2020 A10 Tournament Talk

[TruePoint]

I’m extremely skeptical that they will beat VCU or win at Bonaventure. I’d put the chances of them winning both of those games around 3%. They also still play at Duquesne who could still be fighting for the double bye, and they play Davidson who has struggled but could be dangerous if you catch them on the wrong night. I’ll be shocked if they win out, but obviously I’ve been skeptical of them since the first week of the season.

[ramster]

For sure we all know you don’t think much of Richmond, even after they beat URI

But my guess is Richmond will beat VCU on Saturday.

VCU looked bad last night. Richmond destroyed LaSalle on the road for their biggest margin A10 road win since 2001.

Blake Francis is Richmonds best player and he just returned from injury the last 2 games. Francis missed the Dayton game that Richmond lost at home by only 8. Could Francis have enabled Richmond to pull that game out? I think so, he is that good.
Richmond played their starters only 19,21,26,27,28 minutes last night in the romp, saving them for Saturday and not risking nay more injuries like they have experienced.
Golden had 16 points in only 19 minutes on 8-11 efficient shooting plus 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals.
Francis had 14 points in 26 minutes on 5-11 FG, 3-3 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.

Richmond shoots, well, passes well, plays unselfishly and plays tough defense.

Saturday is a huge rivalry for VCU and Richmond.

It’s like Bill Reynolds dream of URI and PC playing twice per season.

Looking at A10 Teams in the Top 50 Rankings in National Stats:
All important Assists to Turnovers Ratio:
7-Dayton
13-Richmond
43-Davidson

Assists per Game
2-Dayton
35-Richmond

Free Throw Shooting %
8-Richmond
24-Davidson

Field Goal Shooting %
1-Dayton
36-Richmond

[TruePoint]

There is nobody that has ever lived who has rooted for anything as obscure so hard - but I literally need URI to play Richmond in Brooklyn. I need it in my soul. I would literally bet my house on URI.

[steviep123]

There is nobody that has ever lived who has rooted for anything as obscure so hard - but I literally need URI to play Richmond in Brooklyn. I need it in my soul. I would literally bet my house on URI.

I would love that if it were in the Championship after Richmond beat Dayton in 7 OTs the previous afternoon and URI cruised to a 30 point victory over whomever that was over by halftime.

[Rhody15]

There is nobody that has ever lived who has rooted for anything as obscure so hard - but I literally need URI to play Richmond in Brooklyn. I need it in my soul. I would literally bet my house on URI.

I’m still confused how you think Richmond is so bad.

They beat us at home, and have shown absolutely nothing this year to make anyone think they are frauds.

Could we beat them in Brooklyn? Of course. Would it be a guarantee? No.

[TruePoint]

I just don’t think their roster is very good. I don’t like one of their guys as individual players, and I don’t like the way they’re constructed, I don’t like the style that they play, and I don’t think their coach is very good and I think his fairy-ass Princeton offense sucks. Other than that, they’re fine.

Yes, they beat us in our building. To me that is almost worse than the Brown game. They caught us as we were bottoming out and I don’t think there was another time in the season where they would beat us here, their place, Brooklyn, Wuhan Province or on Mars.

Here is the thing about Richmond. It’s not that I think they are “bad” because you are what your record says you are and their record says they’re pretty good. What I think they are is soft as hell, finesse, delicate, etc. And I both hate watching teams like that and loved playing against teams like that. As long as the talent is comparable, tough teams will eat teams like that as a snack. We were not tough when we saw them last. I hope VCU gets its toughness back for this weekend, because as I predicted would happen when they played last month VCU the bully stuffed Richmond the hall monitor into the smallest locker in visiting team lockerroom at the Siegel Center. If VCU gets their heads on straight, they will walk thru Richmond’s front door without knocking, sit in Richmond’s favorite chair, put their feet up on Richmond’s coffee table and drink Richmond’s beer. URI will do the same type of thing to them as long as we actually show up for the game if we see them in Brooklyn.

[ramster]

In all your describing your dislike of Richmond you never mention shooting proficiency

In the Richmond loss they hit 8-19 3-pointers with Francis, Sherod and Burton going 8-12
URI went a paltry 4-17 and Harris went 1-4????
That’s 4 more 3’s and 12 more points. We lost by 8

We are much better than last year because our 3-point shooting is much improved from our 18-15 team.

We lost to Dayton on shooting. They hit their first 7, we missed out first 11 including the 2 FTs. End of story. Game over. Turn out the lights.

Richmond can beat VCU because they are a better shooting team. BCU plays tough defense and rebounds well but their shooting is hot and cold. I wouldn’t be surprised if Richmond beats VCU Saturday. Richmond is being underrated by the A10 imho. Maybe a chip on their shoulder too?

[bigappleram]

Have to agree that your take on Richmond seems mostly emotionally based, without data to support it. All the data points to UR being a pretty good team. Believe that "soft" team not known for defense held us to our lowest point total in a game. Cayo abused Cyril in that game. Gilyard and Francis outplayed Jeff and Fatts. This isn't the same UR from last year or the year before. Yes they are still largely a finesse team, but they can defend and they now have 5 players who are threats on the offensive end. Francis in particular brings an added dimension they did not have.

[ramster]

And remember Nick Sherod tore his ACL last season around Thanksgiving. He is back in the starting line up this year too.
Francis has played great, sat out last year after transferring from Wagner where he played very well for 2 years.

[steviep123]

I got to agree. Richmond is 18-6 (7-3) currently and are clearly not terrible. Their schedule isn't the best, but not really cupcake city either. 51 NET (4th in the A10). Beat Wisconsin, lost to Alabama and Auburn for quality OOC opponents. Also beat Vanderbilt, who isn't great, but still a P5. Worst loss was to Radford at home (NET 159). While their resume isn't as good as ours or VCU's they are not awful and if we were to meet them in the A10 tourney we should not take them lightly. You might not like their style of play and that's fine, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't take them seriously in a game. They could certainly make a run and steal a bid. They beat us and played Dayton a lot better than we did. There is no one on our schedule we shouldn't take seriously. Not if we want to dance.

[theblueram]

Richmond is also in the Next Four Out on BM. So they are a bubble team.

[steviep123]

Richmond is also in the Next Four Out on BM. So they are a bubble team.

That surprised me. With that, there is a very small path to a 4 bid league. What I don't know is if it's possible for all 4 of Dayton/UR/URI/VCU to be locks without one of the last 3 winning the A10 championship. But there is a path to 4 that isn't ridiculous. Dayton is a lock. URI goes 5-1 to become a lock at the end of the season. VCU goes 6-1 or 7-0 in their last 7 (would they need a win or 2 in the tourney still?). Richmond wins the A10 tourney.

The question is, is there a path to 5? Can UR/URI/VCU all be locks without winning the A10 tourney, then some other team like SBU, SLU, or Duquesne win the tourney and steal a bid? Would that steal it from one of the other 3 not named Dayton? That's getting ahead of ourselves. A lot has to go right for more than 3 bids (and at this point for more than 2).

[Blue Man]

Richmond is also in the Next Four Out on BM. So they are a bubble team.

That surprised me. With that, there is a very small path to a 4 bid league. What I don't know is if it's possible for all 4 of Dayton/UR/URI/VCU to be locks without one of the last 3 winning the A10 championship. But there is a path to 4 that isn't ridiculous. Dayton is a lock. URI goes 5-1 to become a lock at the end of the season. VCU goes 6-1 or 7-0 in their last 7 (would they need a win or 2 in the tourney still?). Richmond wins the A10 tourney.

The question is, is there a path to 5? Can UR/URI/VCU all be locks without winning the A10 tourney, then some other team like SBU, SLU, or Duquesne win the tourney and steal a bid? Would that steal it from one of the other 3 not named Dayton? That's getting ahead of ourselves. A lot has to go right for more than 3 bids (and at this point for more than 2).

I think the cap is 3 - with the caveat being whoever wins the VCU/UR game having the inside track.

I guess in technicality - if UR beat VCU, and UR won out - AND VCU recovered from UR, won out and beat Dayton...maybe?

I just don't see that happening? But who knows. As Rothstein says "Nope. College basketball."

[reef]

I think most likely 3 bids if not 3 then just 2 not 4

[rhodyruckus]

Rhody needs Richmond to lose a game because Richmond has the tiebreaker. Maybe VCU can beat them Saturday.

Certainly the better outcome for us. It also at least keeps alive the remote possibility of VCU getting into the top 30 for another Q1 win. Although I bet that road to pick up 12 spots would need to involve an unlikely scenario where they face Dayton and us during the A10 tournament and beat us both.

[Rhodymob05]

VCU beating Richmond would be YOUGE

[Rhody15]

Totally unrelated to the tournament, but right next to The Barclays is a new Kobe and Gianna mural.

Definitely should be something on the checklist to see when we’re all down there.

[Joe95]

At this moment...
Top 5: A10 IMO
1. Dayton
2.Rhody
3.Richmond
4. SLU
5.Bonnies

[TruePoint]

That is not accurate

[Joe95]

That is not accurate

How so, gimme your top 5.

[TruePoint]

Oh I thought you were giving the standings lol

Nevermind then. It wasn’t clear from your post that was like the Joe95 rankings but I get it now.

[Joe95]

Nah my top 5, based on eye test/watching all the teams over the past few weeks. I honestly kind of think Richmond may be better than us.

[Rhodymob05]

My top 5
Dayton
Rhody
VCU
Richmond
St. Louis

[bkoeppen]

the way Davidson has been playing lately they might be my 5th.

[Joe95]

My top 5
Dayton
Rhody
VCU
Richmond
St. Louis

VCU over Richmond, even after that beatdown and losing to Mason on Wednesday?

[Joe95]

the way Davidson has been playing lately they might be my 5th.

I have Davidson as the wild card, just have not been consistent for long enough period.

[Rhody15]

My top 5
Dayton
Rhody
VCU
Richmond
St. Louis

How in Gods name do you have VCU 3rd?

[Rhodymob05]

My top 5
Dayton
Rhody
VCU
Richmond
St. Louis

How in Gods name do you have VCU 3rd?

That’s my opinion for rankings of teams over the entire season, not just from watching them this weekend.

[SmartyBarrett]

An update on the predicted final standings (KenPom):

1. Dayton
2. Rhode Island
3. Richmond
4. St. Bonaventure
5. VCU
6. Duquesne
7. Saint Louis
8. Davidson
9. George Washington
10. UMass
11. George Mason
12. La Salle
13. Fordham
14. Saint Joseph's

[mjg13x]

If the season ended today, the opening matchups of the tournament would be:

First Round

(14) St. Joseph's vs. (11) George Mason
(13) Fordham vs. (12) LaSalle

Second Round

(9) George Washington vs. (8) Saint Louis*
(12) LaSalle/(13) Fordham vs. (5) Duquesne
(10) Massachusetts vs. (7) Davidson*
(11) George Mason/(14) St. Joseph's vs. (6) VCU*

Third Round

(8) Saint Louis/(9) George Washington vs. (1) #6 Dayton
(5) Duquesne/(12) LaSalle/(13) Fordham vs. (4) St. Bonaventure
(7) Davidson/(10) Massachusetts vs. (2) Rhode Island
(6) VCU/(11) George Mason/(14) St. Joseph's vs. (3) Richmond

*The three-way tie betwen VCU, Davidson and Saint Louis was broken under the A-10 procedure of using head-to-head record. VCU is 1-0 against this group, Davidson 1-1, Saint Louis 0-1. The two games remaining between the set are: VCU @ Davidson, 3/6 (9 PM) and VCU @ Saint Louis, Friday (9 PM).

[ramster]

[ace]

An update on the predicted final standings (KenPom):

1. Dayton
2. Rhode Island
3. Richmond
4. St. Bonaventure
5. VCU
6. Duquesne
7. Saint Louis
8. Davidson
9. George Washington
10. UMass
11. George Mason
12. La Salle
13. Fordham
14. Saint Joseph's

The way the conference just falls apart there at the bottom will never not be frustrating.

[SmartyBarrett]

An update on the predicted final standings (KenPom):

1. Dayton
2. Rhode Island
3. Richmond
4. St. Bonaventure
5. VCU
6. Duquesne
7. Saint Louis
8. Davidson
9. George Washington
10. UMass
11. George Mason
12. La Salle
13. Fordham
14. Saint Joseph's

The way the conference just falls apart there at the bottom will never not be frustrating.

You could fit the Grand Canyon in between 8 and 9.

[reef]

Billy Koch getting some TV time nice !!!

[section(105)]

......Earlier the Alumni Association announced their pregame info, location etc. for tourney.....includes; VIP passes at $25, and pregames receptions at Black Forrest Brooklyn three blocks from Barclays......

[ramster]

Pretty Impressive

[steviep123]

Wow!

[Rhody15]

......Earlier the Alumni Association announced their pregame info, location etc. for tourney.....includes; VIP passes at $25, and pregames receptions at Black Forrest Brooklyn three blocks from Barclays......

Link to register wasn’t working for a while, it’s up and running now.

[jaywin86]

An update on the predicted final standings (KenPom):

1. Dayton
2. Rhode Island
3. Richmond
4. St. Bonaventure
5. VCU
6. Duquesne
7. Saint Louis
8. Davidson
9. George Washington
10. UMass
11. George Mason
12. La Salle
13. Fordham
14. Saint Joseph's

The way the conference just falls apart there at the bottom will never not be frustrating.

You could fit the Grand Canyon in between 8 and 9.

the grand canyon of the A10 standings has turned into many rivers and streams in the last 3 days of A10 play. Not a good time of the season for this to happen.

[PeterRamTime]

The way the conference just falls apart there at the bottom will never not be frustrating.

You could fit the Grand Canyon in between 8 and 9.

the grand canyon of the A10 standings has turned into many rivers and streams in the last 3 days of A10 play. Not a good time of the season for this to happen.

Duquesne losing today will make it very hard for them to regain Q2 win status for us.

Same deal for SLU. Prolly gonna be a Q3 at best now.

[jaywin86]

You could fit the Grand Canyon in between 8 and 9.

the grand canyon of the A10 standings has turned into many rivers and streams in the last 3 days of A10 play. Not a good time of the season for this to happen.

Duquesne losing today will make it very hard for them to regain Q2 win status for us.

Same deal for SLU. Prolly gonna be a Q3 at best now.

PRT looking at our resume vs. Richmond's right now. i think the N. Texas/WKU/PC games are the only difference in our seeding vs.Richmond's. there's no room for error.

I would say their "quality wins" of: URI, Wisc., and VCU are close to even to our "quality wins" of VCU (2x), Bama(who Richmond lost to), and a combo of WKU/N.Texas/PC.

This is why we need to make a competitive OOC schedule year in and year out. the difference between scheduling bryant/maine instead of WKU/N.Texas would have us in the play-in game right now. ( i know PRT you didn't bring up SOS but i was on a roll.. lol)

[Joe95]

Richmond definitely has a better resume when it comes to wins. Our only win against a tourney team is North Texas, and VCU's downward spiral has been a resume killer.

[reef]

We need to keep winning hopefully 4-1 down stretch and then it’s out of the committees hands

[NYGFan_Section208]

Or 5-0 and in total control...runaway conference selection...

[RhodyKyle]

The chicken littles here are amusing.

Resumes:

NET (prior to updating after last night):
URI: 32
Richmond: 46

Q1:
URI: 1-4
Richmond: 2-4

Q2:
URI: 5-1
Richmond: 2-1

Q3:
URI: 7-1
Richmond: 6-1

Q4:
URI: 6-0
Richmond: 10-0

SOS (per KenPom):
URI: 78
Richmond: 117

Non-Con SOS (per KenPom):
URI: 49
Richmond: 212

[Rhody83]

URI’s Conference SOS will be better than Richmond’s. URI plays Dayton twice and a Richmond plays them once.

[reef]

Screw Kenny Pomeroy we love the NET baby !!!

[rhodysurf]

UR has an easier schedule but @Bona this weekend is tough

[RF1]

UR has an easier schedule but @Bona this weekend is tough

Richmond could very well end up the #2 seed. Having the tiebreaker over URI could be the determining factor.

[SmartyBarrett]

The predicted final standings (KenPom):

1. Dayton
2. Rhode Island
3. Richmond
4. St. Bonaventure
5. Davidson
6. Saint Louis
7. Duquesne
8. VCU
9. UMass
10. George Washington
11. La Salle
12. George Mason
13. Saint Joseph's
14. Fordham