Foundations for postseason inclusion and success are laid in November and December. Considering the collective work of Atlantic 10 teams’ to-date, the cornerstones are set to handle strict scrutiny come March.
Through Monday’s contests, the league’s top eight teams are a combined 80-20 overall, a sizzling .800 winning percentage. A-10 programs own 17 wins over tournament teams of a year ago and 12 of its 14 programs have winning records. No. 20 Dayton leads the way in terms of pedigree, while VCU, Rhode Island, Saint Louis, and Richmond are particularly steeled having accented their non-conference success with strong scheduling tests.
Now the backyard brawls fueled by familiarity begin. League play tips off for eight programs on Thursday. I’ll be with you throughout conference play, but let’s first put a bow on a few items to wrap up the holiday season, beginning with a fella up in Olean.
Here’s to 300
St. Bonaventure’s Mark Schmidt earned win number 300 last week on the road as the young Bonnies slipped by Middle Tennessee State. Now in his 13
th year in Olean, Schmidt is 300-263 overall, 218-173 at Bonaventure, and 106-95 in Atlantic 10 Conference games. A true grinder, Schmidt is one of the most astute tacticians you’ll find. His thoughtful and unvarnished way of communicating is refreshing. His players unquestionably get better over their time with him and his staff. Most importantly, he’s built a consistent-winner at SBU, develops good kids and citizens, and is a vital part of the western NY fabric. Congrats coach. A Labbat Blue is on me down the road.
Coach Quote of the Week.
“Our biggest focus as a program has always been the individual development of our guys. Each has a specific plan for them that will allow them to keep improving. This developmental plan approach is one I truly believe in. It allows them to be ready when the opportunity presents itself but most importantly it allows for each to continue along this path that we’re all striving for in our life’s journey… To be in a plan and amongst people who not only see who we are but who also value who we want to become.”
George Washington coach Jamion Christian on his staff’s philosophy of personal growth and player development.
Name you should know
Let’s stick with the Colonials and the player development theme for a moment, thanks to redshirt senior Armel Potter. The 6-foot-1 guard, in his second season after transferring from Charleston Southern, has scored more than 20 points five times and no less than 13 points in his last eight games. Last season he scored 20 once, in an overtime game to begin the year. His 15.1 points per game ranks seventh in the A-10, but he’s much more than a scorer. Armel is dishing to the tune of 5.6 assists per game, fourth in the conference, and carrying over a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio. He’s dropped double-doubles in points and assists his last two games. And, if it’s close late, you want him on the floor with his 82 percent free throw conversion rate. “Armel has done an elite job at improving within our system and loving the process set forth,” says Christian. “He is putting together his best season as a player and he deserves a ton of credit for it. Daily work with our offensive coordinator Graham Bousley and getting extra work in after practice is paying off. He’s shown great perseverance.”
Sharing is caring
Our Stat of the Week is 19.5. That’s the number of helpers the 20
th ranked Dayton Flyers hand out amongst themselves on a nightly basis. That’s also good enough for second in the nation, a shade behind Michigan State. Led by the sensationally steady hand of Jalen Crutcher (5.1/game) and Chattanooga transfer Rodney Chatman (4.5/game), the Flyers are an unselfish, high-functioning machine with championship balance. Anthony Grant’s team is as battle-tested as any through the non-conference portion of the season with the resume wins to boot. The Flyers are the team to beat entering conference play and their predisposition to passing up good shots to get teammates better ones is a big reason why.
Board-certified leader
At Media Day, Saint Louis coach Travis Ford unfortunately got stuck at a table with Patrick Stevens (a D.C.-based basketball writer and frequent contributor to Atlantic10.com) and I for about five minutes more than most humans can endure. During that discourse, however, he talked about how there’d be “more pressure on Jordan Goodwin to lead versus produce” this year. Suffice it to say the 6-foot-3 Goodwin is hearing his mentor loud and clear; though he’s arguably disobedient for doing both. Offering up his best Marquise Moore impression – recall the 6-2 Moore averaged 10.9 rebounds per game for George Mason in 2016-17 – Goodwin is collecting 11.38 boards per game (damn right I’m going out to the hundredths place). That leads the A-10 over the voracious, glass-eating Cyril Langevine of Rhode Island and ranks ninth in the nation. Paired with his 15.2 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field, the junior who was selected to the A-10 Preseason Third Team All-Conference is playing like an All-Conference First Teamer. He’s shown the way for the Bills over their 11-2 start as they now prepare to open league play against 10-2 Duquesne on Thursday.
Pack ‘em in
If you build it – and certainly if you win – they will come. Through the season’s first eight weeks, here are your home attendance leaders and respective per game averages:
- Dayton – 13,302
- VCU – 7,637
- Saint Louis – 6,096
- Rhode Island – 5,602
- Richmond – 5,423
Per David Jablonski of the Dayton Daily News: “With 14 sellouts this season, Dayton set a UD Arena record. The previous record of eight was set last season and in 1969-70, the season the arena opened.”
Back in a couple of weeks once conference play is underway. Happy New Year to all in A-10 nation!
Chris DiSano, is an Atlantic 10 studio/radio analyst and writer. He has served as the host of A-10 Live! at Men’s Basketball Media Day and founded the former College Chalktalk. DiSano, who was named an NBC Sports top Atlantic 10 basketball follow, can be found on Twitter at @CDiSano44