Atlantic-10 Conference 2003-04 Season Recap
As expected St. Joseph’s dominated the A-10 throughout the regular season. The Hawks rolled through the competition on their way to a perfect 16-0 conference record. National Player of the Year Jameer Nelson and Delonte West were the key for St. Joe’s as they combined to score almost 40 points a game.
While the Hawks controlled the East Division, the Dayton Flyers were the team to beat out West. The Flyers won their first nine conference games before losing a hard fought game at St. Joseph’s on their way to a 12-4 record in A-10 play. Senior big men Keith Waleskowski and Sean Finn were the best inside duo in the league as they averaged 26 points a game and pulled down a combined 17 boards.
Most people were expecting a surprise team to emerge in the West, but everyone seemed to think it would be LaSalle. In the end George Washington made a lot of noise and put themselves on the map going into next year. After finishing 12-5 in the conference and staying undefeated at home, the youth-led Colonials showed everyone that they will be one of the teams to beat next season.
Conference Tournament
The big news coming out of the conference tournament was Xavier. After getting off to a rough start in the conference season, the Musketeers turned it on late and used that momentum in the A-10 Tournament. When they faced off with undefeated and No. 1 ranked St. Joseph’s in the quarterfinals everyone was expecting one of the games of the year. Instead Xavier dominated the game on both ends of the court on their way to an 87-67 trouncing of the Hawks.
The crowd at UD Arena got the match-up they wanted in the championship game as the hometown Flyers took on archrival Xavier for the title. The Musketeers used a late run to finish off the Flyers and earn the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament with the 58-49 victory.
NCAA Teams
St. Joseph’s
The Hawks earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with their perfect regular season record, but they knew they still had something to prove in the Big Dance. St. Joe’s got the job done as they made it to the Elite 8 before falling to No. 2 seed Oklahoma St. 64-62 when Jameer Nelson’s jumper at the buzzer came up short. Their run to the Elite 8 feature hard fought victories over Texas Tech and Wake Forest.
Xavier
The Musketeers were one of the biggest surprises in the NCAA Tournament. Despite being a No. 7 seed, Xavier reached the Elite 8 before losing a heartbreaker to Duke 66-63. The Musketeers upset No. 2 Mississippi State with a dominating second half performance and controlled the tempo from the beginning in their victory over No. 3 Texas.
Dayton
The Flyers lost the most competitive game of the tourney in double overtime to DePaul in the first round. The No. 10 seed Dayton had chances to win the game at the end of regulation, but a three from senior Ramod Marshall and a tip from senior Frank Iguodala came up short. In the second overtime it was all Drake Diener for DePaul as he was perfect from the free throw line to end the Flyers hopes of advancing.
Richmond
The Spiders were one of the last teams to receive an at large bid into the Big Dance as they received a No. 11 seed. They proved they belonged by jumping out to a seven point lead at the half against No. 6 seed Wisconsin, but the Badgers dominated the second half and pulled out a 76-64 victory.
Awards
Player of the Year:
Jameer Nelson – Sr. G, St. Joseph’s Hawks
Defensive Player of the Year:
Tony Dobbins – Sr. G, Richmond Spiders
Newcomer of the Year:
Rashaun Freeman – So. F, Massachusetts Minutemen
Coach of the Year:
Phil Martelli – St. Joseph’s Hawks
All-Conference Team
Jameer Nelson – Sr. G, St. Joseph’s Hawks
Delonte West – Jr. G, St. Joseph’s Hawks
Mike Skrocki – Sr. F, Richmond Spiders
David Hawkins – Sr. F, Temple Owls
Keith Waleskowski – Sr. F, Dayton Flyers
Team Recaps
Dayton Flyers (24-9, 12-4)
MVP: Keith Waleskowski
Top Scorer: Ramod Marshall 14.6 ppg
Top Rebounder: Keith Waleskowski 9.9 rpg
Top Assists: Ramod Marshall 5.5 apg
Starters leaving:
Keith Waleskowski (graduating)
Sean Finn (graduating)
Ramod Marshall (graduating)
Key Returnees
Mark Jones (junior guard – 9 ppg)
Monty Scott (sophomore forward – 6 ppg, 4 rbg)
Duquesne Dukes (12-17, 6-10)
MVP: Elijah Palmer
Top Scorer: Elijah Palmer 13.9 ppg
Top Rebounder: Elijah Palmer 5.9 rpg
Top Assists: Martin Osimani 5.9 apg
Starters leaving:
Elijah Palmer (graduating)
Jimmy Tricco (graduating)
Ron Dokes (graduating)
Key Returnees
Bryant McAllister (junior guard – 11.1 ppg)
Martin Osimani (junior guard – 5.9 apg)
Fordham Rams (6-22, 3-13)
MVP: Michael Haynes
Top Scorer: Michael Haynes 18.4 ppg
Top Rebounder: Michael Haynes 7.4 rpg
Top Assists: Derrick Breland 2.9 apg
Starters leaving:
Michael Haynes (graduating)
Mark Jarrell-Wright (graduating)
Key Returnees
Derrick Breland (junior guard 8.2 ppg)
Mushon Ya’akosi (sophomore center 7.2 rpg)
George Washington Colonials (18-12, 11-5)
MVP: TJ Thompson
Top Scorer: TJ Thompson 13.2 ppg
Top Rebounder: Mike Hall 7.8 rpg
Top Assists: TJ Thompson 3.3 apg
Starters leaving
None
Key Returnees
TJ Thompson (sophomore guard – 13.2 ppg)
Pops Mensah-Bonsu (sophomore forward – 11.6 ppg)
La Salle Explorers (10-20, 5-11)
MVP: Gary Neal
Top Scorer: Gary Neal 17.9
Top Rebounder: Steven Smith 8.1 rpg
Top Assists: Mike Cleaves 2.5 apg
Starters leaving
Gary Neal (dismissed from team)
Key returnees
Steven Smith (sophomore guard – 17.1 ppg)
Massachusetts Minutemen (10-19, 4-12)
MVP: Rashaun Freeman
Top Scorer: Rashaun Freeman 15.4 ppg
Top Rebounder: Rashaun Freeman 8.5 ppg
Top Assists: Anthony Anderson 3.3 apg
Starters Leaving
Anthony Anderson (graduating)
Key Returnees
Rashaun Freeman (sophomore forward – 15.4 ppg)
Jeff Vigiano (sophomore forward – 9.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Rhode Island Rams (20-14, 7-9)
MVP: Dawan Robinson
Top Scorer: Dawan Robinson 15.1 ppg
Top Rebounder: Brian Woodward 6.2 rpg
Top Assists: Dawan Robinson 3.4 apg
Starters Leaving
Dustin Hellenga (transferring)
Steve Mello (graduating)
Brian Woodward (graduating)
Key Returnees
Dawan Robinson (junior guard – 15.1 ppg)
Jamaal Wise (junior forward – 4.5 rpg)
Richmond Spiders (20-13, 10-6)
MVP: Mike Skrocki
Top Scorer: Mike Skrocki 16 ppg
Top Rebounder: Tony Dobbins 7.6 rpg
Top Assists: Tony Dobbins 2.7 apg
Starters Leaving
Mike Skrocki (graduating)
Tony Dobbins (graduating)
Reggie Brown (graduating)
Key Returnees
Gaston Moliva (freshman forward – 5 ppg, 1.5 bpg)
Daon Merritt (freshman guard – 2.7 apg)
St. Bonaventure (7-21, 3-13)
MVP: Marques Green
Top Scorer: Marques Green 19.4 ppg
Top Rebounder: Ahmad Smith 5.9 rpg
Top Assists: Marques Green 4.5 apg
Starters Leaving
Marques Green (graduating)
Maurice Young (graduating)
Key Returnees
Patrick Lottin (junior guard – 13.2 ppg)
Ahmad Smith (sophomore forward – 10.3 ppg)
St. Joseph’s (30-2, 16-0)
MVP: Jameer Nelson
Top Scorer: Jameer Nelson 20.6 ppg
Top Rebounder: Dwayne Jones 7.0 rpg
Top Assists: Jameer Nelson 5.4 apg
Starters Leaving
Jameer Nelson (graduating)
Tyrone Barley (graduating)
Delonte West (declared for draft, may return)
Key Returnees
Pat Carroll (junior forward – 10.1 ppg, 46% 3pt)
Dwayne Jones (junior forward – 6.4 ppg)
Temple Owls (15-14, 9-7)
MVP: David Hawkins
Top Scorer: David Hawkins 24.4 ppg
Top Rebounder: Keith Butler 5.8 rpg
Top Assists: David Hawkins 2.6 apg
Starters Leaving
David Hawkins (graduating)
Key Returnees
Keith Butler (sophomore center – 4.7 ppg, 1.7 bpg)
Maurice Collins (sophomore guard – 15.5 ppg, 2.4 apg, 5 rpg)
Xavier Musketeers (26-11, 10-6)
MVP: Lionel Chalmers
Top Scorer: Lionel Chalmers 16.6 ppg
Top Rebounder: Romain Sato 8 rpg
Top Assists: Dedrick Finn 3.8 apg
Starters Leaving
Romain Sato (graduating)
Lionel Chalmers (graduating)
Anthony Myles (graduating)
Key Returnees
Dedrick Finn (sophomore guard – 8.5 ppg)
Justin Doellman (freshman forward – 7.3 ppg, 43% 3pt)
2004-05 Outlook
After a season where the A-10 sent four teams to the NCAA Tournament, next season could be somewhat of a down year. With Charlotte and St. Louis joining the A-10 in 2005-06, the conference looks to remain among the top conferences in the nation for years to come.
St. Joseph’s won’t be able to repeat their success with the graduation of Jameer Nelson, but if Delonte West decides to return for his senior season the Hawks will be the favorite in the East. Once again John Chaney has young talent ready at Temple and the Owls could give St. Joe’s some stiff competition come conference play.
Out West George Washington is the hands down favorite. After finishing second to Dayton last season, the Colonials return all five starters, including team MVP TJ Thompson. GW will have tough competition from Dayton and Xavier. Both the Flyers and Musketeers graduated some key players, but there is a lot of young talent on both rosters. If LaSalle can overcome their sophomore slump they will also be a force in the West.
