No love for the reigning champs.
Saint Joseph's was picked to finish ninth out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 in the conference's preseason poll, released Tuesday.
That's a big drop-off after the Hawks went 28-8 and won the A-10 championship last season, but they lost their two best players in DeAndre' Bembry and Isaiah Miles. Miles led the team with 18.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and Bembry did it all, averaging 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals. (The only other player in the nation to average as many points, rebounds and assists as Bembry last season was Ben Simmons.)
With the departures of Bembry, Miles and Aaron Brown, the Hawks lose 60 percent of last season's scoring output, 50 percent of their rebounds and 47 percent of their assists. In other words, other players must improve and carry the load. A lot will be placed on the shoulders of juniors James Demery and Shavar Newkirk, as well as sophomore Lamarr Kimble.
St. Joe's beat the odds last year to win the A-10 despite being picked seventh in that preseason poll, but this task will be much tougher.
La Salle, coming off a 9-22 season, its worst since 1995-96, was picked to finish seventh this year.
Dayton is the Atlantic 10 favorite, receiving 16 first-place votes, followed by Rhode Island with 12. VCU, Davidson, St. Bonaventure and Davidson follow, in that order.
The poll is voted on by the A-10’s coaches as well as members of the media.