By Aidan Joly
It was a big off-season for the Atlantic 10 and its 15 programs. Teams at the bottom made moves to try to get back to the top, and teams at the top made moves to try to keep themselves there.
The 2022-23 season was a down season in the Atlantic 10, making it a one-bid league for the first time since 2005. The A10 must get multiple teams to the tournament this year.
That being said, here is how they all look heading into the 2023-24 season.
VCU Rams
2022-23: 27-8 (15-3 Atlantic 10), lost in round of 64
The Rams won the Atlantic 10 and were the lone team from the league to make the NCAA tournament, but it was an off-season of transition in Richmond.
Head coach Mike Rhoades left to take the job at Penn State. In his place is Ryan Odom, who is back in the area after serving as the head coach of Utah State for two seasons.
That being said, it is a completely new roster. Zeb Jackson is the only returner of note after he averaged 5.2 PPG in 17 minutes per game. Odom brings in a pair of Utah State transfers in Max Shulga (11.9 PPG) and Sean Bairstow (10.3 PPG), who will both have key roles. Former Richmond guard Jason Nelson is here too.
In the frontcourt, it is Kuany Kuany coming over after averaging 9.0 PPG at California last year. He’ll be a starter when he gets healthy. Former top 100 prospect Roosevelt Wheeler comes over from Louisville. A freshman in Michael Belle has great upside on a roster that struggles with depth.
In the end, the Rams should be competitive and should finish in the top half of the league. But some growing pains are to be expected.
Fordham Rams
2022-23: 25-8 (12-6 Atlantic 10), no postseason
The 2022-23 season brought success that the program has not seen in over three decades. It was the program’s first winning season since 2015-16, first time with a winning record in conference play since 2006-07 and the program’s first 20-win season since 1990-91!
This season will be a huge test of if last year was a fluke or if the fortunes of the program have turned around. Both stars, Darius Quisenberry and Khalid Moore are gone, as is Rostyslav Novitskyi, who was a big defensive piece.
However, the Rams have several role players coming back. Antrell Charlton, Will Richardson and Kyle Rose all averaged over 6.0 PPG last year. UTSA transfer Japhet Medor gives another option as well.
Abdou Tshimbile returns in the frontcourt. Lafayette transfer Joshua Rivera comes to Rose Hill after averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last year. He will have a role as well. Elijah Gray played solid minutes as a freshman last year and is a breakout candidate.
Will Fordham prove that last year wasn’t a fluke? We’ll see.
Dayton Flyers
2022-23: 22-12 (12-6 Atlantic 10), no postseason
Dayton dealt with a lot of injuries throughout the season. On paper, it was a fine season, but the Flyers did not meet expectations despite making the A10 tournament final. Missed out on the postseason entirely, too.
However, the Flyers should be the favorite to win the league this season. Star center DaRon Holmes II is back after flirting with the NBA Draft following a season where he averaged 18.4 PPG and 8.1 RPG. He will likely be the best player in the conference. Malachi Smith and Kobe Elvis both missed significant time last year and are back and both will be solid starters. Koby Brea shot 37% from three last year and is one of the best sharpshooters in the conference.
Some new players are here too. Enoch Cheeks averaged 15.4 PPG at Robert Morris last year, Javon Bennett averaged 9.6 PPG at Merrimack last year as a starting guard. Isaac Jack was a solid role player at Buffalo, and Pittsburgh transfer Nate Santos should have a larger role after a small one at Pitt.
Dayton’s talent is too good to not be the favorite this season. Will they capitalize?
Saint Louis Billikens
2022-23: 21-12 (12-6 Atlantic 10), no postseason
No team in the league lost more talent than Saint Louis did. Five of the top six scorers are gone. That being said, the depth is just not there.
Despite the losses, the one of that group back is Gibson Jimerson, who was the team’s leading scorer last season at 14.0 PPG. He is one of the better shooters in the country, but he won’t have Yuri Collins, who led the country in assists in each of the past two seasons, passing to him. Instead, it’ll be Portland transfer Mike Meadows, but he averaged just 2.2 assists per game, as opposed to 11.0 PPG.
Georgetown transfer Bradley Ezewiro is still looking for a waiver. If he doesn’t, look for freshmen Stef van Buseel and Bruce Zhang to get more minutes.
It’s a given that Saint Louis will fall in the standings. The question is, how far will it fall.
George Mason Patriots
2022-23: 20-13 (11-7 Atlantic 10), no postseason
Another program that had a coaching change and with it, a complete new roster. Former coach Kim English left to take the job at Providence. In his place is former GMU Final Four star Tony Skinn, who was previously an assistant at Maryland.
Skinn was able to keep point guard Ronald Polite, who averaged 11.5 points and 4.0 assists per game last season. Guard Devin Dinkins and forward Malik Henry both had small roles last year but have a chance to have larger ones as returners.
As far as new players, it’s a long list. Darius Maddox averaged 8.0 PPG at Virginia Tech and should have starting role. Jared Billups (Siena) and Keyshawn Hall (UNLV) are both versatile players who may start. Amari Kelly (UNC Wilmington) is a big body who averaged 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds last season. Oklahoma State transfer Woody Newton has high-major experience. Jalen Haynes is still waiting to see if he will get a waiver after averaging 14.6 PPG at East Tennessee State last season.
The ceiling is high and the floor is low with this team. There’s a lot of unknowns here, making GMU tough to predict.
Duquesne Dukes
2022-23: 20-13 (10-8 Atlantic 10), lost in CBI first round
Duquesne was the most-improved team in the league last season, going from 1-16 and last place in 2021-22 to nearly finishing in the top four last season. It was just the CBI, but it also resulted in the program’s first postseason appearance since 2016.
Coach Keith Dambrot played a 12-deep rotation, so a few losses is not a huge deal. Leading scorer Dae Dae Grant is back after averaging 15.5 PPG last season. Jimmy Clark III is also back after after putting up 12.2 points per game and also proving a stout defender, possibly a top three defender in the league. Tre Williams is a very good defender as well. David Dixon and Halil Barre both had solid freshman campaigns.
There is some solid new talent, too. Brothers Fousseyni and Hassan Drame are here after averaging 8.8 and 6.4 PPG respectively at La Salle last season. Andrei Savrasov was very good at Georgia Southern last year, averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. NC State transfer Dusan Mahorcic won’t play until December, but he put up 8.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for an ACC team last season.
One question is at point guard. Kareem Rozier played decent and had some moment as a freshman last season and seems in line to take a step up.
The Dukes need Rozier to play well. If he does, Duquesne will have a chance to win this league and have a good shot at breaking an NCAA tournament drought that dates back to 1977.
George Washington Revolutionaries
2022-23: 16-16 (10-8 Atlantic 10), no postseason
The team formerly known as the Colonials had a decent season in Chris Caputo’s first season at the helm, but had no depth, which did them in at certain points in the season.
Only five players averaged more than 4.0 PPG. Three of them are gone, including Brendan Adams, who averaged 17.4 PPG last year.
However, James Bishop, who led the entire conference with 21.6 PPG last year, is back. The other notable returner is Maximus Edwards, who had 10.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG last season.
Caputo brought in some transfers who have high major experience, including Benny Schroder (Oklahoma) and Darren Buchanan (Virginia Tech). The only transfer with any real production in the past is Antoine Smith Jr., who averaged 7.7 PPG at Evansville last year.
Bishop and Edwards alone will win the Revolutionaries some games and should keep them out of the basement. The question is how good will the supporting cast be, that will determine the real ceiling.
Davidson Wildcats
2022-23: 16-16 (8-10 Atlantic 10), no postseason
Since Davidson joined the Atlantic 10 in 2014, the program has mostly finished in the top half of the league. Last season was just the second time the program joined the league nearly a decade ago.
There is rightful concern that the program could continue to go in the wrong direction. After several departures, there is just one player who averaged more than eight points per game last year anywhere in Division I basketball.
That player is returner Grant Huffman, who averaged 9.4 PPG for the Wildcats last season. Other than that, there isn’t really anything of note for returners. David Skogman (7.3 PPG) and Reed Bailey (5.5 PPG) both come back and will likely have bigger roles. Connor Kochera (6.3 PPG) is in line for a larger role as well.
Davidson brings in a pair of transfers in Jarvis Moss (Stanford) and Angelo Brizzi (Villanova). Neither did anything of note at their last stops, but Moss may be in line to start.
It’s tough to blame coach Matt McKillop, whose program is at a disadvantage due to not having a ton of academic programs. This season could be the result of that.
St. Joseph’s Hawks
2022-23: 16-17 (8-10 Atlantic 10), no postseason
St. Joe’s had an interesting season in 2022-23. It spent most of the season middling, but was one of the best teams in the league for nearly a month, winning seven games in a nine-game stretch from January 14 to February 11. Outside of that, the Hawks won just one other conference game. It also won two A10 tournament games.
The Hawks only lose one real player from the rotation, that being Ejike Obinna. They return both members of a backcourt that should be one of the best in the leagues in Erik Reynolds II (19.6 PPG) and Lynn Green (12.5 PPG). Cameron Brown (13.0 PPG) is also a great addition to the backcourt.
Freshman Christ Essandoko is set to replace Obinna in the frontcourt. He is a four-star prospect and is highly touted, so if he comes to Philadelphia as advertised, he will round out what will be a great lineup. Kacper Klaczek is back as a forward.
At the end of the day, this Hawks team has to show something more. It has not had a .500 record since Billy Lange took over in 2019. It has the talent to change that this year, will it?
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
2022-23: 14-18 (8-10 Atlantic 10), no postseason
It was a down season last season for the Bonnies, but it was for good reason, having a total roster turnover from 2021-22.
Thankfully for this year’s squad returns all five starters, including leading scorer Daryl Banks III (15.4 PPG). Kyrell Luc (11.3 PPG) and Moses Flowers (9.3 PPG both had their moments as the team’s other starting guards. In the front, Chad Venning averaged 12.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest, while Yann Farell had 8.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
Coach Mark Schmidt also brought in Cincinnati transfer Mika Adams-Woods, who averaged 9.1 PPG at Cincinnati last season. Charles Pride put up 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game at Vermont. Both are good additions.
After a down season, things are sure to turn around for the Bonnies this season. They for sure project as a top-four team in the A10.
Richmond Spiders
2022-23: 15-18 (7-11 Atlantic 10), no postseason
It’s tough to find a larger loss in the entire conference than Richmond’s loss of Tyler Burton, an all-league guard who averaged 19.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and the entire offense running through him the past few seasons.
On top of that, freshman Jason Nelson is another bad loss after he was good as a first year and appeared to be a key building block.
Coach Chris Mooney was forced to re-tool through the transfer portal. Jordan King averaged 15.6 PPG at East Tennessee State, while DeLonnie Hunt averaged 11.1 PPG at Wagner. Both have some skills, but aren’t the best pure shooters.
As for returners, big man Neal Quinn was second on the team last year with 9.5 PPG. He will need to have a bigger role. Same goes for Isaiah Bigelow, who put up 7.9 PPG last season. Wing Jason Roche averaged 6.3 PPG, but shot nearly 40% from three.
This roster, on paper, got worse. The Spiders will surely be towards the bottom of the league.
La Salle Explorers
2022-23: 15-19 (7-11 Atlantic 10), no postseason
The Explorers were competitive in 75-year-old Fran Dunphy’s return to coaching, but the same might not be able to be said for this season.
Some guards return, including leading scorer Khalil Brantley (14.3 PPG) as well as Jhamir Brickus (9.8 PPG). Anwar Gill and his 7.9 PPG are back as well.
The real issue lies in the frontcourt. They lost the Drame brothers and simply did not replace them in the portal. Rokas Jocius averaged 4.5 PPG last season and showed some flashes as a freshman, but he will need to have a breakout season. A pair of freshmen in Tunde Fasasi and Efe Tahmaz will need to develop quickly.
There’s no way to skirt around it; the Explorers will struggle to be competitive this season. The talent is simply not there.
Massachusetts Minutemen
2022-23: 15-16 (6-12 Atlantic 10), no postseason
It was a promising start to Frank Martin’s first season at the helm last season after a 9-3 start, but the Minutemen struggled after that.
Multiple key players transferred out, t0o. Matt Cross is the leading returning scorer after he put up 12.2 PPG last season in the frontcourt. Guard Rahsool Diggins returns after being a role player last season.
Saint Francis transfer Josh Cohen was the co-NEC player of the year last season after averaging 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season. How his game will translate to a higher level remains to be seen. Daniel Hankins-Sanford played sparingly at South Carolina, but has high-major experience.
Freshman Jaylen Curry is a decent prospect who could start early on. Otherwise, it will likely be all freshmen off the bench.
Lots of questions here. Cross is the only proven player at this level, so there will likely be some growing pains at the flagship this season.
Rhode Island Rams
2022-23: 9-22 (5-13 Atlantic 10), no postseason
Archie Miller’s return to college coaching after being fired at Indiana was a disaster. A few former top prospects didn’t work out, many of them left, and there was too much losing.
This season is unlikely to be much better. It’s a completely new roster. The key players figure to be Jaden House, who put up 17.3 PPG at High Point, Luis Kortnight, who averaged 10.3 PPG at Quinnipiac, as well as Bradley transfer Zek Montgomery, who put up 8.1 PPG as a role player. JUCO addition Tyson Brown is also one to watch.
Even if the duo of House and Kortnight works out to be decent, the talent on the rest of the roster is not there. They will need some unexpected production, or the Rams can expect a season at the bottom of the league.
Loyola Chicago Ramblers
2022-23: 10-21 (4-14 Atlantic 10), no postseason
Who would have thought? Loyola Chicago went from winning the Missouri Valley in 2021-22 to finishing dead last in the Atlantic 10 one season later.
A number of players from last year are gone, but each of the team’s three leading scorers are back. Forward Philip Alston averaged 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while a pair of guards, Braden Norris (10.9 PPG) and Ben Schwieger (9.2 PPG) also return. Forward Tom Welch, who averaged 7.0 PPG, also returns.
As for new players, it’s a pair of former Ivy League stars. Greg Dolan averaged 13.3 PPG and shot 42.5% from three last season at Cornell. Dame Adelekun averaged 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game at Dartmouth, as well. Adelekun is also a good defender. Patrick Mwamba averaged 7.9 PPG at Oral Roberts last season. All will have roles for the Ramblers.
All of the reasons to believe that Drew Valentine’s squad will move up in the standings. There’s reason to believe that they can move up fairy significantly. The question is, how far will the Ramblers move up?
AJ Hoops 