Intro
Welcome to the 2021-22 edition of Atlantic 10 men’s basketball! We are finally about a month away from the non-conference from kicking off. Throughout the internet, bloggers and media from near and far have previewed the A10, some better than others. Well, it’s our turn now. I got the gang together to write a preview about each of their programs. Not only that, but I asked each contributor to give me a conference record prediction. The best part about this prediction is that none of them knows what each other predicted. Even myself, as a Dayton grad and fan, did not write the preview and prediction for the Flyers; Grant Kelly took care of that, and even he doesn’t know what everyone else wrote. This was a fun little experiment to see where each record prediction would end up in an overall standings list.
Anyway, let’s get to it. Presenting the A10 Talk Official Season Preview for all 14 teams!
Davidson
On paper, the floor for this Wildcats team seems lower than in past seasons. With no graduate school at Davidson, Kellan Grady, Carter Collins, and Bates Jones will all use their extra year of eligibility elsewhere. In their absence, Davidson welcomes Foster Loyer, a transfer guard from Michigan State, as well as freshmen Des Watson, Chris Ford, Styrmir Thrastarson, and Michael Katsock. It’s unclear whether these newcomers can fill the holes left by Grady and Collins, who played 85.5% and 64.4% of the team’s minutes, respectively, last season.
That said, this team is coached by Bob McKillop, who has never tasted defeat before the A10 semifinals. That alone provides a decent floor for this team. Moreover, the newcomers offer tremendous upside. Loyer did not have a chance to shine at Michigan State but is a deadly shooter who was the #71 ranked recruit by ESPN in 2018. Loyer should share time at point guard with sophomore Grant Huffman. Watson had a fantastic senior year at DeSales High School, and McKillop believes his athleticism and versatility should find him time at either guard position or small forward. Finally, based on Davidson’s prior success with Icelandic recruits, there is optimism that Thrasterson, an Icelandic basketball champion and “Young Player of the Year,” could be the second-coming of Jon Axel Gudmundsson. The real attention with Davidson will be on the returners. Huffman, Mike Jones, and Sam Mennenga, among others, should see an increased role this year. Statistically speaking, however, Luka Brajkovic and Hyunjung Lee should lead the charge. Brajkovic was unstoppable in the paint against some opponents. Against the frontcourts of Texas and VCU, he was able to rack up double-digit points and shoot over 75%. With shooters like Huffman, Loyer, Jones, and Lee, the outside-in attack should work as usual for Davidson. (Brajkovic himself is even seeing a larger role from the perimeter, going from 0.7 3PA per game to 2.6 last season.) As Brajkovic continues to do well inside, however, we may see more games where Davidson takes the inside-out approach. Hyunjung Lee brings the feeling of an NBA draft prospect back in the air of Davidson. After Lee impressed with the South Korean Senior National team this summer, ESPN placed the junior at #71 in their NBA Draft Top 100, the highest of any A10 Player. (Osun Osunniyi is at #72.) Lee, who was one of two players in the country to achieve the coveted 50/40/90 mark last season, will experience a new kind of attention from opposing defenses this season.
If the ‘Cats and Lee can find their way to national attention this season, it’s certainly possible that Lee could be drafted. The Wildcats won’t have too many opportunities to impress in their non-conference schedule; the only potential way to play a Power 6 opponent is if they draw Oklahoma in the final round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational. That said, matchups against Loyola Chicago and San Francisco should not be slept on. In conference, their schedule is light, too, only drawing St. Bonaventure, Richmond, Saint Louis, and Dayton once.
Conference Record Prediction: 11-7
-Cole Vulpis, A10 Talk Davidson Contributor
Dayton
Entering his fifth season as the head coach at Dayton, Anthony Grant will have his work cut out for him from a player development perspective. With a roster that features 11 freshmen (five true freshmen) and zero seniors, the Flyers will be one of the youngest teams in the entire country this year. Where there’s youth, there’s talent, however, as the Flyers boast the nation’s No. 21 ranked recruiting class, including top 50 prospect Daron Holmes II. Additionally, 10 of Dayton’s 13 scholarship players are listed at a height of 6’6” or taller, giving the Flyers an impressive amount of size and athleticism. While I certainly believe in the talent on this team long-term, I think, short-term, the lack of college experience will lead to a relatively up and down season for the Flyers. I expect Dayton to finish A-10 play with an 11-7 record. That said, the ceiling is sky-high for this group. The 2021-22 Dayton Flyers possess all the weapons an A-10 fan could ask for, the only question will be how quickly Grant and his staff can turn youthful talent into tangible wins on the court.
Conference Record Prediction: 11-7
-Grant Kelly, A10 Talk Dayton Contributor
Duquesne
Duquesne is headed into the 2021-22 season in an unproven way. After limping to an unimpressive 9-9 finish and being whooped out of the A10 Tournament by St. Bonaventure, the Dukes have lost four key figures to either the transfer portal or graduation. Michael Hughes graduated and took his talents to Basketball Club Vienna in the Austrian Basketball Superliga; freshman Chad Baker (9.5 ppg) jetted off to San Diego State; Marcus Weathers (12.8 ppg over 79 games with the Dukes) joins his twin brother Michael at Southern Methodist; and most surprisingly, Tavian Dunn-Martin (10.2 ppg in 2020) flew to the sunshine state and Dunk City, joining Florida Gulf Coast. But Duquesne isn’t without a roster overhaul in the other direction. Newcomers Kevin Easley Jr (TCU), Leon Ayers III (Mercer), Rodney Gunn Jr (Lenoir-Rhyne D2), and Tre Williams (Indiana State) all add something that Duquesne had lost. But so many new pieces coming from different systems means Keith Dambrot has his work cut out for him if he wants the Dukes synced up and ready to go for the Nov. 9 opener versus Rider. Time will tell how this season’s Duquesne squad fares.
Conference Record Prediction: 8-10
-Ed Major, A10 Talk Duquesne Contributor
Fordham
The first year under a new head coach is usually a write-off year in any sport. However, from the moment his hiring was announced, Kyle Neptune let the A-10 world know that his team is ready to come out swinging. When looking at Fordham’s non-conference schedule this year, it’s clear that one of Neptune’s biggest priorities is getting Fordham recognition on a national stage. In late November, Fordham will enter the Gulf Coast Showcase, facing Akron in round 1. Later, in December, the Rams will play Miami in the Hall of Fame Invitational at the Barclays Center. Aside from these invitationals, Fordham’s non-conference schedule features five NYC-Area opponents, including St. John’s, Manhattan, and Columbia. In an introductory interview, Coach Neptune emphasized these in-city matchups as crucial for Fordham’s development as a program.
In terms of the team as a whole, Fordham’s roster is bolstered by solid new and returning talent. This year’s Rams feature a whopping five transfers, including explosive Junior Guard Antonio Daye from Florida International. Daye averaged 17 points off of 45% shooting last season at FIU. Darius Quisenberry, a Graduate Transfer from Youngstown State, declared for the draft in 2020. Players returning for the Rams include Forward Chuba Ohams, who will use his extra year of eligibility after sitting most of last year due to injury. Guards like Josh Navarro and Jalen Cobb also return to help several new Fordham scorers acclimate to their new home in the Bronx.
Conference Prediction Record: 6-12
-Sam Basel, A10 Talk Fordham Contributor
George Mason
Key player: Josh Oduro was the big fish that Kim English wanted to secure on day one in Fairfax, and he was successful in getting Josh to stay. Oduro’s development over the summer cannot be understated, and he has the tools to make a run at winning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Josh also finally has a strong supporting cast around him, with a host of transfers that include DeVon Cooper, Davonte Gaines and D’Shawn Schwartz. Jamal Hartwell II is another returner to keep an eye on, as Kim English has repeatedly stated that Hartwell has the green light to shoot from downtown 24/7. Team Expectation: This team isn’t in rebuilding mode: they’re in win NOW mode, that much is abundantly clear from watching summer practices in Fairfax. There is a level of expectation surrounding this program that I have not witnessed in quite some time. New coaches? The vast majority of the coaching staff is brand new to Mason. It all starts with Head Coach Kim English, who is attempting to lead an unprecedented turnaround in Fairfax.
Coach English brings in a strong supporting cast of coaches, including Dennis Felton who most recently served as assistant coach at Fordham. Nate Tomlinson comes to Mason from Colorado, where he served as a fellow assistant alongside Kim English two seasons ago in Boulder. Duane Simpkins is the lone returner to the coaching staff from the Dave Paulsen era at Mason. Overall outlook on the team, maybe a record prediction overall and conference? This roster is stacked with dudes which one has not been able to say of the Patriots in recent memory. We’re going to find out a lot about this team very early on, as Mason has non-conference games against Maryland, Washington, Nevada, South Dakota State, and Georgia.
Furthermore, George Mason will jump right into conference play with their opening game on the road at VCU. A key early stretch of games in January includes Richmond, Dayton, St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis, with the three latter contests being at home. If George Mason is going to be a legitimate contender in the Atlantic 10 this season, we’re going to find out very early on.
Conference Record Prediction: 13-5
-Daniel Frank, A10 Talk George Mason Contributor
George Washington
Many folks will be surprised to know that it was Bishop who led the Atlantic 10 in scoring last season, and with the departure of Jamison Battle in the offseason, more weight is going to fall on Bishop’s shoulders. Rick Lindo Jr. will also be another name to watch, as he only played a fraction of last season due to injury. But the Maryland transfer has a very high ceiling and could be a key contributor for the Colonials this season. GW also has several new additions via the transfer portal that, by in large, are mysteries: Joe Bamisille (Virginia Tech), Brendan Adams (UConn), Ire Lee (Arizona), Bryan Knapp (Cornell) and Qwanzi Samuels (FGCU). Knapp led the group in production last year with 7 points per game for Cornell, but for the most part, this group of transfers is a question mark. Team Expectation: As Jamion Christian heads into his third season in Foggy Bottom, it is imperative that GW finally moves the needle in the right direction finally, or that head coach’s seat is going to get warm very, very fast. True, the Colonials were snake bitten last year with COVID issues, injuries, and even had a game canceled due to the Capitol insurrection. But the fact remains that George Washington has not managed to finish better than the Pillow Fight™ round of the A-10 Tournament. That has not sat well with the Buff and Blue faithful, and patience is beginning to wear thin. The standard for success at GW is to be competitive year in and year out, and the team has not been able to meet that standard since the departure of Mike Lonergan. That pressure is only going to continue to mount if GW’s “little brother” down I-66 sees a massive step forward in year one of the Kim English era. It may be do or die time for GW. Overall outlook on the team, maybe a record prediction overall and conference? I think overall, there are more questions than answers about this team right now. With the new roster additions, there are some nice pieces that have some potential, but the biggest issue GW has had under Jamion Christian has been putting all those pieces together. Whether this group is the one to finally do it remains to be seen, but the clock is ticking on Jamion Christian: if there is not at least some steps forward this season, there are going to be some hard questions to be asked.
Conference Record Prediction: 6-12
-Daniel Frank, GW contributor
La Salle
Coming into year 4 at La Salle, there is still a lot to prove for head coach Ashley Howard. In his first 3 seasons, he has failed to get La Salle out of the bottom 4 in the Atlantic 10. He has seen several players leave or transfer from the program. In his original recruiting class only Sherif Kenney and Christian Ray remain. During Howard’s tenure before this past off-season the Explorers have seen Ed Crosswell (Providence), Brandon Stone (Robert Morris) and Ayinde Hikim (UMass-Lowell) all leave the program. With all of that turnover within the program, La Salle lost 3 more players to the portal: Jared Kimbrough (Hartford), Scott Spencer (Tulane), and David Beatty (North Carolina A&T), it has been difficult for Ashley Howard to build an identity for his program. However, I do believe the Explorers have a solid core in place to put together a successful 2021-2022 campaign.
The bright spots from last season start with 6th man of the year Sherif Kenney, who’s role was much larger than just a guy coming off the bench. Kenney is a versatile combo guard who can play either position. He’s the type of player who can score points in a bunch when he’s hot. If Kenney can show those scoring streaks more consistently, he has the ability to become an all Atlantic 10 type player. Another guy poised for a breakout season is sophomore point guard, Jhamir Brickus. Brickus was named to the Atlantic 10 all rookie team last season. Brickus has an old man’s type of game, has very good body control, and has a very high basketball IQ. For any starting freshman point guard, it takes some time to limit turnovers. I would like to see Brickus be a little more careful with the ball in year 2 as well as being more assertive on offense this season instead of being a past first point guard. The player I think who has the most upside is Jack Clark. He is almost 2 years removed from a torn ACL, last season he was their leading scorer at 9.9 points a game and I believe he can take a step forward this season. He shot 28% from 3-point land last season, I expect that figure to improve slightly and expect Clark to take more high percentage shots. Last year it seemed like he settled for too many 3 pointers. The most intriguing player who I haven’t mentioned yet is Louisville transfer Josh Nickelberry. Having not seen Nickelberry play he’s obviously a mystery and being a top 100 recruit out of high school, there’s obviously a lot of upside and potential. There’s been a lot of buzz about him from the outside and insiders predict him starting. Rounding out players who will also be significant contributors are Clifton Moore and Christian Ray. Clifton Moore is expected to have an expanded role as he and Jared Kimbrough last season pretty much platooned the center position. I expect his minutes to increase. It will be interesting to see if he is more assertive on offense. Last season at times it seemed that he was invisible on offense. His claim to fame last season was hitting the mid-range jumper at Dayton, but other than that his offensive game was limited. Last but not least is Christian Ray and I expect his role to be pretty much be what it has been his entire career. He has been the consummate professional, you hear the cliches about Ray bringing his lunch pale and shovel or typical blue collar player. Ray is very a gritty player who plays bigger than his 6 foot 5 frame. He is going to get you points in the paints and get you rebounds.
Rounding out the roster and players that should get minutes off the bench are sophomore Anwar Gil and freshman Khalil Brantley. Anwar Gil showed flashes last season as a guy who can slash to the bucket and get a hoop. I’d like to see him improve his 3 point shot, but Gil’s strength is getting to the hoop. There has been a lot of talk about Brantley, he was recruited by power 5 schools and chose La Salle. The scouting report on Brantley says he also relies on his quickness and has drawn comparisons to Tyrone Garland. However it will be difficult for these players to get a lot of playing time due to the log jam of the backcourt with Kenney, Brickus, and Nickelberry.
For La Salle it all comes down to consistency. In Ashley Howard’s first three seasons at 20th and Olney, the Explorers have been very up and down. Last season was a good example of that as they beat Dayton, Richmond, and Saint Louis but also had losses to Fordham, St. Joe’s twice and got embarrassed twice by George Mason and UMass. This is going to sound very cliché but if La Salle wants to make a jump to the up in the Atlantic 10, they are going to have to beat the bottom 4 teams and stay competitive with the middle of the pack teams. This is a difficult task as the Atlantic 10 every year is becoming a deeper conference and essentially is the premier mid-major basketball conference. If La Salle wants to put them in the middle ground of the Atlantic 10 they need a leader on the team who will be able to be their go to guy. I think Sherif Kenney can be that guy, he has consistently gotten better between each season and I expect that to happen this season as well.
Overall, I think this team will go 18-11(10-8). This might seem as a stretch goal given the past three seasons, but I believe the Explorers have the talent in place to take a step forward. If one takes a closer look at the schedule this record is very much obtainable. I believe La Salle has the talent and Ashley Howard I am hoping has learned from his mistakes and has the pedigree to make this campaign a successful one.
Conference Record Prediction: 10-8
-Rich O’Donnell, The Gola Standard
Massachusetts
UMass obviously lost a key piece last year in Tre Mitchell and back in May the team looked to be in shambles but UMass landed some key transfers and might surprise some people this year in the A-10. Rich Kelly is the biggest get from the transfer portal as the former BC guard will play a lot of minutes this year and will pair up with Noah Fernandes to make a deadly back court. The other key piece will be TJ Weeks, the sharp shooter who is entering his junior season and will need to hit a lot of big shots this year. UMass ditched Bergeron after the Tre Mitchell transfer and promoted Brian Grossman and hired former player Ricky Harris. These moves will hopefully create a more unified locker room that McCall needs to be successful.
Conference Record Prediction: 10-8
-Quinn McCarron, A10 Talk UMass contributor
Rhode Island
The 2021-22 Rhode Island Rams find themselves with an entirely new identity to develop, following the transfer of would be 5th-year senior guard Fatts Russell to Maryland. The Rams also lost sharpshooting wing DJ Johnson and big man Jermaine Harris to the transfer portal. However, the Rams did bring back senior guard Jeremy Sheppard for a graduate season in his 5th-year of eligibility, but just his 2nd season in Kingston. Without any other rotation players graduating or transferring, they look to build upon an up-and-down season a year ago when they went on to have a middling 10-15 record overall, and a 7-10 record in conference play to finish 10th in the A10. Sheppard is joined by Ball State transfer guard Ishmael El-Amin to solidify an experienced backcourt . El-Amin averaged 16.2 points and 2.9 assists per game last year for Ball State, and should be an instant impact in the 2021-22 Rams offense. Forwards should be a pretty deep group for Rhody, with Malik Martin, Antwan Walker, and both Makhi and Makhel Mitchell all vying for significant minutes. Makhel Mitchell looks to build on what was a phenomenal 2020 season where he averaged 9.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Mitchell was a formidable interior presence, and could be a sneaky candidate to be on the 2021-22 A10 All-Defensive team. Ishmael Leggett likely slides back into the sixth man role after a strong freshman campaign where he averaged 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Tres Berry is the Rhody redshirt freshman to watch with A10 All-Rookie team potential if given the playing time.
All in all, this looks to be a pivotal year in the David Cox era – with some pressure following the team’s 1st losing season since 2013-14. Newcomer assistant coach Todd Bozeman, (former Morgan State and Cal head coach) brings a ton of experience to the coaching staff.
Despite losing star Fatts Russell, the Rhody Rams should have enough experience to build upon a volatile 2020-21 season. Without a particularly robust non-conference schedule, the Rams will need to be near the top of the A10 to have a chance at an NCAA tournament bid.
Conference Record Prediction: 12-6
-Michael Gilligan, A10 Talk URI Contributor
Richmond
The Spiders aren’t only bringing in one of the most experienced rosters in the Atlantic 10, but also in the entire country. Richmond has 5 graduate students, 3 of whom have started at some point in their collegiate career. Grant Golden is entering his 6th year at the University of Richmond and will be a major factor in the Spiders success this season. One of the most exciting “additions” to this year’s team will be the return of the hometown kid, Nick Sherod. Coming off of an early offseason knee injury, the Spiders can hopefully look to Nick to help them from beyond the arc this season. Jacob Gilyard is also returning for his 5th season under Coach Mooney, and is currently 27 steals away from tying John Linehan’s all-time steals record. Tyler Burton has been an x factor in his tenure with Richmond as well. He will be entering his junior season here with the Spiders, and will be another major component to this high powered Richmond offense. Nathan Cayo was arguably the most improved player on this highly talented Spider team just a season ago. He was a major factor on the boards, and his free throw percentage skyrocketed from the 2019-2020 season. With the key loss of Blake Francis, Richmond will more than likely look to sophomore guard, Isaiah Wilson. The Pittsburgh native had a very impressive freshman campaign last season, where he totaled 152 minutes in 20 appearances. He brought a defensive tenacity that could wreak havoc on opposing offenses with his aggressive style of play.
Conference Record Prediction: 12-6
-Austin Daisey, A10 Talk Richmond Contributor
St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure enters the 2021-22 season with high expectations. Multiple pundits around the country have the Bonnies ranked in their preseason Top 25 polls and some have them ranked as high as 15th. This season has the potential to be just as special as the 1970 team when Bob Lanier helped lead the Bonnies all the way to the Final Four. This year, Head Coach Mark Schmidt has all five of his starters returning from last year’s NCAA Tournament team. Point Guard Kyle Lofton will likely compete for the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year award, and I would not be shocked if Guard Jaren Holmes did as well. I would also be surprised if Center Osun Osunniyi did not win the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year honors for a second consecutive season. With some much-needed depth added in the offseason, the Bonnies should win both the Atlantic 10 Regular Season Title and Atlantic 10 Championship once again.
Conference Record Prediction: 15-3
-Jack Milko, A10 Talk Bona Contributor
Saint Joseph’s
For many fans of Saint Joe’s basketball the Billy Lange experiment has been extremely painful. Last year the Hawks finished the season with a 5-15 record, which was the second losing season in a row under Coach Lange. On top of this, SJU also scheduled one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country as they battled with covid related team pauses. However, looking forward to this season, Saint Joe’s is returning almost all of the pieces from last year, with the only major exception being the departure of star Ryan Daly. In addition to retaining players, Saint Joe’s also added talent with transfers Charles Coleman and Ejike Obinna, and freshman Erik Reynolds and Kacper Klaczek. The roster Coach Lange has constructed will have many defensive and offensive options to work with. From imposing size, to small ball ‘pace and space’, Saint Joe’s will have incredible flexibility in how they play. Finally, Saint Joe’s will also have Redshirt Senior Taylor Funk and Sophomore Jordan Hall to lead the Hawks. Both Hall and Funk should be looking to make one of the three A10 all conference teams. SJU’s softer non-conference schedule, and improved roster, should result in a 17-14 (9-9 conference) record.
Conference Record Prediction: 9-9
-Anthony Morelli, A10 Talk Saint Joseph’s Contributor
Saint Louis
After one of the craziest offseasons in college basketball history, you could probably write an entire book-length season preview for any given team and all it will come down to is basically a shrug emoji. That being said, Travis Ford and the Saint Louis University Billikens look to be in a pretty good place, even after losing two generation-defining players in Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French. Javonte Perkins is coming back for his COVID year after establishing himself as one of the best scorers in the country, Jordan Nesbitt (Memphis) and Francis Okoro (Oregon) are transferring in with blue chip pedigrees, and players such as Yuri Collins, Fred Thatch Jr., Gibson Jimerson and Terrence Hargrove Jr. are poised to make a leap.
Expectations are high for the Billikens, but with so many newcomers, it could take some time in non-conference play to gel. Billiken fans remember well how long it took Tremaine Isbell to get acclaimed to Team Blue, and they remember how much it paid off once things clicked. Don’t be surprised if similar patience is required this year, but SLU is one of the most talented teams in the league.
SLU hasn’t rebuilt this year, they’ve reloaded. The biggest question is how long it’ll take the pieces to gel. I’m expecting SLU to go 22-9 and they’ll be one of the most dangerous teams in the A-10 come conference tournament time.
Conference Record Prediction: 13-5
-Jack Godar, A10 Talk Saint Louis Contributor
VCU
Last season, VCU exceeded preseason expectations on the way to a runner-up finish in the A-10 tournament and a March Madness berth. This season, the Rams face an uphill battle to try to duplicate the performance. Senior forward Vince Williams is poised to build on last year’s breakout campaign and lead the team, while junior Hason Ward is an early frontrunner for the best defender in the conference. The greatest edition to the Rams’ starting lineup is Washington transfer Marcus Tsohonis, who was one of Washington’s best scorers last season. All in all, VCU brings a well-rounded roster with a wide range of experience and skills, from fifth-year senior Levi Stockard III to incoming freshmen Jalen DeLoach, Jayden Nunn and Nick Kern. However, VCU enters the season extremely thin after being bitten by the injury bug. A pair of sophomore guards, Ace Baldwin and Jamir Watkins, suffered major injuries in the offseason. Watkins, who played the sixth-man role exceptionally last season, will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL on Sept. 30. Baldwin, meanwhile, is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. It has been reported that Baldwin is targeting a Jan. 1 return date and is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery, aligning near-perfectly with the start of conference play. Unfortunately, Baldwin likely will not play in the non-conference schedule, which includes a home game against Penn State, road trips to Old Dominion and Vanderbilt as well as a neutral site game against Syracuse and either Baylor or Arizona State. Pencil VCU in for eight non-conference wins.
Upon first glance at the conference schedule, in an A-10 that is better than last year’s, VCU looks destined for a 10-8 conference record. Overall, a first glance at the schedule gives VCU a 18-13 record, which gives VCU some work to do to get into NCAA Tournament contention. The Rams built a solid roster on paper this season, but the loss of arguably the team’s three best guards from last season is devastating. Much will be put on Tsohonis and the freshmen guards to right the ship. Head coach Mike Rhoades certainly has his work cut out for him.
Conference Record Prediction: 10-8
-Jason Boleman, A10 Talk VCU Contributor
Preseason Conference Standings Prediction
With all that in mind, as well as the conference record predictions, that puts the standings prediction as follows:
1 – St. Bonaventure (15-3)
T2 – Saint Louis (13-5)
T2 – George Mason (13-5)
T4 – Rhode Island (12-6)
T4 – Richmond (12-6)
T6 – Davidson (11-7)
T6 – Dayton (11-7)
T8 – La Salle (10-8)
T8 – UMass (10-8)
T8 – VCU (10-8)
11 – Saint Joseph’s (9-9)
12 – Duquesne (8-10)
T13 – Fordham (6-12)
T13 – George Washington (6-12)
This was an interesting outcome, as many of our contributors feel pretty optimistic about their teams this year. I’m not here to tell others how to feel about their team before this season begins, but I personally would be very surprised if some of these predictions turned out to be correct. Got to respect the optimism, otherwise why bother watch or care at all!
Now, this is not our site’s official pre-season ranking. Be on the lookout for a complete ranking in the near future!
