The Atlantic 10: a conference filled to the brim with buzzer beater finishes, high intensity play and paradoxical upsets.
Every week, The Good Five Cent Cigar sports staff will vote on these teams to generate a power ranking of the conference’s basketball programs.
Here are the men’s basketball rankings as of March 3:
15th Place: George Washington University Revolutionaries (14-15 OVR) (3-13 A-10) (-)
Through non-conference play, the Revolutionaries appeared to be a top contender in the A-10. However, in conference play, George Washington has proved themselves as the opposite.
Possessing the worst record in the entire conference, the Revolutionaries lost their 11th and 12th games this past week to the University of Massachusetts, 69-57, and La Salle University, 72-66. While the last seed in the A-10 tournament is not guaranteed, it is likely.
14th Place: University of Rhode Island Rams (11-18 OVR) (5-11 A-10) (-1)
After starting conference play 3-0, many believed that the Rams were a reborn team. That belief, however, came crashing down as Rhode Island lost 11 of their 13 games since then.
Currently the losers of six straight, Rhode Island added to their pile with back-to-back losses against Virginia Commonwealth University (88-67) and Saint Louis University (94-91) this past week. Rhode Island is driving with two flat tires right now, and they need air immediately if they want to escape the first round of the conference tournament.
13th Place: Saint Louis University Billikens (11-18 OVR) (4-12 A-10) (+1)
After scoring 94 points on the road, a step up in the power rankings was necessary; especially when their opponents stood just above them.
Saint Louis’ massive offensive outpouring helped to pull them out of a tie for dead last, and also mask the stain from the previous 80-64 loss to the University of Richmond. Regardless, the Billikens have moved up a slot in the power rankings in two consecutive weeks. A continuation could spell some sort of positivity later in March.
12th Place: Davidson College Wildcats (15-14 OVR) (5-11 A-10) (-2)
Another squad suffering back to back defeats, the Wildcats of Davidson College were unable to take down the University of Dayton (80-66) and the University of Massachusetts (69-67) this past week.
The Wildcats are just outside of striking distance for a single bye in the A-10 tournament, but they can still use their final two games to claw towards the top of the bottom six.
11th Place: La Salle University Explorers (15-15 OVR) (6-11 A-10) (+1)
After splitting the week with a loss to Duquesne University 75-63 and a win over George Washington 72-66, the Explorers are officially out of reach of clinching a single bye.
Although they will have to play on day one of the A-10 tournament, a win in their final game of the season and a poor finish by Fordham University could place them as the top-seed of day one.
10th Place: Fordham University Rams (12-17 OVR) (6-10 A-10) (+1)
In another .500 week, Fordham left their past two games with a 1-1 record: a 61-60 victory over George Mason University and an 82-69 loss to Saint Joseph’s University. These performances left Fordham as the first team in this week’s power rankings to be eligible to clinch a single bye.
If the season ended today, the Rams would place as the top-seed in the first round. Only a single game separates them from a free pass to Wednesday with two games remaining.
9th Place: Duquesne University Dukes (18-11 OVR) (8-8 A-10) (-)
The first team to win two games this past week, the Dukes were victorious over La Salle (75-63) and George Mason (59-51) in their most recent contests.
Winners in four of their last five, Duquesne seems to be heating up at just the right time, and if they play their cards right, they could possibly make some noise in Brooklyn.
8th Place: George Mason University Patriots (18-11 OVR) (7-9 A-10) (-3)
On the decline in the standings as well as the power rankings, George Mason lost both their games this past week to Duquesne, 59-51, and Fordham, 61-60.
As this week’s biggest dropper, the Patriots must get their affairs in order over the next week; they may be in for a rude awakening come time for the A-10 tournament.
7th Place: Saint Joseph’s University Hawks (18-11 OVR) (8-8 A-10) (+1)
Playing only one game this past week, the Hawks made their opportunity count with an 82-69 throttling of Fordham.
After a nightmarish 0-3 start to conference play, St. Joes has battled their way back to a state of substantiality – an 8-8 record. Now with a single bye secured, the battle shifts towards second round seeding, with a possibility to get as high up as fifth-place.
6th Place: University of Massachusetts Minutemen (19-10 OVR) (10-7 A-10) (+1)
Another squad that left the week unscathed, UMass topped George Washington 69-57 and Davidson 69-67 in their past two contests.
A win in their final game of the season would prevent St. Joes from catching up to them, and a split 1-1 week for the following team in the power rankings would see UMass solidify themselves as the fifth-seed in the A-10 tournament.
5th Place: St. Bonaventure University Bonnies (18-10 OVR) (9-7 A-10) (+1)
The greatest threat to the team below them in the power rankings, the Bonnies have the opportunity to spoil the Minutemen’s chance at the top-seed of the second round with two wins this coming week.
A 79-64 win over Loyola University Chicago this past week made this situation possible as the Bonnies head into their final week of competition. With a perfect storm, they could even sneak into the top four.
4th Place: Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (19-10 OVR) (11-5 A-10) (-)
A singular victory is all that is necessary for VCU to solidify themselves as owners of a double-bye in the A-10 tournament.
With an 88-67 win over Rhode Island and a 79-76 loss to Richmond this past week, the Rams left their potential clinch until the final week. However, VCU has two chances to hammer in the final nail with contests against Duquesne and Dayton lined up this coming week.
3rd Place: #25 University of Dayton Flyers (22-6 OVR) (12-4 A-10) (-)
Still nationally ranked as the first team in the power rankings to have officially clinched a double-bye, the Flyers can breathe easier heading into the final week of the season.
An 80-66 win over Davidson gave them the cushion they needed, however a 77-72 loss to Loyola added some drama to the past week, making their season finale against VCU this coming Friday night even more intense.
2nd Place: Richmond University Spiders (22-7 OVR) (14-2 A-10) (-)
One win – a singular instance in which the Spiders score more than their opponent – would crown Richmond as regular season champions for the first time in program history. They’ve already done it 22 times this year, but somehow when they need just one more the pressure seems to mount.
Two wins this past week to Saint Louis (80-64) and VCU (79-76) placed them in this position; now, only Saint Joseph’s and George Mason remain.
1st Place: Loyola University Chicago Ramblers (21-8 OVR) (13-3 A-10) (-)
A calendar year ago, the Ramblers looked up at 14 teams above them in the standings. Now, they look down 13 spots to where they once stood entering the final week of the regular season in which they can claim their first Atlantic 10 regular season title in just their second A-10 season.
An improbable 77-72 upset against Dayton kept this dream alive, while a 79-64 loss to St. Bonaventure upped the drama significantly. They need to win out, along with some help from St. Joes and George Mason, to win the conference. However, the team from the bottom can reach the top this week if the cards fall into place.