The Atlantic 10 conference tournament is always one of the best and most unpredictable of “Champ Week.” This year the league is hosting it for the third time in the nation’s capital Washington D.C. at Capital One Arena.  

Favorite: VCU

By far the best team in this conference is VCU. The Rams are 15-3 in conference play and 25-6 in the regular season, and many experts think that they are in the NCAA tournament with or without winning the A-10. Max Shulga and Joe Bamisile are a two-headed monster in the frontcourt for the Rams. Shulga averages 15.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and grabs almost two steals a game, he was also named as the A-10 Player of the Year. Bamsile can fill it up, too, as he scores 15.3 points and dishes out 5.3 assists per game. The Rams can beat you on both ends of the court; according to KenPom, VCU has the 41st-best offensive rating and 26th-best defensive rating in the country.

Next Up: Dayton

The biggest threat to VCU is Dayton. The Flyers got a major resume boost on Saturday when they defeated the Rams 79-76. Dayton is currently square on the bubble and needs a tournament win to guarantee themselves a spot in the big dance. The Flyers are the hottest team in the conference and are the only team to win their last four conference games, but have struggled in the conference tournament which they haven’t won since 2003. Paced by Nate Santos who averages 14.1 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, if the Flyers can make it to the final, it could be enough to see them punch their ticket to the Big Dance. 

Dark Horses 

Saint Louis

SLU is one of the dark horses in the tournament and a team that could steal a bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Billikens have not reached expectations, going 18-13 and 11-7 in conference play. There was a lot of hype entering the year under first-year head coach Josh Schertz, who came over from an Indiana State team that won 32 games last year. St. Louis is led by a trio of stars in Gibson Jimmerson, Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope. 

Swope has the ability to go off on any given day, the senior guard is averaging 16. 4 points per game. Avila, better known by his nickname “Cream Abdul-Jabaar” is looking to get into the Big Dance for the first time in his career. The big man is averaging 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Avila can do it all for the Bills. He can step out and shoot it behind the 3-point line, but he may be most dangerous when he is facilitating.

Gibson Jimmerson is “Mr. St. Louis”, the sixth-year guard is averaging 18.3 points per game and leads Saint Louis into March. Jimmerson holds the school record for games played, minutes played, points scored, field goals made and 3-pointers made. A trip to the NCAA Tournament would be a fitting way to cap off his Billikens career.

St. Joseph’s

St. Josephs is the sixth seed in the tournament but is in the perfect position to make a run.  The six seed has won three of the conference’s last five tournaments and the Hawks look primed to make a run. St. Joseph’s will have a favorable matchup against either La Salle or UMass in the second round before a tough game against Dayton. The Hawks lost to the Flyers in their only matchup, but it was a gritty five-point road defeat.

George Mason

George Mason is the two seed in the bracket and won a share of the regular season title. The Patriots are led by Darius Maddox and Jalen Haynes, who each average over 13 points per game.

Potential Cinderella: George Washington

George Washington is a danger to pull off an upset or two. The Revolutionaries are the seven seed in the tournament and have played the top teams well, including beating Dayton. I think GW will pull off the largest upset of the tournament, finding a way to knock off George Mason.

Predictions

I think SLU will find a way to put it all together with their talented roster. The Billikens will get to the final by beating Loyola Chicago and VCU but will run into a team that has their number in Dayton. The Flyers are 10-2 in their last 12 appearances against the Bills. Dayton will finally win another A-10 tournament and will join VCU in the NCAA tournament.

Player of the tournament: Nate Santos (Dayton)