URI Picked Fourth In A10 Preseason Poll, Three Players Named Preseason All-Conference

University of Rhode Island Press Release

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Rhode Island seniors Cyril Langevine and Jeff Dowtin were joined by junior Fatts Russell on the 2019-20 Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team, which was announced by the league Thursday morning at its annual Men’s Basketball Media Day.

URI and VCU were the only schools to have three players among the 18 named to the preseason team.

Langevine earned first-team honors following a junior season in which he exploded for the Rams. The 6-8 forward averaged 14.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game en route to Atlantic 10 Second-Team All-Conference honors in 2018-19.

Langevine’s strong season continued into the Atlantic 10 Championship, where he earned all-tournament team recognition after averaging 15.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game as the Rams advanced to the tournament semifinals. Over the course of the season, he recorded 17 double-doubles while starting all 33 games.

Langevine also nabbed a spot on the preseason All-Defensive Team. He and VCU’s Marcus Evans are the only players on both the Preseason First-Team All-Conference team and the All-Defensive Team.

This is the second straight season Dowtin has been a second-team selection on the preseason squad. The 6-3 guard led Rhode Island in scoring (15.3 points/game) and assists (122) while also averaging 3.4 rebounds per game.

Dowtin scored the 1,000th point of his career in the A-10 semifinal game against St. Bonaventure and was in double figures 31 times in 33 games.

Russell started all 32 games in which he played for Rhode Island last season. He averaged 14.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, while also finishing the year with 117 assists.

Russell set a Rhode Island record for points in a road game when he scored 41 at Saint Joseph’s in an 86-85 overtime win. He was named the CBS Sports College Basketball National Player of the Week for his performance at Saint Joseph’s, in which he scored Rhody’s final 19 points of the night to lead the team to victory.

As a team, the Rams were picked picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, which also was announced Thursday. In voting among the league’s head coaches and media members, the Rams received 283 points.

Rhode Island finished eighth in the regular season a year ago, going 9-9 in league play. The Rams finished the year strong, using a six-game winning streak to advance to the semifinals of the A-10s. Rhody upset top-seeded VCU in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

VCU finished first in the poll, receiving 19 first-place votes and 381 points. Davidson followed with 359 points and eight first-place votes, while Dayton was third with 341 points and one first-place vote.

2019-20 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
1. VCU – 381 (19)
2. Davidson – 359 (8)
3. Dayton – 341 (1)
4. Rhode Island  – 283
5. St. Bonaventure – 280
6. Richmond – 248
7. Saint Louis – 225
8. Duquesne – 196
9. George Mason – 185
10. La Salle – 133
11. Massachusetts – 103
12. George Washington – 93
13. Saint Joseph’s – 65
14. Fordham – 48

2019-20 Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
Kellan Grady – Davidson
Jon Axel Gudmundsson – Davidson
Obi Toppin – Dayton
Cyril Langevine – Rhode Island
Jacob Gilyard – Richmond
Marcus Evans – VCU

Second Team
Jalen Crutcher – Dayton
Justin Kier – George Mason
Jeff Dowtin – Rhode Island
Grant Golden – Richmond
Kyle Lofton – St. Bonaventure
Hasahn French – Saint Louis

Third Team
Sincere Carry – Duquesne
Fatts Russell – Rhode Island
Osun Osunniyi – St. Bonaventure
Jordan Goodwin – Saint Louis
De’Riante Jenkins – VCU
Marcus Santos-Silva – VCU

All-Defensive Team
Cyril Langevine – Rhode Island
Jacob Gilyard – Richmond
Osun Osunniyi – St. Bonaventure
Hasahn French – Saint Louis
Marcus Evans – VCU