A-10 Tourney Predicitions

[theneumann64]

Meant to do this sooner as more of a contest, but probably a little late for that now. Let's get your predictions for how things while shake out the next few days. I'll start:

Opening Round:
Fordham over Mason

First Round:
La Salle over Bonnies
Dayton over Fordham
Duquense over Richmond
UMass over URI

Second Round:
SLU over La Salle
Dayton over St. Joe's (few days of squirming in Hawk-ville)
VCU over Duquesne
UMass over GW

Semi-Finals:
Dayton over SLU
VCU over UMass

Finals:
VCU over Dayton


....I took a few risks, otherwise whats the point?

[luhoopsfan]

Opening Round
GM over FU

FIRST
LSU over SBU
DAY over GMU
RICH over DUQ
URI over UMASS

SECOND
LSU over SLU
DAY over SJU
VCU over RICH
GWU over URI

SEMIS
DAY over LSU
VCU over GWU

FINAL
VCU over DAY

Notes:
Umass and URI played 2 hotly contested games this year, both wins by UMass. I think it's tough to beat a rival team like that 3 times in one season and this could be where URI gets their victory. plus, UMass has been hearing how safe they are in the tourney bid and may come out a bit flat in game 1

Dayton got thumped by SJU @ SJU and SJU also won @ Dayton, similar to URI and UMass, I think it's very hard to beat a team 3 times in a season unless there's a major disparity between the two in terms of talent.

that VCU/Richmond game will take a bit out of VCU and make that GW game a little closer than most would expect but they pull it out in the end and then handle Dayton in the finals by 8 or 9 points in an entertaining but not overly dramatic matchup

I like the Explos winning two games for a couple of reasons. First, i like the match up with SBU, and SBU has been on the skids coming into this game whereas our guys have been playing better ball lately. Second, I think SLU has also become complacent with their status as a sure thing in the NCAA tourney and will look past us a bit; in addition, that loss to them really stuck with our guys and i think revenge will be in their favor. Finally, winning those 2 games would give us all a sense of belief, especially if the semifinal is against Dayton, that we could see our way into the NCAA again when the team will promptly lay an egg and shoot 30% from the field and lose by 12 to Dayton and dash all our dreams and create a firestorm of bitterness on here that lasts until our first win in November.... when we all over-hype the talent of the transfers and freshmen

Also, I like this line from Duren today in the paper :
"I think we've fixed all our kinks," Duren said, referencing the nine conference defeats, four that came in one-possession games. "We've got everything out that we need to get out. And now it's March. Anything can happen."
Not sure if by getting "everything out that we need to get out" he means they had some sort of meeting or change in style and focus, but I was pretty happy with what I saw on Sunday and the games leading up to Sunday. I guess we'll see what happens.
www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20140312_La_Salle_needs_a_win-win-win-win_situation.html

Having said all that, i would love to see George Mason go on a little run and knock of Dayton and SJU before we get payback on them and then maybe face VCU in the title game to get some payback there as well. Stranger things have happened, but it would be cool to beat the 3 teams in conference that knocked us off at home on the final possession en route to a title.

[blueandgold]

Despite already knowing the outcome of the Wednesday night "showcase" *cough*..

Opening Round:
Mason over Fordham

First Round:
La Salle over Bonnies
Dayton over Mason
Duquesne over Richmond
UMASS over URI

Second Round:
La Salle over SLU
Dayton over St. Joe's
VCU over Duquesne
GW over UMASS

Semi-Finals:
Dayton over La Salle
VCU over GW

Finals:
VCU over Dayton

[stlexplorer]

Give me:

First Round:
La Salle over Bonnies
Dayton over Fordham
Duquense over Richmond
UMass over URI

Second Round:
SLU over La Salle
St. Joe's over Dayton
VCU over Duquesne
GW over UMass

Semi-Finals:
SLU over St. Joe's
VCU over GW

Finals:
SLU over VCU in OT