▁and ▁ 2 4 ▁( ch ampion ship ▁series ). ▁ ▁It ▁featured ▁the ▁top ▁two ▁regular - season ▁finish ers ▁of ▁each ▁six - team ▁division , ▁plus ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁best ▁finish ers . ▁ ▁Top - se eded ▁Richmond ▁defeated ▁Massachusetts ▁in ▁the ▁title ▁game ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁tournament ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁ear ning ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁ 1 0 ' s ▁automatic ▁bid ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁NCAA ▁Tournament . ▁ ▁Se eding ▁and ▁format ▁The ▁league ' s ▁top ▁six ▁teams , ▁based ▁on ▁winning ▁percentage ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 4 - game ▁regular ▁season ▁schedule , ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁field . ▁The ▁top ▁two ▁teams ▁in ▁each ▁division ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁tournament ▁automatically ; ▁the ▁two ▁division ▁w inners , ▁Massachusetts ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁and ▁Richmond ▁in ▁the ▁West , ▁received ▁the ▁top ▁two ▁se eds ▁and ▁by es ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁double ▁elim ination ▁tournament . ▁ ▁The ▁tournament ▁was ▁different ▁from ▁most ▁double - el im ination ▁formats ▁in ▁that ▁after ▁the ▁two ▁final ists ▁were ▁decided , ▁losses ▁were ▁er ased , ▁and ▁a ▁best - of - three ▁series ▁was ▁played ▁at ▁a ▁new ▁site ▁the ▁following ▁week end ▁to ▁decide ▁the ▁champion . ▁ ▁Bra cket ▁ ▁Double - el im ination ▁round ▁ ▁Championship ▁round ▁ ▁All - T ourn ament ▁Team ▁The ▁following ▁players ▁were ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁All - T ourn ament ▁Team . ▁Richmond ' s ▁V ito ▁Ch ai