“I don’t ever look at them,” Ford said. “You hear in passing someone talking about it and you have a feel for where you are, but I don’t look. I still don’t.”

In a way, that approach makes sense because the results of one or two games can create a huge swing. No need to get comfortable.

SLU enters the final week of the regular season with the possibility of finishing anywhere from first to fifth in the Atlantic 10, a variation that could have a large impact on the Billikens’ hopes in the conference tournament.

“The first time I looked was probably two weeks ago and we were tied for second, or something like that,” guard Yuri Collins said. “Aren’t we tied for second again?”

Indeed, the Billikens are tied for second with Dayton and Fordham, two games behind first-place Virginia Commonwealth. This is one of the most challenging weeks of the season for SLU with games at VCU on Tuesday night at at home against Dayton on Friday.

The difference in where the Billikens land is important. To finish outside of the top four means having to win an extra game to win the league tournament, next week at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

At this point, fourth place is the most likely position for the Billikens because of their earlier losses to Dayton and Fordham. But the packed nature of the standings will make the week interesting considering some of the recent upsets.

“I kind of predicted that it was going to be compact near the top,” Ford said. “I figured it would be that way.”

The projected order for the top three in the league in the preseason was Dayton, SLU and VCU. The Billikens have not finished higher than fourth in Ford’s first six seasons.

VCU needs one win to clinch the regular-season championship, so the Rams will have that as the added incentive against the Billikens. SLU lost the first meeting at Chaifetz Arena 73-65.

Two of the surprise teams that are in the mix are Fordham and Duquesne. The Rams are in position to finish in the top four and the Dukes have a chance.

Regardless of the order, it is a foregone conclusion that the A-10 will not receive an at-large berth for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. Just nine years ago, the A-10 sent six teams to the tournament.

SLU and Dayton were considered prime contenders for the title or an at-large in the preseason but have not met expectations.

For now, the Billikens are focused only on the Rams and guard Ace Baldwin, who burned them for 37 points at Chaifetz. The week doesn’t get easier when Dayton visits three days later in a rematch of last season’s emotional SLU win.

“I think the league set it up that way,” Ford said.