Top 4 teams in the A10

[MADXSTER]

Poll

Of the 14 teams in the A10, which 4 teams will be battling it out to be the A10 champ

Xavier
Temple
Richmond
Saint Louis
Rhode Island
Charlotte
Dayton
Duquesne
St. Bonaventure
GW
Massachusetts
STJOE
La Salle
Fordham

[xudash]

I have to assume you put the first four in that order for a reason.

Thank you for making it easy to check them off.

[MADXSTER]

I have to assume you put the first four in that order for a reason.

Thank you for making it easy to check them off.

Based on last seasons results

[D-West & PO-Z]

Yeah I would go those 4 again. XU, Temple, Richmond, and SLU.

If SLU finds more offensive consistency they will be very very good next year.

As always I expect XU to come out on top, but I hope SLU finishes right there with them. Time for Kwamain and Willie Reed to really put their stamps on the A10.

[Muskie1000]

Is this for the actual top 4 in March or the "paper" winners starting now because we all know that Dayton has that one locked up.

[AdamtheFlyer]

I think there are a clear 5 teams in the top tier this season. I'm a scheduler thumper, it tends to have an effect on the standings, and it can be up to 2-3 games for some teams. With that, I'm going with Temple, Xavier, Dayton and Richmond. Not necessarily in that order.

On paper Temple is the team this year. They deserve to be favorites and although they may not win it, they will do well. 12 wins

Xavier's going to finish top 4 because Xavier always finishes top 4. 11-12 wins.

SLU gets the schedule shaft. I believe they added Xavier as a H/H so that's an extra tough road game. They dropped Richmond from the H/H, but play at Richmond. Also at Temple and Rhody. Play Dayton twice again, aren't likely to repeat the sweep. I don't see 11 wins there. They may struggle to get 10. Just a tough, tough schedule. 5 tough road games for them, and they'd have to go 2-3 to make 11 wins feasible because everyone has a couple of stinkers. 9-10 wins.

Richmond gets Xavier, SLU, and Rhody at home. H/H with GW, Charlotte and St. Joe. Reasonable path to 10-11 wins, even though I think the loss of Gonzalvez will hurt quite a bit.

Dayton gets Temple and Richmond at home. Same schedule as the 11-5 team of 2 seasons ago, and this one doesn't have Lowery and Warren running PG. Talent infusion, more experience for the best players...I'm going 11-5 this year. No fewer than 10 wins.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Same old same old from the Dayton faithful. Got to keep hope though right?

[AdamtheFlyer]

Same old same old from you. Don't argue the point, argue the school.

[D-West & PO-Z]

When the school has a history of under-performing year after year, no reason to argue the point.

[DC Muskie]

I think there are a clear 5 teams in the top tier this season. I'm a scheduler thumper, it tends to have an effect on the standings, and it can be up to 2-3 games for some teams. With that, I'm going with Temple, Xavier, Dayton and Richmond. Not necessarily in that order.

On paper Temple is the team this year. They deserve to be favorites and although they may not win it, they will do well. 12 wins

Xavier's going to finish top 4 because Xavier always finishes top 4. 11-12 wins.

SLU gets the schedule shaft. I believe they added Xavier as a H/H so that's an extra tough road game. They dropped Richmond from the H/H, but play at Richmond. Also at Temple and Rhody. Play Dayton twice again, aren't likely to repeat the sweep. I don't see 11 wins there. They may struggle to get 10. Just a tough, tough schedule. 5 tough road games for them, and they'd have to go 2-3 to make 11 wins feasible because everyone has a couple of stinkers. 9-10 wins.

Richmond gets Xavier, SLU, and Rhody at home. H/H with GW, Charlotte and St. Joe. Reasonable path to 10-11 wins, even though I think the loss of Gonzalvez will hurt quite a bit.

Dayton gets Temple and Richmond at home. Same schedule as the 11-5 team of 2 seasons ago, and this one doesn't have Lowery and Warren running PG. Talent infusion, more experience for the best players...I'm going 11-5 this year. No fewer than 10 wins.

I gotta agree with this. Well done on the points about SLU Adam. They should be really really good. Just depends on how they fair on the road. Same with Dayton and that young, but better, back court.

Oh and I hate you. Not really you, just the school.

[GoMuskies]

I'd definitely put SLU in the top four before Dayton.

[MADXSTER]

SLU was in the top 4 last year and I believe they have all 5 starters returning. There is no reason they shouldn't be in the top 4 again this year.

Last year Dayton had all 5 starters returning from an NCAA team the previous season and should have finished at least in the top 4 but didn't. If they couldn't do it last year, someone is going to have a hard time convincing me they can get the job done this year.

[DC Muskie]

SLU was in the top 4 last year and I believe they have all 5 starters returning. There is no reason they shouldn't be in the top 4 again this year.

Last year Dayton had all 5 starters returning from an NCAA team the previous season and should have finished at least in the top 4 but didn't. If they couldn't do it last year, someone is going to have a hard time convincing me they can get the job done this year.

I think Adam's point is, and I wouldn't disagree with it...

Dayton's schedule of tough games are going to be at the Arena. SLU on the other hand, gets their toughest opponents on the road. That's got to mean something, even if SLU is returning everyone including Larry Hughes. It simply is tough winning on the road.

And while I understand not giving Dayton the benefit of the doubt, everyone sure is extending it to SLU. A team mind you that lost back to back road games to GW and Richmond, and won at LaSalle and SJU by a combined 7 points in February.

[X-band '01]

Maybe the people on board have more faith in Rick Majerus (who does have a prior track record of NCAA Tournament experience) than they do Brian Gregory. The Bills are also going to be dealing with heightened expectations this year, so we'll see if they do better in that regard. Having Cody Ellis for a full season will also be a plus.

[MADXSTER]

I think Adam's point is, and I wouldn't disagree with it...

Dayton's schedule of tough games are going to be at the Arena. SLU on the other hand, gets their toughest opponents on the road. That's got to mean something, even if SLU is returning everyone including Larry Hughes. It simply is tough winning on the road.

And while I understand not giving Dayton the benefit of the doubt, everyone sure is extending it to SLU. A team mind you that lost back to back road games to GW and Richmond, and won at LaSalle and SJU by a combined 7 points in February.

I'm not disagreeing with Adam about scheduling at all. I'm just giving more credit to a team that is returning 5 starters than a team that has an easier road schedule. If it was my team that finished in the top 4 last season and had 5 returning starters, I'd be ready to play anybody anywhere.

And yes, I think Majerus is a better coach than Gregory. Just my opinion.

[GoMuskies]

I think Adam's point is, and I wouldn't disagree with it...

Dayton's schedule of tough games are going to be at the Arena. SLU on the other hand, gets their toughest opponents on the road. That's got to mean something, even if SLU is returning everyone including Larry Hughes. It simply is tough winning on the road.

And while I understand not giving Dayton the benefit of the doubt, everyone sure is extending it to SLU. A team mind you that lost back to back road games to GW and Richmond, and won at LaSalle and SJU by a combined 7 points in February.

Dayton's schedule may be favorable, but they're capable of losing to ANYONE on the road. Including Fordham. So SLU gets the nod from me.

And it's not really giving SLU the benefit of the doubt to pick them over Dayton. It's not like we're picking them over an actual good team like Xavier or Richmond.

[DC Muskie]

And yes, I think Majerus is a better coach than Gregory. Just my opinion.

Completely agree.

[rhyno2110]

I know I'm not speaking out of the box when I say this, but I think Willie Reed can a be a beast in the A10. Although, if I remember correctly, he couldn't shoot a free throw to save his life.

I will be rooting for SLU this year.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Dayton's schedule may be favorable, but they're capable of losing to ANYONE on the road. Including Fordham. So SLU gets the nod from me.

And it's not really giving SLU the benefit of the doubt to pick them over Dayton. It's not like we're picking them over an actual good team like Xavier or Richmond.

This was going to be my point as well.

Of course last year SLU was going to have some struggles on the road and beat some teams by maybe less than they should have. They had only sophomores and freshmen on the team and they play a style of basketball that usually produces low scoring close games. I am hoping now, with the core of Mitchell and Reed being juniors with Ellis a sophomore (still a freshmen for a half in a way I guess) that they can find more offensive consistency while keeping the great defense they usually play. With the other sophomores and freshmen becoming juniors and sophomores, and a some talented new guys thrown in, Majerus finally has a stable of his guys (and they have experience) and I am expecting big things.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I know I'm not speaking out of the box when I say this, but I think Willie Reed can a be a beast in the A10. Although, if I remember correctly, he couldn't shoot a free throw to save his life.

I will be rooting for SLU this year.

Yeah he can be a monster and he has shown it at times. Absolutely needs to get the FT% up. He was pretty awful last year (under 50%).

I'm excited to see how big of a jump both Willie and Kwamain can make together this year. Both had productive freshmen campaigns and made big strides in their sophomore seasons. Time for another big jump.

[rhyno2110]

I send my apologies to LutherRackleyRulez becauese I know you post these types of articles on here, but I will through my own little flare on it since you haven't posted it yet.

CCT's Five Questions Series: Greg Collucci, Asst. Coach - George Washington

http://collegechalktalk.com/atlantic10/2010-11/8.23.10collucci

I try to hard.