There are a whopping 10 teams in the middle of the Atlantic 10, separated by just 2.5 games. With around 4-6 games left for most teams in the regular season, a win/losing streak this late is the difference between getting a double bye or being in the bottom tier and having to play in the first round of the conference tournament.
Based on how each team has played lately, here’s the latest power ranking for the conference.
15. Fordham Rams - 11-14 (3-9)
Fordham has split its last six games after starting 0-6 in league play. Jackie Johnson (18.7 ppg) has a recent three-game stretch of 20+ points and is playing at an all-league level. They can add more wins to its record, taking on Duquesne and Davidson up next.
14. La Salle Explorers - 12-14 (4-9)
The Explorers are going through a slump, having lost its last four games. Three of them were on the road, though, losing by 12+ points in the last three losses is a concern. Freshman guard Deuce Jones (12 ppg) has been inconsistent but is as potent as any guard in the league, coming off back-to-back 20+ point outings.
13. Richmond Spiders - 9-17 (4-9)
Richmond had a conference-high seven-game losing skid at one point but has split its last four games, beating Duquesne and Fordham. While the season-ending injury to leading scorer Delonnie Hunt (16.8 ppg) has hurt their offense, the Spiders have gotten production out of sophomore guard Mikkel Tyne, who scored 37 points combined in the last two outings against Fordham and Loyola-Chicago.
12. Davidson Wildcats - 15-10 (5-7)
The Wildcats have a pair of wins over Richmond, but outside of a road win over UMass, it hasn’t been overly impressive for them in the past month. Reed Bailey (19.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 3.8 apg) is an all-league star who leads Davidson in scoring, and they’ll need him to come through against a tough ending slate, making upcoming games against Loyola and Fordham this week very important.
11. St. Bonaventure Bonnies - 18-9 (6-8)
After a great non-con campaign, injuries have derailed the Bonnies. They have multiple three-game losing skids, though they have beaten Dayton and VCU. Among the healthy players, Melvin Council (14.2 ppg and 4.1 apg) has been a standout, with the hopes that starting guard Dasonte Bowen can return from a long-term injury. They look to end its own losing skid to rival Duquesne, hosting them this upcoming weekend.
10. Duquesne Dukes - 10-15 (5-7)
The Dukes squandered a 4-1 record to open league play with five straight league losses at one point. But they do have a recent win over Loyola-Chicago and took Dayton down to the wire at on the road last weekend. They look to get back in the win column this week, taking on Fordham and St. Bonaventure.
9. UMass Minutemen - 11-15 (6-7)
After a surprise 5-4 start to league play, the Minutemen have lost three of its last four games, including to Davidson and St. Bonaventure at home. They still have a shot to be competitive, thanks to star senior guard Rahsool Diggins (17.2 ppg). UMass will have to get back on track on the road, taking on VCU and GW up next this week.
8. Rhode Island Rams - 17-8 (6-7)
After losing four games out of five, the Rams bounced back last week with home wins over La Salle and St. Bonaventure. Sebastian Thomas had 11 points and 11 assists in the last game and leads the team with 18.1 ppg and 6.0 apg in a bid for first-team All-A10. Rhode Island is back on the road at Saint Louis, followed by games versus Dayton and UMass.
7. St. Joe’s Hawks - 15-10 (6-6)
Consistency, or a lack thereof, has been the theme for St. Joe’s. They’ve been unable to get more than two straight wins or losses at any point in A-10 play. To their defense, the last three road losses (Dayton, Loyola, George Mason) all came by five or fewer points and came down to the wire. The remaining games are fairly winnable for them, giving the Hawks a chance to rise up the conference standings.
6. George Washington Revolutionaries - 17-9 (6-7)
Even while dealing with injuries, GW stays in the middle, getting wins over Saint Louis, Davidson, and St. Bonaventure. Providence transfer Rafael Castro (13.2 ppg and 9.0 rpg) is coming off back-to-back 20-point games to continue making his own case for all-league.
5. Saint Louis Billikens - 14-12 (7-6)
Early on, Saint Louis looked like a contender for the regular-season title. They’ve struggled since, losing four of the last five games, including at home in overtime to George Mason. The Big 3 of Gibson Jimeron, Robbie Avila, and Isaiah Swope do most of the scoring production for the Billikens, but the defense, giving up 70+ points in five straight games. They have some key games coming up, including against Loyola and Dayton in the final week.
4. Loyola-Chicago Ramblers - 16-9 (7-5)
The Ramblers have won four out of the last five games to move up in the standings, including St. Joe’s and Saint Louis home victories. They’re still without starting point guard Justin Moore, but veteran guards Desmond Watson, Sheldon Edwards, and Jayden Dawson have stepped up on offense, each averaging double figures. Loyola has put itself in a good spot for a double-bye but has some tough challenges to get past, including Dayton at home and a rematch with the Billikens.
3. Dayton Flyers - 18-8 (8-5)
Whether Dayton’s at-large hopes are done or not is for another article, but for now, they’re the best of the rest from the “middle pack.” They barely survived a home game versus Duquesne and lost at VCU. They have another shot at the Rams but first have to get past Loyola and Rhode Island up next, both of whom are on the road.
2. George Mason Patriots - 21-5 (12-1)
The Patriots have been the biggest surprise in the Atlantic 10, currently in first place in the standings and on an 11-game win streak. However, they’ve been close to losing several times in the past month, including a trio of overtime victories and a few others that came down to the last minute. Still, George Mason’s defense is more than legit and big man Jalen Haynes has been arguably their best player. They have a chance to prove they’re the clear best team soon, taking on VCU on the road this weekend.
1. VCU Rams - 20-5 (10-2)
The only losses in league play for VCU have been at St. Bonaventure and at Saint Louis. Other than that, they’ve dominated most of their competition, coming off road wins over Dayton and GW. They have the best guard play in the Atlantic 10 as well, with Joe Bamisile and Max Shulga each putting up over 15 ppg. They’ll look to move back into first in the standings this weekend if they can beat George Mason, though they can’t afford to overlook UMass in the game prior.