The Dayton Flyers nabbed the No. 1 seed of the Atlantic 10 Conference with a stellar 14-4 league record. But they had close competition with St. Bonaventure and VCU having identical records. It’s not all the big dogs though. The likes of Davidson and Richmond are also gunning for a shot at the conference title.
Which team finds itself atop the Atlantic 10? Read on as we take a look at the contenders for the conference championship. If you’re looking for more college basketball tournaments, then check out our complete previews for the SWAC and Big East Championships.
March Madness News & Predictions
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- 2016 March Madness Longshots and Best Long Shots Picks and Predictions
- 2016 March Madness Preview
- 2016 NCAA March Madness Expert Picks
2016 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Preview
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Dayton Flyers
They say defense wins championships. That means Dayton has a very strong chance to win the Atlantic 10 Championship, including an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Flyers rank second in the conference allowing just 65.2 points per game, and are first in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 40 percent shooting.
While Pierre and Pollard are good in the frontcourt, Dayton has guard Charles Cook to thank in the backcourt. The junior guard does everything for the team. He leads the team with 15.8 points per game. He also fills the stat sheet with six rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. The Flyers have the talent all over the floor to wreak havoc in this tournament.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
It’s imperative to keep the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in check, especially from downtown. The Bonnies are the best three-point shooting team in the Atlantic 10, making 38 percent of their three-point attempts this season.
The Bonnies’ two leading scorers, Marcus Posley (19.3 points per game) and Jaylen Adams (18.2), have been hot from beyond the arc. Posley is making 36 percent of his three-point attempts, while Adams is shooting at a stellar 45 percent clip. Both are ranked in the top five in scoring in the Atlantic 10. If St. Bonaventure finds their stroke, then they may be able to run away with the title via blowout.
VCU Rams
VCU has that perfect blend of offense and defense. The Rams are ranked first in scoring margin (+10.1) in the conference. They are solid shooters, making 45 percent of their field goal attempts. They’re also very good at forcing turnovers. They rank first in steals (9.1 per game) as well as turnover margin (+4.16).
The Rams have been very opportunistic getting second chance points. They’re second in the Atlantic 10 with 12.4 offensive rebounds per game. The Rams can thank a trio of guards for most of their success. Melvin Johnson, Korey Billbury and JeQuan Lewis are scoring 18, 11.2 and 10.3 points per game respectively. All three are also shooting at 41 percent or better from downtown.
Sleeper
Davidson Wildcats
Davidson is a very dangerous team in the tournament. The Wildcats are the hottest shooting team from downtown in the conference, making a league-high 9.6 threes per game. They also have excellent ball movement, averaging 15.4 assists per game (third in the Atlantic 10).
Davidson has one of the best scorers in the whole nation. Jack Gibbs ranks third with 24.8 points per game. He’s your all-around player with 4.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Such a talented player will be very difficult to stop.
Long Shot
Richmond Spiders
The Richmond Spiders have a very solid chance of making a deep tournament run. They’re 2-0 against Fordham, their second round opponents in the tournament. Their lone meeting against No. 1 seed Dayton was also a very closely contested match. The Spiders lost, 85-84, despite leading at halftime against the Flyers on March 1.
The Spiders’ game flows through T.J. Cline. He leads the team with 18.1 points and four assists per game. He’ll have plenty of help from Terry Allen and ShawnDre’ Jones, who are averaging 17.8 and 15 points per game respectively. Expect Richmond to have their moments in this tournament.
Writer’s Prediction
VCU wins the tournament to earn a berth in the Big Dance.
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