Atlantic Ten Basketball

The Dayton Flyers will have a rare home-court advantage in the NCAA tournament when they wrap up the First Four by hosting the Boise State Broncos Thursday with both No. 11 seeds playing for a spot opposite the sixth-seeded Providence Friars for Friday's game.

The Flyers just fell to the Virginia Commonwealth Rams 71-65 in the Atlantic 10 tournament title game as 2.5-point underdogs, and the Broncos were upset by the Wyoming Cowboys 71-66 in overtime as 4.5-point favorites in the Mountain West semifinals.

Opening spread

The Flyers opened as two-point favorites. Compare lines and consensus on the Odds Shark matchup report.

Why pick Boise State to cover the spread

Boise State enjoyed a fairly successful season up until its last game, winning seven straight and 15 of 16 to tie the San Diego State Aztecs for the Mountain West regular-season title. The Broncos also were outstanding against the spread heading into the tourney semis against Wyoming, covering 14 of 16 down the stretch.

Unfortunately, that overtime loss to the Cowboys likely put them into this play-in game rather than getting to bypass it like Wyoming and San Diego State. Boise State is still a quality team, though, and should be excited for the chance to make amends in Dayton after losing 80-71 to La Salle as a 1.5-point favorite there in the First Four two years ago.

Why pick Dayton to cover the spread

Dayton is a dangerous team that just ran into a buzz saw in the A-10 championship game, as Shaka Smart’s VCU team again looks like it could be a nightmare matchup in this year’s NCAA tournament.

Last year, the Flyers were the team everybody was scared of in the Big Dance, and rightfully so. They went 4-0 ATS in last year’s NCAA tournament, upsetting the sixth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes, third-seeded Syracuse Orange and 10th-seeded Stanford Cardinal as underdogs before falling to the top-seeded Florida Gators 62-52 but still covering as 10.5-point dogs in the South Regional final.

Much like Boise State, winning one more game would have helped Dayton avoid playing in the First Four, but at least the team has the edge of getting to play in its home arena.

Smart betting pick

The Flyers were perfect at home this season, going 16-0 straight up and 9-6 ATS (there was no line on their 78-62 victory against the Boston Terriers).

While the Broncos had a solid record away from home, going 12-7 SU and 11-8 ATS on the road and playing on neutral courts, this will be a difficult atmosphere for them. Winning the Mountain West tournament would have given bettors more faith in Boise, which is essentially on the road in this spot. But then again, another victory would have probably put this team elsewhere in the bracket.

Instead, this is Dayton’s game to lose as the “home” favorite, and the Flyers are 21-3 SU in their past 24 games as chalk.

Power rankings

Boise State Broncos: No. 6

Dayton Flyers: No. 62 (per Odds Shark power ranks)

March Madness betting trends

- Boise State ended year on 15-2 SU run.

- Dayton is 21-3 SU this season as favorites.

- Boise State is 7-1 ATS in its past eight games as underdogs.

Note: All spread and betting line data powered by Odds Shark. Download the free Lines and Bet Tracker app in the Apple Store and on Google Play.

George Mason's firing of head basketball coach Paul Hewitt opened one of the premier mid-major jobs in the country. It appears school brass is looking to rejuvenate the program by targeting a coach with an awfully familiar last name. 

Continue for updates.

George Mason Reportedly Finalizing Deal with Dave Paulsen

Monday, March 30

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that "George Mason is finalizing deal to hire Bucknell coach Dave Paulsen, sources tell Yahoo."

Steven Goff of The Washington Post cited multiple sources who have said it's a done deal:

George Mason Target Jay Larranaga Declines to Become Candidate

Friday, March 20

According to sources cited by Wojnarowski, "Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga has declined to become a candidate at George Mason." Wojnarowski's sources noted that Larranaga is "committed to Boston and (his) NBA coaching career."

Wojnarowski reported on March 16 that Larranaga was near the top of George Mason's list for its next head coach. Larranaga, 39, has been a Celtics assistant coach since 2012 and has elevated to the position of lead assistant under Brad Stevens. He has also served as a coach on the Irish and Ukrainian national teams.

Wojnarowski's report indicated the program will emphasize head coaching experience in its search, but may also target Miami assistant Chris Caputo. Caputo served as an assistant coach at George Mason prior to following Jim Larranaga to Miami in 2011.

It seems the athletic department is looking to find someone with tangential ties to the Jim Larranaga era. Larranaga spent 14 seasons as the Patriots head coach from the 1997-98 season to 2010-11. He led the team to five NCAA tournament berths, including a surprising Final Four run in 2006.

George Mason fell out of the national purview under Hewitt, failing to make the tournament in all four of his seasons. The team has gone a combined 20-42 since joining the Atlantic 10.  

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.

Paul Hewitt's four-year run at George Mason is over. The university let Hewitt go Monday morning, less than a week after the Patriots finished a 9-22 campaign. 

“Mason made a significant commitment to its athletic programs, especially men’s basketball, when the university moved to the Atlantic 10 Conference two years ago,” George Mason Director of Athletics Brad Edwards said in a statement. “The university has high expectations for the program and thus determined a change was needed."

Hewitt, 51, succeeded Jim Larranaga after the 2010-11 season after being let go by Georgia Tech. He went a combined 46-26 in his first two years at the school but struggled mightily when the program moved to the Atlantic 10.

George Mason has gone a combined 20-42 over the last two years, including an 8-26 mark within the conference. The Patriots won just four games since the beginning of the 2015 calendar year. It's been a disappointing fall from grace for a program that was a regular postseason fixture under Larranaga, with a 2006 Final Four berth.

Will be a broadcaster -->RT @gmuhoops: Paul Hewitt has been fired at George Mason http://t.co/fNK92iWFn9 pic.twitter.com/1z7YzZZ21X”

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) March 16, 2015

Before taking the George Mason job, Hewitt had an 11-year run as the head coach of Georgia Tech and spent three years at Siena. He currently has a career 321–251 record and has made six NCAA tournament appearances. The peak of his professional career was a national runner-up run in the 2004 NCAA tournament.

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Although it hasn't received the national attention it deserves, the Atlantic 10 tournament will be an event college basketball fans won't want to miss.

The conference features three high-quality teams that will not only make the NCAA tournament but could also do some damage in it. Meanwhile, the rest of the A-10 has caused problems throughout the year with its balance at the top.

This is certain to be an exciting week of action from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, so follow this guide to make sure you don't miss a second.

Bracket

You can view an updated bracket each day at Atlantic10.com.

Championship Odds

Teams to Watch

Davidson

People are used to seeing Davidson dominate the Southern Conference, but it didn't seem to have any trouble in its transition to the Atlantic 10.

The Wildcats got out to a bit of a slow start in conference play but ended up winning the last nine games of the regular season to capture the A-10 title. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports was certainly impressed:

Rob Dauster of NBC Sports noted why this year has been even better:

The key for this team has been the ability to light up the scoreboard, as Davidson ranks sixth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. Tyler Kalinoski has had a great season, but there is balance throughout the roster with Jack Gibbs, Brian Sullivan and others capable of carrying the team on any given night.

Although opponents can take advantage of a lack of size on the other end of the court, it will be a real challenge for anyone in this tournament to outscore the Wildcats.

VCU

While VCU has proved itself in the NCAA tournament in the past, this year's team might not be up to the same standard. This is especially the case since it lost defensive star Briante Weber to a knee injury.

Head coach Shaka Smart acknowledged that the team has struggled to make up for the loss of the senior.

"We are still in the process of getting used to and learning how to play without Briante," Smart said, via USA Today. "He was such a focal point of our team. Not just in terms of statistics or minutes, but in terms of our identity. He was such a part of what we did as a team."

During last week's loss to Davidson, Seth Davis of CBS Sports noted VCU's inability to defend like it did in the past:

That being said, it would be a mistake to count out the Rams heading into the postseason. Treveon Graham is still an elite playmaker who can score inside and out, while the pressure defense still takes a toll on opponents.

A turnaround at this point will not be easy, but the talent is there.

Dayton

Although Dayton doesn't have a conventional roster, head coach Archie Miller has figured out a way for his team to be successful.

Nicole Auerbach of USA Today noted the job the coach has done this year:

Dayton makes up for a lack of height by using its quickness and athleticism, which has worked out perfectly on the defensive end. The squad allows just 60.5 points per game, a mark which ranks in the top 40 in the nation.

Offensively, the Flyers rely on the players who took them to the Elite Eight a year ago: Jordan Sibert and Dyshawn Pierre. This group has confidence to succeed in the postseason and the talent to do it.

Although Dayton doesn't have the resume of other contenders in the conference, this is certainly a team no one will want to play.

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Fordham received some welcome news Tuesday when the Atlantic 10 Conference announced its postseason awards.

Eric Paschall, the Rams' leading scorer who is averaging 16.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, was named the A-10 Rookie of the Year and was placed on the conference's All-Rookie team. Christian Sengfelder, averaging 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, was also named to the All-Rookie team. And Jon Severe, who has had a rocky season, was selected to the All-Academic team with a 3.21 grade-point average.

In 2014-15, Paschall and Sengfelder combined to win the conference's Rookie of the Week award seven times. They were Fordham's two best players on the court. Severe was in and out of the lineup this year and averaged just 6.6 points per game. The Rams can only hope that being recognized for what he did in the classroom will help his confidence going forward.

The awards were nice. Fordham's focus, however, is on the A-10 tournament, which begins tonight with an opening-round matchup against George Mason at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

It will be the second meeting of the season between the two schools. Back on Feb. 18, Fordham (9-20, 4-14) picked up its only A-10 road win of the year, an 80-68 victory over the Patriots (9-21, 4-14). Fordham beat George Mason twice last year and is 4-0 all-time against the Patriots.

Head coach Tom Pecora says the only thing that matters is how his team plays Wednesday night.

"All that stuff goes out the window," he said about the Rams' previous success against George Mason. "It doesn't have anything to do with past performance.

"It's not a horrible matchup for us. The key is how well [the Patriots] shoot the ball. We have to respect that. They play really hard for [head coach] Paul [Hewitt]. There's no quit in them."

He added: "It's the A-10 tournament. It's going to be hand-to-hand combat. It's going to come down to one or two possessions."

The biggest question mark for the Rams as they make the short trip from the Bronx down to Brooklyn revolves around Paschall's status. The conference's sixth-leading scorer sustained a high ankle sprain in practice last Tuesday and missed the last three games of the regular season as a result.

At practice yesterday, Paschall mostly rode a stationary bike and took a few shots off on a side basket. Pecora knows how important he is to the team and expects him to play, though not at 100 percent.

"The key will be Eric," he said. "Where's Eric's health at as we go into this game? I met with him and said to him, 'You're not going to be 100 percent, but at 80 percent, you're still pretty darn good.'"

Fordham will need Paschall tonight. After winning four of six, the Rams lost all three games that he missed.

"Eric being hurt the last couple of games kind of took the wind out of our sails a little bit as far as momentum, but other than that, they're still engaged, they're still enthusiastic, they're still locked in," Pecora said. "There are a lot of teams that could have the same record as us that are just dying for the year to be over. I don't believe that's the case with this group."

Tuesday's practice was the 88th of the season. Pecora said the team has had three "duds."

"For a young team, that's impressive," he said. "Young teams come out some days and they just want to go through the motions. I threw them out of practice once all season. The other two days I just got on them."

"Playing hard and competing is a big-time skill," Pecora added. "It's hard to find in a lot of kids. There's been a lot of positives."

This will be Fordham's second game at Barclays this season. On Dec. 22, the Rams lost to Manhattan, the eventual MAAC champion, 71-57 at the Brooklyn arena. Pecora said the experience playing there in the past will help his team this time around.

"Anytime you can get a young team on the floor and they get exposed to something for the first time...it's really just about exposing them," he said. "As tough as it was to lose to Manhattan, it got us in the building. That was as big a part of this for me as anything else. We've been in that building. We've played in that building. Hopefully there's a little bit more familiarity for us. Hopefully, we have a bigger crowd than our opponents moving forward in that building. That's key."

In 2013-14, Fordham lost its last eight regular-season games but still managed to beat George Mason in the first round of the tournament. This year, Pecora says the Rams are in a better position heading in.

"Because they've learned how to win," he said. "I think their confidence, because of those A-10 wins, is there." 

Tonight will be an important game for Fordham, though it's hoping to extend its stay a few more days. After an up-and-down regular season that saw the Rams lose their first nine conference games before rebounding in February, getting a win or two this week would do wonders for the growth and development of a young team with a solid nucleus and more help on the way.

"Anytime you can get a win in your conference tournament...nobody wants to be the first team out. No one wants to go home day one," Pecora told Bleacher Report after Tuesday's practice. "If it were back-to-back years and we had A-10 wins, obviously it would be great for the kids.

"That's how I look at this as we move forward. It really is about them gaining confidence and the way they look at themselves and the way they view themselves and this basketball program. If they feel good about themselves and they're competing at a high level, I think everything takes care of itself."

A win Wednesday night would be nice. Some might say it's crucial. Regardless, Pecora is excited about his team's future.

"These young guys inspire me," he told B/R. "They come in every day, and they want to get better, and they want to work hard. Their work ethic is such that they've never laid down. I think that speaks volumes for where we are as a program."

Quotations in this article were obtained firsthand.

Charles Costello covers the Fordham Rams for Bleacher Report. A full archive of his articles can be found here. Follow him on Twitter: @CFCostello

On Saturday, the UMass men's basketball team will end the 2014-15 regular-season schedule with a game on the road against George Washington. 

This means that Derrick Gordon, the first openly gay Division I men's basketball player, will be finishing his first full season since coming out.

According to Chuck Culpepper of the Washington Post, the junior guard has yet to receive one anti-gay slur, taunt, barb, jeer or insult in any situation around the basketball court.

There has been no worrying. Every day I’m always happy, smiling, playing the game that I love. It’s just like, honestly, I haven’t felt like this in a long time — ever, to be honest with you. . . . Ever since I came out, the places that I’ve been, the people that I’ve met, it’s just like, man, I should have come out in high school! It’s just a whole new world out there. I love it.

The transfer from Western Kentucky has started every game this season and is averaging 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Minutemen.

The only problem for Gordon is that UMass (17-14) will fall short of 20 wins for the first time since 2010-11. UMass will have to win the upcoming Atlantic 10 Tournament at the Barclays Center as the current No. 8 seed to reach this year's NCAA March Madness.

A month from Monday will mark a year since the native of New Jersey decided to set a precedent in college basketball.

Even if the Minutemen don't succeed in the conference tournament, the fact that Gordon has received such positive support in every game since is a success story in itself.

Follow Chris Corso (@ChrisCorsoBR) on Twitter.  

Fordham hasn't won many basketball games this year. But the one thing head coach Tom Pecora has been able to count on has been his team's effort.

In the Rams' 81-66 loss to Duquesne Wednesday night at the Rose Hill Gym, even that was missing.

"I think they just came in and they wanted it more," Pecora said about the Dukes. "That's concerning to me considering how well we'd been playing."

After losing its first nine Atlantic 10 games, Fordham had won four of its last seven.

Wednesday night, it looked like the Rams were poised to notch their fifth conference win. They were ahead 32-20 with five minutes and 13 seconds to go in the first half. Then, it all fell apart. 

Duquesne outscored the Rams 18-3 to close out the half and pulled away after the break. The Dukes shot 49.1 percent from the floor including 45.5 percent from three-point range. Fordham shot 40.9 percent from the floor and just 19.4 percent (6-of-31) from beyond the arc.

The Rams played without their leading scorer, freshman Eric Paschall (16.5 points per game), who injured his ankle in practice on Tuesday.

"Not the way we planned it obviously." Pecora said. "Knowing Eric wasn't going to be able to play today we were going to have to find 17, 18 points from one of the guys who replaced him. That wasn't the case."

"It was a great test for us to see if we could rise to the occasion," he added. "It is what it is. Injuries are part of the game. We just have to find a way to respond and play better."

Even without Paschall, Fordham managed to go up by 12 points in the first half. But the Dukes made a run in the last five minutes before halftime and they controlled the game the rest of the way.

"They raised the intensity closing out the first half," Pecora said. "We didn't respond."

Fordham has lost before—it's 9-19 overall and 4-13 in the A-10—but for the most part the effort has always been there. According to Pecora, that was not the case the past two days.

"We didn't have a good practice yesterday," he said. "Yesterday was a dud. I had to ride them. I guess I was a prophet when I said to them, 'You might have lost this game today.' As much as we were pushing them and pushing them, they were fighting us in practice...to just play all out and do the things we needed them to do."

This was a winnable game for Fordham. It started the night one game behind Duquesne in the conference standings. But in the second half the two teams looked leagues apart.

"It bothers me greatly," Pecora said. "We had an opportunity to jump them in the standings. There was a lot at stake and we didn't play with that sense of urgency...I'll address that."

Against the Dukes, four Rams starters—Bryan Smith (17 points), Ryan Rhoomes (15 points), Christian Sengfelder (15 points) and Mandell Thomas (12 points)—scored in double digits. But the Rams only received seven points from everyone else. 

"These guys have to come in and compete," Pecora said. "Guys who are on the bench always say 'I should be playing more.' Well tonight they got a chance and they didn't respond."

How Fordham responds at practice and in its game at St. Bonaventure will be worth noting just days ahead of next week's A-10 tournament at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

"I think we're in much better shape than we were last year going in with so many losses late in the year," Pecora said about the state of his team going into the tournament. "We'll see how they respond. Maybe this is a wake-up call. Maybe some of these guys will realize how important game prep is, and effort.

"The one thing I've always told all my teams is if I'm coaching effort, especially late in the season, then we're not going to be very good. That should be a given especially this time of year. Effort should be a given."

Quotations in this article were obtained firsthand.

Charles Costello covers the Fordham Rams for Bleacher Report. A full archive of his articles can be found here. Follow him on Twitter: @CFCostello

Fordham's final three regular-season games and however many more it ends up playing in the Atlantic 10 tournament are, for multiple reasons, critical to the development and psyche of the program.

First and foremost, the goal is always to win basketball games. Having won four of their last six, the Rams actually have something going right now.

But a big part of the final two weeks of the season will be about Bryan Smith, the only senior on the roster who plays significant minutes. 

Last year, Branden Frazier went through his own farewell tour that included two games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. He closed out his college career in the borough where he grew up.

Frazier had a memorable four-year stint at Fordham. He followed Tom Pecora to Rose Hill in 2010 when Pecora was named head coach of the Rams. He ended up finishing second in school history in assists (495) and ninth in points (1,642). In his senior season, he led the team in scoring and assists.

At the start of last season's A-10 tournament, there was an article on Frazier in The Wall Street Journal. People got to know his story—what he was all about and what he accomplished on the basketball court. On a team that lacked star power, he was the go-to guy.

Pecora talked a lot about Frazier throughout the course of last season, his comments picking up in intensity and emotion as Frazier got closer and closer to the end.

Smith, also from Brooklyn, didn't have the career Frazier had, but that doesn't mean he'll just ride off into the sunset without any accolades thrown his way. Next Wednesday, he'll play his final home game when Fordham hosts Duquesne at the Rose Hill Gym.

"I'm hoping we can sell this place out for him because he deserves it," Pecora said. "Bryan had an opportunity to go a lot of places, a lot of other really good schools. He chose to come here when it wasn't the popular thing to do; it was a hard thing to do.

"His dad's an alum. I just said to him, 'Your mom and dad have to be so happy and proud of you.'

"Next Wednesday, I want to have a great crowd here. It's going to be an emotional night for him."

2014-15 was supposed to be about Smith and Ryan Canty serving as the leaders on a team trying to begin a new era of Fordham basketball. Canty ended up missing the entire season after having back surgery last summer, and the young Rams struggled at the start of conference play, losing their first nine games. They've recovered this month, and Smith has played a big part in the turnaround.

"The way they're playing now, the way they're maturing, a lot of that has to do with Bryan and the job he's done as the lone senior," Pecora said. "Bryan's done a great job."

Though his senior season hasn't been your typical fairytale, the 6'2" guard may be saving his best for last.

In the Rams' win over La Salle Wednesday night, Smith had 15 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists. It was the fourth straight game where he's scored in double digits.

Heading into Saturday's game at UMass, Smith is averaging 5.7 points per game. More importantly, though, he's provided leadership on a team that includes seven freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors.

The Rams will be able to replace Smith's scoring next season. What they'll need is for Canty, Ryan Rhoomes and Mandell Thomas to provide the leadership.

For now, Smith is focused on one thing, though he can't help but think about his Fordham career coming to an end.

"I want to win, that's the most important thing to me," Smith said. "Of course it's in the back of my mind, but I want to get the win first."

Quotations in this article were obtained firsthand.

Charles Costello covers the Fordham Rams for Bleacher Report. A full archive of his articles can be found here. Follow him on Twitter: @CFCostello