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NCAAB Betting? Rams vs Billikens Predictions

Friday night NCAA basketball betting action sees the #17 VCU Rams taking on the St. Louis Billikens in St. Louis, Missouri. Cappers Picks provides free NCAA basketball handicapping tips all season long.

Typically, this would be a matchup deciding the outcome of A-10 Conference.

NCAA Basketball Odds

#17 VCU Rams (15-3) vs. St. Louis Billikens (9-9) 
Friday, Jan. 23
7:00 PM ET
Chaifetz Arena (St. Louis, Missouri)
ESPN2
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines: VCU -13
NCAA Basketball O/U: 133
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That however, is not the case as the Rams and Billikens come in on opposite ends of the conference standings on Friday night. VCU sits atop at 5-0, while St. Louis is just 1-4 in conference play.

VCU

The #17 ranked Rams will attempt to win their 11th straight contest, but could be without their leading scorer once again. Senior G Treveon Graham is battling a sprained ankle and could miss his 2nd straight game when the Rams invade the Billikens in St. Louis.

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Treveon Graham has made a strong case for A-10 player of the year thus far. He’s averaged 17.1 points a game and grabbed 6.9 rebounds. Before going down with a sprained ankle, Graham dropped in 26 points and snagged 8 rebounds in the Jan. 13th game against Rhode Island.

If Graham is unable to go on Friday, expect Junior G Melvin Johnson to be the man to step up for VCU. Johnson has averaged 13.9 points a game this season. He scored 14 points in the Rams most recent outing against Duquesne.

VCU nearly coughed up a 14 point lead against Duquesne with a poor shooting performance in the 2nd half. The Rams still ended up holding on by hitting clutch free throws in the end.

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In true road games this season, VCU brings in a 5-1 S.U. record. In neutral sight and road games combined, VCU is 5-4 ATS.

St. Louis

St. Louis is continuing to struggle to put the ball in the basket, plain and simple. The Billikens are averaging a conference worst 61.0 points a game and come off a poor 45 point performance against Dayton last time out. The Billikens find themselves in the bottom tier of the conference with just a 1-4 record. Their lone conference win came against one of the few teams worse than them, Duquesne.

Even though St. Louis is not making any excuses for themselves and their poor place thus far in the 2014-2015 season, they should realize this is more than likely a rebuilding year for them. Their whole 2013-2014 starting line up graduated this past off season and they have been working with various line ups and younger players trying to find some chemistry.

Leading the way for the young group is Freshman F Milik Yarbrough. Yarbrough is scoring 10.3 points a game, but scored just 2 points on 1 of 5 shooting against Dayton.

St. Louis has won 2 straight vs. VCU, but it will be a tough task to push it to 3 on Friday night.

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St. Louis is 7-4 S.U. in 11 true home games this season.

NCAA Basketball Trends:

  • Rams are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
  • Rams are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 Friday games.
  • Billikens are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
  • Billikens are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 vs. Atlantic 10

Free 4* NCAA Basketball Pick: VCU -13

Road conference games are always tough, but the Billikens are just not a good team this year. VCU has ran off 10 straight wins and will look to continue their dominance on Friday.

VCU 80, St. Louis 58

Expect the Rams to run away with this one and route St. Louis.

Check out our Updated College Hoops Betting Odds.

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By Tony M

Tony is new to Cappers Picks and has been betting on sports since the first day he turned 18. He is a 22 year old Cleveland native who lives and breathes Indians baseball. His dream is to be part of a championship celebration at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.