Atlantic 10 Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season

12. Davidson Wildcats

2022-23 season record: 16-16 (8-10)

Even since the program joined the A-10, the Wildcats have managed to be mostly in the top half of the conference. Last season went in the wrong direction and there’s a concern that it could continue to go down, now that both Foster Loyer and Sam Mennega have left. And with Desmond Watson transferring to Loyola-Chicago, that leaves just one player left who averaged at least 7.0 ppg last season.

That’s Grant Huffman, who averaged 9.4 ppg and 3.6 apg. He’s going to have the ball-handling duties, likely beside Villanova transfer, Angelo Brizzi. Davidson scored with its last power conference point guard addition in Loyer and will need Brizzi to be somewhere close in order to be competitive. Look for Stanford transfer Jarvis Moss to be part of the rotation as well.

Without Mennega, the Wildcats will need big years from Reed Bailey and David Skogman. Both have size and could both be double-digit scorers; the team will need that. Connor Kochera could be a breakout candidate in his second year with the program.

The reality for Davidson is that its losing talent faster than it’s developing it and I don’t blame Coach Matt McKillop. For a school that’s not going to benefit from the transfer portal, they’re now at a disadvantage. And this season could be the result of that unless Brizzi/Moss breaks out in big ways.