2025 A-10 Tournament Preview & Conference Awards

CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 16. Up next: The A-10 Tournament.

It has been another competitive season of A-10 basketball, but on Sunday an automatic bid will be handed out to the team that survives. Two teams have separated themselves atop the conference standings, while a few others snuck under the radar to grab the coveted double-byes in Capital One Arena. 

The regular season title was shared between George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth University. Both the Patriots and the Rams finished 15-3 in conference play. This is the first time since 2016 that the regular season title has been shared. However, only two teams in the last 11 seasons have won both the regular season title and the tournament title. The last to do it was VCU in 2023.

VCU was in prime position to claim the regular season championship to themselves, after defeating George Mason on Feb. 22, 70-54. However, the Dayton Flyers made themselves at home in the Siegel Center in the Rams’ final home game. After GMU won a close one at Richmond on the final day of the regular season, both the Patriots and the Rams shared the regular season title. 

Dayton and Loyola Chicago were the other two teams that grabbed the double-bye in the conference tournament. This gives the top four seeds an automatic bid into the A-10 quarterfinals. The championship game will be played on Selection Sunday, along with four other conferences.

2025 A-10 Conference Awards

Player of the Year: Max Shulga, VCU

Freshman of the Year: Deuce Jones, La Salle

Transfer of the Year: Robbie Avila, Saint Louis

Coach of the Year: Tony Skinn, George Mason

All-Conference First Team:

• G: Xzayvier Brown, St. Joe’s (17.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.4 SPG)
• G: Gibson Jimerson, Saint Louis (18.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.8 APG, 37.2 3P%)
• G: Max Shulga, VCU (15.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.9 SPG)
• F: Rasheer Fleming, St. Joe’s (15.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.6 BPG)
• F: Reed Bailey, Davidson (18.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 42.9 3P%)

Second Team:

• G: Sebastian Thomas, Rhode Island (17.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.1 SPG)
• G: Erik Reynolds II, Saint Joseph’s (16.8 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.8 APG)
• G: Joe Bamisile, VCU (15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG)
• F: Jalen Haynes, George Mason (13.5 PPG, 7.2 PPG, 1.2 APG, 56.9 FG%)
• C: Robbie Avila, Saint Louis (17.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG)

2025 A-10 Tournament Simulation

First Round – Wed., Mar. 12

12. Davidson (16-15, 6-12) vs. 13. Richmond (10-21, 5-13) — 11:30 a.m. EST on USA Network

Davidson and Richmond have met twice this season, with the Wildcats taking both games 72-66 and 71-60. However, both teams are riding four-game losing streaks into the conference tournament. 

You may be wondering what makes a first-round game between Davidson and Richmond intriguing. Well, the Spiders’ last time out was one of their best performances of the season, as they gave George Mason a real run for their money at home. For Davidson, they are led by their first team all-conference member Reed Bailey. The forward leads the conference in points, 

Even in losses, both teams have slowly improved near the end of the season. They both also have close losses to Saint Louis who the winner of this game would face in the second round. 

Although they say it is hard to beat a team three times, in the end, the efficient Wildcat offense will be too much for the Spiders.

Andrew’s pick: 12. Davidson

10. Rhode Island (18-12, 7-11) vs. 15. Fordham (11-20, 3-15) — 2 p.m. EST on USA Network

On paper, this matchup seems very easy to predict. Rhode Island and Fordham met just four days ago on the final day of the regular season. That one was completely dominated by Rhode Island. 

However, these two sides split the season series with both teams winning on their home floors. Fordham also has the conference’s second best scorer, Jackie Johnson III, who should provide a spark to a struggling Fordham side. 

However, the loss to Rhode Island was just the tip of the iceberg for Fordham as it extended their losing streak to eight games. With Rhode Island sporting the conference’s best-scoring offense and Fordham holding the spot for worst-scoring defense, this one seems cut and dry. 

Andrew’s pick: 10. Rhode Island

11. Massachusetts (12-19, 7-11) vs. 14. La Salle (13-18, 5-13) — 4:30 p.m. EST on USA Network

This one is hard to pick. UMass comes into this matchup losing 6 of their last 7, while La Salle broke their eight game losing streak with a rivalry game win over Saint Joseph’s on the final day of the regular season. 

Both sides sit in the middle of the pack in scoring offense, and are in the bottom three of scoring defense. However the main difference is that UMass has struggled from behind the arc all season, at 27.8% they rank second to last in college basketball. While the Explorers do not shoot the three ball incredibly well, it is something they can exploit in this matchup.

In the end, I think the Explorers will ride the momentum of defeating their Big 5 rival on Saturday to set up yet another matchup with the Hawks on Thursday. 

Andrew’s pick: 14. La Salle

Second Round – Thur., Mar. 13

8. St. Bonaventure (21-10, 9-9) vs. 9. Duquesne (13-18, 9-9) — 11:30 a.m. EST on USA Network

The second round of the A-10 tournament may hold two of the most intriguing matchups of the entire tournament. One of which is set in stone; the Bonnies and the Dukes.

College basketball fans remember last year’s Cinderella team from Pittsburgh. While this is not the same Duquesne team that busted brackets and stole the hearts of college basketball fans everywhere, they have some of the same qualities. 

Both sides play at a slow pace, this means that there will not be a battle to control the pace. But the difference in this one will be the free-throw line. The Dukes are ranked last in the conference at 65.2%, while the Bonnies rank sixth at 73.3% from the charity stripe. Duquesne and St. Bonaventure also split the season series, with both teams winning at home.

This game has the makings to be one of the best in Capital One Arena this week. While I think it could go either way, the Bonnies are searching for their early season form and I think they rekindle the fire in this matchup.

Andrew’s pick: 8. St. Bonaventure

5. Saint Louis (18-13, 11-7) vs. 12. Davidson — 2 p.m. EST on USA Network

Davidson and Saint Louis met on March 25, and the Billikens pulled out a close one 57-56. However, the 1-2 punch of Gibson Jimmerson and Robbie Avila combined for 27 points, which is low compared to their averages. 

The Billikens also shoot the three ball well, at 35%, which is third in the conference. In that late February win, Saint Louis hit nine triples, while Davidson hit eight. This game will come down to individual matchups. With Saint Louis’s Jimerson and Davidson’s Bailey both earning first team all conference honors. 

While Davidson has shown flashes of great play, with wins over Yale, Providence, and George Mason, Saint Louis is well-rounded and has hopes of making a deep run in the conference. 

Andrew’s pick: 5. Saint Louis

7. George Washington (20-11, 9-9) vs. 10. Rhode Island  — 5 p.m. EST on USA Network

With the conference tournament being held at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., it is clear who the hometown favorite is. The Charles E. Smith Center, the home of George Washington sits just across the nation’s capital. 

This alone should give the Revolutionaries an advantage, but Chris Caputo’s team also won 20 games in the regular season for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. However, in these second round matchups momentum plays a big role. 

If Rhode Island can pick up a confident and controlling win over Fordham, I do not expect the Revolutionaries to run away with this one. However, with GWU forward Rafael Castro earning second-team all-conference honors, the star power of the hometown team should be able to thwart the momentum of the Rams.

This will be a matchup between the best scoring offense and the fourth-best scoring defense in the conference. But, I do believe that the proximity and rest will play a factor, giving GWU the second round win.

Andrew’s pick: 7. George Washington

6. St. Joe’s (20-11, 11-7) vs. 14. La Salle — 7:30 p.m. EST on USA Network

If La Salle advances to the second round of the A-10 tournament, this will be the fourth time this season that the Explorers will battle the Hawks. The first came in the Wells Fargo Center, as Saint Joseph’s grabbed their second straight Big 5 title. 

These squads met on the final day of the regular season, and the A-10 Rookie of the Year Deuce Jones had 27 points. This led the Explorers to their only win over the Hawks this season. But, just in case you missed it, Saint Joseph’s guard Erik Reynolds broke Jameer Nelson’s career scoring record on Hawk Hill. 

This has the feel of a game that you throw out the records, as it just means more in a rivalry matchup. But the all-conference players, Fleming, Brown, and Reynolds will give the edge to the Hawks in a close battle.

Andrew’s pick: 6. Saint Joseph’s

Quarterfinals – Fri., Mar. 14

1. VCU (25-6, 15-3) vs. 8. St. Bonaventure — 11:30 a.m. EST on USA Network

After the first two months of the season, it looked like these would be the two teams battling it out at the top of the conference standings. The Bonnies began the season 14-1, before stumbling their way through conference play, finishing at 9-9 in the A-10. 

It is also hard to overlook VCU’s talent, especially with the conference Player of the Year Max Shulga in the gold and black. With Ryan Odom receiving nation-wide recognition as the next big name to make the jump to a power-five head coaching position, it may add extra pressure for the Rams. 

However, the March 7 loss to Dayton spoiled VCU’s chances at winning the conference outright, and dropped them closer to the bubble conversation for an at-large bid. In this one, look for the Rams to bounce back significantly and make their way to the semifinals.

Andrew’s pick: 1. VCU

4. Loyola Chicago (21-10, 12-6) vs. 5. Saint Louis — 2 p.m. EST on USA Network

Loyola Chicago grabbing the fourth overall seed and the final double-bye in the A-10 may come as a surprise for many. However, after being picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll, you could say the Ramblers overachieved. 

With a defensive efficiency rating inside of the top 100 in college basketball, the Ramblers join the long list of A-10 teams that pride themselves on the defensive end. However, they have two outliers in their defensive prowess. The first came on Hawk Hill, early in conference play. The second came against the team they could face in the quarterfinals; Saint Louis.

The 98 point outburst from the Billikens was the most Saint Louis scored in a single game all season. In that game, Saint Louis’s Gibson Jimerson nailed nine three-pointers as he and Robbie Avila combined for 61 points. 

While I do not expect another blowout, it will be difficult for Jayden Dawson to lift the Ramblers over Saint Louis who finished the regular season with two 90+ point performances in their final three games.

Andrew’s pick: 5. Saint Louis

2. George Mason (24-7, 15-3) vs. 7. George Washington  — 5 p.m. EST on USA Network

If there is one word that perfectly sums up this matchup, it is defense. While the Patriots have swept the season series over the Revolutionaries, both have been tightly contested. 

In the first matchup, GMU defended EagleBank Arena with an 80-77 win. Now you may be asking how that relates to defense. The answer; double overtime. After 40 minutes the game was tied at 61. The second meeting finished with a 53-50 win for the Patriots. 

George Mason leads the conference in opponent field-goal and three-point percentage, while the Revolutionaries are close behind at fourth and third respectively. 

If you like to grind it out, defensive-minded games, this may be the game for you. And if it ends up being similar to the previous two meetings, that is what should be expected in this game. 

Andrew’s pick: 2. George Mason

3. Dayton (22-9,12-6) vs. 6. St. Joseph’s — 7:30 p.m. EST on USA Network

After a slow start to A-10 play, Dayton finished the season winning six of their last seven. This included an important road win at VCU in their final game of the regular season, which clinched the Flyers’ spot as a top four seed in the conference. 

However, while Dayton has wins over Northwestern, UConn, and Marquette, this is not the regular Flyers powerhouse that we are accustomed to seeing. But after dropping three of their first four conference games, they have since gone 11-3.

But if Saint Joseph’s makes it to the quarterfinals, the three all-conference players on Hawk Hill will be acclimated to life in the Nation’s Capital. These two sides met on Jan. 24, and the Flyers defeated the Hawks 77-72. This likely is one of the most exciting games of the A-10 Tournament.

Andrew’s pick: 6. St. Joe’s

Semifinals – Sat., Mar. 15

1. VCU vs. 5. Saint Louis — 1 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network

When the semifinals roll around on Saturday, each team will have gotten over the hump of winning at least one game in the tournament. For the Rams, avoiding an upset in the quarterfinals will almost clinch an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. 

However, the Rams will not want the committee to decide their fate on Sunday evening, and at this point both Saint Louis and VCU would be just two wins away from bringing an A-10 title home.

This game will be a battle between the second and fifth ranked offenses in the conference. The main difference is that VCU not only has the second best offense, the Rams also have the best scoring defense. 

While I believe that the stars for the Billikens will keep this one competitive, I’ll take the A-10 player of the year to advance to the final. 

Andrew’s pick: 1. VCU

2. George Mason vs. 6. St. Joe’s — 3:30 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network 

Once again the name of the game is defense for the Patriots. For example, these sides met back on Feb. 15 in Fairfax and George Mason pulled out the win in a one-point game. While it was a heartbreaking loss for the Hawks, it helped to propel Saint Joseph’s into the team they are now.

Using the loss as motivation, the Hawks fired off five straight wins, before losing their final game of the regular season to La Salle. The Hawks are also the only team in the conference to have three different players on the all-conference first and second teams so the talent is there. 

But this season has been special for the Patriots. Tony Skinn’s squad is an incredible 13-3 in games decided by single digits. It feels as if this George Mason squad just finds ways to win, and in crunch time with their back against the wall, this is the best quality for a team to have. 

In another grind it out, physical game, the Patriots will advance to the A-10 championship game. 

Andrew’s pick: 2. George Mason

Championship – Sun., Mar. 16

1. VCU vs. 2. George Mason — 1 p.m. EST on CBS

Although this matchup may seem inevitable looking at the final regular season standings, there is a real possibility that any team from the third until the eighth seed makes a run. In a conference that has been run by bid-stealers in the past few years, this matchup seems like a change of pace for the A-10.

The defensive prowess of both the Rams and the Patriots has placed them atop the conference standings for a reason. This will be the second matchup of the top two defensive teams in the conference, this season. The Rams used a dominant second half to run away from the Patriots in Richmond, earlier this season. 

However, the best bet for the A-10 to be a multi bid league, is for a bid stealer to bring the conference tournament trophy home. If GMU puts a full 40 minutes together against the Rams, with their back against the wall. Tony Skinn and the Patriots will go dancing once again. 

Andrew’s pick: 2. George Mason