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

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 10: The Atlantic 10 Logo on a basketball during the game between the St. Bonaventure Bonnies and the Davidson Wildcats during the Semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

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Atlantic 10 Basketball Tavian Dunn-Martin Duquesne Dukes (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

10. Duquesne Dukes

2020-21 record: 4-6 overall, 3-5 A-10
Previous ranking: 9th

This has been as bizarre of a season for Duquesne as it has anyone. Entering the season as a dark horse mid-major, the Dukes featured one of the best starting fives in the Atlantic 10 and scooped up a quality mid-major win over UNC Greensboro while dropping their season opener to Little Rock – which is not that awful of a loss.

Then the Dukes were forced to go on pause after the December 2nd game against UNC Greensboro, and they did not return to action until a full month later on January 2nd, splitting a back-to-back at George Washington. On top of that, starter Sincere Carry and role player Maceo Austin both opted to transfer – but Duquesne scooped up Pittsburgh transfer Ryan Murphy at the start of the calendar year.

Duquesne’s odd season also reflects their on-court showings. After splitting with the Colonials, the Dukes have gone 2-4 – dropping games to Davidson, Dayton, and St. Bonaventure twice, while defeating Fordham by just three at home and bizarrely defeating Rhode Island in a game that the Dukes trailed by as much as 16 in.

Duquesne has been stellar on the defensive end – but it has been their woeful offense that has plagued them. For the season, they rank 308th in 3P% (29.0%), 236th in 2P% (47.8%), and 321nd in FT% (63.8%). Their defense, for the most part, has been able to shield some of those offensive struggles – and that nearly got the better of St. Bonaventure on Saturday, in a game that the Dukes actually outscored the Bonnies in from the floor (49-47) but lost at the free-throw line (18-12) en route to a 65-61 loss for Duquesne.

The three-man tandem of seniors in Tavian Dunn-Martin, Michael Hughes, and Marcus Weathers is still leading the way for Duquesne – they combined for 43 of Duquesne’s 61 points against the Bonnies. If the Dukes hope to make some noise in the A-10, they will have to right the ship – and their next two games to close out January could let them even their record, when they take on Fordham and Saint Joseph’s.

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