It will be a battle between A10 opponents when the Saint Louis Billikens (18-8, 7-6 A10) welcome the VCU Rams (17-9, 7-6 A10) to Chaifetz Arena. The game will air on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, February 21, 2020.
VCU Rams at Saint Louis Billikens ATS Prediction
The Rams are trying to rebound after their 66-61 loss to the No. 5 Dayton Flyers in their last game. Getting to the charity stripe was one of Dayton’s biggest strengths. They made 31 trips to the line, while VCU went 22 times. VCU’s Marcus Santos-Silva had a solid game, contributing 12 points and 17 rebounds.
In the Billikens’ last outing, they lost to the Massachusetts Minutemen, 67-63. Massachusetts’ 15.4 turnover percentage was their biggest advantage over Saint Louis, who had a mark of 19.8. The Minutemen’s mark was better than their season average of 17.1, while the Billikens’ was above their season average of 15.4. With 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting, Jordan Goodwin led Saint Louis in scoring.
After the Rams won the only game against the Billikens last season, 71-65, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. The Rams had a much better turnover percentage (16.2 vs. 23.8) and had a better free throw rate (0.353 vs. 0.300).
The offensive glass should be a huge advantage for Saint Louis in this showdown. The Billikens currently rank 23rd in offensive rebounding percentage (34.7 percent), while VCU ranks 291st in defensive rebounding percentage (69.5 percent).
VCU Rams vs. Saint Louis Billikens Free Pick
Pick:ย ATS Winner – Saint Louis, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
Saint Louis ranks 21st in rebounds per game (39.7) while VCU ranks 215th in rebounds allowed per game (36.5).
The Rams rank eighth in steals per game (9.4) while the Billikens rank 147th in steals allowed per game (6.7).
VCU ranks 145th in three pointers attempted per game (21.8) while Saint Louis ranks 280th (16.5).
The Rams rank 36th in blocks per game (4.5) while the Billikens rank 130th in blocks allowed per game (3.6).
The Rams have been outscored by an average of 5.8 points in their last five games. For the season, VCU has defeated opponents by an average of 7.2 points.
During their last five games, the Billikens have scored an average of 71.6 points per game (0.3 above their season average) and allowed an average of 72.4 points per game (6.0 above their season average).