By PAUL GOTHAM
First full week of Atlantic 10 action concludes with four nationally-televised games including a Sunday triple-header on NBC Sports. Dayton, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and VCU take 2-0 marks into battle. A-10 teams compiled 19 wins over 2015 NCAA Tournament team during in non-conference. Davidson, Dayton, George Washington and Saint Joseph’s all rank in the RPI top 50. Here’s this weekend’s rundown.
Saturday
St. Bonaventure (10-3/2-0) at UMass (8-6/1-1) Noon CBS Sports Network
Jaylen Adams (17.3 ppg/4.8 apg) leads a St. Bonaventure team looking to go 3-0 in A-10 play for the first time since the 1999-00 season. To do so the Bonnies will have to hold off a UMass team on the rebound from Wednesday’s drubbing at the hands of Dayton. Trey Davis nets 19.5 for the Minutemen. Bonnies rank 10th in the country converting 76.6 percent of the time from the free throw line. UMass ranks 25th in the country playing at a pace of 76 possessions per contest. Teams split last year. Both winning on the opposing team’s home court. Bona’s Mark Schmidt should be able to avoid a repeat of this. Davis likes his cell phone privileges.
No. 25 Dayton (12-2/2-0) at La Salle (4-8/0-2) 2 p.m. TWC-Ohio
Dayton looks to make it six in a row when they travel to Philadelphia to face a desperate La Salle team. UD’s Kendall Pollard did not play Wednesday due to a strained Achilles tendon. The junior guard is listed as day to day. In just his third game back to the lineup, Dyshawn Pierre started in place of Pollard and scored 11 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Jordan Price scores 22.7 for the Explorers. La Salle is looking to snap a seven-game skid. Two of the Explorers’ setback came to ranked opponents (then No. 9 Villanova and No. 13 Miami).
Sunday
Rhode Island (10-5/2-0) at Saint Joseph’s (11-3/1-1) Noon NBC Sports Network
Back-to-back home game for Saint Joseph’s which let one slip away late against VCU on Tuesday. URI has won three straight and four of five. Isaiah Miles leads Saint Joseph’s with 18.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. The Hawks are 5-0 when Miles notches a double-double. Four McGlynn paces five Rams in double figures with 12.8 points per game. URI’s Jarvis Garrett is fifth in the conference with 4.5 assists per game. The Rams are 5-1 when the sophomore guard hands out five or more helpers.
VCU (10-5/2-0) at Saint Louis (6-8/1-1) 4 p.m. NBC Sports Network
Mo Alie-Cox scored 10 straight as VCU rallied from nine down late in the second half to defeat Saint Joseph’s Tuesday night. It was the Rams fifth win in a row. Mike Crawford scored 20 including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining as Saint Louis upset George Washington on Wednesday. Per BBState the Billikens rank 25th in the country handing out assists on 62 percent of their made field goals. VCU is fifth in the country forcing 17.3 turnovers per game.
OTHER GAMES
Saturday
George Mason (6-9/0-2) at Davidson (9-4/1-1) 7 p.m. WMYT
Duquesne (10-5/0-2) at George Washington (12-3/1-1) 8 p.m. ASN
Sunday
Richmond (8-6/0-2) at Fordham (10-3/1-1) 2 p.m. NBC Sports Network
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