Atlantic 10 foes will lock horns when the VCU Rams (17-5) face the George Washington Colonials (17-5) at Stuart Siegel Center. Action begins at 12:00 pm ET on Saturday, Feb. 6 and can be seen on CCS.
The Rams enter this game hoping for similar success after dismantling La Salle 88-70 on Wednesday. Melvin Johnson was the game’s leading scorer with 30 points on 10-for-19 shooting. The Colonials, meanwhile, are coming off a 79-69 win against Davidson on Wednesday. Yuta Watanabe played well for George Washington, accounting for 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Over the last five games, JeQuan Lewis has taken his game to another level for the Rams, averaging 19.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 three-pointers.
The Rams have gone 17-5 Straight Up (SU) and 13-6 Against The Spread (ATS). The Rams are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .382 from beyond the arc. Expect to see a lot of second-chance opportunities for VCU in this matchup, which is one of the top rebounding teams in the nation with an average of 13.0 offensive boards per game. Crossing over to the defensive side of the court, the Rams prevent teams from making three-pointers, ranking 38th in the nation with 129 total three-pointers allowed (5.0 per game). VCU’s defenders rank fourth in Division I in steals with 9.9 per game.
In the other locker room, the Colonials have records of 9-10-1 ATS and 17-5 SU. George Washington performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning an 8-1 record. Offensively, the Colonials have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 76.0 points per game by averaging 83.4 during that stretch. The Colonials get to the line and convert their free throws at a high volume, ranking 20th in the nation with 421 made (19.0 per game).
These conference foes meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. VCU won the last game in the matchup, bumping its SU record to 7-1 over George Washington in their most recent meetings. With a 7-1 record, the Rams also have the advantage ATS. VCU held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers one time, while George Washington was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – VCU, ATS Winner – VCU
Notes
“Virginia Commonwealth is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games “.
“Virginia Commonwealth is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games “.
“The total has gone OVER in 4 of Virginia Commonwealth’s last 5 games “.
“Virginia Commonwealth is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home”.
“Virginia Commonwealth is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing George Washington”.
“Virginia Commonwealth is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing George Washington”.
“The total has gone OVER in 6 of Virginia Commonwealth’s last 8 games when playing George Washington”.
The VCU Rams stand undefeated at 9-0 SU against the Atlantic 10 Conference. The George Washington Colonials have a winning record (6-3) in the conference.
The George Washington Colonials average 76.0 points per game, ranking 97th in the nation. The VCU Rams rank 59th in points allowed with 67.0.
George Washington scores just 70.0 points per away game (ranked 138th). VCU ranks 61st in points allowed at home, giving up 64.2 points.
Ranked 70th, the VCU Rams have an offensive rating of 111.3. The George Washington Colonials rank 130th with a defensive rating of just 101.0.
The VCU Rams average 70.6 possessions per game and 1.113 points per possession, while the George Washington Colonials earn fewer possessions (67.5) but more points per possession (1.126).
George Washington has an average effective field goal percentage of 49.8%. VCU is a dazzling 9-2 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
VCU ranks 96th in assists, registering 14.8 per game. George Washington performs worse at 146th with 13.8 assists per game.
George Washington, the 78th-ranked team in rebounding, registers an average of 38.5 rebounds per game. VCU does worse, ranked 136th with 37.2.
The VCU Rams rank fourth in steals this season, with an average of 9.9 per game. When the George Washington Colonials allow at least 9 steals, they have a winning 3-1 record.
