Busting Brackets
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Mid-major Basketball: 5 biggest takeaways from 2019 recruiting classes

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Head coach Rick Stansbury of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during their 2018 National Invitation Tournament Championship semifinals game at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 11: Jon Axel Gudmundsson #3 of the Davidson Wildcats celebrates against the Rhode Island Rams during the first half in the Championship of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 11: Jon Axel Gudmundsson #3 of the Davidson Wildcats celebrates against the Rhode Island Rams during the first half in the Championship of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

3. A-10 has some future stars arriving

The Atlantic 10 Conference has consistently been at the top of the mid-major world, getting multiple bids each year. This upcoming season looks more of the same, with a few teams projected to be good enough to make the 2020 NCAA Tournament. The league overall is in strong shape, with a nice balance of elite upperclassmen and up and coming young talent.

UMass had the best class in the A-10 (3rd overall) with the headliner being four-star center Tre Mitchell. He’s the shining hope in a rebuilding effort for Matt McCall and a Minutemen program looking to get back in the top-tier on the A-10. VCU is looking to remain on top thanks to the late addition of top-80 point guard Nah’shon Hyland. He’ll be the key figure for the Rams after Marcus Evans and the other seniors depart after next year.

Besides these two top-100 recruits, there are other highly-touted players that some A-10 programs were able to land. Davidson got a great international prospect in 6’7 wing Hyunjung Lee, while Duquesne beat out several power conference foes to land three-star scorer Maceo Austin. And notable recruiting specialist Travis Ford of Saint Louis grabbed three-star point guard Yuri Collins, an underrated midwest prospect that the Billikens landed.

These are players who in the future have the capability of being All-Conference players in a couple of years. It’s not surprising, as the A-10 has historically benefitted from players that the power conferences overlooked. Look out for these names in a couple of years to have the A-10 remain in the national picture.

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