Atlantic 10 Basketball: VCU on top, Bonnies drop in latest power rankings

RICHMOND, VA - DECEMBER 07: Nah"u2019Shon Hyland #5 of the VCU Rams drives past Jaylin Hunter #12 of the Old Dominion Monarchs in the first half during a game at Stuart C. Siegel Center on December 7, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

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Atlantic 10 Basketball Kyle Lofton St. Bonaventure Bonnies (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

3. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

2020-21 record: 10-3 overall, 8-3 A-10
Previous ranking: 1st

Here is where things get particularly dicey, with the St. Bonaventure Bonnies – formerly, the number one team in the conference by way of power rankings and standings – dropping to third. When the previous rankings were released, the Bonnies were 8-1 and winners of six-straight – including wins over Richmond and VCU.

After scraping by Duquesne on January 23rd, the Bonnies proceeded to go 2-2 in their latest four outings, dismantling George Mason and La Salle but dropping must-wins on the road to Saint Louis and VCU. Those games – which were crucial to St. Bonaventure’s at-large aspirations – may have doomed a team that played just two non-conference games.

The Bonnies are still very much capable of winning the tournament – or, potentially, earning an at-large bid – but their gradually decreasing depth is finally catching up to St. Bonaventure. If the Bonnies hope to be a legitimate threat, they will need to address the issues that plagued them against Saint Louis and VCU.

Mainly, the Bonnies have been forced to play between just 7-8 players, with their starting five taking much of the time. In both of those games, those five have gotten in significant foul trouble – with a player fouling out in each game, and star point guard Kyle Lofton picking up four against the Billikens. Against VCU, in addition to Osun Osunniyi fouling out, three other Bonnies scooped up four fouls apiece.

For what it’s worth, St. Bonaventure has not necessarily been awful offensively, scoring 0.97 PPP against VCU and 0.92 at Saint Louis, all the while getting to the line an average of 20 times across both games – plus, Jalen Adaway was impressive against VCU, pouring in a game-high 23 points.

Additionally, the Bonnies have a solid opportunity to rebound in their next two games, taking on Fordham on Wednesday and George Washington over the weekend – but a February-closing tilt against Dayton looms large.

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