The Atlantic 10 doesn't garner as much national attention as conferences like the Big East, ACC, or Big 12. It seems like even Gonzaga, the top ranked team in the much weaker WCC, gets more attention than the conference. That's ludicrous. The Atlantic 10 features hard fought battles every night and featured another one between Dayton and Vcu on Wednesday night.
Dayton vs. VCU.
Dayton played VCU in a home game on Wednesday night. If the Fliers won, they would clinch the top spot in the Atlantic 10 conference and the top seed in the conference tournament.
If VCU won, the situation would have been a little murkier. The game was close in the first half, but Dayton pulled away with some threes in the second half.
But VCU battled back from a double digit deficit. Through a combination of defensive aggressiveness, offensive rebounding, and foul shooting the Rams were able to make it a two point game with less than a minute left. In the last minute, Dayton managed to hang on for a 79-72 victory, clinching the conference title.
Is Dayton a Final Four Team?
That sounds crazy, right? But is it really that insane? The team features a majority of the seniors who helped lead Archie Miller's team to an Elite 8 back in 2013. Scoochie Smith is clutch. Charles Cooke is one of the better guards in the country.
And there might be no team better at closing games in the country than the Fliers. They know how to win close games and don't miss free throws down the stretch. Don't be surprised to see Dayton pull off a few upsets this season.
Could VCU be a Sleeper?
VCU plays with more heart than most college basketball teams. Will Wade's squad goes after every loose ball and applies pressure at every possible moment.
That pressure is often difficult to deal with and has teams scrambling to figure out how to beat it at every turn. They might not get a lot of national attention, but any team that plays with as much effort as this one will have a chance to win every game.
What will Their Seeds Be?
According to Joe Lunardi, VCU and Dayton will be in the 8-9 seed range.
That would mean one of them would have to play a one seed in the second round. Gonzaga beware! These teams aren't looking to go home anytime soon and will be looking to prove the quality of the Atlantic 10 conference on a national scale.
