There remains only one team that is undefeated in Atlantic 10 Conference play after an up-and-down week. Out of 14 teams, 11 have shifted their position from last week’s rankings.
Each week, the Good Five Cent Cigar Sports Staff ranks every team in the A-10.
This is how our rankings shaped up in week two as of Feb. 9:
14th Place: Duquesne University Dukes (7-16, 0-12) (-)
Unfortunately for the Dukes, they are one of the three stagnant teams in this week’s rankings. So close to getting their first conference win against St. Bonaventure University, but the home team knocked down a jumper with 3.6 seconds remaining to take the 72-71 overtime win.
On paper, this team has the shooting abilities, led by first-year guard Alexia Bordas, who is the sixth-ranked scorer in the conference and scored 25 points against the Bonnies. A career-high 27 points from second-year guard Mackenzie Blackford is a great sign, but it’ll take more depth to make up an all-around competitive team.
13th Place: Fordham University Rams (9-15, 1-12) (-)
Another week, and two more losses to extend the Rams’ losing streak to six. The Rams’ 47-42 loss to Loyola University Chicago was a failed come-from-behind effort late in the game before they reverted back to double-digit losses to finish the week.
Fordham’s second loss, a 70-53 defeat at the hands of La Salle University, saw the Explorers shoot 54% from the field. There are not a lot of scenarios where you win by scoring less than 55 points in a game.
12th Place: Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (8-16, 4-8) (-1)
The now Beth O’Boyle-less Rams have started their new era under interim head coach Kirk Crawford with a 66-55 loss to the Ramblers.
What was a back-and-forth battle in the first three quarters fell apart in the final frame, as the Rams were outscored 25-10 by the Ramblers. The Rams will next head to Kingston to take on the University of Rhode Island, and it’ll take a big effort to even be able to make things interesting.
11th Place: Saint Louis University Billikens (11-15, 5-8) (-3)
It may be fair to cut the Billikens some slack for losses against the top two teams in the conference this week, but we’ve reached a new low point for this team on a five-game losing streak.
The glaring problem in this five-game stretch: averaging 51.8 points per game. And the latest concern is losing to the University of Richmond and URI by a combined point deficit of 79.
10th Place: St. Bonaventure University Bonnies (14-11, 5-8) (+2)
The Bonnies played two very different games, but came away with the same victorious result. Snapping their five-game skid in thrilling style, fifth-year guard Laycee Drake, who was the overtime hero against Duquesne, led the way with 14 points in a 59-50 win over Davidson College.
These momentum-building wins come at the perfect time ahead of the Bonnies traveling to take on Richmond this week.
9th Place: La Salle University Explorers (13-11, 6-7) (-1)
The Explorers have traded wins and losses for the last six games, which isn’t the best sign with only five games remaining in the regular season, but it’s a long way from a five-game skid earlier in the season.
Postseason basketball will soon be upon us, and every game counts. With four of the Explorers’ next five games being against teams ranked higher than them, it will be a challenging race to the finish line.
8th Place: George Washington University Revolutionaries (13-12, 5-7) (-1)
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Revolutionaries, who came into their matchup with Davidson on a three-game winning streak. Having their streak snapped was inevitable, as averaging 62.4 points per game is unsustainable.
To be fair, the Revolutionaries’ 42% from the field was comparable with DC’s 49%, and the Revolutionaries shot better from beyond the arc. However, the familiar story of lack of scoring depth may continue to be a problem down the stretch.
7th Place: University of Dayton Flyers (13-11, 6-7) (+3)
And just like that, the Flyers have proved they can compete with some of the best in the conference. The Flyers led after every quarter in a 75-73 road victory over Saint Joseph’s University on Saturday, the biggest win of their season thus far.
One win away from getting back to .500 in conference play, the Flyers now have some momentum as they head into their final handful of regular-season games.
6th Place: Davidson College Wildcats (16-10, 8-5) (-1)
Despite having two more wins than Saint Joseph’s, a loss this week to the Bonnies is not convincing enough to maintain a spot in the top five of our rankings.
The bright spot? Fourth-year guard Charlise Dunn earned A-10 Player of the Week honors with her combined 49 points and 16 rebounds in the loss to St. Bonaventure and win over GW.
5th Place: Saint Joseph’s University Hawks (15-8, 6-6) (-1)
It’s been a slow and steady decline for the Hawks this season, but the cracks are officially undeniable. The Hawks redeemed themselves against Davidson last week, but back-to-back losses should be concerning at this point in the season.
While it’s hard to blame the Hawks for being shut out at points by the defensive juggernauts that are the URI Rams, their streaky nature came back to bite them in their loss to Dayton. Going on scoring runs after allowing their opponent to go on scoring runs of their own is not a sustainable game plan.
4th Place: Loyola University Chicago Ramblers (12-11, 8-4) (+2)
Earning their well-deserved spot in the top-five of our rankings, the Ramblers’ consistent play continues to pay off. While wins over Fordham and VCU might not be the most impressive on paper, winning eight of their last nine games certainly is.
Bottom line: a win’s a win, and the Ramblers have won six straight. With a .667 record in conference play, the Ramblers have edged out the Wildcats for a coveted double bye position.
3rd Place: George Mason University Patriots (15-7, 10-1) (-1)
Being handed their first conference loss of the season, the Patriots suffered a convincing defeat at the hands of the Spiders. The 71-57 loss puts a damper on what had been a perfect slate of conference play up until this point.
The only question remaining is: will this loss halt the momentum of the Patriots ahead of their matchup this week with the conference’s top team, URI?
2nd Place: University of Richmond Spiders (20-4, 10-1) (+1)
A strong third quarter in which the Spiders outscored the Patriots 22-12 set the Spiders up for their biggest victory of the season so far. Fourth-year forward Maggie Doogan sparked the Spiders with her 100th game in double figures.
Now, it’s looking ahead to a rematch with the Rams later this month, which will be easily the most important game of the season.
1st Place: University of Rhode Island Rams (21-2, 12-0) (-)
Successfully breaking the record for the longest winning streak in program history with their 14th and 15th wins, there’s no telling how many more milestones this team can make.
Even with leading scorers fourth-year Brooklyn Gray and second-year Palmire Mbu combining for just seven points and three assists, the depth of the Rhody offense showed out in Sunday’s dominant 74-43 win over SLU. This team finds different ways to win every game, and that is a scary thought for any opponent that comes its way.
