No. 25 VCU picked to win the Atlantic 10 championship

NEW YORK (AP) — No. 25 VCU is favored to win the Atlantic 10 men’s basketball championship for a second straight season.

The Rams return four starters from last year’s team, which won the A-10 regular season and reached the NCAA Tournament. Marcus Evans, the team’s leading returning scorer, was selected to the preseason all-Atlantic 10 team.

The Atlantic 10 held its media day Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the league’s postseason tournament will be held in March.

VCU received 19 first-place votes from coaches and media members who cover the conference. Davidson was picked second and received eight first-place votes. Dayton received one first-place vote and was picked third.

Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure round out the top five. Saint Louis, which won the A-10 tournament to reach the NCAAs last year, was picked seventh.