Dayton women top pick in ‘wide open’ Atlantic 10 Conference race

A year ago University of Dayton women’s basketball coach Shauna Green was just trying to learn who her players were and what they could do on the court.

“The difference from this point this year to last year is obviously night and day, just from a personal and comfortability standpoint,” Green said Monday at the Richmond Marriott during the Atlantic 10 Conference media day. “Same thing with our team. Last year at this point we were a month in and I was just trying to learn them and they were trying to learn me.”

The transition has certainly gone well. The Flyers were picked to win the Atlantic 10 Conference in a vote of league coaches. Dayton won the conference tournament title last year in Richmond and finished the first season under Green at 22-10 after losing to Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Flyers received eight of 14 first-place votes and had 182 points. Saint Louis (174) was picked second, followed by Saint Joseph’s (170) and Duquesne (160).

“I think the league is wide open this year,” Green said. “Even Duquesne (picked) at four, they were in the championship game last year. I think they could be in the top one or two this year.”

For Green, an assistant under former coach Jim Jabir, to guide the Flyers to a NCAA bid in her first season was impressive, George Washington coach Jennifer Rizzotti said.

“Obviously it is never easy to come in and take over a program,” said Rizzotti, a former All-American at UConn. “Her familiarity with a lot of players certainly helped since she recruited some of them. The hardest thing about taking over is implementing your style. She stuck to their strength. She got them to buy in very quickly. They peaked at the right time.”

Dayton senior guard Jenna Burdette was named to the preseason all-conference first team and redshirt senior forward/center Alex Harris was named to the preseason all-defensive team.

Burdette averaged 12.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per contest last season and Harris averaged 5.9 points and 1.9 blocks per game.

“This year she knows she has to step out and be vocal even though that is not her by nature,” Green said of Burdette.

Other key returning players, besides Burdette and Harris, is senior guard JaVonna Layfield (8.3 ppg) and junior guard Lauren Cannatelli (7.3 ppg)

“She is also going to need to score a little bit more,” Green said of 6-foot-3 Harris. “I know she has gotten better. She is finishing better. Her outside shot looks better. We are not going to be as big as we were last year.”

Junior guard Shakeela Fowler, who could have spelled Burdette at the point, is out for the season with an injury, Green said. Sophomore guard Jenna Giacone had foot surgery in August and Green hopes she can return around mid-November.

Richmond will host the conference tournament again, beginning Feb. 27, 2018. The Flyers open the season Nov. 10 against Harvard. The home opener is Nov. 17 vs. Morgan State and the A-10 opener is Dec. 31 at La Salle.


Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Poll

1. Dayton 182 (8)

2. Saint Louis 174 (3)

3. Saint Joseph’s 170 (3)

4. Duquense 160

5. Fordham 150

6. George Washington 116

7. La Salle 114

8. George Mason 79

9. Richmond 78

10. Massachusetts 73

11. VCU 56

12. St. Bonaventure 50

13. Rhode Island 46

14. Davidson 22

(total voting points, with first-place votes in parenthesis)

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