Busting Brackets
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Bracketology: Bubble Watch (Building a resume and the bubble as it is)

By Lukas Harkins

Nov 28, 2016; Evansville, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Bryant McIntosh (30) celebrates after hitting a three point shot during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Wildcats won 65-58. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2016; Evansville, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Bryant McIntosh (30) celebrates after hitting a three point shot during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Wildcats won 65-58. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 21, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Kyle Davis (3) defends a shot by Vanderbilt Commodores guard Matthew Fisher-Davis (5) in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. The Flyers won 68-63. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Kyle Davis (3) defends a shot by Vanderbilt Commodores guard Matthew Fisher-Davis (5) in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. The Flyers won 68-63. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlantic 10

Lead-Pipe Lock: N/A

Some Perspiration: Virginia Commonwealth, Dayton, Rhode Island

Better Double-Up on the Deodorant: Massachusetts, George Washington

Dayton Flyers, 9-3: Scoochie Smith and Charles Cooke have the Flyers in pretty good shape through non-conference play. The loss to Nebraska was ugly, and they lost a couple winnable games, but other than that, they were just fine. Dayton is still the favorite to win the A-10, even though their best win to this point is Vanderbilt at home.

Quality wins: None

Bad losses: vs. Nebraska

Missed opportunities: vs. Saint Mary’s, vs. Northwestern

Up next: vs. La Salle (12/30), @ St. Bonaventure (1/3)

Massachusetts Minutemen, 9-3: Unlike Dayton, UMass does have one quality win to its name – they defeated Temple. Outside of that game, and their battle with Providence, the Minutemen have a weak strength of schedule and need to show some improvement. Their next two games are certainly winnable, so 2-0 is almost a must, even if it’s early in the season.

Quality wins: vs. Temple

Bad losses: None

Missed opportunities: @ Providence

Up next: @ Georgia State (12/28), vs. St. Bonaventure (12/30)

Virginia Commonwealth Rams, 9-3: It seems like every season VCU hovers around the bubble as one of the top one or two teams in the A-10, and this year will be no different. They had a couple tough losses to Baylor and Illinois, but those do not really hurt them. Middle Tennessee is a solid win, but it is nothing that jumps off the page. They mostly won the games they were expected to win, which bodes well for their weak conference schedule.

Quality wins: vs. Middle Tennessee

Bad losses: vs. Georgia Tech

Missed opportunities: vs. Baylor, vs. Illinois

Up next: @ George Mason (12/30), @ Duquesne (1/4)

Rhode Island Rams, 8-4: The Rams were expecting a hotter start than 8-4, especially considering their preseason top-25 ranking. But they’re doing alright to this point. Losses to Duke, Providence, and even Valparaiso are not defeats that really hurt their resume. Those wins would’ve helped though. As for losing to Houston, it was on the road so there is some leeway there. That was their major non-conference slip-up. The problem with this slip-up, however, is that it practically nullified their big win over AAC favorite Cincinnati.

Quality wins: vs. Cincinnati

Bad losses: @ Houston

Missed opportunities: vs. Duke, vs. Providence

Up next: @ Saint Louis (12/30), Saint Joseph’s (1/3)

George Washington Colonials, 8-5: Another team that knocked off Temple, George Washington is going to need to have a great, and by great I mean outstanding, conference play in order to make the tournament as an at-large bid. They have the ability to play at a high level, but they’re going to need to find more consistency in addition to some big wins.

Quality wins: @ Temple

Bad losses: vs. UAB

Missed opportunities: vs. Florida State

Up next: @ Saint Joseph’s (12/30), vs. Davidson (1/5)

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