Saint Louis Billikens vs VCU Rams Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our VCU vs Saint Louis NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in St. Louis.

VCU vs Saint Louis Prediction

The Rams and Billikens are set to face off at 8:00 ET on CBSS. The Billikens will host the game at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO. In this Atlantic 10 matchup, VCU is favored bt -5.5 vs. Saint Louis. The over/under for the game is 142.5 points.

VCU vs. Saint Louis Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: VCU Rams at Saint Louis Billikens
Where: St. Louis at Chaifetz Arena
Date: Tuesday, January 28th
Betting Odds VCU -5.5, VCU -245 | STLOU +195 O/U 142.5

Rams Preview: Can VCU Pull Off a Road Win?

VCU Rams Recent Game/Games

VCU improved to 15-4 on the season with a 75-61 win over St. Bonaventure on Friday, January 24th. The Rams, who were -12.5 favorites, covered the spread in the home victory. The total points for the game were 136, just over the O/U line of 134.5.

After trailing 33-25 at halftime, VCU turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring the Bonnies 50-28.

Rams Offense Breakdown

VCU's offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 44.8% from the field. They connected on 45.8% of their three-point attempts, going 11-for-24 from deep, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 55.2%. At the free-throw line, they hit 75%, making 12 of 16 attempts.

Chance Moore led the Rams with 21 points and 8 rebounds, while Joe Bamisile added 18 points and 6 assists, hitting 50% from three. Phillip Russell contributed 16 points, knocking down 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.

Rams Team Defense

Despite VCU's defensive efforts, they allowed 61 points on 44% shooting from the field. The Rams gave up 11 three-pointers, with the opposing team shooting 45% from beyond the arc.

VCU sent their opponents to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 12 attempts, shooting 75%. The Rams also allowed 6 offensive rebounds in the game.

Billikens Preview: Does Saint Louis Have What it Takes at Home?

Saint Louis Billikens Recent Game/Games

Saint Louis dropped to 10-8 on the season after a 67-61 loss to George Washington on Saturday. The Billikens were -1.5 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 128, falling short of the 147.5 O/U line.

Saint Louis struggled early, trailing 36-22 at halftime. They outscored George Washington 39-31 in the second half but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Billikens Offense Breakdown

Saint Louis struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 6 of 28 threes for a 21.4% shooting percentage. Their overall field goal percentage was 43.9%, with an effective field goal percentage of 49.1%. Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, connecting on 65.5% of their two-point attempts.

Rafael Castro led the way with 21 points, shooting 81.8% from the field. Christian Jones contributed 16 points, hitting 2 of 5 from three-point range. The Billikens finished with 15 assists and 7 offensive rebounds, scoring a total of 61 points.

Billikens Team Defense

Even with Saint Louis allowing 67 points, their defense struggled to contain shots, giving up 47% shooting from the field. The Billikens were particularly vulnerable inside, as they allowed 61% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 21 of 34 shots.

Saint Louis did manage to limit damage from beyond the arc, holding the other team to just 4 made threes on 19 attempts, a 21% success rate. They also sent the opposition to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 13, shooting 61%.

Rams vs Billikens Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, VCU has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 77 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
In their last five games at home, the Billikens have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 69 points per game in this stretch.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Billikens have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 3-7.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Rams have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 4-1 in these scenarios.