2012 College Basketball Atlantic 10 Championship Odds, Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

2012 College Basketball Atlantic 10 Championship Odds, Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers: In the era of conference realignment, the unquestioned winner among the mid-majors was the Atlantic 10. Already one of the best mid-major conferences in the country, the A-10 bolstered its talent by expanding to 16 teams for the 2012-13 college basketball season. The prize additions to the conference were Virginia Commonwealth and Butler. Both programs have made trips to the Final Four in recent years and should only add depth to a conference that already gets multiple NCAA Tournament bids every season. With one of the most competitive years in conference history on tap, here is a look at the top contenders in the Atlantic 10.

2012 College Basketball Conference Preview: Atlantic 10 Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

The Favorite

The Temple Owls have won three of the last four A-10 titles, and they might just be adding another conference championship this season. Guard Khalif Wyatt is back after averaging more than 17 points per game last season, and he will get plenty of help from fellow guard Scootie Randall. After missing last season with an injury, Randall returned with a bang, dropping 31 points in Temple’s season opener. With Wyatt and Randall providing plenty of firepower on the perimeter and big man Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson leading a solid frontcourt, the Owls have the pieces in place to take care of business in the A-10.

The Dark Horses

After a breakout 26-8 campaign in 2011-12, the St. Louis Billikens will try to repeat their success this season. The reliable frontcourt of Dwyane Evans and Cody Ellis will certainly help the cause for a team that had a top-10 scoring defense one year ago. The Billikens have plenty of depth on the perimeter, as well. On the slip side, Kwamain Mitchell will miss the start of the year while recovering from surgery, leaving St. Louis without its best scorer. More importantly, coach Rick Majerus is likely going to miss the season while dealing with a heart condition. The Billikens have plenty of talent back from last year’s team, but it isn’t a sure thing that they can replicate the success without Mitchell’s scoring and Majerus’ leadership.

Following their Final Four run in 2011, the VCU Rams nearly made it back to the Sweet 16 last season. Shaka Smart is quickly becoming one of the most-coveted coaching prospects in the country, and the success of his up-tempo offense and in-your-face defense can’t be denied. Plenty of experienced players are back from a group that led the nation in steals per game last year while forcing almost 18 turnovers per contest. More importantly, this year’s team returns the engine that makes the offense go in senior point guard Darius Theus. The Rams could make a big splash in their first year in the A-10.

The Sleeper

During the past five seasons, Michigan State, North Carolina, Kansas and the Xavier Musketeers are the only programs in the country to make the Sweet 16 in all five seasons. Needless to say, Xavier is in some elite company, which is why this team can’t be written off despite losing almost all of it scoring from last season. The early returns are promising, and with five players averaging in double figures, it looks like the Musketeers are going to be able to replace the star power of players like Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons with quality depth. With a victory over conference newcomer Butler already under its belt, Xavier isn’t going to slip from the ranks of the A-10 elite without a fight.

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