Life in Atlantic 10 Basketball is not for the week, even more this year than in the past. Just two weeks in, and with most teams playing four games, only one out of 15 teams (Saint Louis) remains without a loss and just one without a victory (Fordham).
With how bunched up the teams are in-between and with so many early upsets, it feels pointless to do a power ranking. So, for now, here’s an early takeaways piece for the A-10.
1. Saint Louis “Big 4” good enough to win the league
The Billikens were very inconsistent in the non-con, going 7-6 and having no at-large hopes. But they’re first in the standings, getting good wins over St. Joe’s and St. Bonaventure. They have three of the top six scorers in the conference (Gibson Jimerson, Isaiah Swope, and Robbie Avila) and starting forward Kalu Anya, who leads the A-10 with 9.7 rpg.
This team lacks depth, and Saint Louis will be vulnerable to losing games when the three-pointers don't fall. But for now, in a conference that isn’t as potent collectively compared to prior years, the Billikens have enough to be a legit contender.
2. Reed Bailey a frontrunner for A-10 POY
It’s hard to pick the best player for the Billikens right now, which will hurt any of their chances for the POY award if SLU wins the regular-season title. It opens it up for many other player contenders, with one guy who stands out being Bailey. He’s a standout for Davidson, leading them with 18.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 3.3 apg on 52% FG shooting.
The skilled big man has seven games with 20+ points, including 20 in all three A-10 games. Davidson is 2-1 in league play and has been a positive surprise. As the clear star of the team putting up big numbers, look for Bailey to be in the mix for the top individual award.
3. George Mason, GW potential double-bye contenders due to defense
Two other surprises in the A-10 are from the DMV area, with Mason currently second in the standings at 3-1, while GW is 2-1, including a win over Dayton without its best player, Darren Buchanan (15.1 ppg). What these teams have in common is that they’re led on defense, with the Patriots ranked 12th nationally in points allowed (62.1 ppg) and first in league play.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionaries are in the top tier in most categories, only allowing 37% FG shooting to opponents. They’ve been one of the worst teams in the A-10 on that end in the past, so seeing them be as stout to this point is why, even with injuries, they’ve been more than competitive.
4. Cam Crawford’s emergence has turned Duquesne’s season around
In the non-con, Duquesne looked to be the clearest team in the A-10, with home losses to Milwaukee, Saint Peter’s, and Maine. But after losing to Maine, they made a change in the lineup, benching Maximius Edwards and giving more minutes to Marshall transfer Crawford.
It’s worked in a big way. In the last seven games since Crawford entered the starting lineup to play around 30 mpg, he’s averaging 11.7 ppg, shooting 16/29 (55%) from three-point range. As a team, the Dukes are 6-1 in this stretch and have gone from a bottom-feeder to a potential double-bye candidate.
5. If Duquesne isn’t destined for the bottom tier, who is?
As the Dukes showed in the A-10 Tournament, avoiding the first round (pillow fight) is key to having a chance to go dancing. Among the bottom six spots, a few teams are likely heading there. Fordham (0-4) is a near-lock, while UMass has had its issues despite beating Dayton. Plus, La Salle’s talent may not be able to get them out of the basement.
Another team whose fate may be sealed is Richmond, who just lost its senior guard, Delonnie Hunt (16.8 ppg) for over a month. If those four are likely set, who are the two others to join them? That’s a major storyline to watch, as 11 teams can’t all play well going forward.