
Throughout the season we'll look at bubble teams and assess whether they have a better chance of ending up in the NIT or NCAA Tournament.
Team: Virginia Commonwealth Rams
Record: 23-6 (15-3 CAA)
Good Wins: Houston, Maryland, Akron
Bad Losses: Hampton, James Madison
Comments: Taken by themselves, none of those three nonconference wins do much to generate a ton of excitement about VCU. As a group, with a win against Bradley tossed in for good measure, they do a lot to bolster the resume of a team that ran away with the Colonial regular-season title. The Rams finished three games clear of George Mason and UNC-Wilmington and have a gaudy record.
Other Views: They are 43rd in RPI, 14th on Basketball State, 71st in the Pomeroy Ratings and 49th on the Sagarin Ratings.
Outlook: Obviously VCU can make this moot by continuing their dominance of the CAA and winning the auto bid. If they don't, however, they should still make the dance on the strength of their regular season play. The committee likes to reward regular season champions that lap the field and that bodes very well for the Rams.




