Bracketology 2019: Most likely bid thieves heading into March Madness
1. Atlantic 10
Safe at-large team: VCU
Most likely bid thieves: Davidson, St. Bonaventure and George Mason
The A-10 has historically been the place where bids have been stolen. That’s because the league has usually been awarded multiple bids, while still having capable teams below that could make a run and burst someone else’s bubble.
It wasn’t known if that was going to be the case this year – even with a weak bubble overall. But VCU has emerged, with a 14-2 conference record and now projected to be in the Big Dance, on relatively safe terms. They avoid a bad loss to Saint Joseph’s this weekend and the A-10 tourney shouldn’t be a must-win.
It looks to be that way for everyone else but there are certainly contenders that can snatch that bid. Davidson has 12 league wins are arguably the best overall player in Jon Axel Gudmundsson. Dayton, Duquesne and St. Bonaventure have all both been surprising with double-digit A-10 wins. It’s still dangerous in the middle, with veteran squads of George Mason and Saint Louis having the talent capable of making a run right up to Selection Sunday.
Next. Ranking all 32 conference tournaments. dark
VCU is riding a 10-game winning streak and has looked great as of late with their stifling defense. But they don’t score at a blistering pace and have won several close games, showing their vulnerability. The Rams will be a good but beatable No. 1 seed in the A-10 Tournament, with several capable contenders ready to knock them off. And if that happens, the A-10 will once again be a multiple bid league. You know who to root for if you’re a bubble team.