AP Photo/Al Behrman

No longer in the shadows of Sean Miller, Chris Mack (right) is now in charge at his alma mater.

10 Things To Know From The Offseason

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

1. New digs: Three of its schools are in Philadelphia. Nine are in the Northeast. The tournament is in Atlantic City, N.J. So naturally the league moved its offices to … Virginia? Conference officials and coaches alike say this move isn't any pending sign of doom, but more a sign of the economic times. The lease on the office space in Philly was up, and the league could get a sweeter deal in Newport News. Still, for a conference chronically working to generate money -- Atlantic City hasn't exactly become the destination site for the A-10 tourney -- it's an awfully odd move to take your offices out of the geographic footprint of your teams.

2. X on the spot: It had been rumored for years. Every time a hot job opened, Sean Miller's name was attached to it. So when the coach finally bolted for Arizona, it wasn't exactly stunning. But like everything else, it is the timing that matters most. Miller bolted the same year that B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson graduated and Derrick Brown decided to exit to the NBA. That leaves former assistant and Xavier alum Chris Mack with a load of talented but young players to carry on the Musketeers' tradition. No less than everyone in the league will be watching this transition.

3. Keeping him close to home: Its coach is bound to be on the hot list, so Dayton did the smart thing by inking Brian Gregory to a five-year extension. Granted, contracts are meant to be broken and bought out, but at least Dayton knows it did what it could to keep its coach.

4. Who's got next? Derrick Brown? Gone. Ahmad Nivins? Gone. Dionte Christmas? Gone. Jimmy Baron? Gone. You get the picture. The players who have dominated this league for so long are all out, begging one simple question: Who, besides Dayton's Chris Wright, has next? Until someone solidly stands alongside Wright, the future faces of this conference remain hard to see.

5. Should he stay or should he go? Guard Jio Fontan, who led all A-10 freshmen in scoring and assists last season, made Fordham fans (there are some left, right?) nervous this summer when he announced his plans to transfer. The school drew a hard line, though, refusing to give him his release. Eventually, after playing with the Puerto Rican 19-and-under national team, Fontan decided to stay. For a squad that finished 3-25 last season, that's more than good news. That's pennies from heaven.

6. The other Philly school: It's been a long time since La Salle grabbed even small headlines in Philadelphia, run over and out by its Big 5 and in-league brethren, Saint Joseph's and Temple. Since joining the league, the Explorers have had just two winning campaigns. One was last season, and the next should be this season. Aaric Murray, ESPNU's No. 8 center in the Class of 2009, is the odds-on favorite for league newcomer of the year and is considered a huge recruiting coup for Dr. John Giannini.

7. The name rings a bell: He is the creator of the dunk heard 'round the world -- one that was shrouded in more secrecy than the Zapruder film for a couple of weeks. If all goes as planned for Xavier, Jordan Crawford will be known for a lot more than his dunk on LeBron this summer. The Indiana transfer, who bolted amid the Kelvin Sampson mess, averaged 9.7 points in his freshman season for the Hoosiers.

8. At long last: A hot pick in the preseason last year, Charlotte instead ended up a disastrous 11-20. But two like-named players may bring the 49ers back to the forefront. Boston College transfer Shamari Spears is eligible this season. At BC, the forward averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Coach Bobby Lutz also can finally introduce Shamarr Bowden, a high-scoring freshman who would have played last season but injured his knee during the preseason and took a redshirt.

9. Coming and going: The swinging door at Massachusetts will welcome two transfers, Hashim Bailey (Memphis) and Sean Carter (Oregon State). Bailey served as Joey Dorsey's understudy, while Carter started nine games and played in 28 for the Beavers. Doug Wiggins, who came to UMass from Connecticut and was expected to make an immediate impact at the point guard spot, won't suit up for the Minutemen. Suspended indefinitely by Derek Kellogg after he was arrested for breaking and entering, Wiggins has transferred again, moving on to Robert Morris.

10. Welcome home: Saint Joseph's returns to campus this season after calling the Palestra home for a season. The revamped Fieldhouse reopens as Hagan Arena, and attached to it is the sparkling new Ramsay Basketball Center, in honor of Hall of Famer Dr. Jack Ramsay.

10 Key Players

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

• Chris Wright, Dayton: The prohibitive favorite for league player of the year, Wright also should be on most preseason All-American lists. If the Flyers are to be as good as advertised, it will be because of Wright.

• Terrell Vinson, UMass: A top-100 recruit who considered several Big East and ACC schools, the Baltimore swingman was rated the No. 8 small forward in his class. The Minutemen were not as good as expected a year ago. With Vinson on board, that could change.

• Dan Geriot, Richmond: The Spiders' leading scorer from 2007-08, Geriot returns after missing last season with a torn ACL. Richmond moves into a contender role in the league, with Geriot's return giving the Spiders the necessary boost.

• Terrell Holloway, Xavier: After overcoming growing pains and injury, the point guard matured into a steady hand for the Musketeers last season. He'll be the key to Xavier's transition season.

• Juan Fernandez, Temple: When he became eligible in December, the Argentine point guard showed flashes of his promised flair and talent. Fully acclimated now, Fernandez could provide a needed spark as the Owls move on without Dionte Christmas.

• Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure: The league rookie of the year and the Bonnies' second-leading scorer last season, Nicholson is the key as St. Bonaventure tries to keep improving, this time without Jonathan Hall.

• Rodney Green, La Salle: The senior scorer proved his worth last season, helping the Explorers accrue 18 wins. Now with more talent around him, Green could be a sleeper candidate for league player of the year honors should La Salle put together a breakout season.

• DiJuan Harris, Charlotte: Harris is the owner of one of the nation's best assist-to-turnover ratio, and his numbers should be even better with the addition of frontcourt talent Shamarr Bowden and Shamari Spears. A better scorer toward the end of last season, Harris needs to continue to improve to give the 49ers some offense from the backcourt.

• Melquan Bolding, Duquesne: A promising recruit who originally committed to Louisville, Bolding more than delivered for the Dukes last season. An all-freshman selection who averaged 10 points per game, he helped 21-win Duquesne officially right the ship after the tragic on-campus shooting of a few years back. Expect more of the same from Bolding this season.

• Kevin Anderson, Richmond: Two years ago, he was A-10 Rookie of the Year; this past season, one of just two sophomores on the second-team all-conference list. In 2009-10, the guard's return is one of the big reasons people are so high on the Spiders.

10 Freshmen We Can't Wait To See

By John Stovall
Scouts Inc.

• Aaric Murray, C, La Salle: Murray is a big-bodied, low-post player. He needs to give a constant, consistent effort, but he should be an immediate impact player for the Explorers.

• Terrell Vinson, PF/SF, UMass: He might be the best incoming recruit in the conference. Vinson is a 6-foot-7 skilled wing who could even play the 4 if the Minutemen need him to. He can shoot from the high post with range out to 19 feet.

• Jeff Robinson, PF, Xavier: Robinson is a 6-8, skilled 4 who can play in the high and low post. He disappears at times, but if Chris Mack can get his motor going and get him to be consistent, he could be an all-league player.

• Carl Jones, PG, Saint Joe's: Jones is a 5-11 point guard who is primarily a scorer. If he can get stronger and improve his decision-making, he could be a very good player in the A-10.

• Chris Braswell, PF, Charlotte: Like Robinson, Braswell is an athletic, 6-8 power forward who is extremely talented. Don't be surprised if he wins a league player of the year award before he leaves. He has had some off-the-court issues in the past, but if he has matured, he could be fantastic for the 49ers.

• Raphael Putney, PF/SF, UMass: Derek Kellogg's incoming big might be the biggest sleeper recruit in the conference. Very skilled, he could even end up being a 3. He'll need to get stronger but has tons of potential.

• Jon Smith, PF, Saint Louis: He's a long, thin and athletic combo forward. He could be a very skilled 4-man at SLU. He's a good shot-blocker and could be capable of playing on the perimeter down the road.

• Matt Kavanaugh, C, Dayton: A strong low-post player who can also step out and hit 15-to-17-footers. He has a good body and strength and plays with a nasty edge. He will fit Brian Gregory's style perfectly.

• Akeem Richmond, PG, Rhode Island: This 6-foot scoring point guard has shown a solid midrange game. He should be a solid four-year contributor in the A-10.

• Cody Ellis, PF, Saint Louis: An Australian import, the 6-8 Ellis has a good inside-outside game. His solid post skills should help him see the floor early for Rick Majerus.

10 Nonconference Opportunities For The League

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

• Xavier versus Marquette, Nov. 26: Both teams are in transition, anxious to prove they remain among the teams to reckon with this season. This first-round matchup in the Old Spice Classic gives them that chance. Give the Musketeers' more settled backcourt the edge, but Lazar Hayward gives an advantage to Marquette inside.

• Saint Joseph's versus Villanova, Dec. 9: Even though this is a transition year for the Hawks and the Wildcats ought to be a top-10 team, nothing is guaranteed when the Holy War is played at the Palestra. This is the sort of game that Nova coach Jay Wright dreads.

• Dayton versus Georgia Tech, Nov. 19: The opening matchup in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, this will pit a seasoned and highly thought-of Flyers team against Paul Hewitt's formidable recruiting class. We'll know how good both sides are after these 40 minutes.

• Kansas at Temple, Jan. 2: The Morris twins come home to Philly, potentially bringing a No. 1 ranking with them. The only thing that could make this game better would be if it were played at the Palestra. By the way, La Salle also gets a shot at the Jayhawks … but that one's in Kansas City.

• Pittsburgh at Duquesne, Dec. 2: The Dukes return a lot; the Panthers lose a lot. If Duquesne could beat its inner-city rival, it would give Ron Everhart's squad a gigantic boost.

• La Salle versus South Carolina, Nov. 19: The improving Gamecocks return Devan Downey from their NIT team and should provide a good early test for the Explorers when they meet in the opening round of the Charleston (S.C.) Classic.

• Charlotte at Tennessee, Jan. 6: At one time, Bobby Lutz was on the short list to take over at Tennessee. Bruce Pearl got the job instead. Now the two teams, both hoping to fare better than they did a season ago, meet in Knoxville in January.

• Richmond versus Florida, Dec. 19: Another newbie to the top of the conference heap, the Spiders can gauge their talent level at the Orange Bowl Classic (Sunrise, Fla.) against a Gators team that remains somewhat of a mystery.

• Xavier at Wake Forest, Jan. 3: A road win against an ACC team always is big for an A-10 squad. Having it occur in the first Skip Prosser Classic would be even more special for the Musketeers.

• Temple at Georgetown, Nov. 17: Somewhere in Philly, John Chaney is smiling. Fran Dunphy may have scrapped his matchup zone, but he has kept his scheduling attitude -- anyone, anywhere, anytime. The Owls travel to D.C. in a rematch of former Ivy League coaching rivals when Dunphy goes head-to-head with ex-Princeton boss John Thompson III.