It was a very down year in the Atlantic 10, which will likely only send one team to the tournament this season.
VCU comes in as the clear favorite to book a trip to the dance, and it has the only real shot at an at-large bid, but the A-10 tournament has teased VCU fans and futures holders in the past. While the Rams did win it in 2015, they have finished runner-up in four of the past six tournaments.
Davidson, the No. 2 seed, is the defending champion and Chaminade High School alumni Bob McKillop's squad is certainly capable of another run in Brooklyn.
The bottom of the conference doesn't have much of a shot, but there might be a team in the middle of the pack worth investing in if you're seeking a potential sleeper in the futures market.
Let's take a closer look at the field.
2019 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Odds, Format
- Who: All 14 Atlantic 10 teams
- Format: Top 10 seeds get a bye; top 4 get a double-bye
- When: March 13-17
- Where: Brooklyn, NY
- How to Watch: ESPN+, NBCSN, CBSSN, CBS
- Defending Champion: Davidson
Who Should Win?
VCU -140
The No. 1 seed Rams finished the regular season an impressive 20-10-1 against the spread, covering 10 of their final 12 games.
They were guided by the league's best defense, which ranks No. 1 in almost every category during league play and compensates for an offense that really struggles to shoot. VCU specializes in forcing teams into mistakes, as it owns college basketball's sixth-best opponent turnover rate (23.6%).
VCU’s elite ball pressure sparks the 45th-shortest average possession length (16.1 seconds), as leading-scorer Marcus Evans (14.2 points per game) and Co. thrive at getting to the free-throw line in transition. It also ranks second nationally in three-point defense (28.1%) and in the top-10 in two-point defense.
Head coach Mike Rhoades has a unit that can stymie either second-seeded Davidson’s 3-point gunners or third-seeded Dayton’s interior-based attack. The Rams simply grind teams down with their relentless man-to-man defense when they don't force a quick turnover.
The Rams possess a double-bye until the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of Rhode Island-La Salle.
Both teams have inconsistent offenses that are turnover prone, especially the Explorers and guard Pookie Powell. That spells trouble against VCU, which should get to the semis with ease.
It's going to be tough for any team in this field to stop VCU, which will arrive in Brooklyn as winners of 12 straight.
Potential Sleeper
St. Bonaventure 13-1
The only way the Rams undergo an early exit from the conference tournament is if an opponent throws their ball pressure right back at them, as they’re producing the league’s second-highest turnover rate (20.0%).
The fourth-seeded Bonnies won five of their past eight contests ATS, led by the fourth-highest opponents’ turnover percentage (18.9%). But their offense revolves around playing at a sluggish pace while feeding the ball inside. St. Bonaventure has tallied the second-highest 2-point scoring rate (57.3%).
Mark Schmidt's troops were gashed in a 30-point loss to VCU at home on Feb. 9, but that game came just before they hit their stride in A-10 play.
The Bonnies would get another crack at the Rams if they each advance to the semifinals, and they would love nothing more than to avenge that embarrassing home defeat..
Courtney Stockard’s inside-out game would prove harmful if they can find a way to force VCU into more of a halfcourt, slower-paced affair. Tempo and turnovers will be the key, and while VCU would be favored to come out on top, the Bonnies provide some sleeper value at 13-1.
