There was plenty of criticism to go around last season surrounding the Atlantic 10 Conference after a mediocre showing.
For the first time since 2005, only one team qualified for the NCAA tournament, as VCU won its first A-10 Tournament in eight years (when Shaka Smart was head coach).
The Rams were also regular season champions at 15-3, finishing three games ahead of Dayton, Saint Louis and Fordham. The middle of the pack teams showed nice improvement, as George Mason, George Washington and Duquesne all won at least 10 conference games following sub-.500 records in the A-10 in the previous season.
The bottom portion of the conference highlighted eight teams with losing league records. Conference newbie and former Final Four participant Loyola Chicago had plenty of struggles in its first season in the A-10, winning only four league games.
Atlantic 10 NCAAB Regular Season Title Odds
| Team Name | Odds (Via FanDuel) |
| Dayton | +270 |
| VCU | +370 |
| St. Bonaventure | +600 |
| Duquesne | +750 |
| Loyola Chicago | +1000 |
| Saint Louis | +1300 |
| Davidson | +1400 |
| Saint Joseph's | +1600 |
| Richmond | +2000 |
| Fordham | +2500 |
| UMass | +3000 |
| George Washington | +4500 |
| Rhode Island | +5500 |
| George Mason | +6000 |
| La Salle | +10000 |
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Top of the League
Dayton Flyers
The Flyers haven't made the NCAA tournament since Archie Miller’s final season as head coach in 2017.
Anthony Grant took over for Miller and the best season that Dayton has seen since then came in the fateful 2019-2020 campaign cut short by COVID. The Flyers finished 29-2 with star forward Obi Toppin, but there was no tournament to showcase Toppin or this Dayton club.
Dayton made consecutive NIT appearances in 2021 and 2022 before posting a 22-12 record last season that ended with a loss to VCU in the Atlantic 10 championship. The Flyers rode the point spread roller-coaster all season long, as they began 2-8 against the spread followed by seven consecutive covers.
However, UD closed with a 7-10 ATS record, capped off by the 12-point defeat to VCU, which prevented the Flyers from their first A-10 Tournament title since 2003. Dayton ranked 354th in the country in tempo, according to KenPom, as Virginia, Saint Mary’s and Northern Kentucky all owned slower tempos and were tournament teams.
DaRon Holmes II is back for his junior season after averaging 18.0 points and shooting nearly 60% from the floor. Point guard Malachi Smith missed 15 games due to ankle injuries, but the Flyers actually went 12-3 in the games that the New York native missed.
Dayton will certainly be tested early as the Flyers travel to Northwestern for their first road game, followed by a trip to the Charleston Classic to face LSU then either North Texas or St. John’s on back-to-back days.
Conference play starts on January 3 at Davidson.
VCU Rams
It was a successful season in Richmond for the Rams, who recorded their most wins since 2017. The Rams grabbed the automatic berth by winning the A-10 Tournament, but were seeded 12th in the Big Dance and lost to Saint Mary’s, 63-51.
VCU shot nearly 52% last season on 2-point attempts, but Saint Mary’s limited the Rams to 13-of-35 shooting on 2s, preventing the program from winning its first NCAA tournament game since 2016.
Thanks to the annual coaching carousel in college basketball, Mike Rhoades left for Penn State. However, a familiar name from the DMV area takes over.
Ryan Odom, who helped engineer the first No. 16 upset of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament at UMBC, is the new man in charge and is coming over after a 26-9 campaign at Utah State last season.
However, Odom will be starting fresh as he loses all five starters from last season. The departures are led by guard Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr., who averaged 12.9 points and followed Rhoades to Penn State as a transfer.
Odom brings in Max Shulga from Utah State to help replenish the scoring, as the senior guard averaged nearly 12 points last season with the Aggies.
VCU began last season on a 1-9-1 ATS cold stretch, but started A-10 play by covering six of its first eight games. The Rams concluded conference play at 14-6-1 ATS.
The Rams face the likes of Memphis and Iowa State in non-conference play in 2023, while their first true road game doesn’t take place until January 9 with a visit to George Mason, which is less than a two-hour drive from VCU.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
The Bonnies suffered a nine-win drop-off from 2021-22 to 2022-23, as they closed with a 14-18 mark. St. Bonaventure went through an uneven season with basically a new roster. They started 7-4 in conference play, but the Bonnies lost six of their last seven games to finish 8-10 in the Atlantic 10.
It was one-and-done in the conference tournament after an 11-point defeat to Davidson, which ended a two-year streak of postseason basketball for the Bonnies.
The good news is all five starters return from last season, including guard Daryl Banks III, who averaged 15.4 points. They also brought in several transfers, highlighted by former Bryant guard Charles Pride (14.6 PPG).
In spite of the new roster, the Bonnies covered in seven of their first nine games last season, while posting a 9-4 ATS mark in their first 13 Atlantic 10 contests.
St. Bonaventure also excelled in defending the 3-pointer by limiting opponents to 28.7% shooting from long distance, which ranked fifth in the country.
The non-conference slate features several tough opponents, including neutral-site matchups with FAU, Oklahoma State and either Auburn or Notre Dame in the Legends Classic in Brooklyn following Oklahoma State.
The Bonnies are definitely worth a shot at 6/1 at FanDuel to win the Atlantic 10.
Duquesne Dukes
St. Bonaventure took the biggest tumble in the conference last season, but Duquesne was by far the biggest surprise. The Dukes posted a 20-13 mark after a six-win campaign in 2021-22.
What’s even more impressive about this turnaround in Pittsburgh is Duquesne won its first conference game in 2022 before losing the final 17 contests, including a two-point defeat to Rhode Island in the A-10 Tournament.
In 2023, the Dukes finished in a tie for sixth place in the league with a 10-8 record, including a home win over eventual A-10 champ VCU.
Second-team all-conference guard Dae Dae Grant (15.5 PPG) returns for the Dukes, who had their ups and downs from an ATS standpoint.
The Dukes started 4-6 ATS, but went on a 7-1 ATS run from mid-December through mid-January, which included a four-game cover streak in A-10 play. Duquesne closed on a 1-4 straight-up and 0-5 ATS run, which included a one-and-done in the conference tournament against La Salle.
Duquesne has some decent tests in non-conference play, as it faces four teams ranked in the KenPom top 100, including Charleston, Nebraska, UC-Irvine and Bradley.
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Middle of the Pack
Saint Joseph's Hawks
The Hawks finished in the bottom half of the conference last season at 8-10, which is a three-win improvement from the previous campaign.
However, St. Joe’s spent a month (from January 14 through February 11) as maybe the most dangerous team in the league, compiling a 7-2 record with one of the losses coming by one point in overtime to George Washington.
The only issue was consistency, as the Hawks started A-10 play at 0-4 and stumbled to a 1-4 mark in the final five regular-season games.
But Billy Lange’s team put together a solid showing in the conference tournament, with victories over Loyola Chicago and George Washington before bowing out to Dayton in its third game in three days.
The Hawks return all five starters from last season’s squad, led by Erik Reynolds II (19.4 PPG), Cameron Brown (13.3 PPG) and Lynn Greer III (12.3 PPG).
Following a 2-6 ATS start in the first eight games, the Hawks closed 2022-23 with an impressive 15-7 ATS mark, including a 3-0 ATS record in the A-10 Tournament.
St. Joe’s should clean up in non-conference action, as the two toughest games come at Kentucky and against Villanova in a nine-day span in late November.
Fordham Rams
When you think of formidable teams in the Atlantic 10, Fordham doesn’t usually come up in conversation. The Rams turned the tables last season by posting an impressive 25-8 record and picking up their most wins since 2007.
Fordham finished tied for second in the league with Dayton and Saint Louis, which is something to be proud of after going 9-22 three seasons earlier.
The Rams rolled to a 12-1 non-conference mark, with the only loss coming at Arkansas, an eventual Sweet 16 team. Fordham actually started 1-3 in conference, but the Rams won eight of their next nine games to become a serious contender in the A-10.
Fordham’s top two scorers from last season are gone, as the Rams look to replace the production from Darius Quisenberry (16.9 PPG) and Khalid Moore (15.7 PPG).
The Rams got out to an 8-3 ATS start in 2022, but failed to cover in four of the next five games. Fordham cashed eight of the following nine games in A-10 play, which included five outright wins in the underdog role.
In non-conference play, Fordham faces the likes of Tulane, North Texas and St. John’s, while seven other opponents are ranked 250th or lower, according to KenPom.
Saint Louis Billikens
If Saint Louis could've figured out how to beat VCU, maybe the postseason fate of the Billikens would've been different. SLU lost three times to the conference champion, including in the A-10 Tournament semifinals, 90-78.
The Billikens exceeded the 20-win mark for the fourth time under head coach Travis Ford, though.
The Billikens lose two double-digit scorers from last season, including guard Yuri Collins, who also averaged over 10 assists a game.
The key returning player for SLU is Gibson Jimerson, who enters his fifth season with the program after putting up 14.0 points per game in 2022-23.
The good from last season was the 7-1 start in A-10 play, but the bad was an early conference loss to UMass and a non-conference defeat to SIU-Edwardsville as 15.5-point home favorites. The Billikens posted an underwhelming 8-10-1 ATS mark against conference opponents, while covering only twice in seven games overall as a double-digit favorite.
The two games that stand out on Saint Louis’ non-conference schedule this season are trips to NC State and Drake. The Billikens open the season ranked 115th in the country, according to KenPom, as they also take on teams in their ranking range, including Utah State (101), Hofstra (113) and Louisiana Tech (116).
Loyola Chicago Ramblers
The Ramblers made an improbable run to the Final Four in 2018 and eventually were elevated from the Missouri Valley to the Atlantic 10.
The debut season in the new league wasn’t the transition they were hoping for, though, as the Ramblers finished in last place with a 4-14 record and owned the second-fewest overall wins in the conference with 10 victories.
It can only get better in the Windy City for the Ramblers this season, who return their core with one A-10 season under their belts.
Forward Phillip Alston (14.6 PPG) and guard Braden Norris (10.9 PPG) lead the Loyola Chicago attack this season.
The Ramblers stumbled out of the gate against the spread by failing to cover their first six games, while also starting A-10 play at 0-6 ATS.
The most disappointing role for Loyola Chicago was the favorite one, as they covered twice in 13 opportunities against Central Arkansas and Green Bay.
They finished 9-21-1 ATS overall last season.
George Mason Patriots
Another team known for a crazy Final Four run is George Mason, which made it back in 2006.
Since entering the Atlantic 10 in 2014, the Patriots have posted a winning season five times, including last season’s 20-13 record.
But the Patriots lost their head coach Kim English to Providence, as former GMU standout Tony Skinn will run the show in Fairfax this season.
George Mason went through ups and downs for most of A-10 play in 2022-23. They started 5-7, but finished on a high note with six consecutive wins, as well as a conference-tournament triumph over Richmond.
Several of the key players on last year’s squad followed English to Providence, including leading scorer Josh Oduro (15.6 PPG). Point guard Ronald Polite III (11.5 PPG) will be the key to GMU’s success this season, as he's returning for his senior campaign.
The Patriots suffered six outright losses as a favorite last season, but also knocked off the likes of Toledo and Hofstra in non-conference play.
Prior to A-10 play this season, George Mason’s toughest contest takes place at Tennessee in early December, but games against Charlotte, Cornell and East Carolina in November should be good tests for this team.
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George Washington Revolutionaries
The Colonials are no more in the Nation’s Capital, as George Washington changed its nickname to the Revolutionaries this past summer.
Following a 16-16 campaign, GW is entering its second season with former Miami assistant Chris Caputo running the show.
Besides beating Dayton at home, there weren’t many wins over impressive opponents last season. GW also lost to the likes of UC-San Diego and American at home. The Revolutionaries did find a way to win 10 conference games, but luck may have been on their side, as four of those victories came in overtime.
James Bishop IV led the Atlantic 10 in scoring in 2022-23 at 22.2 points per game, and he returns this season for GW.
George Washington closed the regular season with five consecutive covers, including outright underdog wins over Davidson, St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island on the road.
However, six of its eight conference losses came by 10 points or more, as the only game it covered in defeat came in the season finale against VCU at home.
Davidson Wildcats
The Wildcats will always be known for being Stephen Curry’s alma mater, but Davidson still made a name for itself after his departure over 15 years ago. Bob McKillop consistently won 20 games or more year in and year out, even after moving from the Southern Conference to the Atlantic 10 in 2014.
McKillop retired prior to the 2022-23 season and handed the program over to his son, Matt, who finished 16-16 in his debut campaign at Davidson. The Wildcats started 6-1, but suffered head-scratching non-conference losses to Delaware and Northeastern, while also barely beating VMI as 21.5-point favorites.
Davidson stumbled to a 3-7 start in the league, but the Wildcats saved some face by winning four of their final five games prior to an 18-point defeat to VCU in the A-10 quarterfinals.
One of Davidson’s biggest issues last season was converting from long distance, as it ranked 295th in the country from 3-point range at 31.9%.
The Wildcats lose their top scorers from last season (Foster Loyer and Sam Mennenga), and they don’t have a player on their roster that averaged double-digits in 2022-23.
Guard Grant Huffman averaged 9.4 points per game and will look to get this Davidson team back into the upper-half of the conference.
Richmond Spiders
For the most part, Richmond has been one of the most consistent teams in the A-10 throughout the years, although the Spiders took a step back last season. Richmond posted a 15-18 record, the program’s first losing record since 2019.
Longtime head coach Chris Mooney missed time towards the end of the season to deal with a health issue, and the Spiders lost their final three regular season games before blowing out UMass in the opening round of the A-10 Tournament. Unfortunately, Richmond couldn’t build off that win, as it was eliminated the next day by George Mason, 62-57.
The fourth-leading scorer in the conference last season was Tyler Burton, who posted 18.3 points per game for the Spiders. Burton headed to the transfer portal (Villanova), while Matt Grace (8.5 PPG) graduated and Jason Nelson (8.2 PPG) transferred to city and conference rival VCU.
Big man Neal Quinn (9.5 PPG) is the top returning scorer for Richmond, while East Tennessee State transfer Jordan King (15.6 PPG) should be a nice scoring addition this season.
The Spiders were squeezed several times last season by losing three games in overtime, while losing five other games by four points or less.
Richmond faces Colorado and Florida in neutral-site games this year, while visiting Northern Iowa, Boston College and Wichita State in non-conference play.
End of the Line
UMass Minutemen
Frank Martin took South Carolina all the way to the Final Four in 2017, but things eventually flamed out with the Gamecocks, as he parted ways with the program five seasons later.
Things worked out for Martin, though, as he took over the UMass basketball squad several months later. However, the Minutemen stumbled to a 15-16 record.
It was a good start in Amherst for UMass, which began 7-1 out of the gate, including a neutral-site upset of Colorado. But the Minutemen lost to cross-state rival UMass-Lowell, which hurt some early non-conference momentum.
A-10 play started slow with a 2-5 record through seven games, while finishing 6-12 in conference action. The two signature wins came at home against Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure, but the season ended with a major clunker in a 71-38 blowout at the hands of Richmond.
UMass lost several key players to the portal, and only one starter from last season’s team returns. Matt Cross (12.2 PPG) dealt with an illness and injuries last season, but the 6-foot-7 senior will be a huge part of this team in 2023-24.
Martin also brought in Josh Cohen, who averaged nearly 22 points per game at St. Francis (PA) and captured the NEC Player of the Year award.
The Minutemen began road conference play at 0-7 ATS last season, before a blowout win at Rhode Island and a cover as 11.5-point underdogs in a nine-point loss at Duquesne.
This season’s non-conference schedule isn’t taxing, with matchups against West Virginia and Georgia Tech on neutral courts.
La Salle Explorers
Fran Dunphy returned to a Big 5 school (also his alma mater) after a long tenure with Temple, as he accepted the head coaching position at La Salle prior to last season.
The Explorers improved from 11 to 15 wins under Dunphy, which included a five-game winning streak during conference play.
La Salle went through the biggest roller coaster of any A-10 team in league action, as it started by losing five straight games following a 2-1 start. Then came the aforementioned five-game hot streak, which included back-to-back road wins at Saint Joseph’s and St. Bonaventure.
But the Explorers struggled after that stretch, losing five in a row to close out A-10 play at 7-11. That marked their most league wins since 2019.
The Explorers can hang their hat on winning two conference tournament games before bowing out to Fordham in the quarterfinals.
Also, La Salle posted an 8-1 ATS run in conference action from January 21 through February 18, which included five consecutive covers as a road underdog.
Last season’s leading scorer Khalil Brantley (14.3 PPG) is back alongside Jhamir Brickus (9.8 PPG) in the Explorers’ backcourt.
La Salle will have to improve its shooting as a team after posting 46.9% on 2-point attempts (304th in country, 12th in A-10) and 69.3% shooting at the free-throw line (279th in country).
Rhode Island Rams
Archie Miller’s first head coaching opportunity in the Atlantic 10 was a successful tenure at Dayton from 2012-17. Miller reached the Elite Eight in 2014, but the Flyers didn’t escape the first weekend of the tournament in his final three seasons before accepting the Indiana job.
He wasn’t exactly the second coming of Bob Knight in Bloomington, as Miller posted three winning seasons in four years, but zero NCAA tournament appearances.
After a year off, Miller returned to coaching in the A-10 at Rhode Island last season. But the Rams strung together only nine victories, marking a third straight losing campaign in Kingston.
Somehow, URI managed a home upset of Dayton, but that was one of only five conference wins, with the other victories coming against Fordham, St. Bonaventure, La Salle and Loyola Chicago by a combined eight points.
Also, the Rams covered only twice in 11 opportunities as a favorite last season and lost outright to Quinnipiac, Texas State and Brown.
To make matters worse, the Rams lost four starters from last season, including their two leading scorers that combined for 30 points per game. There will be plenty of freshmen and transfers filling out this year’s roster, but things can only go up from a 9-22 campaign.
URI will not have it easy in non-conference play, as it plays four foes ranked in the top 100 (Northwestern, Yale, Providence and Charleston), according to KenPom.
Luckily, the Rams' first four home games in A-10 action are against Saint Joseph’s, UMass, Fordham and La Salle, so there's hope that they can get things together.
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