Bet On NCAA Basketball: Rams (12) vs Hoosiers (4)
Shaka Smart and the VCU Rams are at it once again. After starting in the First Four they went to the Final Four last season.
NCAA Tournament Matchup: VCU vs. Indiana
South Region
Location: Portland, Oregon
Time/TV: 7:10 PM EST on TBS
College Basketball Gambling Odds from Bookmaker
NCAA Basketball Betting Favorite: Indiana -5.5
Over/Under: 138.5
They were up against a very tough Wichita State Shockers team in the Round of 64, but the Rams held off Wichita State to score another big upset.
Indiana had a tough first round matchup in New Mexico State, but the Hoosiers were extremely sharp in their 79-66 win. Can Smart and the Rams pull off another upset or will the Hoosiers get back to the Sweet Sixteen this year?
VCU still uses the defense they call “havoc” which is designed to cause turnovers leading to easy baskets for the Rams. This VCU team is not nearly as good on the offensive end as last year’s team, so they are much more reliant on their full court pressure defense.
Bradford Burgess and Troy Daniels are the team’s top scorers, but both of them have been inconsistent with their shot this season. Juvonte Reddic averages 10.4 points and 6.7 boards per game, and he will need to be great in the low post in this matchup. VCU gives up 59.7 points per game defensively. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
I was one of the guys who thought Indiana would have a ton of trouble with New Mexico State, but the Hoosiers shot 59% from the floor and controlled the game all the way.
The Hoosiers had just 12 turnovers in that game, and they’ll need to take care of the ball in this one against VCU’s pressure defense. Cody Zeller is one of the best freshmen in all of college basketball.
Zeller averages 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He is great at running like the floor, and this Indiana team excels in transition. Point guard Jordan Hulls shoots a staggering 50% from beyond the arc. Christian Watford is a big guy who can step out and knock down the three.
He averages 12.1 points per game, and he shoots 43% from long distance.
Indiana is a bit thin in the backcourt due to the loss of Verdell Jones III to a season-ending knee injury.
VCU is the better defensive team, but Indiana has a lot more offensive weapons. In the end, I expect a very close game.
Prediction: Indiana 69 VCU 66
