Atlantic 10 Basketball: Who will capture the 2016-17 conference title?

Feb 27, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; Rhode Island Rams head coach Dan Hurley (C) talks with his team during a stoppage in play against the Dayton Flyers in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. The Rams won 75-66. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

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Feb 12, 2016; Kingston, RI, USA; Dayton Flyers head coach Archie Miller (R) speaks to his team during the second half of a game against the Rhode Island Rams at Thomas M. Ryan Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

Over the next few weeks, we will preview the best conferences heading into the 2016-17 season. Let’s continue with Atlantic 10 basketball.

Dayton, St. Bonaventure and VCU finished with a tie atop the regular season standings at 14-4 overall in Atlantic 10 Conference play last season. The Bonnies surprisingly didn’t receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but Saint Joseph’s helped send three A10 teams to the Big Dance, as they captured the conference tournament title.

All three teams failed to make it past the second round, however, Saint Joseph’s and VCU gave Oregon and Oklahoma (respectively) a run for their money.

This season looks a bit different in the Atlantic 10. There may be a tie atop the standings at the end of the year, but it does seem like three teams have separated themselves from the pack. Dayton, Rhode Island and VCU all return valuable contributors, have excellent coaching staffs and in the case of the Rhode Island, are hungry to make the NCAA Tournament.

The Flyers and Rams (of Rhode Island) are expected to be top-25 teams for the majority of the season, while VCU takes time to adjust to life without sharp shooter Melvin Johnson.

Beyond the top three teams that are almost assuredly expected to be playing in March, Davidson, George Washington and La Salle also look like very competitive teams. Richmond won’t be an easy out, and while UMass features a young roster, they shouldn’t be counted out in terms of pulling off a couple of big upsets in league play.

Then there’s Saint Joseph’s and Duquesne, two teams that have lost major production from last year. The Hawks are still a solid bunch coached by Phil Martelli, but making the NCAA Tournament is a major stretch for this group in 2016-17.

The story of this conference won’t be about depth (three or four bids seems reasonable), but instead it will be about teams like Dayton, URI and VCU at the top, who will not only be dominant in league play, but could make major runs in March.

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