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Atlantic 10 Basketball: 2023 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Adam Bernstein

Mar 14, 2021; Dayton, Ohio, USA; A view of the A10 championship trophy after the final game of the Atlantic 10 tournament with the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and the St. Bonaventure Bonnies at University of Dayton Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2021; Dayton, Ohio, USA; A view of the A10 championship trophy after the final game of the Atlantic 10 tournament with the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and the St. Bonaventure Bonnies at University of Dayton Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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Atlantic 10 Basketball Dayton Flyers forward Toumani Camara David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

Teams to look out for in the tournament

Team to Beat: VCU

The VCU Rams are the obvious team to beat, finishing at the top of the standings by three games. Although they have not won the tournament since 2015, the program has made the Atlantic 10 title game six times in the last ten seasons, excluding the shortened 2020 season.

There aren’t many teams who can stop the dominance of Ace Baldwin Jr; however, if he isn’t producing, look for sophomores Jalen DeLoach, Jayden Nunn, and Jamir Watkins to step up for the Rams and contribute.

What makes VCU different from any other team is the size of its bench. Coach Mike Rhoades has ten players on his roster who have played over twenty games this season, and eight of those Rams’ are averaging over fifteen minutes, so foul trouble or injuries should not faze them.

Biggest Threat: Dayton

Similar to Ace Baldwin Jr, there aren’t many teams who can crack Daron Holmes II. The sophomore forward is only one of the Flyers’ powerful big men, as Toumani Camara and Mustapha Amzil present problems for opposing offenses.

It is not just the Flyers’ defense and size that make them a threat to the rest of the conference; Dayton’s trio of guards Koby Brea, Malachi Smith, and Kobe Elvis are all players to look out for as well.

The Dayton Flyers are another team that is used to playing well into March, so look out for them to play into the weekend.

Dark Horse Team: George Mason

The Patriots end the season on a six-game winning streak, including a 74-69 victory over Dayton and a 64-58 overtime win over Fordham. In the last ten tournaments, the winner has been a four-seed or lower six times, so seeing the five-seed George Mason win on Sunday would not be a huge surprise.

George Mason has many solid pieces in their rotation, which makes them a scary team come March. Aside from Josh Oduro, Ronald Polite III and Victor Bailey Jr have been significant to the team’s success. Both are in the conversation for the league’s most improved player honor.

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