The Only Conference Preview You Need To Read: Atlantic 10

Over the next month and a half, we will be rolling out all of our 2011-2012 Season Preview posts. You can find a full schedule of all the preview posts here. If you want to browse through the rest of the conference previews, click here.

AWARDS

Player of the Year: Tu Holloway, Sr., Xavier

There is simply no argument that can be made for this award to go to anyone other than Holloway. The reigning Player of the Year, Holloway spent much of the season as one of only four players to averaged 20 ppg, 5 rpg and 5 apg -- Nolan Smith, Norris Cole and Charles Jenkins were the others -- before a five point performance against Marquette in the NCAA Tournament left him nine points short. Holloway is not overly explosive, but he is tremendously quick, which makes him difficult to stay in front of. He has a knack for drawing fouls and getting to the line, and one of the major reasons his scoring went up so much as a junior was the development of his mid-range game. I don't expect Holloway to post to same numbers he did last season -- 38.4 mpg, 19.7 ppg, etc. -- simply because I believe Xavier will have some more help offensively and improved depth. Holloway will still be the star, but he won't have to carry this team quite as often. One of the things that doesn't show up for Holloway in the box score is that he is at his best in the clutch. He wants the ball in his hands down the stretch, and he makes the big shots and the big plays late.


And a close second goes to...: Andrew Nicholson, Sr., St. Bonaventure

Nicholson is, hands down, the best post player in the Atlantic 10. Offensively, there isn't much that he can't do. He's got a very good low-post game. He can score on either block with either hand and he shows off solid footwork and fluid moves. Hopefully he added some strength to his frame, as being able to power through defenders is something he'll need at the next level. Nicholson also showed off a solid touch in the mid-range, out to about 15 feet. Seeing him get more active on the glass and better at recognizing the double-teams that will, no doubt, be flying as him all season long is going to be a key not only to how well he team does this season, but whether or not he's able to sneak into the first round of the NBA Draft after the season.

Breakout Star: Tyreek Duren, So., La Salle

Duren has the chance to become one of the better point guards in the conference. A well-regarded recruit coming out of Philly's Neumann-Goretti High School, Duren is everything you imagine when you think of a Philly kid. He can get out and push the ball in transition, something the Explorers did quite a bit of last season as they notched the seventh most possessions in the country. Duren can get to the rack, but he's also a capable creator, averaging 4.4 apg last year. Those assist numbers will likely go down as Duren become more of a focal point offensively; with La Salle losing a potential NBA forward and two 1,000 point scorers, there won't be as many options offensively.

All-Conference First-Team:

- POY: Tu Holloway, Sr., Xavier
- G: Juan Fernandez, Sr., Temple
- G: Mark Lyons, Jr., Xavier
- F: Ramone Moore, Sr., Temple
- F: Chris Johnson, Jr., Dayton
- C: Andrew Nicholson, Sr., St. Bonaventure


All-Conference Second-Team:

- G: Tony Taylor, Sr., George Washington
- G: Langston Galloway, So., St. Joseph's
- G: Tyreek Duren, So., La Salle
- F: Chris Gaston, Jr., Fordham
- C: Kenny Frease, Sr., Xavier

Four summer storylines

- Aaric Murray transfers to West Virginia: Aaric Murray just never bought into what John Giannini was selling. One of the most highly-regarded recruits to go to La Salle in a very long time, Murray had quite a bit of success of the stat sheet, averaging 15.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 2.3 bpg a season ago. But the versatile, face-up four never bought in on the defensive end of the floor and was, in fact, benched by Giannini on multiple occasions this past season. Murray made the decision to transfer to West Virginia, but he will leave a gaping hole in the front line of the Explorers, who expected another two seasons from the big man.

- Coaching changes: The biggest change in the coaching ranks was the decision of Brian Gregory to take over the head coaching position at Georgia Tech where Paul Hewitt had ben fired. It was a fairly smart decision by Gregory. He was starting to wear out his welcome in Dayton as his team's consistently underachieved, and with Chris Wright's graduation, the timing was right. The strangest decision came two months after Gregory left, as the new George Washington athletic director fired head coach Karl Hobbs just seven days into his tenure. Its interesting timing. While its true that Hobbs had not been able to sustain the success the program experienced in the mid-2000's, he had his best team in recent memory returning this year. As an interesting side note, Hobbs' firing meant that assistant Roland Houston lost his job. When he was hired at George Mason, his nephew -- top 75 center Eric Copes -- got a release from his letter of intent at GW and followed his uncle.

Perhaps the most surprising coaching maneuver of the summer didn't involve a coaching change. Richmond was able to keep Chris Mooney around, signing him to a 10 year contract, despite the fact that a number of bigger programs were interested in his services and that Richmond graduates four starters and their two first-team all-league players.

- Fran Dunphy's 'stache is no more: He lost a bet to Dionte Christmas, who got is degree this summer. So Dunphy paid his debt:


- Tornado's in Massachusetts: If what was an awful tornado season, the names and stories from Tuscaloosa, AL, and Joplin, MO, will not be forgotten anytime soon. And while the devastation wasn't on the same level as those two twisters, the tornado that ripped through Derek Kellogg's Springfield, MA, hometown caused plenty of damage. Three people died and a stretch of downtown was destroyed. Kellogg and some of his players helped in the rebuilding and relief efforts.

Four storylines heading into the season

- Can anyone challenge Temple and Xavier this season?: The battle for first place is, as always, going to be an entertaining one in the Atlantic 10 this season. Both Temple and Xavier bring back a number key pieces from last season and have enough talent on their roster that they will be in and out of the top 25 all season long. They only play once this season -- at 9:00 pm on Saturday, February 11th -- and if you haven't already circled that date in your calender, you are doing something wrong.

But perhaps more interesting is going to be the push for third place. After Temple and Xavier, things get messy. There are about six or seven teams that have a legitimate chance to finish third in the league. Watching the season play out will be quite entertaining.

- Is George Washington for real this season?: The Colonials have been an Atlantic 10 afterthought since 2007, but last season GW finished tied with Duquesne for fourth in the conference. They return the majority of that team, including star point guard Tony Taylor and Lasan Kromah, who was GW's second-leading scorer as a freshman before injuring his foot and missing all of last season. While there is new leadership in Foggy Bottom with Mike Lonergan taking over for Karl Hobbs, GW has the talent and the depth to be a factor in the conference race this season.


- How far does Richmond fall?: Its no secret that the Spiders lost as much as anyone in the conference to graduation. Kevin Anderson, the league's 2010 Player of the Year, graduated. So did star forward and NBA Draft pick Justin Harper. Dan Geriot and Kevin Smith, who both played huge roles for Chris Mooney's club are also gone. There are some pieces remaining on this team, however, but the talent is young, especially in the back court. Can Darien Breshers or Cedrick Lindsay become a star in the back court? Will Darius Garrett finally live up to the potential his athleticism gives him?

- Can Kwamain Mitchell return to the form that he had as a sophomore?: St. Louis was supposed to be the Atlantic 10's sleeper in 2010-2011, but a sexual assault allegation involving the team's two best players -- including Mitchell -- put a damper on that enthusiasm. But the Billikens didn't exactly have a disappointing season, as their freshmen developed and gelled late in the year. All five starters are back, and in addition to throwing Mitchell back into the fold this year, St. Louis adds Toledo transfer Jake Barnett, who averaged 12.9 ppg in 2009-2010. The one issue that may arise is that Mitchell plays essentially the same role as Mike McCall, a sophomore guard that led the team in scoring last season and averaged 14.6 ppg over his last seven games.

Power Rankings

1. Xavier: Last year was supposed to be the season that the Musketeers finally snapped that streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Not only were they losing Jordan Crawford, but both Brad Redford (a torn acl) and Justin Martin (academics) were unavailable for coach Chris Mack. An 8-5 start to non-conference play only solidified that idea. But once league play started, the Muskies turned things around. Tu Holloway finished his transformation into one of the most unstoppable players in the country, Kenny Frease and Mark Lyons embraced and flourished in their roles as sidekicks and Dante Jackson and Jamel McLean were as blue-collar and valuable as they have ever been.

Obviously, Holloway will once again be the center piece of this team. There's not much to say about him beyond what is written above -- simply put, there is a reason that he will be all over preseason all-america teams. The key for Xavier is going to be ensuring that Holloway has plenty of help, and there are more than enough pieces to do so. In the back court it starts with Lyons, an athletic slasher that averaged 13.6 ppg as sophomore. He needs to be more consistent, however. Redford, who is one of the best shooters in the country, and Martin, who is a 6'7" small forward but has a reputation for being dangerous on the perimeter, will both be back in the fold, as will another freshman named Dezmine Wells. Wells is a very highly-regarded recruit, a terrific athlete that will be a star as he develops his offensive skills. Up front, Frease will be the focal point in the paint. Its taken time, but he is finally showing Musketeer fans why they were excited when he joined the program three years ago. His low-post game is finally developing and at 7'0", he can rebound and block shots. Four other players will get a crack at seeing minutes up front: junior Jeff Robinson is a defensive playmaker that would be a good fit replacing McLean; Monmouth transfer Travis Taylor averaged 17 ppg as a sophomore before sitting out last season; Vanderbilt Andre Walker is probably the most versatile of the group and can play both the three and the four if need be; and Griffin McKenzie is a face-up four with the jumper to spread the floor. Xavier will once again be a favorite to win the A-10.


2. Temple: Fran Dunphy finally broke his streak. 17 years and nine trips to the NCAA Tournament since the last time that he won a game in the Big Dance, Dunphy finally took his team past the first round thanks to a buzzer-beating leaner from Juan Fernandez. They almost won again, as the Owls took SDSU into a second overtime in the second round. It was the end of another very good season for Dunphy and Temple, one that saw them win 14 league games and 26 games overall.

Once again, Fran Dunphy has his Temple team in a position to make a lot of noise in the Atlantic 10. On the perimeter, the 2011-2012 version of the Owls is loaded. Point guard Juan Fernandez, who feels like he has been in college for a decade, returns for his senior season. His numbers dipped a bit as a junior, but don't be surprised when he has a big senior year as this team's leader. Ramone Moore turned into the Owl's go-to scorer as a junior, and should once again fill that role as a senior. Throw in a healthy Scootie Randall, talented junior Khalif Wyatt and a couple of hungry and capable youngsters in sophomore Aaron Brown (who performed well when moved into the starting lineup to replace the injured Randall late in the season) and freshman Will Cummings, and Dunphy will have plenty of options at his disposal. I would go as far as to say Temple has one of the best perimeter rotations in the country. Up front is a bigger issue, as Temple will have to replace Lavoy Allen, who was so important to this team's defensive attack. Michael Eric should be healthy and will be counted on for a big season defending the rim and cleaning the glass. Rahlir Jefferson should also see a bump in production as a junior and will be a factor rebounding the ball. Depth is the biggest issue on the front line. Behind Jefferson and Eric, Dunphy only has two big men in Anthony Lee and Jimmy McDonnell, both redshirt freshmen that still need to add weight and strength. Even with the front court question marks, Temple should give Xavier a run for their money at the conference title.


3. Saint Louis: Last season was supposed to be the year that the Billikens made a run at the Atlantic 10 title, but those plans were thrown into utter disarray when Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed, the two best players in the program, were kicked off the team and out of school over an alleged sexual assault. No charges were ever filed, and while Mitchell was readmitted to the school, midway through the season, he opted to redshirt instead of wasting a year of eligibility. As a result, St. Louis was left with a roster full of youth. The bad news was that meant the team started out the season slowly, but the good news is that a late-push combined with a couple of additions this season give SLU a reason to be hopeful for next year.

A second-team all-conference player as a sophomore, Mitchell had a shot at being the league's Player of the Year had he continued to improve. A 5'10" scoring guard, Mitchell is muscular and understands how to use that strength and his quickness. He's a big time player that hit a lot of big shots, but it will be interesting to see just how much sitting out a season affected him. Mitchell will only be a piece in what is a loaded back court for the Billikens. Sophomore Mike McCall was the team's leading scorer a year ago, going on a tear over the last seven games when he averaged 14.6 ppg. Senior Kyle Cassity and sophomore Jordair Jett also return in the back court, with sophomore Jake Barnett finally getting eligible after transferring in from Toledo. There are plenty of options on the front line as well. Senior Brian Conklin and sophomore Dwayne Evans were the second and third leading scorers, respectively, but both are short forwards. Rob Loe, Cody Ellis and Cory Remekun all started games as well. Throw in freshmen John Manning and Grandy Glaze, and front court minutes will be tough to earn. Seeing how all of the pieces will come together will be interesting, but this is a St. Louis team that can definitely make some noise this year.


4. George Washington: Karl Hobbs, who had been at George Washington for a decade, lost his job as the Colonial head coach after GW replaced their athletic director in May. It was odd timing for the coaching change. While understandable -- Hobbs had been unable to rebuild the program after fielding a top 10 team in the country in the middle of the decade -- it came at an odd time. The Colonials actually have a shot to do some damage this season. After winning 10 league games last season despite playing without Lasan Kromah, the Colonials essentially bring back everyone. Its not a bad situation for new head coach Mike Lonergan to be walking into.

GW's strength this season is going to be in their back court. As we mentioned, they will be getting Kromah back. Kromah is a 6'5" shooting guard that is dangerous when he gets hot. He missed last year after injuring his foot and getting surgery shortly before the season started, but as a freshman he averaged 11.8 ppg. He won't even be the best player in GW's back court as Tony Taylor, a senior that led the team in scoring and assists a year ago, is also back. Taylor is a playmaker, talented enough to make second-team all-league. Junior Bryan Bynes and and Aaron Ware and sophomore Dan Guest will round out the back court rotation. Junior Dwayne Smith and sophomore Nemanja Mikic should once again start at the forward spots. Smith is more of a small forward and a slasher, although he is the team's best offensive rebounder, while Mikic is the definition of a face-up four. Despite being 6'8", Mikic took 172 of his 205 shot attempts last season from beyond the arc, hitting 43.6%. The key for the Colonials may end up being what kind of production they get in the paint. Senior Jabari Edwards, who has had knee issues through his career, is a terrific shot-blocker, but can he become a bigger threat in the post and on the glass? Will junior David Pellom be able to score on the block? With Mikic's ability to shoot the ball at the four, there will be plenty of space in the paint for those two to operate, either with the ball or on the offensive glass. There is enough talent here for a top four finish in the league, but it is all going to depend on how Lonergan makes the pieces fit and whether or not the players buy into his system.


5. St. Bonaventure: Looking at their overall record, it wouldn't appear as if St. Bonaventure has made any progress over the past three seasons, as 15-15 turned into 15-16 and, in 2010-2011, 16-15. But for the first time since 2002, the Bonnies made a postseason tournament in 2011, losing in the first round of the CBI. That 2002 season was also the last time that they had finished above .500 overall. Throw in the fact that the Bonnies also finished at .500 in Atlantic 10 play and return four starters, and you start to understand why there is finally some optimism around this program.

The biggest reason for that optimism is their biggest player, Andrew Nicholson. Nicholson is a big-time scorer with a possible NBA career in front of him. He will, in all likelihood, averaged over 20 points again this season, and what makes him so dangerous is that he can do it with his back to the basket or by stepping out and knocking down a 15 footer. Nicholson is joined up front by 6'8" senior DaQuan Cook, a bruiser that was the team's best offensive rebounder. Marquise Simmons will provide front court depth. In the back court, starters and double-figure scorers Michael Davenport and Demetrius Conger both return, but the major loss will be Ogo Adegboye, who started at the point and was the facilitator for this team. Depth was, and still is, an issue for the Bonnies, highlighted by the fact that Adegboye averaged an obscene 39.0 mpg last year. With Derrick Millinghaus opting to enroll at prep school instead of at St. Bonaventure, where he may have ended up starting, the Bonnies will be forced to rely solely on Eric Mosely, a point guard transfer from Austin Peay.


6. Dayton: The 2010-2011 season was the end of a couple of disappointing eras. It starts with Chris Wright's graduation. Wright was a talented small forward with an unbelievable amount of talent and potential, and while he scored 1,600 points and will leave as a member of the winningest recruiting class in Dayton history, Flyer fans always believed that he could have been so much more. The other is head coach Brian Gregory. In his last few seasons at Dayton, Gregory -- who replaced Paul Hewitt at Georgia Tech -- fielded a team that underperformed given their expectations. And while its frustrating for the fans to watch a team expected to compete for conference title consistently finish in the middle of the pack, the fact that back-to-back 20 win seasons was a disappointment should tell you something about the program he built.


The big loss of the offseason wasn't Gregory, however. It was Juwan Staten, a freshman point guard that was the team's third-leading scorer and the conference's leader in assists. Staten had a chance to be a special player for new head coach Archie Miller, but even with his departure, Sean Miller's kid brother should have plenty on options on the perimeter. Senior Chris Johnson, the second-leading scorer and rebounder for Dayton last year, appears primed to become the star of this team. He'll be joined on the wing by Paul Williams. Both Johnson and Williams are good enough shooters that they will be able to keep the floor spread. It will be interesting to see who takes over the point guard spot. Josh Parker is the senior veteran that backed up Staten last year, but fellow MVC cast-off Kevin Dillard (Dillard transferred in from Southern Illinois, Parker from Drake) has the talent to be a difference-maker for Dayton. Dillard dominates the ball and is more of a scorer than a distributor, which could end up being a problem. Dayton is deep up front, but with Wright gone it will be interesting to see who capitalizes on the available minutes. Josh Benson looks like he may end up being the anchor as he is the most dangerous low-post presence, but sharp-shooting senior Luke Fabrizius, junior Matt Kavanaugh, sophomore Dean Oliver and freshman Alex Gavrilovic will all see time as well. Dayton should finish near the top of the league, but we've all heard that before.


7. Duquesne: Midway through conference play last season, the Dukes looked like a team that was prepping to make a run at the NCAA Tournament. Despite being unable to earn a win against some of their bigger name opponents, Ron Everhart's club was sitting pretty at 8-0 in Atlantic 10 play, taking over the lead in the conference at one point. But a two-point loss to St. Bonaventure on the road sparked a downward spiral that Duquesne was never able to pull themselves out of. They would go on to lose six of their last eight games in league play and drop the opener of the A-10 tournament, taking themselves right out of contention for an at-large bid and sending themselves straight to the CBI. The worst part about that tumble is that the Dukes lost their two best players to graduation, and while the pieces are there to be able to fill the void left by Clark's scoring, finding a replacement for the all-around game that Damian Saunders possessed will be difficult.

Everhart will have a number of pieces to work with in his back court. It will start with sophomore TJ McConnell, who came in and started 30 games at the point last season. McConnell can do a lot of things well -- he was the fourth-leading scorer, the most consistent perimeter shooter and the leader in both assists and assist-to-turnover ratio -- and he should only get better as he continues to develop. Fellow sophomore Mike Talley and senior BJ Monteiro, the team's leading returning scorer, will start along side McConnell in the back court. Expect Monteiro to be the guy that gets Clark's shots and becomes the go-to scorer for the Dukes. Junior Sean Johnson, who players the role of lightening in a bottle for Everhart off the bench, and senior Eric Evans will provide perimeter depth. The front court is going to be a major question mark, as Duquesne had size issues last season as well. Andre Marhold is the best returner, but even he only managed 20 games and 45 points on the season. Derrick Martin, an athletic 6'9" post, could end up seeing a lot of minutes, but he's only a redshirt freshman coming off of a year in which he didn't qualify. With a couple of other freshmen joining the fold, it will be interesting to see how Everhart handles this team. With their back court strength, this is a team that can finish in the top five in the league. But with their lack of a front line, they could just as easily finish in the bottom five.


8. Richmond: The 2010-2011 season was arguably the best in the history of the Richmond program. They won a school-record 29 games. They won their first A-10 title, making a run from the three-seed to the tournament championship. As a capper, they knocked off both Vanderbilt and Morehead State en route to the Sweet 16 as a No. 12 seed. The bad news, however, is that so much of that success was the result of a stellar senior class -- Justin Harper was an NBA Draft pick, Kevin Anderson was a former A-10 Player of the Year, and Dan Geriot and Kevin Smith were both starters that played key roles.

And while the cupboard is certainly not bare, the most important returner this season is head coach Chris Mooney. Mooney made the decision to return to the Spiders despite the fact that he likely had a chance to make the jump to a bigger school in a more powerful league. This season will, in all likelihood, be a rebuilding year for Mooney, but that's more of a result of youth than it is of a lack of talent on the roster. In the back court, Darien Brothers -- a junior off-guard that started last season -- and sophomore point guard Cedrick Lindsay will likely get the first crack at starting. Both are talented players that should be expected to see their scoring jump up into double figures. Behind those two, three freshmen will be battling for minutes -- diminutive point guard Kendall Anthony, redshirt freshman Wayne Sparrow and swingman Trey Davis -- with junior Greg Robbins. In the front court, senior Darius Garrett is a terrific athlete and makes a lot of things happen in the paint, but his skills still need to develop to be effective. Francis-Cedric Martel, a senior, split starts with Kevin Smith, although he's more of a shooter than a defender or playmaker. Senior Josh Duinker and a couple of freshmen -- Luke Piotrowski and Alonzo Nelson-Ododa -- will provide depth. Richmond will probably still finish in the top half of the league, but it will be at least a year before they are competing for a league title again.


9. St. Joseph's: Its hard to believe that just eight seasons ago, Phil Martelli had an NBA back court on a team that was one of the best of the decade not only in the Atlantic 10, but nationally. But when you put together back-to-back 20 loss seasons, people tend to forget about your successes. That said, there is reason to be optimistic about the group that St. Joe's is bringing back. After starting out the year 5-16, St. Joe's rallied down the stretch of the season, going 6-6 in their final 12 games and making the semifinals of the A-10 Tournament.

The Hawks essentially bring back every important piece from last season's team, with the exception of Idris Hilliard. This group is going to be built around their back court of junior Carl Jones and sophomre Langston Galloway. Jones is a lightening quick, 5'10" point guard that averaged 17.0 ppg last season. Galloway is more of an off-guard than Jones, but he has the potential to develop into a first-team all-league player before he leaves Hawk Hill. Daryus Quarles will likely return to the starting lineup, where he plays the three, but the x-factor appears to be Chris Wilson, a freshman point guard that Martelli believes will be the missing piece in his back court. There is a ton of potential on the front court. CJ Aiken and Ronald Roberts Jr. were both highly regarded recruits, and both played well as freshmen. The key up front, however, may end up being Hofstra transfer Halil Kanacevic, a 6'8" sophomore that will provide some bulk (Kanacevic is listed at 258 lb, Aiken at 190 lb) on the interior. The Hawks should be more competitive this season, and I don't think finishing in the top half of the conference is out of the question. The best news? Everyone is back again for the 2012-2013 season.


10. Rhode Island: The Rams 2010-2011 season was what we've come to expect out of the Rhode Island program over the last few years. After performing well during the non-conference portion of their schedule, Jim Baron's club finished smack in the middle of the conference after a loss to St. Bonaventure in their regular season finale. The bad news? The end of the 2010-2011 season brought with it the end of an era. Delroy James, the Ram's leading scorer and rebounder last season, has graduated along with fellow starters Marquis Jones and Will Martell and reserve Ben Eaves. Throw in Daniel West's decision to leave school, Akeem Richmond's transfer and the fact that PJ Lockridge no longer appears on the team roster, and URI is going to have quite a bit of rebuilding to do.

There will be some pieces on this team, however. In the front court, senior Orion Outerbridge and junior Nikola Malesevic both return. Malesevic is a 6'7" face-up power forward with an a deadly stroke. If Outerbridge, who was productive in fairly limited minutes off the bench as a junior, can become a presence on the block, he and Malesevic will form a solid inside-outside duo. Junior Ryan Brooks should see minutes this season, as should Jonathon Holton, a 6'9" freshman with a similar skill set Malesevic. The back court will be a question mark until the semester break, when Billy Baron and Andre Malone both become eligibile. Baron is a sharpshooting sophomore that started his career at Virginia before deciding he wanted to play for his dad at URI, while Malone was a starter and a double-figure scorer at Auburn before transferring out. When they become eligible, they will give URI a solid perimeter attack when senior Jamal Wilson and freshman Dominique McCoy are factored in. But until those two are available, Rhody will be short-handed in the back court. Expect senior Anthony Malhoit and freshmen Mike Powell and TJ Buchanan to fill in. The Rams will be a middle-of-the-pack A-10 team once their roster is complete, but midseason additions are always a risk to team chemistry.


11. Charlotte: Last season could not have gone much worse for Charlotte. After a promising start to non-conference play, which included a four-game winning streak in their 8-6 record, the 49ers went just 2-14 in league play, missing the conference tournament when they lost to St. Joe's by one point on the final day of the regular season. It was more than just losses, however. Shamari Spears, who was the most talented player in the program, was suspended at the start of the season before eventually getting thrown off the team after just five games. Phil Jones was declared academically ineligible after the first semester. Throw in the injuries to a couple of bench players and a first-year head coach in Alan Major, and it should come as no surprise that Charlotte struggled.

The season did have its moments, however. Charlotte knocked off Tennessee by one in December and handed Xavier their only conference loss of the season. The 49ers also lost seven league games by single digits, including three in overtime. Despite their issues, this team was still competitive at times and they do have some talent returning. It will start with the back court. Senior Derrio Green and junior Jamar Briscoe both proved themselves to be talented scorers, capable of going off for big games. But they struggled with their consistency, as neither shot over 40% from the floor. Green took 207 threes on the season despite shooting just 27.1%. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that Charlotte needed them shooting to compete. One of the keys for Major will be to find a way to put those two kids in a position to score with needing them to force shots. There is some depth on the perimeter as well. Jarvis Barnett started 25 games and proved to be a consistent three point threat. Georgia transfer DeMario Mayfield should have an impact, as well as sophomore Luka Voncina, a talented guard that was ineligible last season. Throw in a couple of recruits, and Major has pieces to work with in his back court. The key returner up front is Chris Braswell, a junior that had a couple of big games inside. He'll need help from guys like KJ Sherrill, E. Victor Nickerson and Ijilia Ivanovic. There is some talent on this team, especially in the back court, but finding the right way to utilize that talent -- and getting some front court help -- will determine whether the 49ers can approach .500 in the A-10 this season.


12. Fordham: I say this without any hint of sarcasm -- Fordham's 7-21 season was a step in the right direction for the program. Not only were they able to win two more games than they had in the previous two seasons combined, but the Rams, under new head coach Tom Pecora, knocked off St. John's and ended a 41 game conference losing streak by knocking off UMass in the last game of the regular season. With only one player graduating and a number of key pieces with multiple years of eligibility left, the Rams are at least moving in the right direction.

For Fordham, it all starts with junior Chris Gaston, who averaged 15.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg and 1.5 bpg as his numbers dipped from his freshman season. Seeing his numbers go down was actually a good thing. It means that Gaston is starting to get some talent built up around him, that he isn't being asked to do everything when he is on the floor. Joining Gaston up front will be big senior Kervin Bristol, the team's leading shot-blocker and second-leading rebounder who averaged less than a shot-and-a-half per fame. Sophomore Marvin Dominique will also see time in the front court and should push Bristol for minutes. The back court will be anchored by senior Alberto Estwick and sophomores Lamont Samuell and Branden Frazier. Throw in a solid crop of freshmen, headlined by big man Ryan Canty, and Pecora has some pieces to build on. How much gets built this season depends on how that sophomore back court develops, but I'd expect Fordham to, at the very least, be more competitive this year, maybe even sneaking their way into the Atlantic 10 Tournament.


13. La Salle: Last year was the year for the Explorers. With a starting five that was as talented as any in the conference -- featuring a potential pro in center Aaric Murray, two 1,000 point scorers in Jerrell Williams and Ruben Guillandeaux, a Big East transfer on the perimeter in Earl Pettis and stud freshman point guard Tyreek Duren -- La Salle was a team built to make a push for the top of the A-10. But for all that talent on the offensive end of the floor, the Explorers simply could never find a way to get enough stops to win games consistently. The Explorers were atrocious defensively, which is a big reason they ended up finishing the year 15-18 and just 6-10 in the A-10.

While La Salle will lose both of those 1,000 point scorers to graduation, they also lose Murray after just two seasons. Murray didn't enter the NBA Draft, but whatever divide had built up between him and head coach John Giannini -- he was suspended twice during the season -- had become too much to overcome. Losing Murray could end up being a blessing in disguise, however, has he became a distraction last year. La Salle will also still have some pieces to work with next season. Duren will be the center piece of the La Salle attack and the sophomore, who averaged 9.8 ppg and 4.4 apg last year, has the potential to become one of the best point guards in the conference. Throw in Rutgers transfer Pettis, who started and averaged 9.1 ppg last season, and South Carolina transfer Ramon Galloway, who received a hardship waiver and will be eligible immediately after averaging double figures with the Gamecocks, and the Explorers have a very good perimeter attack. Sophomore Sam Mills will likely be the first guard off the bench, with freshmen DJ Peterson and Rohan Brown providing depth. The front court is a different story. Devon White is really the only returner, and he played all of 12 mpg last season. Matt Lopez is a redshirt freshman that still needs to add some weight, while true freshmen Steve Zack and Jerrell Wright will also be on the roster. La Salle's back court could be enough to get them in the neighborhood of .500 next year, but unless some size develops during the year, their potential as a team is limited.


14. UMass: Derek Kellogg's club started out the 2010-2011 season 7-0, finally looking like they were a team that could make a tun at finishing near the top of the Atlantic 10. But as their schedule got tougher, the Minutemen fell apart. The biggest problem? They couldn't find a scoring option outside of Anthony Gurley, who averaged 18.7 ppg, which was more than double the team's second-leading scorer. Unfortunately, both Gurley and back court mate Gary Correia graduated, leaving the Minutemen not only without a go-to scorer in the program, but also without one of the team's leaders and most experienced players.

The biggest issue for UMass next season is going to be finding back court play. With Correia and Gurley gone, Darryl Traynham having been kicked off the team and Trey Davis being ruled ineligible, the Minutemen are going to be forced to rely on some youngsters to provide the engine for a team that liked to get up and down the floor. Junior Freddie Riley, the team's third-leading scorer from a year ago that should move into the starting lineup this season, and sophomore Jesse Morgan are the returners of note. Freshmen Jordan Laguerre, an athletic left hander, should have an impact simply based on the way he plays, but the key could end up being Chaz Williams. Williams is a transfer from Hofstra, where he averaged 7.4 ppg and 4.2 apg as a freshman in 2009-2010. The UMass front line will remain intact next season. Junior Javorn Farrell will be counted on to play a bigger role, as will classmates Terrell Vinson and Sampson Carter. Sean Carter will provide some height on the interior, as will sophomore Raphiael Putney and redshirt freshman Maxie Esho. Expect UMass to fall somewhere in the middle of the A-10 this year.
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Previewing the Madness: The Atlantic 10

The top three teams in the Atlantic 10 shook out the way we all expected.

Sort of.

Xavier, somewhere surprisingly, climbed to the top of the conference despite losing two key starters last season and two important reserves prior to the start of the year. Temple cruised to a 14-2 mark in league play, finishing a game behind the Musketeers and a game ahead of Richmond.

There were some surprises, however. For starters, Dayton once again collapsed during the season, finishing below .500 in league play and once again leaving a disappointing taste in the mouth of the analysts that predicted this team would compete for the league title. Rhode Island once against couldn't muster a finish in the top five of the league, and St. Louis had their season blown when their two best players were kicked out of school and Rick Majerus suffered a nasty gash on his leg in a collision with an opposing player.

Where: Campus sites, Atlantic City

When: March 8th, March 11-13th

Final: March 13th, 1:00 pm, CBS
Favorite: Xavier Musketeers

It doesn't matter who suits up. It doesn't matter who is the coach. All that matters is the name on the front of the jersey. Xavier was supposed to be down this season. That's what happens when you lose your starting center and star scoring guard in the offseason and two key perimeter reserves prior to the start of the season. But Tu Holloway and turned into one of the best point guards in the country while his experienced supporting cast -- Dante Jackson, Kenny Frease, Jamel McLean, and Mark Lyons -- have managed to thrive despite playing major minutes all season long. With the exception of a slip-up at Charlotte, X rolled through the regular season.

• Other Contenders: Temple is playing their best basketball of the season right now. Juan Fernandez didn't have the kind of year we expected out of him, but Ramone Moore stepped his game up, becoming one of the best slashers in the conference. Lavoy Allen had a underwhelming year as well, but with Michael Eric out for the season, he's averaging 17 ppg and 14 rpg over the last five.
  
  Richmond has the best 1-2 combination in the country is dynamic scoring guard Kevin Anderson and versatile forward Justin Harper. When those two get it going and Richmond gets consistent efforts out of their role players, they are dangerous. Ask Purdue, who the Spiders knocked off back in November.
  

Sleeper: Duquesne Dukes

The Dukes struggled down the stretch, losing six of their last eight games in league play, but the 8-0 start they jumped out to -- which includes a dominating victory over Temple -- was no joke. Damian Saunders is one of the best all around players in the country this season, while Brady Clark has embraced the role of the big-time scorer.

• Deeper Sleepers: There are three teams I think could put a scare into the big boys in this league. Rhode Island is a poor man's Louisville. They love to press and fire up threes, and when those threes are dropping, this team can play with anyone. George Washington won five of their last six games to finish in a tie for fourth in the conference. Led by Tony Taylor, this is your typical Karl Hobbs team that plays with a lot of effort. And don't count out Dayton. They've struggled, but this is a group with a lot of athletes and talented basketball players.
  

Players to Watch:

• Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure: Nicholson is the Bonnies star big man that averages over 20 ppg. A junior, he's continued to develop his game to the point that NBA scouts are starting to take notice. He's gone for 30-plus four times this season.
• Delroy James, Rhode Island: The versatile, 6'7" lefty forward is the best scorer on the Rams. He's not the most fundamentally sound player and has a tendency to take bad shots, but he can flat out "get buckets", as the kids say.
• Chris Wright, Dayton: There is a reason he is known as Top Flight. Wright is 6'8" and can soar. The only issue he has had is that he's never turned himself more than just an athlete.
  

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The Only Conference Preview You Need To Read: The A-10

Summer officially ends on September 22nd, but for me, the end of summer always coincided with the end of August. Or when I had to go to school. (That first day was always the worst, wasn't it?) Anyway, school is right around the corner, which means that college basketball season is around the corner, down the street, through two lights, and on the left. Since we've all had a fight with our GPS at one time or another, we at BIAH will take this week to roll out our way-too-early, all-encompassing conference previews.

To browse through the other conferences, click here.


Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Kevin Anderson, Richmond, Sr.

Anderson is the reigning A-10 player of the year, and for good reason. He led Richmond, a team good enough to earn a seven-seed in the NCAA Tournament, to a 26-win season and a third place finish in the league by averaging 17.8 ppg and putting up impressive performances (31 in a loss to Wake Forest, 29 in a win over Temple, 27 is a win at Xavier) against good competition. With his back court mate David Gonzalvez departing, that means there will be just that many more shots available for Anderson. But with the improvement that Justin Harper showed late last season, and with the possibility of Dan Geriot returning to his sophomore year form, Anderson will have some help. He is a cat-quick, 6' guard that can get into the lane against just about anyone. With an improved jump shot, Anderson will be near unstoppable at this level.


And a close second goes to: Chris Wright, Dayton, Sr.

Wright didn't develop as much as Dayton fans would have liked last season. He's still a tremendous athlete, that certainly hasn't changed, but the perimeter game that he needs to become a potential pro is not yet there. His jump shot needs a healthy dose of reliability, and his handle is not yet to the point where he can go more than one or two dribbles it take to get from the perimeter to the rim. That said, with Dayton losing seven seniors, Wright's usage is no doubt going to go up, and there is no reason why the 6'8" forward can't average 15 points and 9 boards for the Flyers even if his perimeter game doesn't improve. If it does, and Wright shows he can hit a jumper and be a threat putting the ball on the floor, he has as high of a ceiling as anyone in the league.

Breakout Star: Ramone Moore, Temple, Jr.

There are a number of interesting candidates that could slide in here -- Xavier's Mark Lyons, Richmond's Justin Harper, St. Louis' Cody Ellis, Rhode Island's Akeem Richmond, UMass' Terrell Vinson. But I like Ramone Moore, the reigning sixth man of the year in the league. Moore averaged just 7.6 ppg as a perimeter reserve for a team that saw their three perimeter starters average nearly 100 minutes combined. When he did get the opportunity -- a seven game stretch in February where Juan Fernandez was dealing with a severe blow to the head he took against Forham -- Moore saw him minutes increased, and responded by averaging 16 ppg over that stretch. With Ryan Brooks and Luis Guzman graduating, there are minutes -- and shots -- available for the 6'4" junior. I expect a big season out of him.

All-conference First Team:

• POY - Kevin Anderson, Richmond, Sr.
  
• G - Terrell Holloway, Xavier, Jr.
  
• G - Juan Fernandez, Temple, Jr.
  
• F - Lavoy Allen, Temple, Sr.
• F - Chris Wright, Dayton, Sr.
• F - Damian Saunders, Duquesne, Sr.
  

All-conference Second Team:

• G - Chris Johnson, Dayton, Sr.
  
• G/F - Delroy James, Rhode Island, Sr.
• F - Chris Gaston, Fordham, So.
• F - Aaric Murray, La Salle, So.
  
• F - Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure, Jr.
  

Freshman of the Year: Juwan Staten, Dayton

Staten comes to Dayton at the perfect time, as the Flyers lose their top four back court players. He is also the perfect point guard for a Brian Gregory team. Strong, athletic, and tough, Staten isn't afraid to mix it up defensively, but he is also a quite talented offensive player (top 100 nationally). He can get into the paint and finish, either around the rim or with a series of floaters and short jumpers. He can also draw defenders and create, and has enough range to keep the defense honest. Dayton is going to need a playmaker this season, someone that can create opportunities for others, and Staten could very well be that guy.

All-Freshman Team:

• G - Tyreek Duren, La Salle
  
• G - Daryl Traynham, UMass
• G - Langston Galloway, St. Joseph's
  
• F - Jordan Latham, Xavier
  
• F - CJ Aiken, St. Joseph's
  

What Happened?:

• Jim Baron's rough offseason: It started when Billy Baron, the son of the URI head coach, decided to not to follow his brother's footsteps in playing for their father. Instead, Billy opted to head to Virginia to play in the ACC. Then there was Kyle Cain, a talented 6'7" forward that became a hot commodity during his senior season. Baron let Cain out of his LOI, and he ended up at Arizona State.
  
  It gets worse. Baron has drawn some criticism for the way he has been recruiting as well. Baron didn't get word until September that Daniel West (a former Tennessee commit that sat out a year in Knoxville and spent last season at a JuCo) was eligible, while the two most highly touted freshmen that URI landed will not be suiting up this season -- PJ Lockridge did not qualify, while Tashawn Marby felt homesick and left school. In addition, junior Orion Outerbridge will be ineligible for the first semester.
  


• Jim Baron wasn't the only one with a rough offseason: St. Louis was supposed to be a team that would compete for an NCAA Tournament spot this year. Instead, they will be rebuilding, as their two best players -- Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed -- were both kicked out of school, most likely because of an alleged sexual assault that occurred back in May.


• Derek Kellogg cleans up the SEC: Kellogg has landed both Luke Cothron, a non-qualifier at Auburn that was a top 50 recruit, and Cady Lalanne, a non-qualifier at Georgia. Neither will be eligible this season, but if he can get them eligible for 2011, UMass could be a dangerous team.


• St. Bonaventure players get in a fight: Four players -- Malcolm Eleby, Lewis Leonard, Da'Quan Cook, and Brett Roseboro -- were linked to a fight that resulted in two men getting stabbed. All four were let off with fines and a disorderly conduct charge.


• Bobby Lutz gets the axe: Despite being the winningest coach in the history of the Charlotte basketball program, a couple of disappointing seasons had Lutz on the hot seat heading into the 2009-2010 season. It seemed as if Lutz had saved his job as the 49ers jumped out to an 18-5 record and seemed a lock for the NCAA Tournament. But after losing six of seven regular season games, getting bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, missing the NCAA's and the NIT, and declining an invitation to the lesser tournaments, Charlotte axed Lutz, who wound up at Iowa State with Fred Hoiberg. The 49ers replaced him with Alan Major.


• While we're on the topic of coaches: Fordham's Dereck Whittenburg was fired just five games into the season, and 28 year old Jared Grasso was given the reins of the program. Grasso did well to keep the Rams playing hard, but after he went just 1-22 in his 23 game tryout, Fordham elected to go with Hofstra's Tom Pecora instead.


• Transfers leaving and coming in: Duquesne lost three transfers this summer, but the name that really matters is third leading scorer Melquan Bolding, who will be headed to Farleigh Dickinson. Xavier, on the other hand, brings in a talent. Monmouth standout Travis Taylor, who averaged 17.8 ppg last season, will be joining the Musketeers in 2011.


• Tu?: While we're on the subject of Xavier, how about Terrell Holloway's name change. Holloway will be that much more important this season, as two members of Xavier's backcourt will miss the season -- Brad Redford tore his acl, while Justin Martin was a partial academic qualifier.
  

What's Next?:

• Can Temple win a tournament game?: The knock on Fran Dunphy since he has been at Temple has been that the Owls have been unable to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. He's 0-3, including last season's beat down at the hands of Cornell. With a team that looks capable of making another run to the NCAA's, will this be the year that Temple breaks through?


• How long until St. Joe's is relevant again?: The Hawks have not mattered nationally since Jameer Nelson and Delonte West graduated. And while Phil Martelli's club looks like they will once again be near the bottom of the conference, they do bring in a fantastic recruiting class. The question now becomes how long does it take for that excellent recruiting class to deliver excellent results on the court.


• How good will the Atlantic 10 be this year?: The isn't as top heavy as last season, as Xavier looks like they only team that will be top 25. But the A-10 is deep and balanced this year. Quite a few of last year's all-league players are back this season, and teams that project to the bottom of the league this year have enough talent to make one wonder if a tournament run is possible. Sure, its unlikely that La Salle or UMass makes a tournament run, but would anyone be all that surprised if either team finished in the top half of the league? What about George Washington or St. Joe's? There is quality basketball being played in this conference.
  

1. Xavier: The Musketeers will once again be a favorite in the A-10, but with Jordan Crawford bolting for the NBA and Jason Love graduating, there are going to be some big holes to fill. The newly-named Tu Holloway returns, and he has developed into one of the best point guards on the east coast. He's a playmaker with a knack for making clutch plays in crunch time. With Crawford gone, expect him to have a big season. X will have a fairly deep back court next season. Mark Lyons, a redshirt sophomore, is a talented kid that could shoulder some of the scoring load left by Crawford, and Dante Jackson has turned into a very solid role player, able to knock down an open three and lock up defensively. With Brad Redford (acl) and Justin Martin (didn't qualify) both out, freshman Jay Canty is going to be counted on quite a bit to provide quality perimeter minutes off the bench. The front court will be more of a question mark. Kenny Frease is a junior that came into Xavier with a lot of hype, but has not exactly lived up to that potential quite yet. Jamel McLean is a big time athlete and rebounder, but neither he nor Frease has proven to be much of an offensive threat. Andrew Taylor, a senior, played some big minutes against Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament, but he has not provided much production in his time with the Musketeers. Beyond that, it will be two freshmen -- Griffin McKenzie and Jordan Latham -- fighting for minutes. Xavier, once again, will be the class of the A-10, and if they get breakout performances from a couple people this year, could very well win, at least, a game in the NCAA Tournament.


2. Temple: The Owls had a fantastic regular season, using a stifling defense to win both the A-10 regular season and tournament title, only to once again flame out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. While Temple loses leading scorer Ryan Brooks, they should still have more than enough weapons to compete for the league title. Junior sharpshooter Juan Fernandez is back and should be expected to have a bump in production has he becomes the centerpiece of Fran Dunphy's perimeter attack. Big man Lavoy Allen, who flirted with the NBA Draft, also returns after averaging a double-double last season. Combine those two with talented junior Ramone Moore, who won the A-10 sixth man of the year award, and the Owls once again have a solid core. Michael Eric, a 6'11" Nigerian junior, has shown some promise and could develop into a nice sidekick for Allen, while sophomore Rahlir Jefferson is a talented swingman that seems to be a nice fit for Dunphy's defensive style. Temple was not all that deep last season, especially towards the end of the year as Craig Williams (who had knee surgery and is out for the first month), Scootie Randall, and TJ DiLeo really saw their minutes shrink. With two starters -- Brooks and Luis Guzman -- that combined for 68 minutes a game gone, Dunphy is going to have to find minutes somewhere, and it seems as if those three, plus incoming freshmen Aaron Brown and Anthony Lee, will be the ones competing for that time. Temple is always going to be competitive with their defensive ability, but there were times when this team struggled to score last season. With Brooks gone, that could become more of an issue. I think Temple will be a tournament team and a contender for the A-10 title, but they need depth, and another scoring option, to develop for that to happen.


3. Dayton: The Flyers had a disappointing finish to what seemed to be such a promising season. With all five starters returning and seven seniors on a roster with quite a bit of talent, most analysts predicted Dayton to win the Atlantic 10. But the Flyers, who ended up finishing seventh in the A-10, could never quite figure out how to execute down the stretch, as all 12 of their losses were by less than eight points. This year, Dayton essentially loses their entire back court as Mickey Perry, London Warren, Rob Lowery, and Marcus Johnson all graduate. Brian Gregory does have some talented perimeter players coming in -- headlined by four-star point guard Juwan Staten and two-guard Brandon Spearman -- but, as is the norm with freshmen, they may not be ready to contribute significantly immediately. Dayton did catch a break when Chris Wright made the decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft. A super athletic combo-forward, Wright was the Flyers leading scorer and rebounder last season, but he didn't quite develop into the star that many believed he would. Chris Johnson, Dayton's second leading scorer and another big wing, also returns, as does Paul Williams, who may sneak into the starting line-up this year. Inside, Kurt Huelsman, who started every game in his Dayton career, graduates, but the rest of the front court is back. Sharpshooting Luke Fabrizius, Devin Searcy, and sophomores Matt Kavanaugh and Josh Benson will likely all see minutes. I expect Searcy and Benson, in particular, to have good years. This Dayton squad lost quite a bit of talent, but they were a deep team the last few years. There is still talent on this roster, and while they may not be the favorite in the league, they will compete for an NCAA Tournament spot.


4. Richmond: While the Spiders lose David Gonzalvez to graduation, the good news is that reigning A-10 player of the year Kevin Anderson returns. A 17.8 ppg scorer last season, Anderson is a lightening quick 6' guard that can get into the paint against just about anyone. Shouldering more of the load this season without Gonzalvez, he could very well become a 20 ppg scorer this season. The question is going to be who steps up in the back court to replace Gonzalvez. The best answer may one of Chris Mooney's two freshmen guards, Cedrick Lindsay and Wayne Sparrow, as junior Frances-Cedric Martel is really the only perimeter returnee. Richmond's achilles heel last season was in the paint, as evidenced by the pounding they took from Omar Samhan in the NCAA Tournament. And, by and large, this will be the same group as last season. Much will be expected of 6'10" Justin Harper, a 6'10" forward with a nice perimeter touch. He averaged 10.6 ppg last season, but with his excellent play down the stretch, he will be counted on to pick up some scoring. Also returning in Dan Geriot, who is already a 1,000 point scorer, but struggled to regain the form of his sophomore year, when he averaged 14 and 7, after tearing his acl and missing the 2008-2009 season. Darius Garrett also returns, a slender 6'9" forward. You know what you are going to get out of Anderson, and if some of his teammates can pick up the slack and make up for the loss of Gonzalvez's production, this is a team that will compete for the league title once again.


5. Charlotte: Charlotte had an interesting season in 2009-2010. With three transfers leading the way, Charlotte got out to an 18-5 start and Bobby Lutz seemingly saved his job. But that didn't last, as the 49ers lost six of their last seven before being bounced by UMass in the first round of the A-10 tournament and decided to end their season after being passed over by both the NCAA and the NIT selection committees. Then Bobby Lutz was fired, and replaced by Alan Major. So what should you expect from the 49ers in 2011? Well, the good news is that they return their top three scorers, including one of the league's best front courts. BC transfer Shamari Spears proved to be a handful for A-10 foes, averaging 16.0 ppg and 5.9 rpg, while Chris Braswell had an excellent freshman campaign, averaging 9.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg. Also back is gunner Derrio Green, who is the epitome of the streak shooter. When he's on, he can go for 25 against anyone. When he's off, he might shoot 0-10. Experienced small forward An'Juan Wilderness also returns, but the x-factor for this team is going to be at the point. DiJuan Harris led the A-10 in assists, and he's gone. Jamar Briscoe, a sophomore transfer from NCCU that averaged 17.8 ppg (but just 2.6 apg) as a freshman, and Luka Voncina, a 6'4" Slovenian point guard, will be the two most likely to compete for the job. Voncina, however, has not yet been cleared by the NCAA. The other issue for Charlotte will be depth. Phil Jones should see some time inside, and Javaris Barnett returns as well, but this is not a deep team, especially with Charles Dewhurst and KJ Sherril battling knee injuries. There's talent on Charlotte. They have size and they will be able to put up points. But learning a new coach and system while dealing with point guard and depth issues is not easy. I think the 49ers will be a borderline tournament team, but I expect them to be too inconsistent -- springing a couple of upsets, losing a couple games they shouldn't -- to be a lock.


6. Rhode Island: While the Rams won 26 games last season, their year peaked in February when they had a record of 19-3 and say at 11th in the RPI. URI would proceed to lose six of their last ten in the regular season and miss the NCAA Tournament with a third straight late season collapse. Things didn't get better in the off-season as Stevie Mejia, one half of their point guard rotation, transferred and both Kyle Cain and Billy Baron, head coach Jim Baron's son, both opted to go to high-major programs. They will also lose two of their three leading scorers, Keith Cothran and Lamont Ulmer, to graduation while freshmen Tashawn Mabry (homesick) and PJ Lockridge (academics) are both off the URI roster. All hope is not completely lost, however. Delroy James has a chance to become a real star at this level as he will likely be the focal point of Baron's offense. Two other starters -- big man Will Martell and point guard Marquis Jones -- will both be back as well. Sophomore guard Akeem Richmond should be ready to slide into the starting lineup for Baron. Junior forward Orion Outerbridge was expected to be a starter, but it was announced in September he will miss the first semester due to academics. Someone out of this group, most likely Richmond, is going to need to become a reliable secondary scoring option, but on paper this is a pretty solid starting five. After that, the question marks pile up. If the three players mentioned above are ineligible, will the combination of Ben Eaves and Jamil Wilson, who broke his foot and is out until December, be enough back court depth? Can sophomores Ryan Brooks and Nikola Malesevic (who played a combined 33 games last season) and freshmen Levan Shengelia and Blake Vedder, a 7'3" project, be contributors at this level? In terms of talent, this team has enough to finish in the top half of the A-10. With a couple of players currently banged up (Martell, Shengelia), it will be interesting to see if URI has enough depth.


7. Duquense: The Dukes had a shot to be really good last season as they returned the majority of their roster from a squad that went 21-13. But they could never quite find any consistency, struggling to a 16-16 finish before being bounced in the first round of the CBI. That potential is still there this season, as Rob Everhart's team brings back the five of their top seven, headlined by Damian Saunders. Saunders is one of the best players in the A-10. A long, 6'7" forward, Saunders averaged 15.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and led the conference with nearly 3 steals and 3 blocks per game. Also returning will be three talented perimeter scorers in Bill Clark (14 ppg), BJ Monteiro (11 ppg), and Eric Evans (10 ppg), although Evans will miss about eight weeks after fracturing his foot. Also expect sophomore wing Sean Johnson and freshman point guard TJ McConnell to contribute significant minutes in the back court as well. There are two issues for this Duquesne team. The first is depth, which wasn't helped when 6'9" freshman Derrick Martin was deemed a partial qualifier. This was basically a six or seven man team last year, and three of their rotational players -- Melquan Bolding, Morankinyo Williams (both transfers), and Jason Duty (graduated) -- are gone. Everhart did bring in a five-man recruiting class, but we will see if there is anyone that can contribute outside of Martin and McConnell. This Dukes team is especially thin up front, where any injuries or foul trouble to Saunders could really put the Dukes in a bad situation. The other issue is shooting. Duquesne may, legitimately, be the worst shooting team in the country. As a team, they shot just 26.1% from three and 60.4% from the free throw stripe. And their best three point shooter (the only player to shoot above 31%) and free throw shooter was Duty. There is talent on this team, and if they can put it together, this team can make some noise in the A-10. That is a big 'if', however.


8. La Salle: The Explorers were derailed by injuries last season, ruining what was expected to be a good season, but it could be a blessing in disguise for this year. For starters, it means experienced guard Ruben Guillandeaux will be back for another season -- he missed all but four games with a stress fracture. With Rutgers transfer Earl Pettis getting eligible and three talented guard recruits -- Tyreek Duren, Cole Stefan, and Sam Mills -- joining the mix, the Explorers figure to have a deep and talented back court next season which should help replace the loss of guys like Rodney Green and Kimani Barrett. Up front, Aaric Murray returns. Murray was a steal for John Giannini, a 6'10" center with range that was a consensus top 50 recruit. If he can be more of a post presence this season, and less of a spot up shooter, he should improve on his averages of 12.2 ppg and 6.6 rpg. Joining him up front will be Jerrell Williams, who averaged 10.1 ppg and 7.1 rpg, Steven Weingarten, and Devon White. The Explorers could end up being a sleeper in the A-10 if their talented freshmen live up to the hype and Murray develops into more of a true post.


9. St. Louis: The Billikens were a surprise last season, winning 23 games -- 11 in A-10 play -- with a roster comprised of just freshmen and sophomores. With that roster essentially intact next season, anything less than an NCAA Tournament berth is likely going to be considered a disappointment. The problem is that the roster is not intact. The Billiken's two best players -- Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed -- are both off the team as a result of an alleged sexual assault. Those losses are devastating the Billiken's chances. Mitchell was far and away the best scorer for St. Louis. There will be some talent left. Kyle Cassity and Christian Salecich will both likely start, while Brian Conklin, Justin Jordan, and Paul Eckerle will also be counted on to play some big minutes. The x-factor for the Billikens will likely be 6'8" Cody Ellis, an Australian that missed the first 12 games waiting for NCAA clearance, but averaged 10.5 ppg and made the A-10 all-freshmen team anyway. Without Mitchell and Reed, Ellis is going to be counted on for a huge portion of the scoring load, as there isn't a lot of scoring left. The front court isn't as deep as their back court, as a couple of freshmen will play big minutes. The Billikens are a tough defensive team, although they struggle at times on the glass -- they will be small even for the A-10. If a couple of scorers develop alongside Ellis, maybe there is a chance for the Billikens to sneak into the top half of the league. But the tournament bid that was possible a few months ago is a pipe dream now.


10. UMass: While Derek Kellogg has had a rough start to his tenure in Amherst, winning just 12 games in each of his first two seasons, the future looks bright for the Minutemen. UMass was a very young team last season -- they started three freshmen and a sophomore -- and while the loss of Ricky Harris will obviously be a blow, this is a team that should be better in 2011. Second leading scorer Anthony Gurley, who was moved to the bench at the end of last season, is a guard that could develop into a big time scorer this season and help offset the loss of Harris. Sophomores Terrell Vinson, an athletic and versatile combo forward, and Freddie Mitchell, a shooter who showed flashes of potential, both should see a bump is shot attempts and production as well. Junior David Gibbs, who started 16 of 21 games at the point before breaking his foot, should be better with another season in the dribble drive offense while 6'10" Oregon State transfer Sean Carter is one of the better rebounders in the league. No matter how you slice it, that is a pretty good starting five in the A-10. With three star freshmen Daryl Traynham and Maxie Esho joining a bench that also includes Javorn Farrell, Sampson Carter, Gary Correjia, and Hashim Bailey, Kellogg will have some pretty solid depth to work with. UMass finished last season strong, beating Rhode Island, Charlotte, and giving Richmond a fight in the A-10 tournament. This team isn't yet ready to compete for the A-10 title, but you shouldn't be surprised if this group finishes somewhere in the middle of the league this year.


11. George Washington: GW loses leading scorer and rebounder Damian Hollis, but the Colonials return 10 of their top 12 players, all of whom averaged at least 10 minutes per game. The key is going to be rising sophomore Lasan Kromah. A 6'5" wing, he is the closest thing Karl Hobbs has to a go-to scorer on his roster. He'll be joined in the back court by point guard Tony Taylor, who is one of those point guards coaches love. He scores a little (9.4), he was third in the conference in assists (4.2), he doesn't turn the ball over, and he can defend. Joining those two in the back court will be Aaron Ware, Bryan Bynes, Tim Johnson, and Travis King along with freshman Dan Guest. Up front, Karl Hobbs will have a lot of size and a lot of bodies at his disposal. There aren't exactly any stars in the front court, but with guys like Joseph Katuka, Dwayne Smith, David Pellom, and Jabari Edwards returning, along with freshmen Daymon Warren and Nemanja Mikic, Hobbs has a lot of options. Once again, this is going to be a deep GW team that will play Hobbs' preferred uptempo pace. After back-to-back 13th place finishes in the A-10, GW made the jump last season and reached the CBI. While much of this year's success will be determined by what kind of player Kromah turns into and whether or not another scorer develops, it is safe to assume that GW will again be a team around .500 on the year.


12. St. Joseph's: On the surface, it looks like the Hawks could be in for another long season. They lose their top two scorers from a team that won just 11 games last year. That said, there is reason to be hopeful thanks to an excellent recruiting class brought in by Phil Martelli. It starts with CJ Aiken, a 6'9", top 100 forward, that should help to boost an interior that was truly overmatched last season. Joining senior Idris Hilliard, who averaged double figures last season, Todd O'Brien, and Carl Baptiste, this gives the Hawks a front line that will, at the very least, be more competitive than last season. In the back court, sophomores Tay Jones and Justin Crogile, who both saw significant minutes as freshmen, are back. With highly regarded recruits like Daryus Quarles, Langston Galloway, and Patrick Swilling joining them, there is quite a bit of potential for the future here. St. Joe's will be young this season, but if there freshmen come in ready to contribute there is an outside shot for this team to make a run at the top half of the league. More likely, however, I think the Hawks finish somewhere below .500, although the future does look promising.


13. St. Bonaventure: The Bonnies have a potential star in 6'9" center Andrew Nicholson. After winning the A-10 rookie of the year award, his sophomore campaign was quite impressive as well, as he finished the year with averages of 16.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg. But with Chris Matthews and Jordan Hall both graduating, the Bonnies have some serious question marks with the rest of their lineup. For starters, is there anyone else that can be an impact player on the interior? Junior Da'Quan Cook has potential, but has been maddeningly unproductive in his first two seasons. Marquise Simmons, Brett Roseboro, and Jake Houseknecht haven't proven to be reliable enough to contribute significant minutes. The other question is in the back court, where the Bonnies are going to need someone to step up and become a scorer. The best option may be Michael Davenport, a 6'4" junior that showed some flashes as a sophomore, averaging 8.4 ppg. Juniors Ogo Adegboye, who has reportedly looked impressive this summer playing for Great Britain, and Malcolm Eleby will likely battle for the starting point guard spot. Sophomore Demitrius Conger showed some potential as well, and two freshmen -- Sam deHaas and Matthew Wright -- could also see some time. Keep in mind, this St. Bonaventure team may also have to deal with some suspensions from the fight this summer. Nicholson should be enough to get this club some wins, but I expect much of the same from the Bonnies this year -- thorough mediocrity.


14. Fordham: The Rams were dismal last season, finishing the year just 2-26 and without a win in A-10 play. There were two bright spots, however. Chris Gaston proved to be a serious threat, averaging 18.0 ppg and 11.4 rpg and winning the A-10's player of the year award, while Brenton Butler returned from a knee injury to averaged 16.5 ppg. Both of them return, as does third-leading scorer Alberto Estwick. Gone, however, is Jio Fontan, the Rams star point guard who transferred to USC midway through the year. Also gone is Lance Brown, who started a majority of Fordham's games. The good news is that Fordham did have a number of young guys contribute last season, and with a solid recruiting class coming in, there's hope for the future for new head coach Tom Pecora. But its difficult to think Fordham will be all that much improved next season.

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Thoughts on the A-10

BIAH contributor Ray Floriani was on hand in Atlantic City for the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament. Here are some of his thoughts...

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Each year there is an obligatory trip down the Garden State Parkway to Atlantic ‘Always turned on’ City and the Atlantic Ten Tournament. This year it was Friday’s quarterfinals at Boardwalk Hall. A few observations….



1. The Big East is marquee programs, the history and tradition of MSG mix in with the glamour of celebrities and notables, Bill Clinton, Spike Lee and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie just to name a few. The A-10 provides us with strong programs in arguably the best non-BCS conference in the land. The atmosphere at the Big East can be corporate at times but at the A-10 it is different. Like being around close friends you haven’t seen in awhile.

2. Unless you are on the opposing bench, you sit back and marvel at the simplicity and execution of Temple. They epitomize the late Al McGuire’s ‘K.I.S.S.’ philosophy - ‘Keep It Simple Stupid’. Juan Fernandez buries threes. Come out and play him and he finds teammates like Lavoy Allen in the paint. In the 69-51 win over St.Bonaventure the Owls had 18 assists on their 30 field goals. That’s 60% of their field goals assisted and that’s great ball movement and unselfishness.

3. Speaking of St.Bonaventure, their stay was not long but getting to AC was progress. Bonnies defeated Duquesne in the first round. It was the first quarterfinal appearance for Bonaventure since 2002 and further validation of the great job Mark Schmidt is doing in Olean.

4. Game of the day? On paper it was Xavier-Dayton. Two intense rivals. Close in geography but no love lost between. The pair split during the regular season and Dayton desperately needed this to keep NCAA tournament hopes alive. The game did not disappoint. In an intense, fast paced and physical contest, Xavier rallied from 15 down with just under 12 minutes to play to post a 78-73 victory. Credit Xavier‘s Jordan Crawford (20 points) and Terrell Halloway (22 points) for doing appreciable damage during the late run.


5. Rhode Island, another team fighting for its collective NCAA life, posted a convincing win over St. Louis. Rick Majerus’s club normally dictates the action through a succession of well oiled offensive sets. URI took St. Louis out of anything they tried to run, beat them on the boards 38-26 and forced 13 Billiken turnovers. A complete victory that began with defense.

6. UMass made a late run but Richmond triumphed 77-72. Spiders put five players in double figures and Chris Mooney’s club is another one that is very difficult to guard. Especially with A-10 Player of the Year Kevin Anderson.

6A. Best cheerleading group - St. Louis - Don’t believe me ? Check the picture.



Postscript: The committee was not too kind with the A-10. Dayton figured their chances were gone after the Xavier loss but having Jim Baron’s Rhode Island club left off the board was a setback. Even the draw is not the best, with Richmond facing a dangerous St. Mary’s team. Worse was Temple. Conference co-champions, A-10 post season tournament titlists, and 29 wins. The reward? Fifth seed and a very tough opening round draw in Cornell. Xavier has a Minnesota team that was defeated by Ohio State in the Big Ten finals and could be very dangerous.

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Conference Tournament Preview: The Atlantic 10

Where: Campus sites, Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City

When: March 9th, March 12-14th

Final: 1:00 pm CBS




Favorite: Temple Owls

I don't necessarily think that the Owls are the best team in the A-10, but they definitely earned the best draw. Temple, the 1 seed, will get the winner of St. Bonaventure and Duquesne before likely playing either URI or St. Louis in the semis. The other side of the A-10 bracket is much more difficult, meaning that the Owls may head into the final relatively untested.

Lavoy Allen is a double-double machine.
(photo credit: Bodog)

Having said all that, Temple is without a doubt an excellent basketball team. They beat Villanova earlier this season, and took Georgetown down to their final possession on the road. This is a very good defensive team with just enough offensive firepower. They aren't great at forcing turnovers which means that Temple needs to rebound the ball at the defensive end if they are too win.


And if they lose?: Xavier Musketeers and the Richmond Spiders

I may be in the minority here, but I think that the Muskies are the best team in the conference. I know that there has been a lot of turnover at Xavier, but they are still the best program in the A-10 right now. But with a new head coach and the amount of talent they lost from last season, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Xavier. Safe to say, it wasn't, as they finished the season tied for the A-10 title with Temple. Xavier is the most balanced team in the conference. They have the best front line with Jamel McClean, Jason Love, and Kenny Frease. They have a quality point guard in Terrell Holloway, and they have a standout scorer in Jordan Crawford. Even on the strong side of the bracket, where Xavier will likely have to face Dayton in the second round, this is a team that can do some damage.

Xavier and Richmond played an OT classic a few weeks ago.
(photo credit: Bradenton.com)

Richmond must be in the conversation as well. The thing to like about Richmond is that they spread the floor and play a very methodical, almost Princeton-like offense, led by one of the best backcourts in the country with Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez. The Spiders aren't sneaking up on anyone anymore, but this is a team that will definitely be a factor in the A-10.


Don't count out: Dayton Flyers

Dayton has a very tough path to the title, as it will mean they have to beat the top three teams in the league if the seeds hold. But there are two reason to like Dayton. For starters, the Flyers are, according to John Gasaway, the unluckiest team in college basketball. They have lost as many close games as anyone in the country. Along those same lines, it should be noted that Dayton was the preseason favorite in the A-10. This team has as much raw talent as anyone in the A-10. If they are able to execute better down the stretch, this is a team with a lot of athletes that plays very hard.

It also should be noted that both URI and Charlotte have spent quite a bit of time on the bubble this season, but late season collapses by both have cost them dearly. If the Rams and the 49ers can win a couple games -- which they proved themselves more than capable of early in the season -- these are two teams that can really get on a roll.


Sleeper: Duquesne Dukes

The Dukes have a lot of talent on their roster, especially in the starting line-up. There are some weapons on this team, as all five average double figures. The problem if that there is not much beyond those five starters. For the Dukes to win, they will have to ride big man Damian Saunders.

Names you need to know

• Lavoy Allen, Temple: So much of Temple's ability to be effective on the defensive end relies on their ability to clean up the defensive glass. Allen, who nearly averages 11 rpg, is the best rebounder on the Owls. In a league with a surprising number of good big men, Allen is going to be counted upon very heavily.


• Delroy James, URI and Derrio Green, Charlotte: Neither are the leading scorers for their respective teams, but both are extremely important to what their teams want to do. James' is a multi-talented 6'8" forward, while Green is more of a scoring two guard off the bench. Regardless, neither Charlotte nor URI is going to get very far in the A-10 tournament without a night from these guys.
  


• Damian Saunders, Duquesne: Saunders, as we mentioned above, is a force in the paint. He's an exceptional rebounder and may be the most underrated player in the A-10.
  

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