Atlantic 10 Basketball: UMass, Duquesne surprises in latest power rankings

6. Davidson Wildcats (6-3)

New head coach Matt McKillop has done a solid job early, taking over for his father running the team. It helps to still have Foster Loyer, a contender for A-10 Player of the Year, still around. He’s averaging 21.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 5.6 apg through nine games, including a career-high 38 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists in the overtime win over Wright State. Sam Mennenga has had a breakout campaign in the frontcourt (16.7 ppg and 7.2 rpg) but no one else is averaging in double figures.

Davidson has at times been too reliant on Loyer on offense, which is why every single D-I game has been within single digits. They were on the right track but back-to-back losses to Charlotte and Delaware drops them down a few spots. The Wildcats’ offense has a chance to improve but others will need to step up, including in a future matchup with top-5 Purdue.

5. Dayton Flyers (5-4)

It’s difficult on where to place the preseason favorite Flyers, who have been decimated via injuries in the backcourt. Starters, Malachi Smith and Kobe Elvis are out indefinitely after suffering injuries in the Battle 4 Atlantis, while Koby Brea has been in and out of the lineups with his own health problems. The good news is that the frontcourt has been just fine, led by DaRon Holmes (15.9 ppg and 7.2 rpg), as well as a breakout effort from Mustapha Amzil and Toumani Camara averaging nearly a double-double.

Dayton has no bad losses, which is a good thing. However, they haven’t beaten anyone good, with SMU as its best win as of now. Their resume is in real trouble, with a near-must-win opportunity coming up on the road at Virginia Tech. The hope for them is that at least one of the ball-handlers can get back by league play, or else they’re in real trouble.