Atlantic 10 Basketball: 4 biggest takeaways from opening night

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 13: A detailed view of a Spalding basketball during a quarterfinal game between the Davidson Wildcats and La Salle Explorers in the 2015 Men's Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at the Barclays Center on March 13, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 8: The Massachusetts Minutemen mascot dances with the pep band against the George Mason Patriots during the second round of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Carl Pierre 2.0

As an un-recruited, late signing for Matt McCall and the Minutemen, Carl Pierre blew everyone away last season by scorching nets at 47% from deep last (the top freshman three-point percentage in the nation). Every opposing defense learned to respect his abilities as a sniper, but as long as he was locked down on the perimeter, he was essentially eliminated as an offensive weapon. His ability to create his own shot and drive to the basket grew somewhat over the course of the season, but his game was still relatively one-dimensional overall.

Throughout the offseason, Pierre worked tirelessly on completing his overall offensive package, and it showed last night in UMass’ win over UMass-Lowell. Scoring 21 points overall, he sank a trio of three-pointers on seven attempts, so it was obvious he still intends to be a shooter first and foremost, but his other 12 points came in an extremely encouraging variety of ways. He got out on the break for transition layups, hit a couple of teardrops in the lane, and stepped back for a fifteen-footer or two.

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A large reason for his improved versatility is his strength and conditioning, but it was clear that he’s matured a lot mentally as well, as he was one of the more vocal leaders on the floor. If he can continue to score from all over the floor, he and preseason all-conference first team selection Luwane Pipkins might give the Davidson backcourt a run for its money as the A-10‘s very best.

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