Atlantic 10 Basketball: St. Bonaventure on top in latest power rankings

1. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

• 2020-21 record: 8-1 overall, 6-1 A-10
• Previous ranking: 3rd

The other thing holding Saint Louis back from the top spot is St. Bonaventure.  After not being able to begin their season until December 15, the Bonnies have been terrific to begin the 2020-21 season, and – in the wake of the Billikens’ pause – have cemented themselves as the team to beat in the A-10.

Since dropping their third game of the season at Rhode Island – not a bad loss by any means – the Bonnies have been on a tear in A-10 play, winning six straight – including narrow single-digit wins on the road over Richmond and Duquesne, while handling VCU, Duquesne, Fordham, and Saint Joseph’s all by double-digits.

What makes St. Bonaventure unique is that they are among the conference’s worst offensively – they shoot an 11th-best 46.7% (2PT) and 30.8% (3PT) in league play – but have been an absolute terror on the defensive end.  Ranking first in defensive efficiency, the Bonnies rank in the top three in the A-10 in effective FG% (44.8%), 2P% (45.6%), and 3P% (29.2%) – and they are holding teams to just 0.74 points per possession.

If there has been any negative to St. Bonaventure’s season, it is that their roster – which, entering the season, was anticipated to be one of the deepest in the A-10 – has been depleted to having just eight players see time.

But that has not halted the Bonnies, an experienced group where three players are currently averaging over 11 points a game in conference play.  While Kyle Lofton has been the steady cog at the point with 14.9 points and 4.4 assists, Jaren Holmes has led the way in scoring with 16.9 points per game.

The Bonnies’ most recent outing – a 65-61 win over Duquesne on Saturday – reflects what St. Bonaventure has succeeded at doing this season.  Despite struggling from the floor (44.2% on 2PT and 23.1% on 3PT), the Bonnies held the Dukes to similar marks and 0.91 points per possession – while dominating on the boards (42-35) and dishing out 14 assists – meaning they recorded an assist on 63.6% of their possessions.

This is a group that knows how to play together – and that is the most terrifying thing about the Bonnies.  They have fought back from slow starts (trailed Duquesne, 12-4, to start that game) and major deficits (trailed VCU, 40-25, at halftime).  For context, St. Bonaventure has now matched its best start overall (2000-01) as well as matched its best-ever A-10 start (1982-83).

There is something historic happening with the Bonnies, and they have placed themselves as the premier team in a deep and competitive Atlantic 10.  There is currently not a game scheduled between the Bonnies and the Billikens – but if that game ends up being rescheduled, it will be the game of the season in the Atlantic 10.

Until the Bonnies look in prime condition to run through the rest of the A-10 schedule, considering five of their last seven scheduled opponents are sub-100 in KenPom.  But they will face one of those two who are not in that category next on Saturday, traveling to Davidson in a battle of two A-10 contenders.  If the A-10 has proven anything, it is that anything is possible – and it could be possible to see a new team on top after Saturday.