Record: 23-7 (did not include non-D1 game vs. St. Mary's MD)

Finish in the A10: 2nd 

Starting 5: I think this is near impossible to predict given our overall depth. The state of the roster will allow us to matchup hunt and scheme against our opponents better than in past years, which I expect will lead to more fluid rotations and lineups than we've seen from past Caputo teams. Need to go big down low, throw Castro and Hunger on the low block together. Need to go big on the wings, Marshall, Garrett and Benjamin can all play 2-4 (according to the Blue Ribbon preview, we could even see Benjamin at the 5 in a pinch). Need to launch threes in a specific game, Dinkins, Autry, Garrett and Benjamin can do that job together. Need to max out on defense, dare teams to score on a Jones-Aranguren-Marshall triumvirate. With all that said, I'd guess the lineup that will play the most minutes together to start the season is Dinkins-Autry-Benjamin-Garrett-Castro. I will add the caveat that if the plan is to ease Garrett into the lineup to start the year, I could see Aranguren take his spot, and they run Dinkins-Aranguren-Autry-Benjamin-Castro. Again, these are just my best guesses having not seen the team practice and just reading the tea leaves in the media. 

Postseason Tourney Appearance: Nothing is a lock, but I'd be surprised to see us walk away with anything less than a NIT bid. I do not think we will be in contention for an at-large spot in March Madness. I have us going 10-2 in the non-con with losses to Florida and one of the Cayman teams, most likely McNeese. I do not see that as enough to get us into the at-large conversation given that I also see us losing 5 A10 games. This is a roster, on paper, that should be fully capable of winning the A10 tourney, but predicting anything past that when we are 6 months out from the tourney and the season hasn't even tipped off is impractical.

A10 POY: Castro, and if not him, Avila. Chalk and boring answers there.

Last edited by Nicky Santoro (9/24/2025 5:14 pm)

Basketball Jones wrote:

2025-26 Atlantic 10 Conference Preview-Coast To Coast Hoops - YouTube     

Predictions start at 40:00
Predicts GWU to win the Conference

Bold, probably too bold but exciting nonetheless

I'd like to approach my predictions a bit differently.  Now that we know who we play, where we play, and the order of the games, I'd like to take Bart Torviks's prediction of 23-8 overall and 12-6 in the conference and make predictions as to who we will likely lose to. 

To go 11-2 in nonconference play, I think most reasonably sane folks can conclude that one of these losses should take place in Sunrise, FL.  As for the other loss, I am going to dismiss Maine, UMBC, Delaware, the D2 school as possibilities.  Each is at home and in each instance, we have far more talent.

We will also have decided talent advantages at Army and against AU.  I'll put them in the 10% or less chance because one is on the road and one is a rivalry game that we've had major difficulties with of late. 

ODU and W&M are both improved but each is also at home.  15% or less chance of an upset on these.

This leaves us with 4 neutral court games against South Florida, McNeese, Murray State and Middle Tennessee State.  I think I fear McNeese the most even if South Florida may be more highly regarded.  Will Wade is gone but enough of his players are still around that the discrepancy in talent will not be so one-sided.  I see this potentially playing out like last year's MTE where GW loses game 1 to a good Kansas State team and then wins the next two.

Onto conference play where I am tasked with finding the 6 most probable losses.  Am going to assume wins against most if not all of the bottom half of the conference even if things rarely turn out that way.  We have home and homes against Dayton, Loyola and George Mason and I'll call for 3 losses in these road games.  Playing at VCU also looks like a loss.  Until we can actually win there, St. Louis must be considered a loss.  The 6th loss is a toss-up between games at home against Loyola and at Duquesne.  Loyola was a matchup nightmare last year.  It's not hard to envision a 2-0 start followed by a loss at Dayton, and then be surprised at home by Loyola.  As for Duquesne, they are the second game of a two game road trip that starts at St. Joe's.  I think we really owe one to the Hawks but then, an emotional letdown might be the case.  So maybe I have them at 22-9, 11-7 after all.

From my other post

OOC Schedule seems to be complete

Good/Competitive games
11/8     South Florida
11/23   McNeese State
12/13   Florida

The rest of the schedule should be between 5 and 25 pt wins

Predicted OOC Record 11-2
Losses to UF and USF

21-10

Castro POY

NIT