Mid-major Basketball: Preseason Top-25 power rankings for 2020-21 season
2. Richmond Spiders
The recent season-ending injury to starting wing Nick Sherod is a big blow to the Spiders. He averaged 12.7 ppg last year and ranked third on the team in rebounds, assists, and steals, while also leading the team in three-pointers made (78) and overall percentage (44%).
The good news for Richmond is that small forward is the position where they have the most depth. There are a number of options they can plug in to start at the 3, including Andre Gustavson, Tyler Burton, and Tulane transfer Connor Crabtree. All of them are versatile enough to play multiple positions, so it may not matter who gets the start unless one breaks through.
There won’t be much pressure on them though, considering that the team has four other senior starters back. Guards Blake Francis and Jacob Gilyard form an elite scoring backcourt combo, while Grant Golden and Nath Mayo are great options to have inside. Golden in particular is an under the radar passer, averaging 3.4 apg.
Even without Sherod, this is a team with expectations of winning the Atlantic 10 this season. They still have enough shooting and size overall to compete with the other top teams, while still having the experience factor. Francis may have to score a little more to make up for the lost production but don’t discount the Spiders just yet.