A-10 Round-Up Vol. 7: Biggest Takeaways, Team of the Week, Updated Rankings

Our first full week of play in 2021, the past few days in the Atlantic 10 have been nothing short of exciting. A few upsets, roster shakeups, and national rankings have set the stage for a wide open conference heading into March. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from this past week of play, my team of the week, and an update to the weekly and aggregate rankings.

Fordham Gets a Big Win Over Dayton

You know I had to talk about this, because I don't think I'll have many opportunities to talk about my alma mater in a positive tone this season. After dropping their first two games in embarrassing fashion, the Fordham Rams were able to take down the conference powerhouse Dayton Flyers in a 55-54 thriller in the Bronx. With Chris Austin lighting up the Flyers with a season high 20 points, while Josh Navarro frustrated Dayton's offense by drawing a solid amount of charges, Fordham was able to take control of the pace of the game and eke out their first win of the season. Last season, their best performances came when they were able to use their defense to slow down the game, producing low scoring games and allowing their offense a bit more wiggle room.

While they couldn't extend their win streak to 2 games on Saturday against Duquesne, they still showed signs of a team that continues to improve. Coach Neubauer's decision to start Onyi Eyisi to alleviate the pressure on Joel Soriano proved to be effective, so hopefully it will be a permanent move going forward.

Duquesne Guards Step Up Amid Transfers

Speaking of the Dukes, they were able to prove their depth in a win against Fordham on Saturday, as two first-time starters had career-games amidst the departure of two starting guards. Prior to tip-off on Saturday afternoon, Pittsburgh Sports Now reported that Sincere Carry and Maceo Jack were leaving the team for personal reasons, with later reports indicating that both players would be transferring. Luckily for the Dukes, the two guards that came in to fill the roles of Carry and Jack did more than impress.

Despite not getting a ton of buckets himself, Toby Okani proved to be a solid team player, picking up 5 points to go along with 5 rebounds and two huge blocks. Tavian Dunn-Martin was the difference maker for the Dukes, however, as he played 35 minutes to lead the team in scoring with 11 off of 4-for-9 shooting.

Team of the Week

Forwards-

Sen. Grant Golden (RICH)- Despite a momentary lapse that has seen the Richmond Spiders fall out of the Top 25 and lose most of their votes, Grant Golden has been a solid contributor in righting the ship during conference play. His 18 points and 10 rebounds against George Mason on Saturday helped the Spiders on their path to a 20-point victory.

Sen. Jordy Tshimanga (DAY)- Tshimanga snagged a whopping 16 rebounds in Dayton's Tuesday loss to Fordham, and another 8 in an overtime win against Davidson.

Guards-

So. Chris Austin (FOR)- Austin was the leading scorer in both of Fordham's last two games, dropping 20 against Dayton and 17 on La Salle. On a team where scoring can often be scarce, a quick trigger like Austin is just what the Rams need to stay afloat in this conference.

Sen. Tavian Dunn-Martin (DUQ)- I already outlined his excellent performance against Fordham on Saturday, but I don't think Dunn-Martin stepping up for his team can be understated. In his senior season, Dunn-Martin has proven that he deserves his spot on the Dukes starting lineup.

Jr. Jaren Holmes (BONA)- Holmes scored a career-high 38 points against a struggling St. Joe's team on Tuesday. Despite the excellent scoring performance, Holmes was still able to find time to dish the ball for 3 assists.

Rankings:

This week, SLU and GW did not play, so the most points a team can get this week is 12. This might be my hardest weekly ranking yet, as so many teams beat each other to form a kind of circle of winning.

This Week's Ranking:

1. Richmond (12 Pts.)

2. St. Bonaventure (11 Pts.)

3. URI (10 Pts.)

4. VCU (9 Pts.)

5. Davidson (8 Pts.)

6. Dayton (7 Pts.)

7. Duquesne (6 Pts.)

8. UMass (5 Pts.)

9. Fordham (4 Pts.)

10. La Salle (3 Pts.)

11. GMU (2 Pts.)

12. St. Joe's (1 Pt.)

Season Aggregate Ranking:

1. Richmond (60 Pts.)

2. VCU (50 Pts.)

3. Saint Louis (48 Pts.)

4. Davidson (42 Pts.)

5. URI (42 Pts.)

6. Dayton (35 Pts.)

7. St. Bonaventure (29 Pts.)

8. UMass (23 Pts.)

9. La Salle (22 Pts.)

10. George Washington (22 Pts.)

11. George Mason (21 Pts.)

12. Duquesne (11 Pts.)

13. St. Joe's (10 Pts.)

14. Fordham (5 Pts.)