VCU (12-2) ... 34-point win at home vs. Rhode Island, 28-point win at home vs. George Washington. These Rams aren't messing around. Last week: No. 1. Week ahead: home vs. St. Louis, at Richmond.
Davidson (11-3) ... 1-point loss at home vs. Dayton (ending 17-game home winning streak dating back to Jan. 28, 2018), 9-point win at Rhode Island. Last week: No. 2. Week ahead: at LaSalle, home vs. Fordham. After that: home vs. St. Bonaventure, at Richmond.
Dayton (10-4) ... 1-point win at Davidson (Flyers are 5-2 on the road in conference), 8-point win at home vs. St. Louis. Last Week: No. 4. Week ahead: at UMass, home vs. Rhode Island. After that: home vs. LaSalle, at Duquesne. Who amongst you was dead certain Josh Cunningham was going to drain that second free throw in North Carolina and save the oxygen-depleted Flyers from certainasphyxiation in overtime? LIAR! How big was that free throw? Really big, because it enabled this group of Flyers to deliver the unexpected ... a victory in a game no one (you're fibbing again!!!) expected them to win. That's a large step for Anthony Grant's program, as was the refusal to lay an omelet in the follow-up on Saturday. So, a really good week. So good that some amongst us are allowing themselves to dust off the dream machine and start pondering the possibility of a second-place finish in the A10. After all, the 3-11 Minutemen are next, and even though they have beaten Rhode Island and Davidson at home and are coming off a handsome comeback victory at home over St. Joseph's on Saturday, this should be one the Flyers can handle, right? Except for one thing, the Flyers haven't handled the Minutemen on Massachusetts soil since Feb. 8, 2004, when Brian Gregory was in his first year as Dayton coach, James Cripe was in his first year as a Flyer, and Steve Lappas was calling the shots for UMass. That's seven straight losses. So what's needed here? Another big step, that's what, like putting an end to this silliness in Massachusetts. So the dreaming can continue.
Duquesne (9-5) ... 1-point win at George Mason. Last week: No. 6. Week ahead: at St. Bonaventure, home vs. UMass. After that: at St. Louis, home vs. Dayton. Wednesday night's game at St. Bonaventure is large if the goal is getting into the top four in Brooklyn.
St. Bonaventure (9-5) ... 2-point win at home vs. LaSalle, 21-point win at Fordham. Last week: No. 7. Week ahead: home vs. Duquesne, at George Washington. After that: at Davidson, home vs. St. Louis. Bonnies have won four straight and are 7-2 in last nine, including a 23-point win over George Mason. Beat Duquesne Wednesday night and a top-four finish is well within reach.
George Mason (9-5) ... 1-point loss at home vs. Duquesne. Last week: No. 3. Week ahead: home vs. Richmond, at St. Louis. After that: home vs. VCU, at George Washington. Patriots are 2-4 in last six.
St. Louis (8-6) ... 8-point loss at Dayton. Last week: No. 5. Week ahead: at VCU, home vs. George Mason. After that: home vs. Duquesne, at St. Bonaventure. Billikens' record vs. teams over .500 in A10 play is 1-3. Their final four opponents are all over .500.
Richmond (6-8) ... 3-point win at home vs. Fordham, 9-point win at LaSalle. Last week: No. 10. Week ahead: at George Mason, home vs. VCU. Spiders have won four of their last five.
LaSalle (6-8) ... 2-point loss at St. Bonaventure, 9-point loss at home vs. Richmond. Last week: No. 8. Week ahead: home vs. Davidson, at St. Joseph's. Explorers have lost four of their last five.
Rhode Island (5-9) ... 34-point loss at VCU, 9-point loss at home vs. Davidson. Last week: No. 9. Week ahead: home vs. George Washington, at Dayton. Rams have lost seven of last eight, including five straight. Is URI headed for the bottom four?
George Washington (4-10) ... 12-point win at home vs. UMass, 28-point loss at VCU. Last week: No. 14. Week ahead: at Rhode Island, home vs. St. Bonaventure.
UMass (3-11) ... 12-point loss at George Washington, 1-point win at home vs. St. Joseph's. Last week: No. 12. Week ahead: home vs. Dayton, at Duquesne. So, Cobb and Pipkins sit with injuries vs. St. Joseph's Saturday and Kimble returns for the Hawks, who score 54 points and lead by 17 at the half. Then the Minutemen, a 1-point favorite according to at least one line, put together a terrific second half and win by, of course, 1. UMass is 0-7 on the road in conference play.
St. Joseph's (4-10) ... 1-point loss at UMass. Last week: No. 11. Week ahead: at Fordham, home vs. LaSalle. Hawks are 0-7 on the road in conference play.
Fordham (2-12) ... 3-point loss at Richmond, 21-point loss at home vs. St. Bonaventure. Last week: No. 13. Week ahead: home vs. St. Joseph's, at Davidson. Rams are 0-7 at home in conference play.
