despite an off-night, I still love the way this team is playing, and think the Rams have a legitimate shot at being a threat in this year’s tournament.
3. Rhode Island Rams, Previously #4
It’s survive and advance for Rhode Island right now, and after beating VCU, the Rams finally have another good win on their resume. Will it be enough to make the NCAA Tournament? Only time will tell. Rhode Island’s beginning to look slightly stronger than Richmond, and I think this team could make a splash in the A-10 Tournament.
4. Richmond Spiders, Previously #3
With games against Massachusetts and Saint Louis remaining, it’s looking like the Spiders could finish conference play with a 13-5 record. Controlling the head-to-head over Rhode Island, this team could be the 3 seed in Pittsburgh and could very well get a rematch with VCU in the semifinals. This team will not get an at-large bid this year though, so it’s only chance at an NCAA Tournament bid is winning it all in Pittsburgh.
5. St. Bonaventure Bonnies, Previously #6
The Bonnies are still fighting for a chance at a double-bye in Pittsburgh this year, though they’ve got a tricky path to get there. This team avoided disaster at home against Duquesne, which was a loss it could not have afforded. An interesting road game against Davidson still remains for this St. Bonaventure team.
6. George Mason Patriots, Previously #5
Despite the three game losing streak, I still believe George Mason is deserving of the 6 spot. Not only has the rest of this league underperformed, but the Patriots have been an impressive bunch considering how this team has done in years past. Don’t sleep on Marquise Moore in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
7. Davidson Wildcats, Previously #8
Davidson makes a jump up into the 7 spot this week after a near win over Dayton at home. Sure, the Wildcats didn’t pull this one out, but they led for a majority of the game and proved that they’re at least talented enough to hang with the league’s best. With the decline of La Salle recently and George Washington’s somewhat inconsistent play (though they’re trending upwards too), I think Davidson has earned the 7 spot.
8. George Washington Colonials, Previously #10
George Washington is on the rise, having won a rivalry game over George Mason and a couple of other easier contests. The Colonials have quite the finish to the regular season lined up between a road game against the seemingly difficult Fordham Rams and a date with Dayton at home. That won’t be easy.
9. La Salle Explorers, Previously #7
La Salle missed out on an opportunity to take down Rhode Island and fell short against Massachusetts as well. It wasn’t a good week for the Explorers. It seems like it’s been quite some time since La Salle started 5-1 in the conference. Sure, competition has gotten tougher, but the Explorers haven’t been playing as well down the stretch.
10. Fordham Rams, Previously #9
Fordham drops one spot this week as it lost to Richmond at home, but the Rams are still a quietly dangerous team. They’ll have George Washington and La Salle before the end of the regular season.
11. Massachusetts Minutemen, Previously #11
So, Massachusetts beat a team not named Saint Joseph’s this past week. That hasn’t happened since January 11th.
12. Saint Louis Billikens, Previously #13
I’m not sure if Saint Louis has gotten this high up in the history of our power rankings (keep in mind, we just started doing these last year). The Billikens have 5 conference wins this season, which really isn’t too bad for a team that wasn’t expected to do anything noteworthy this season.
13. Saint Joseph’s Hawks, Previously #12
A tough season for Hawks fans continues. Saint Joseph’s has now lost 8 in a row.
14. Duquesne Dukes, Previously #14
The battle of the bad will happen on March 4th between Saint Joseph’s and Duquesne. The two will face off in Pittsburgh, and Kenpom gives each team a 50% chance of winning. As Jon Rothstein would say: Palpable Buzz!
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and check out our forum for more A-10 news.
