Atlantic 10 Power Rankings: Checking in with the coaches
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
Trying to make sense out of the Atlantic 10 isn’t easy.
Almost 42 percent of the games this season have been decided by six points or fewer. Projections by leading bracketologists have Butler, VCU, Saint Louis, La Salle and Temple in the NCAA tournament, but there is no guarantee any of those five will win the trophy in Brooklyn.
The A-10 power rankings therefore present a special edition this week in honor of the search for clarity. We asked every coach a burning question about his team, and the answers are below, along with one thought of our own.
Let’s jump right in:
1. Butler (20-4, 7-2 conference)
One Thought: Five-star recruit Trey Lyles’ consideration of Butler indicates that, while this wasn’t a destination school in the Horizon League, it now is in the A-10.
ISL asks: What is different about making up for Andrew Smith’s absence as opposed to Rotnei Clarke’s?
Brad Stevens: Andrew’s not only one of our best offensive players but also one of our best defensive players.
2. Virginia Commonwealth (19-5, 7-2)
One Thought: In his last four games, point guard Darius Theus has 21 assists and only four turnovers.
ISL asks: It has been our contention lately that center Juvonte Reddic, who leads the A-10 in player efficiency rating, should receive player of the year consideration. Are we onto something?
Shaka Smart: There are so many great players in this league. If you ask me, I’d say wait and see who wins the conference regular season and pick the best player off that team. The question is, is he the best player on our team? That would be between him and Treveon Graham. They’ve both been incredibly valuable. I can’t necessarily say one is better or more important than the other.
3. Saint Louis (18-5, 7-2)
One Thought: With six straight wins, the Billikens are the hottest team in the conference.
ISL asks: With six double-figure outings in his last six games, after having just six in the first 17, has Dwayne Evans become an option for crunch-time scoring?
Jim Crews: We feel good about that. Each game is different. We would not hesitate to go to Dwayne late. We’ve done that. We’ve also gone to other guys, too.
4. La Salle (16-6, 6-3)
One Thought: The Explorers could easily be third in these rankings. It’s a virtual tie with Saint Louis.
ISL asks: Does the team talk in the locker room and after practice about the chance to finish first, or is the mindset just to let the chips fall where they may?
John Giannini: We do talk about the NCAA tournament. The emphasis always has to be on your next game. We’re a team that has some experience. We were 6-2 and in first at the midway point last year and, of course, ended up going 3-5 the rest of the way. These guys know standings change week to week.
5. Massachusetts (16-6, 6-3)
One Thought: Thursday’s trip to VCU is a must-watch.
ISL asks: The Minutemen are 6-2 since losing Jesse Morgan for the season. How has your team adjusted so well on the fly to the loss of a key player?
Derek Kellogg: Freddie Riley has been backing Jesse up for a while here. As a senior, he was ready for his opportunity, and he’s filled in nicely. Freddie’s done a good job of being patient. A couple other guys have stepped up their play. They’re doing the best they can in a tough circumstance.
6. Temple (16-7, 5-4)
One Thought: The Owls are now only two games back in the conference race and a game out of a tournament bye. They have life.
ISL asks: The supporting cast has been inconsistent at times. What are you looking for the bench to provide as a unit?
Fran Dunphy: Jake (O’Brien) you’re expecting to add offense right away. As a general rule, when kids come off the bench, it’s not so much what you do right. It’s what you do not do wrong. You can’t turn the ball over. You’ve got to be in the right spots defensively. You’ve got to hold your ground and make sure the status quo is served. Jake is a little different.
7. Richmond (14-10, 4-5)
One Thought: Kendall Anthony’s turnover rate is very low for a point guard with a high usage rate.
ISL asks: With Derrick Williams back, are you looking to him to help solve some of the team’s consistency issues?
Chris Mooney: Sure. Even if he doesn’t play a great game, he consistently gets to the free-throw line, which has a chance to end any dry spells you’re having. He rebounds the ball. He’s a presence on the floor and helps the whistle turn our way because of his physicality. He has a significant impact on us. It will be a really big help.
8. Xavier (13-9, 6-3)
One Thought: The Musketeers quietly shoot 46.7 percent as a team, easily placing them in the top 50.
ISL asks: What about your young, new-look team has pleasantly surprised you this season?
Chris Mack: Our most improved player by far would be Travis Taylor. Travis toward the end of last season barely got off the bench. He wasn’t reliable. He had a hard time holding onto the ball, let alone scoring. This year he’s done a180 and is one of the best bigs in our conference. He’s gained a lot of conference around the rim. As a team, we’ve made a vast improvement in how we’ve rebounded over the last four or five weeks.
9. Charlotte (17-6, 5-4)
One Thought: The 49ers have lost four of six but face a huge week with trips to Butler and Saint Louis.
ISL asks: What has surprised you the most about your team from October to the present?
Alan Major: Our young guys have been thrown into the mix so fast. We have three true freshmen and a redshirt freshman in our top nine. Through 23 games, they’ve done a pretty good job of being durable. None of them have gotten injured. None of them have hit the wall yet; sometimes you look for that in freshmen. I’m happy with the way our young guys have done a nice job.
10. Saint Joseph’s (13-9, 4-5)
One Thought: Recent disappointments once again proved the Hawks aren’t much better than they were last season.
ISL asks: Your team is sort of stuck in the middle of the league. Has there ever been a time when the strength of the mid-section caused so many teams’ postseason fates to rest with the conference tournament?
Phil Martelli: The strength of the middle – I just daydreamed about this yesterday – means that those teams in Brooklyn on (the first day of the tourney) will be very, very intriguing. You’re going to see tossups. Going into the A-10 tournament, there are going to be teams that have solidified where they’re going to be in the postseason, but there’s going to be some changing. There’s going to be that next grouping of teams, and you say, ˜Who can really get it together and play well for four games in Brooklyn?’ Each of these teams you talk about has strengths that could come to the fore for four days.
11. George Washington (11-11, 5-4)
One Thought: Despite their 59-56 loss to Butler, the Colonials once again proved that, at 5-4, they should be in the A-10 tourney.
ISL asks: Your team has scored at least 70 points in four of the last six games. How have you adjusted your offense to deal with the lack of 3-point shooting?
Mike Lonergan: There’s no secret we’re not a great 3-point shooting team. Our percentage should be higher. Truthfully, we’re trying to address it through recruiting. For now, we’re trying to establish the inside game early in games.
12. Dayton (13-10, 3-6)
One Thought: The concerning part of the Flyers’ 72-71 loss to Temple was how their poise rapidly abandoned them down the stretch.
ISL asks: Senior Kevin Dillard is shooting more 3-pointers than ever before and converting them much more accurately. In light of his struggles inside the arc, has he changed how he attacks defenses?
Archie Miller: Defenses have played him different this year. He spent a lot of time in the offseason working on his 3-point shot, being able to shoot off the dribble or off the catch. He has struggled from 2. A lot of it’s just finishing layups. He spent a lot of time on the 3 to help his cause as a player. It gives you a different dimension. He’s used it to his ability.
13. St. Bonaventure (11-11, 4-5)
One Thought: Demitrius Conger has played all 40 minutes in a game eight times this year, easily the most in the A-10. He’s an iron man.
ISL asks: How satisfied have you been with the development of 7-foot sophomore center Youssou Ndoye, and what does he mean to the program’s future?
Mark Schmidt: Some games he plays much better than other games. He’s still learning. His ceiling is high. We think he’s going to be really good. He needs to get stronger. We’re pleased with his progress. He can score inside a little. He shows flashes. He just has to become more consistent. Hopefully in seasons to come he will.
14. Rhode Island (6-16, 1-8)
One Thought: The 28-point beatdown at UMass on Feb. 6 was the Rams’ only conference game decided by more than eight points.
ISL asks: As a staff, when you stepped onto the Rhode Island campus, did you feel your first order of business was turning around the spirit of the program?
Dan Hurley: It smacked us in the face when we got here, the lack of work ethic, the lack of desire to succeed, and all the cultural pieces have to be in place just to have a chance to win. Forget about talent. You can’t do any of that business until you’ve fixed the behavior and attitudes. That’s something that is a battle here that we’re fighting every day.
15. Fordham (6-18, 2-7)
One Thought: Ryan Canty is grabbing a league-best 21 percent of available rebounds.
ISL asks: Chris Gaston missed six games earlier in the year, came back, got hurt again and now has missed six more. Because Gaston’s so important, has this situation just thrown a wrench into the whole season?
Tom Pecora: That’s about half the season. His ability to steady the ship and be a go-to guy really helped us a great deal. When you look at the remainder of our roster, with 12 freshmen and sophomores and one junior, I don’t know if there’s anyone out there able to have that kind of performance. He can have the type of performances that first-team all-conference players have. That can keep you in games and also help you close out games. We’ve lost some close ones.
16. Duquesne (7-16, 0-9)
One Thought: Home dates with Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure offer the best opportunities to end an 11-game skid.
ISL asks: On Saturday, your Dukes led Xavier by 10 midway through the second half. In building that lead, did anything click that offered hope for real momentum going forward?
Jim Ferry: We played with great focus and energy. I changed up the lineup. We went with three freshmen, a junior and a sophomore. We did a decent job crowding the post. When we were able to compete on the glass, we built that lead.
