2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament Odds and Predictions to Win 2012 A-10 Tournament – 2012 A-10 Conference Championship Favorites, Sleepers, Schedule and TV Listings plus Expert Picks: While the Atlantic 10 isn’t on par with the Big East, Big 12 and other power conferences in the country, it is just a notch or two below. The A-10 does send multiple teams to the NCAA tournament almost every year, and this year should be no exception. The exact number of teams that represent the conference this season will depend largely on the conference tournament. Several A-10 teams are sitting on the bubble, and a deep run in the A-10 tournament could push them in the field of 68.
The Favorite – 2012 A-10 Tournament Odds, Predictions and Expert Picks
With victories over Wichita State, Villanova and Duke, the Temple Owls (24-6) are one of the few teams in the A-10 that can make the NCAA tournament without earning the automatic bid. That being said, the Owls won the A-10 regular season title and will be looking to add a tournament title to its resume for seeding purposes. Temple has the top-scoring offense in the conference, averaging 76.2 points per game on 47.2 percent shooting. The Owls are blessed with one of the best backcourts in the A-10, with both Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt averaging more than 17 a game. Temple won 13 of its final 14 games, and with two experienced guards running a high-powered offense, the wins could keep coming.
The Dark Horses – 2012 A-10 Tournament Odds, Predictions and Expert Picks
It’s hard to believe that the Xavier Musketeers (19-11) were ranked in the top 10 at one point this season. Now, they find themselves sitting on the bubble entering the A-10 conference tournament. After starting 8-0, Xavier went 11-11 the rest of the way, struggling to find any sort of consistency on offense. The up-and-down play of star point guard Tu Holloway was a microcosm of the Musketeers’ struggles as a whole. Holloway is leading the team in scoring (16.7) and assists (5.4), but he is shooting just 41.5 percent from the field this season. If Holloway has a strong tournament, Xavier could easily grab the A-10’s automatic bid. If he has an off night, the Musketeers could get knocked out early and possibly miss the NCAA tournament.
Coach Rick Majerus has revitalized the St. Louis Billikens (24-6) basketball program, and his team could make the NCAA tournament regardless of what happens in the A-10 tournament. However, there is a good chance St. Louis won’t have to worry about earning an at-large bid if its defense continues to play the way it has all season. The Billikens are holding opponents to less than 57 points per game, giving them the top scoring defense in the conference. Forward Ty Conklin provides St. Louis with a reliable scorer in the post for an offense that keeps turnovers to a minimum. St. Louis is all about wearing teams down on the defensive end, and the philosophy got the Billikens within in a game of winning the regular season crown. They are a serious threat in the A-10 tournament.
Although they finished a disappointing 9-7 in conference play, the Massachusetts Minutemen (20-10) could still make a run in the A-10 tournament. The Minutemen rank 28th in the country in scoring, averaging 76.1 per game, and rank 12th in rebounding with 39.5 per game. More importantly, Massachusetts performed at its best against the top four teams in the conference. The Minutemen defeated Xavier, St. Louis and St. Bonaventure, and the took conference champion to Temple to overtime before losing 90-88. Granted, Massachusetts was up and down as a whole, but as long as they can knock off the top teams when it counts, the Minutemen can still win the A-10 tournament.
Sleeper Special – 2012 A-10 Tournament Odds, Predictions and Expert Picks
With some big wins out of conference against Villanova, Creighton and Penn State and a victory of A-10 champion Temple, the St. Joseph’s Hawks (19-12) can clearly hold their own against tough competition. However, inconsistent play, especially on defense has led to several surprise losses during the course of the year. The Hawks are a solid offensive team, with four players scoring 11 or more a game. They also rebound well. St. Joe’s has all the parts in place to make a run in the conference tournament, but the Hawks have to find a way to eliminate the defensive lapses or face an early exit.
2012 A-10 Tournament Predictions from NSAwins.com: Temple to WIN
2012 A-10 Tournament Odds
Saint Louis +145
Temple +195
Xavier +800
Saint Joseph’s +800
St. Bonaventure +1100
Dayton +2200
La Salle +2500
Massachusetts +2800
Duquesne +6500
Richmond +9500
George Washington +17500
Charlotte +45000
2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule:
First Round/Day 1 Schedule – Tuesday, March 6 (at campus sites)
Game 1: No. 8 Massachusetts vs. No. 9 Duquesne, 7 p.m.
Game 2: No. 5 Saint Joseph’s vs. No. 12 Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Game 3: No. 7 La Salle vs. No. 10 Richmond, 7 p.m.
Game 4: No. 6 Dayton vs. No. 11 George Washington, 7 p.m.
Second Round Schedule – Friday, March 9 (Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City)
Game 5: No. 1 Temple vs. Game 1 winner, noon (CBS Sports)
Game 6: No. 4 Saint Bonaventure vs. Game 2 winner, 2:30 p.m. or 25 minutes after Game 5 (CBS Sports)
Game 7: No. 2 Saint Louis vs. Game 3 winner, 6:30 p.m. (CBS Sports)
Game 8: No. 3 Xavier at Game 4 winner, 9:00 p.m. or 25 minutes after Game 7 (CBS Sports)
Semifinals – Saturday, March 10 (Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City)
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 1 p.m. (CBS Sports)
Game 10: Game 7 winner at Game 8 winner, 3:30 p.m. (CBS Sports)
Championship – Sunday, March 11 (Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City)
Game 11: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Stop by NSAwins.com daily throughout the NCAA Basketball season for daily Free College Basketball Picks and Vegas College Basketball Lines plus daily updated Men’s 2012 National Championship Futures Odds.
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