By Chris DiSano
The Atlantic 10 is in my blood. So I’m pleased to be writing this column during conference play. Its aim will be to spotlight a handful of teams, players, and storylines each week, keep it moving along, and share a little A-10 knowledge with you all. Here it goes:
Matchup to Watch - This didn’t take long to materialize. At Atlantic 10 Media Day on Oct. 18, 2016, Dayton and Rhode Island were selected to finish 1 and 2 in the league, respectively. Both have looked the part as the calendar flips to league play. Dayton (11-3, 2-0) downed La Salle and then eased past arguably the A-10’s best one-two backcourt punch in Jay Adams & Matt Mobley up at St. Bonaventure -- even without the services of Charles Cooke. Rhode Island (10-4, 2-0) dismantled St. Louis and Saint Joseph’s by a combined 64 points. Against the Hawks, Dan Hurley’s team set a school record for made threes, nailing 16-30 in the contest.
With an early conference showdown slated for ESPN2 at 7:00 pm on Friday, I asked Dan Hurley and Archie Miller each what makes the other’s team so tough.
Hurley on Dayton --
“Dayton is consistently one of the hardest playing teams in the country. They are physically tough and really good defensively. Their transition offense comes at you on every possession. They’re always well prepared and well coached. They are led by a core of seniors who have experienced great success... and their confidence runs through their program.”
Miller on Rhode Island --
“Rhode Island presents a number of challenges. They take so much pride in their defense and when you go against them, you have be very detail oriented--you have to take care of the ball, be ready to recognize what is and is not a good shot, and be prepared for their physical brand of play. This has to be the premier matchup in the early conference season.”
Cooke’s status (back injury; he hadn’t practiced through Wednesday) will be critical for this one as both teams continue to amass resumes for postseason play after strong non-conference scheduling. And while It’s a bit premature to intently watch the RPI rankings, as of today Dayton sits at #30 and Rhode Island at #38 (Source: NCAA.com). Top 50 wins always help come March. Let’s toss it up.
The Maturation of Mo - VCU senior forward Mo Alie-Cox (10.1ppg, 4.1rpg) is a significant producer for the Rams, blending physicality and productivity on both ends of the court. But this year I’ve seen a steady improvement in his recognition and awareness in the post. His command of if/when/where the double is coming from, how much room he has to operate, and his measured approach to doing damage himself or involving teammates is testament to his development under Will Wade and staff. His assist numbers won’t wow anyone, but he often begins the inside-out, reversal process and therefore doesn’t get the stat cred. Let this statement from his coach serve as all the cred he needs:
“Mo has really worked hard to play with more poise down in the post,” said Wade. “He has gotten better at reading the defense and making the correct play. Just about every time he touches it, a positive play happens for VCU, which is what we want.”
Name you should know - First, here’s what you need to know about Iceland. It’s beautiful, there are great 4-day, 3-night deals available, and two of my friends got engaged in Reykjavic last month. Now the name. Jon Axel Gudmundsson, a 6-4 guard and heckuva nice find for Davidson out of Grindavik, Iceland. He might not be getting a ton of ink yet, but he’ll seem like he’s been at Davidson a full 27 years when he graduates in 2019-20.
What does he do well? Just about everything. The frosh averages 8.1 points, 4.7 boards, and 3.9 dimes a game for the Wildcats, a very Joseph Chartouny-esque type of line. He’s started every game, a rare occurrence for a freshman in Bob McKillop’s demanding and meticulous system.
“He’s adjusted very quickly and is already filling a prominent role,” said Davidson beat writer Justin Parker of the Lake Norman Citizen. “He fits what Davidson does. He’s smooth and savvy, almost always in the right place. It would be unfair to say he’s going to be a Tyler Kalinoski [at this point], but he moves like him and reminds me of a young Tyler.”
On the rise - Watching George Mason tangle with VCU last Friday, one couldn’t help but be struck by the renewed energy and enthusiasm at EagleBank Arena -- bolstered always by the Green Machine, one of the best pep bands in the land. Dave Paulsen has his Patriots (11-4, 1-1), already matching last year’s win total and well ahead of the rebuild schedule about 45 games into his tenure. Led by 6-2 senior Marquise Moore - who’s playing at a First Team All-Conference level - and flanked by veteran Jalen Jenkins and a youthful corps of guards that includes sophs Otis Livingston II and Jaire Grayer, along with freshman Justin Kier and Ian Boyd, the Patriots will be right in the thick of things in conference play.
Text of the week, Duquesne’s Jim Ferry - “They are wonderful kids. They both have great personalities. Mike is a little more laid back but is fearless once the games begin. Isiaha is very competitive and vocal. Both are not afraid to take the big shot and not afraid of the big moment. As they get more experience both will be tremendous players in the A-10.”
- Describing standout freshmen Mike Lewis II and Isiaha Mike
So who’s playing this weekend?
Saturday:
UMass at VCU - 1pm (NBCSN)
Saint Joseph’s at Fordham - 3pm (NBCSN)
George Mason at St. Bonaventure - 5pm (NBCSN)
Duquesne at La Salle - 8pm
Sunday:
Richmond at George Washington - 12pm (NBCSN)
Davidson at Saint Louis - 2pm (NBCSN)
Final thought: Get well soon Shavar - Saint Joseph’s Shavar Newkirk was in the midst of one of those wonderfully unexpected player “jump” seasons for Phil Martelli’s program. The guard was scoring 20.3 points per night on 46 percent shooting from the floor, grabbing 4.8 rebounds and dishing out 3.5 assists. Most importantly, he was leading a young group of Hawks on and off the floor before a torn left ACL last week ended his junior season. Several in the A-10 community have already reached out to Newkirk directly or through the media to express their thoughts and well wishes, a mark of the camaraderie that exists in this league. Here’s hoping the surgical procedure to repair his knee is remarkably uneventful and he can begin the rehab process as soon as possible. There’s a lot of ball left in that kid.
See you next week...
Chris DiSano, is an Atlantic 10 television analyst and writer. He has served as the host of A-10 Live! at Men's Basketball Media Day for the past three season. DiSano, who was named an NBC Sports top Atlantic 10 basketball follow, can be found on Twitter at @CDiSano44