Fatts Russell Named First Team All Atlantic 10, URI Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll

Rhode Island senior Fatts Russell is one of six players named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team, the league announced Tuesday morning.

Russell had a breakout season in 2019-20, leading Rhode Island and ranking third in the A-10 with 18.8 points per game. He also ranked second in the country with 2.87 steals per game.

Russell was an offensive force for Rhode Island, scoring 20 or more points 15 times, including a season-high 32 points at West Virginia on Dec. 1.

When the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell was 35 points shy of becoming just the eighth Rhode Island player in program history to score 600 points in a season.

On the defensive end, Russell’s ball pressure was one of the key factors for Rhody limiting opponents to 29.7 percent from 3-point range, which led the Atlantic 10 and ranked 22nd in the nation.

Russell is one of four players from last year’s A-10 first team returning to his respective school. Also back among the preseason first team picks are Dayton’s Jalen Crutcher, Richmond’s Jacob Gilyard and Saint Louis’ Jordan Goodwin. Joining them on the first team are Davidson’s Kellen Grady and Massachusetts’ Tre Mitchell.

In all, 14 of the 18 members of the A-10 preseason all-conference team were also on the 2019-20 postseason all-conference team, an indication of the amount of experienced talent in the league.

Despite being named to the 2019-20 A-10 All-Defensive Team, both Russell and Davidson’s Hyunjung Lee were omitted from this year’s preseason team.

All six players who were named to the All-Defensive Team last season returned to their respective schools. Richmond’s Gilyard, St. Bonaventure’s Osun Osunniyi and Saint Louis’ Goodwin and Hasahn French were all named to the preseason team. The fifth slot was taken by George Mason’s A.J. Wilson, who did not make the 2019-20 All-Defensive Team, but was the league’s Most Improved Player of the Year.

Last season’s postseason All-Defensive Team included six players, while the preseason team has five.

As a team, Rhode Island was picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll. In voting among the league’s head coaches and media members, the Rams received 246 points.

Richmond finished first in the poll, receiving 19 first-place votes and 380 points. Saint Joseph’s followed with 364 points and seven first-place votes, while Dayton was third with 318 points and two first-place votes.

The remainder of the top five included St. Bonaventure (307 points) and Duquesne (278 points).

Rhode Island finished third in the final regular-season conference standings a year ago.