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NCAA Basketball: Updated 2020-21 power rankings after NBA Draft deadline

By Tristan Freeman

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 05: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats walks the sidelines in the game against the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 05, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 05: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats walks the sidelines in the game against the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 05, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 26: Blake Francis #1 of the Richmond Spiders (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 26: Blake Francis #1 of the Richmond Spiders (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

24. Richmond Spiders

Excluding Gonzaga, who is in a league of its own, the rest of the mid-major world has to deal with not only early entrants to the NBA Draft, but also potential unexpected transfers. It affected both Dayton and San Diego State this offseason, losing respective stars Obi Toppin and Malachi Flynn to the draft. Then you have programs such as Belmont and East Tennessee State, projected preseason contenders who lost key players to the transfer portal.

There aren’t too many mid-major programs that can say that everything went well for them. Except for the Richmond Spiders, who had to sweat it out for a month with their top players before getting the good news. After a breakout year for the program, juniors Blake Francis, Grant Golden, Nathan Cayo, Nick Sherod, and Jacob Gilyard all entered the NBA Draft. Most were expected to come back, although leading scorer Francis had a tougher decision to make.

But with everyone coming back, Richmond will present a starting lineup comprising of all seniors, a complete rarity in NCAA Basketball these days. That kind of experience and talent together should make this team the favorite to win the Atlantic 10 next season, although both Dayton and Saint Louis will have something to say about that. With everyone coming back, the Spiders deserve a spot in this top-25 list.

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