Tuesday, coaches and the media descended upon the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn for the Atlantic 10 media day.

Tuesday, coaches and the media descended upon the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York for the Atlantic 10 media day. The event included plenty of interviews and the release of the conference preseason polls. As expected, VCU was picked to win the league; a feat Coach Smart has yet to accomplish in his very young career.

A-10 Preseason Poll

Team Points 12-13 A-10 Record 12-13 Overall Record VCU (19) 307 12-4 27-9 Saint Louis (5) 288 13-3 28-7 La Salle 265 11-5 24-10 Massachusetts 236 9-7 21-12 Saint Joseph’s 199 8-8 18-14 Richmond 173 8-8 19-15 Dayton 171 7-9 17-14 George Mason 141 N/A 22-16 Rhode Island 130 3-13 8-21 George Washington 122 7-9 13-17 Fordham 58 3-13 7-24 St. Bonaventure 56 7-9 14-15 Duquesne 38 1-15 8-22

The conference boasts four NCAA caliber teams in VCU, Saint Louis, La Salle, and Massachusetts that will compete every night for first place. The middle of the conference is extremely crowded and a bucket or two over the course of sixteen games could be the difference between fifth and tenth place. The two teams that have the most potential to over perform the predictions are Rhode Island and George Washington. Both add talent to already skilled young teams primed to make a leap.

First Team Preseason All-Conference

Name School Position Tyreek Duren La Salle G Chaz Williams Massachusetts G Dwayne Evans Saint Louis G/F Treveon Graham VCU G/F Juvonte Reddic VCU F

Second Team Preseason All-Conference

Name School Position Sherrod Wright George Mason G Isiah Armwood George Washington F Xavier Munford George Washginton G Langston Galloway Saint Joseph’s G Ronald Roberts Jr. Saint Joseph’s F

Third Team Preseason All-Conference

Name School Position Brandon Frazier Fordham G Tyrone Garland La Salle G Jerrell Wright La Salle F Cedrick Lindsay Richmond G Jordair Jett Saint Louis G

Preseason All-Defensive Team

Name School Position Isaiah Armwood George Washington F Patricio Garino George Washington G/F Chaz Williams Massachusetts G Alonzo Nelson-Ododa Richmond F Jordair Jett Saint Louis G Briante Weber VCU G

2013 Post Season Honors

Juvonte Reddic and Treveon Graham both performed on a First Team All-Conference level last season, but the votes didn’t add up for either one probably because they play on the same team. Either way, VCU returns the best front court in the conference and both players could make the First Team come March. With guards like Briante Weber , Rob Brandenberg, and Melvin Johnson, it’s a little surprising that only two players made any of the top three teams. A VCU manager is probably already cutting out articles for bulletin board material.

At the end of the day, this is all just talk. It’s all interesting until 7:00 PM on Friday, November 8th when HAVOC! 5.0 takes the court against Illinois State.

Coach Smart

He’s wicked smart, he’s a great interview, he’s funny…oh, and he’s an awesome basketball coach. Coach Smart’s best suggestion on Tuesday: an A-10/Big East Challenge. It’s unlikely to happen, but the ten best teams from the A-10 playing the Big East would make for great television and even better basketball. Don’t get too caught up in the prospect. Instead, enjoy these gems from Tuesday:

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