I'll be quick with this one but I know many of you are interested, so here goes.
Basically VCU is alone atop the Atlantic 10 at 14-3 in conference play (two more wins then we've ever won in the A-10 already, so there's that). If the Rams win at Dayton they win the Atlantic 10 regular season title outright. BOOM.
But if they don't...
TIE-BREAKER SCENARIOS[/HEADING=3]
Multi-team ties are broken by the groups record against the tied teams. If in that scenario all the teams have the same record (say for example a three-team time between VCU, Dayton and Saint Joseph's, all at 1-1), the next tie-breaker is record against the highest ranked team (so in that last example it would be against the teams' records against St. Bonaventure who would be the fourth-placed A-10 team). If still a tie it goes down to the next highest ranked team, etc.
Four-way tie with Dayton, Saint Joseph's and St. Bonaventure (highest winning % determines seed)
1 - VCU 2-1 (.667)
2 - St. Bonaventure 3-2 (.600)
3 - Dayton 2-2 (.500)
4 - Saint Joseph's 2-3 (.400)
Three-way tie with Dayton and Saint Joseph's (meaning a Bona loss at SLU on Saturday)
All 3 teams 1-1, so record against #4 (SBU)
1 - VCU 1-0
2 - Dayton 1-1
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">3 - Saint Joseph's 0-2</span>
4- St. Bonaventure
Three-way tie with Dayton and Saint Bonaventure (meaning a Saint Joseph's loss versus Duquesne)
1 - Dayton 2-1
2 - VCU 1-1
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">3 - St. Bonaventure 1-2</span>
4 - Saint Joseph's
Two-way tie with Dayton (meaning both Saint Joseph's and St. Bonaventure lose this weekend)
1 - Dayton 1-0
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">2 - VCU 0-1</span>
3 - SBU
4 - SJU
There you have it. The best VCU can finish is alone in first with a 15-3 A-10 record after hopefully winning at Dayton. The worst the Rams can finish is as the No.2 seed, the most likely scenario of which would involve Saint Joseph's losing at home to Duquesne. It would be a bit of a longshot for both Saint Joseph's and St. Bonaventure to lose this weekend considering the competition but by no means impossible. Long story short, you'll be big VCU fans as always this weekend but might find yourself flapping your wings a bit during the Saint Joseph's game as well.
