VCU, the A-10 regular-season and tournament champ, is an underseeded #12 on its way to face #5 seed St. Mary’s on Friday up in Albany.
The Rams (27-7, NET: 58) will be making their 19th all-time tournament appearance, returning to the field of 68 following a one-year absence.
VCU punched its ticket via a 68-56 win over Dayton in the A-10 championship game Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Rams have won nine straight games and 22 of their last 25 contests.
St. Mary’s (26-7, NET: 11) is also an underseeded five. The Gaels tied for first in the West Coast Conference with Gonzaga, which won the WCC title game over St. Mary’s, 77-51, on Tuesday.
The Gaels boast WCC Defensive Player of the Year Logan Johnson, who averaged 14.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Chris Graham
