Checking in on the… Atlantic 10
Posted by rtmsf on January 8th, 2009
College Chalktalk is the RTC correspondent for the Atlantic 10 Conference.
By CCT Staff | January 5, 2009
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Rodney Green (Jr.), La Salle. It was a memorable week for Green, who became the 46th player in LaSalle history to reach the 1,000-point mark. He did so while compiling 21 points in a win over Howard. Green also scored 11 points during a 23-5 run which helped the Explorers pull away from Manhattan. In two home wins this week, Green averaged 19.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals per contest. In the seven-day span, Green shot the basketball at an outstanding 73% (16-of-22) clip from the field.
HONORABLE MENTION: Tasheed Carr (Sr.), Saint Joseph’s; Jonathan Hall (Jr.), St. Bonaventure; Ruben Guillandeaux (Jr.), La Salle
(Note: College Chalktalk’s week runs from the previous Monday through Sunday, given the release of ‘This Week in the A-10′ each Monday morning.)
GAME OF THE WEEK: December 30, 2008. St. Bonaventure 80, Bucknell 72 (2 OT)
The Bonnies showed their maturity under coach Mark Schmidt by the way they prevailed in this contest. The Brown and White built an early cushion and led by 14 at the half. The home team battled back and with under a minute left maintained a three point lead. The Bonnies, however, did not wilt. Chris Matthews hit one-of-two free throws to slice the lead to two, and the Bonnies then forced a jump ball to regain possession. Jonathan Hall was able to convert a layup to tie the game and send it into overtime. The Bonnies, led again by Hall, overcame a five point deficit in the first overtime frame to force a second. In the second extra five, the Bonnies hit 8-of-10 from the charity stripe to ice the win.
GAME OF THE UPCOMING WEEK: Rhode Island @ Saint Joseph’s
If the Hawks want to be taken seriously as contenders in the A-10, this is an important game to set the tone. Outside of Dayton and Xavier, URI has played as well as any A-10 team during the non-conference portion of the season. Saint Joseph’s, on the other hand, has to be considered a disappointment up to this point, given preseason prognostications. This game features an exciting match-up between the Hawks star forward Ahmad Nivins and the Rams’ grinder up front, Kahiem Seawright. Those two will grate on one another, albeit in different ways. Jimmy Baron will make his presence known. Ultimately, it will be on the shoulders of the respective supporting casts to tip the balance. Can the Hawks score with Rhode Island? Tasheed Carr and Darrin Govens will have to if SJU is to prevail.
RPI BOOST OF THE WEEK: St. Bonaventure; RPI No. 201 (Up 21 spots from 222 last week): Sure, two wins came against teams with mid-200’s RPI’s (Bucknell No. 250, Central Arkansas No. 285)… but wins nonetheless, and both on the road. Not too many A-10 teams boast two wins this week, let alone two road wins.
RPI FALL OF THE WEEK: George Washington; RPI No. 165 (Down 97 spots from 68 last week): Easy to figure this one out. When a team loses to RPI No. 212 (Hawaii), No. 240 (Coppin St.) and No. 246 (Longwood) in the same week, a large drop in the RPI is sure to follow. This is the second week in a row GW has owned the RPI dive for the A-1o.
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Power Rankings (through January 4, 2009): ( ) = Last week’s ranking
- Dayton (1): Has a chance to begin A-10 play with a great start: UMass, Fordham, Duquesne and GW out of the gates.
- Xavier (2): Back to form. Thrashed RMU and made win in Charlottesville – a tough place to emerge victorious – look easy.
- Rhode Island (3): Forced 38 turnovers in wins against Fairleigh Dickinson and Akron.
- Charlotte (7): Hoping 10 point road loss to Maryland is just a speed bump; ‘Niners have won 4 of 5. Besides, no other team wants to claim this spot.
- Saint Joseph’s (4): Hawks have not been over .500 since opening night win versus Rider. Desperately need bench production.
- Temple (6): 0-3 Since win against Tennessee on December 13th. Kansas and ‘Nova losses tolerable; Long Beach State a disappointment. Kent State and Eastern Michigan await before A-10 play.
- Saint Louis (9): On a roll against cupcakes; have won 7 of their last 8 games. Real test Thursday @ Xavier.
- La Salle (10): Winning three in a row gives La Salle confidence heading into Big 5 showdown with Temple.
- Duquesne (11): After dropping 4 of 5, winners of four in a row by an average of 15 points per game.
- St. Bonaventure (12): Winners of 6 of their last 7… Last time that happened? 2001-02, an NIT birth squad.
- UMass (5): Losing back-to-back games by a combined 56 points is an easy way to fall down the board.
- Richmond (8): Not much separates spots 7 through twelve, but the Spiders continue to struggle against solid foes. Win against Rice (RPI No. 158) is only win against opponent with sub-200 RPI.
- Fordham (14): Give the Rams credit, they may be 2-10, but have been competitive in most games and are very green.
- George Washington (13): 6-6, but losers of four in a row. Looking directionless and disjointed while doing so.
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CHARLOTTE
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 29th vs. Long Island 79-68 LOSSES: Jan. 3rd @ Maryland 85-75
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 7th @ Duquesne, Jan. 10th vs. Tulsa
SUMMARY: After a slow start, the Niners finally found their touch, shooting 62% in the second half in the win over Long Island. DiJuan Harris recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Lamont Mack and Charlie Dewhurst helped offensively with 15 and 13, respectively. Against Maryland, Charlotte got off to a hot start and led going into the half. Following an injury to Dewhurst, however, Maryland went on a 16-0 run to take command and secure the win. Rashad Coleman’s 21 points led the way for the Niners, but the injury to Dewhurst – who was looking more and more comfortable – is a blow to what remains of the ‘Niner “guard” corps.
DAYTON
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 30th vs. George Mason 66-62, Jan. 2nd @ Toledo 77-63 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 6th vs. Miami (OH), Jan. 10 @ Massachusetts
SUMMARY: George Mason gave the Flyers all they could handle, but Chris Johnson’s clutch three-pointer in the final minute snapped a tie and catapulted Dayton to victory. The Flyers crushed the Patriots on the glass, out-rebounding GMU 42-29, which led to a 23-7 advantage in second chance points. It was another Johnson (Marcus) that led the charge for the Flyers against Toledo, as he poured in a season-high 21 points. Dayton also received good minutes from it’s two point guards, London Warren and Rob Lowery, who combined for 24 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and three steals.
DUQUESNE
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 31st vs. Bowling Green 76-65 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 7th vs. Charlotte, Jan. 10th @ St. Bonaventure
SUMMARY: The Dukes relied upon an unsung hero on New Year’s Eve to record their last win of 2008. Bill Clark had a career-high 21 points, helping the Dukes come back from a 10-point deficit. Clark had just three points at the half, but exploded after the break, scoring 18 points and hitting 4-of-4 from three-point range along the way. Damian Saunders also had a solid night, scoring 16, grabbing nine boards and swatting four shots.
FORDHAM
Last Week’s Results: WINS: None LOSSES: Dec. 29th @ Florida International 63-55, Jan. 3rd @ Bowling Green 65-59
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 7th vs. St. Bonaventure, Jan. 11th vs. Xavier
SUMMARY: If only the Rams could score as efficiently all game as they did in the last 48 seconds against Florida International. Down 20, Fordham scored 12 points in that short span, but still fell well short of the win. Trey Blue led the way for the Rams, netting 18 in the loss on 4-of-8 shooting from behind the three-point arc. Against Bowling Green, Jio Fontan scored 20 points, but it wasn’t enough to ground the Falcons, who avenged a loss earlier in the week to another A-10 opponent, Duquesne.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Last Week’s Results: WINS: None LOSSES: Dec. 29th @ Hawaii 73-47, Dec. 30th vs. Coppin St. 59-53, Jan. 3rd @ Longwood 80-78
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 10th vs. Richmond
SUMMARY: Hawaii may be a honeymoon destination, but it was no picnic for GW which has officially bottomed out after four straight losses, including three this week. Against Hawaii, Travis King led the way for GW with 10 points. The Colonials had a tough time finding the net overall, however, shooting just 30% for the game. Damian Hollis and Noel Wilmore each had 14 against Coppin State, but again it was not enough to get GW past the Eagles, who snapped a ten-game losing streak with the win. Benchings of star players (Diggs) and important players (Witherspoon) because of perceived lack of effort was another subplot of the Colonials voyage. The return to the mainland didn’t help the Colonials either, as they lost to Longwood (VA) despite 20 from Rob Diggs and 19 from Damian Hollis.
LA SALLE
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 31st vs. Manhattan 89-64, Jan. 3rd Howard 81-66 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 11th vs. Temple
SUMMARY: New Year’s Eve was a banner night at Tom Gola, as three Explorers set career-highs in the win over Manhattan. Ruben Guillandeaux was the star of the night, scoring a career-high 22 points, grabbing a career-high eight boards, and also dishing out a career-high seven assists. Vernon Goodridge also set his career-high by scoring 15, and Terrell Williams did the same, scoring 14. The Explorers shot an outstanding 60.7% from the field for the game. In the win over Howard, Rodney Green reached the 1,000-point mark in his career as he scored 21 to lead La Salle. Kimmani Barrett also added 16 for the Explorers.
MASSACHUSETTS
Last Week’s Results: WINS: None LOSSES: Dec. 30th @ Houston 80-54, Jan. 3rd vs. Vanderbilt 78-48
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 10th vs. Dayton
SUMMARY: The Jekyll and Hyde Minutemen showed their ugly face this week, losing two contests in very poor fashion. First in Houston, UMass jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, but the Cougars countered with a 12-2 run of their own, and blew it open from there. Anthony Gurley had 17 points and Ricky Harris added 11, but it wasn’t nearly enough to keep the Minutemen in this one, as they shot just 32.4% for the game. While one would think fortunes could only improve the next time out, never assume… as the Minutemen disproved that assumption by shooting a paltry 28.6% for the game and generally looking bewildered on offense, en route to a 30-point defeat to Vanderbilt. UMass hit just 16 shots in the game, despite hoisting 56 shot attempts.
RHODE ISLAND
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 30th @ Fairleigh Dickinson 95-80, Jan. 3rd vs. Akron 79-50 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 6th @ Toledo, Jan. 10th @ Saint Joseph’s
SUMMARY: Keith Cothran dropped 20 points, but the story for URI against Fairleigh Dickinson was the play of sophomore center Will Martell, who scored a career-high 18 (his previous high was six points). The 95 points were a season high for the Rams, who shot 52.2% for the game. Rhody then returned home and celebrated their 100th game in the Ryan Center with an easy win over Akron. Rhode Island’s defensive effort was key, holding Akron to just 35% shooting. Offensively, Cothran and Delroy James led the way with 16 each, but coach Jim Baron was most impressed with how his team distributed the ball. ”To be a good team you have to be unselfish,” said Baron. “I thought our guys did a great job sharing the ball today. You have to be consistent and we are working on that one game at a time.”
RICHMOND
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Jan. 3rd vs. Rice 74-43 LOSSES: Dec. 31st @ VMI 73-70
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 10th @ George Washington
SUMMARY: The Spiders’ web fell apart over the final minutes, failing to hold on to a seven point lead with just over three to play in their road loss to VMI. Up to that point, the Spiders had done a nice job shutting down the nation’s highest scoring team (99.3 ppg) for a majority of the game, holding the Keydets at just 58 points with 3:06 to play. Sophomore Kevin Anderson led the scoring for Richmond with 23. Against Rice, the Spiders generated a lead that they couldn’t relinquish, as it reached a ceiling of 36 at one point. David Gonzalvez led the Spiders on offense with 20, but coach Chris Mooney was more impressed with his team’s defensive effort. “That was our best defensive effort of the season. We have been playing better defense the past four games and today we really made it difficult for them to score.”
SAINT JOSEPH’S
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Jan. 3rd@ Ball St. 63-55 LOSSES: Dec. 31st vs. Drexel 64-52
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 10th vs. Rhode Island
SUMMARY: The Hawks had difficulty finding ways to score, especially in the second half, as they fell to Drexel. Down just two at the half, the Hawks managed just seven points in the first 13 minutes of the second half. Tasheed Carr scored 19 for Saint Joseph’s, and Ahmad Nivins added 16 points and eight rebounds. The Hawks bounced back later in the week with a win over Ball State. Nivins assumed the role of the 19-point scorer in this one, as Carr added 18. Darren Govens chipped in 11 points as he, Carr and Nivins each played all 40 minutes of the game.
SAINT LOUIS
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 30th vs. UMBC 81-60, Jan. 2nd vs. North Carolina A&T 60-52 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 8th @ Xavier
SUMMARY: Freshman forward Willie Reed scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting as the Billikens rolled to an easy win over UMBC. The game was an offensive explosion of sorts for Saint Louis, which scored a season-high 81 points. Tommie Liddell led the offensive attack with 19. The Billikens played themselves into significant trouble against North Carolina A&T, falling behind by as many as 18, but rallied in the second half to climb the mountain and earn the win. Liddell sparked the comeback, scoring 12 of the first 14 points for Saint Louis in the second half. The Billikens shot a horrendous 21% in the first half. Brian Conklin helped on the defensive end, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.
ST. BONAVENTURE
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 30th @ Bucknell 90-82 (2OT), Jan. 3rd @ Central Arkansas 68-58 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 7th @ Fordham, Jan. 10th vs. Duquesne
SUMMARY: The Bonnies received an epic performance from freshman Andrew Nicholson, as he led SBU to a huge road win in double-overtime over Bucknell. Nicholson scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, snared a team-high eight rebounds, and set a school record by blocking nine Bison shots. The nine blocks tied the highest total by any division one player this season. Chris Matthews scored 18 for the Bonnies and Jonathan Hall added 17; all of Hall’s points coming after halftime. Hall and Ray Blackburn led the Bonnies with 14 points apiece as the Brown & White picked up its second road win of the week. Kudos to coach Mark Schmidt who has his team at 9-4 heading into A-10 play. The Bonnies won eight games all of last season.
TEMPLE
Last Week’s Results: WINS: None LOSSES: Dec. 29th vs. No. 13 Villanova 62-45
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 5th vs. Kent St., Jan. 7th @ Eastern Michigan, Jan. 11th @ LaSalle
SUMMARY: Scoring droughts struck many teams in the A-10 this week, and the Owls were not immune to a prolonged period of poor shooting. Temple went without a field goal for 11:21 in the second half, permitting the ‘Cats to not only claw back, but leave the Owls in the dust. Dionte Christmas led Temple with 13 points, but needed 19 shots, connecting on just four. The 45 points scored by Temple were the lowest total for the Owls under coach Fran Dunphy. Dunphy gave credit ’Nova for his team’s offensive struggles. “We had some decent looks,” Dunphy said. “We just did not make shots tonight and a lot of that is due to Villanova’s defense.” As a side note, freshman Juan Fernandez, a recruit from Argentina, will have to wait another week to make his Temple debut. Owls fans remain patient that the big guard with the sweet stroke will give Temple another shooter they desperately need.
XAVIER
Last Week’s Results: WINS: Dec. 31st vs. Robert Morris 78-57, Jan. 3rd @ Virginia 84-70 LOSSES: None
This Week’s Schedule: Jan. 8th vs. Saint Louis, Jan. 11th @ Fordham
SUMMARY: Love was in the air (and on the floor) in the Cintas Center as junior Jason Love scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed six boards to help the Musketeers defeat Robert Morris. Jamel McLean also added a career-high 11 boards in the contest, which featured lots of minutes from Xavier reserves. Against Virginia, the Musketeers once again began ice cold against an ACC opponent (see Duke), missing their first nine shots, but managed to more than recover and grab a nice road win. B.J. Raymond scored Xavier’s first hoop at the 15:14 mark and, from there, Xavier exploded on a 23-2 run. Raymond led Xavier with 24 points and the Muskies received solid minutes from freshman big man, Kenny Frease, who scored 13 and grabbed eight boards.
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