In celebration of conference play, it’s time to evaluate the Atlantic 10 teams one by one and give some brief summaries. Instead of giving letter grades, I decided to do holiday themed sentences to help evaluate our teams.
Happy conference play, let’s kick it off.
Davidson
Sentence: The side dishes at the Christmas dinner table.
Key Wins: Maryland, Charlotte, Ohio
Key Losses: Clemson, ETSU, Saint Mary’s
Considering how barren the roster appeared on paper, Davidson was projected to be a bottom feeder in most people’s preseason projections. However, Matt McKillop’s second season is exceeding expectations. They aren’t the main event, but they have drawn enough eyeballs to the point where we should pay attention. Davidson’s veteran trio of David Skogman, Connor Kochera, and Grant Huffman have taken significant steps forward in leading this team. Angelo Brizzi has settled into an excellent role providing support, but Bobby Durkin has stolen the show so far as a freshman. Though 10.2 points and 4 rebounds aren’t outstanding, it is something to pay attention to for a freshman who shoots 37% from three. Their only primary concern is if they can reach another level by conference play. Davidson has a nice balance to their style, but let’s see what other levels they can hit in conference play.
Dayton
Sentence: Krampus.
Key Wins: Cincinnati, St John’s, SMU
Key Losses: Northwestern, Houston
While last season’s Flyer team was much more talented, the new cast around DaRon Holmes is a better fit for how Anthony Grant executes his style. Nate Santos has proven to be the Robin to Holmes’ Batman. Javon Bennett has stepped in nicely for the injured Smith, while Koby Brea has looked the part of an all-conference player by shooting an obnoxious 50% FROM RANGE. The Flyers have completely turned it around from last season’s offensive woes and are the 13th most efficient offense despite playing at a bottom-ten pace. Dayton is worlds better than the field right now. If I were to pick a champion today, there is no question that the Flyers would run away with the title. This season is also their chance to avenge the magical 2020 year stopped by a pandemic with everything going for them: they’ve stayed healthy, regular A-10 contenders have faltered, or they lack the proper personnel to matchup with Dayton. If there is no A-10 championship trophy in Ohio come March, Flyer fans will call for the firing of Grant, in which the program will completely flip.
Duquesne
Sentence: The LeBron James holiday commercial for Sprite.
Key Wins: College of Charleston, Bradley, UC Irvine
Key Losses: Princeton, Nebraska, no broadcast for their Bradley game
Fun, consistent, and experienced. That’s Duquesne basketball under Keith Dambrot. He’s assembled one of the oldest teams in division one (23rd in average experience on Kenpom), with two superstar guards in Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark. Duquesne shoots well from the three at 35% as a team and over 50% from the two, making them very difficult to defend. Having eight seniors also helps when closing out close contests. Hence, they picked up a last-second win over a strong Bradley team. Kareem Rozier had to take a step forward and did so, which gave Duquesne a long-term answer at point. Their issues in the paint are still problematic, considering they are not a good rebounding team, and overall, defensively, they are hit or miss. Dusan Mahorcic, still working into game shape from his injury last season, provides some effectiveness inside for Duquesne. However, the rest of their inside production can vary from game to game (Tre Williams has also regressed; he was once their primary shot-blocker). Regardless, Duquesne is a contender in the conference, but they must sort out their paint issues before they are eaten alive.
Fordham
Sentence: The boy pondering the decision to jump on the Polar Express.
Key Wins: North Texas, Columbia, A compliment from Rick Pitino
Key Losses: Tulane, NJIT, CCSU
I put the Rams first in the preseason, thinking that some residual effects of a great team would stick with the players still there from last season to go along with their solid transfers. Abdou Tsimbila is undoubtedly the most improved player, with career highs in all categories, and is tops in the nation in advanced defensive metrics again. Did I expect some regressions in the back of my mind? Yes, but not whatever happened in the OOC. This team is still determining its offensive identity. The percentages from the field are outside the Kenpom 260 (47% as a team) — less than ideal, but when most of the core is sophomores, it’s not uncommon to see inefficiency. The team is inexperienced, and many, including myself, underestimated how impactful that factor can be. Some think they are bad, and others believe they can turn it around; I am indifferent on Fordham and have no idea what to make of them. Whatever Urgo gets out of this year’s team should be taken into next season as a stepping stone. Still, if they are going to compete in the A10 like last season, there must be a significant metamorphosis of talent that needs to start immediately.
George Washington
Sentence: Toy Santa in his dictatorial state.
Key Wins: Hofstra, Delaware, Ohio
Key Losses: Illinois-Chicago, South Carolina
Besides South Carolina, George Washington did what they were supposed to do with absolute conviction (The UIC game was ridiculous; I’m not sure how they lost that one). Chris Caputo has a legitimate four-headed monster on offense between James Bishop (16.7 ppg), Maximus Edwards (12.8 ppg), Darren Buchanan (13.4 ppg), and Garrett Johnson (14 ppg), who are doing a majority of the offensive duties for the team. Babatunde Akingbola is leading the A10 in blocked shots with 3.5 per game, and the freshmen have settled into their complementary roles. I reference Toy Santa from The Santa Clause 2 when he turns into a dictator at the North Pole over the elves because GW did stand tall against teams they were supposed to beat up. Defense is still a significant question with this team as they rank outside the Kenpom 200 in adjusted defense. Can it all work out for them? It can, and I’d say there is a 75% chance it does, but if the 25% kicks in, it could be rough sledding for George Washington.
George Mason
Sentence: The unannounced carolers that show up at your front door.
Key Wins: Cornell, East Carolina, Tulane
Key Losses: Charlotte, Tennessee
In almost no time, Tony Skinn has impressed as head coach in his first season running a program. Not only did he aggressively attack the portal, but almost all of his imports have been smashing successes. Keyshawn Hall, however, stands alone as perhaps the A10 transfer of the year — he’s come out of nowhere after seeing limited usage at UNLV. Preseason, I questioned the team’s ability from three-point range, but they have entirely answered those concerns as the Patriots are shooting 37% from three. His team has been wildly efficient to go along with limited turnovers — all of which are good signs for all these players getting used to each other. It is also worth noting they’ve done most of this without Jalen Haynes, whom Skinn had big plans for but was also a multi-time transfer. The Patriots have shown up at the conference’s front door from left field. Skinn’s group is set for long-term success as well as immediate results, so don’t be surprised if they are making a deep run come tournament time.
La Salle
Sentence: Jovi spreads Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear.
Key Wins: Drexel, Penn, Northeastern
Key Losses: Duke, Miami, Temple
Preseason expectations for them were relatively shallow, but I know all too well about the power of Fran Dunphy. This team reeked of one that could win games they weren’t supposed to; the personnel was too perfect for how Dunphy constructs his style. He’s also made a point after being forced out by Temple in 2019, something he’s been doing subtly dating back to the 2023 A10 tournament. “The Wizard of La Salle” still has the magic touch in his advanced years, and he’s doing it with a thinner roster. No Nickelberry? No Drame twins? No problem. Khalil Brantley and Jhamir Brickus combine for 30.3 points per game, Anwar Gil and Daeshon Shepherd post 11.5 and 10.8 points, respectively, while their underclassmen matured quicker than expected. The schedule is suspect, but we acknowledge their success, considering the bar wasn’t high for the preseason.
Loyola-Chicago
Sentence: Kevin encounters the wet bandits for the first time.
Key Wins: Boston College, Harvard, New Orleans
Key Losses: FAU, Creighton, South Florida
Considering there was nowhere to go but up for the Ramblers, Drew Valentine’s second season in the A10 has gotten off to a decent start. Adding Desmond Watson next to Philip Alston was huge for them, and he’s shown the potential he probably wouldn’t reach if he stayed at Davidson. The other piece that stands out is their freshman big, also a Chicago native, Miles Rubin. Averaging 2.5 blocks as a freshman is impressive for someone as young as him. He’s far from a polished product, but Rubin is a player that Loyola fans can feel good about in the long term. That being said, Loyola’s talent disparity for A10 levels is still apparent in some capacity. There is no question that Loyola will make evident progress this season, but they are still far from contending in the A10.
Massachusetts
Sentence: A peaceful holiday dinner at Frank Martin’s house.
Key Wins: West Virginia, UMass Lowell, South Florida
Key Losses: Harvard, Towson, Georgia Tech
Although he is a very intense coach during games, Frank Martin has plenty of reason to smile as his team is off to a 9-3 start. Josh Cohen has looked every part of the player they expected when he was brought in from Saint Francis (PA): 18 ppg and 6.7 rpg to pace UMass’ offensive attack, while Matt Cross’ 16.7 points are putting him in position to be an all-conference pick. One of their biggest questions was who would step up and ease the loss of RJ Luis, and Keon Thompson has meant all that and more to this UMass team. Last season, he looked like a lost puppy at times, but a mental trait stood out to me: his willingness to keep pounding away. Thompon has leaped in year two with a line of 10.6 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals on 50/31/71 shooting splits. If UMass wants to make a run at the top of the conference, they must avoid the injury bug. A repeat of last season’s injuries would derail Martin’s progress with his team. And while the freshmen show promise, their youth could lose games they probably shouldn’t. UMass still has some building to do in the long term, but it doesn’t seem like they are far off in the near future.
Rhode Island
Sentence: Coal in the stocking.
Key Wins: Yale, Northeastern
Key Losses: Providence, Brown, New Hampshire
At this time last season, Rhode Island had four wins entering A10 play. Right now, they stand at six wins — an improvement, but certainly not what we expected in year two from Archie Miller. The upgraded talent has made this season somewhat bearable, and freshman Cam Estevez is showing his potential as a long-term option for the Rams. His 40% shooting from three is a welcome sight for fans looking to see what kind of player he can become. The big-man situation is less than ideal, but a platoon of David Fuchs, Tyson Brown, and Jeremy Foumena is enough for them not to get killed on the glass. Perhaps the biggest disappointment has been Archie, not because of his in-game abilities (already in question), but his roster construction hasn’t been strong like in years past. His guard trio of Zek Montgomery, Luis Kortight, and Jaden House are putting up numbers, but they aren’t translating to wins. Putting three guards who thrive in isolation is a less-than-ideal method to victory on top of the porous defense. Like Fordham, Rhode Island needs a major internal morphing of talent if it wants to compete.
Richmond
Sentence: Watching It’s a Wonderful Life for the seven millionth time in a row.
Key Wins: UNLV, Charlotte, William & Mary
Key Losses: Colorado, Florida, Boston College, DeLonnie Hunt
Chris Mooney is doing the same thing he’s been doing for years at Richmond: build it up, win, be average for no reason, build it up again (we are here), then win again. The Spiders are hovering in 11th place, right around their preseason poll projection, with an 8-5 record. Those five losses are from teams mostly from high-major and high-quality mid-major programs. Losing DeLonnie Hunt to a hand injury is less than ideal, but the combined efforts of Jordan King (17.7 points) and Neal Quinn (13.8 points & 3.8 assists) have more than kept Richmond afloat. Dji Bailey has also emerged as a quiet surprise with 8.9 points per game, giving Mooney another offensive option. Getting Hunt back is Richmond’s priority because he is imperative to the team’s success, but much like Davidson, can they kick things into higher gear in A10 play? Richmond fans are always very mixed on Mooney (I disagree with firing him), but you just have to wonder: Is there another dimension to this Richmond team?
Saint Joe’s
Sentence: Clark Griswold finally turns on the Christmas lights.
Key Wins: Penn, Villanova, Princeton
Key Losses: Texas A&M Commerce, College of Charleston, Kentucky
It took three years of fighting injury hell and shaping the sculpture for Billy Lange to assemble the fully realized Saint Joseph’s Hawks. Erik Reynolds II finally gets a break on offense from having to do everything, as four players behind him are averaging over 11 points per game. “Three-fense” is real, and it’s very deadly. Joe’s is third in the nation at attempted threes per game (just over 50 attempts a game) and hitting them at a 37.1% clip, 49th in the country. The biggest surprise for Joe’s has been the emergence of freshman sensation Xzayvier Brown, a local point guard from Philadelphia, posting 11 points, 3 assists, and 1.5 steals on 52% shooting from the field. To put it plainly, Brown is Reynolds’ air apparent once the superstar is gone from the program — he’s made an immediate impact in the perfect system with high-potential talent around him. The Hawks will try for the crown this season, and this group could run the conference for the next three seasons if they stay together.
Saint Louis
Sentence: Uncle Lewis burns the Griswold Christmas tree.
Key Wins: Wyoming, Hofstra, Louisiana Tech
Key Losses: NC State, Drake, Utah St
What was once a glorious machine in the Midwest has been reduced to a much lesser form. I know they’ve got some talented young pieces, such as Bradley Ezewrio, Cian Medley, and Bruce Zhang, to go with the veterans on the roster, but Saint Louis isn’t the same championship contender it was just a short time ago. What makes this team so confusing is how far off they’ve fallen defensively: 297th in Kenpom defensive efficiency, an antithesis to what Travis Ford usually does with his teams. Even last season, Saint Louis wasn’t themselves on defense, but a great offense made up for it. Ezewrio being cleared to play can be a shot in the arm for this team, but who knows what they are going to do in A10 play. This team is too much of a mystery to give a true evaluation of what they are going to do.
Saint Bonaventure
Sentence: Chocolate icebox cake.
Key Wins: Oklahoma State, Akron, Longwood
Key Losses: Auburn, FAU, Canisus
The consistency of Mark Schmidt at St. Bonaventure is one many programs in the nation would kill for with how he can churn out great teams almost effortlessly. Mika Adams-Woods and Charles Pride have added veteran scoring this team so desperatley needed after last season. Schmidt needed to add leadership and his team got older, on top of those two transfers which have boosted Bona’s output on offense. They don’t run as much, being 313th in adjusted tempo is certainly interesting if you want to improve the offense. One glaring issue does standout: their two leading scorers from last season have regressed significantly. Daryl Banks has dropped to 8.3 points after being a double digit scorer last season. Kyrell Luc is posting 3.7 points per game on scarce usage, and he was the starting point guard last season. Assa Essamvous, formerly Yann Farell, has also taken some steps back this season. He was expected to be a building block but hasn’t separated himself. If the Bonnies really want to compete in this league, those three need to step up offensively after some abysmal out of conference performances.
VCU
Sentence: Lucy hugging Jack Frost.
Key Wins: Penn State, Samford, Seattle
Key Losses: Iowa State, McNeese State, Memphis
HAVOC officially ended when Ryan Odom was hired, and the makeup of VCU’s style and identity was reset from defense to offense. Max Shulga has been one of the best transfers in the conference, with his 15.8 points and 4 assists to pace VCU. Zeb Jackson is fulfilling his potential, jumping from 5.2 points last season to a whopping 13.6 — likely in the discussion for the most-improved player award. They’re still solid defensively, top 70 in Kenpom, but it’s a far cry from what they’ve been the last few seasons. They also welcomed Sean Bairstow back from injury and Joe Bamisile from his transfer situation, which somewhat messes with the chemistry. It will likely be a down-ish year for VCU as they rebuild their new look (by down-ish, I mean they may barely miss out on the top four), but many promising young pieces on the roster have improved drastically. There is no reason to panic long-term with this group; fans should take whatever comes from this season with a grain of salt.
