Bet On NCAA Basketball: #12 Rams vs. #5 Shockers
Shaka Smart and the VCU Rams went from the First Four to the Final Four in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Wichita State was picked by many to be a mid-major team that had the potential to go deep in the tournament this season.
NCAA Tournament Matchup: VCU vs. Wichita State
South Region
Location: Portland, Oregon
Time/TV: 7:15 PM EST on CBS
College Basketball Gambling Odds from Bookmaker
NCAA Basketball Betting Favorite: Wichita State -6
Over/Under: 133.5
On Selection Sunday we found out that these two mid-major powers will meet in their opening game in the NCAA Tournament.
Let’s take a look at this mid-major matchup.
No one saw it coming last year when the Rams from VCU burst into the Final Four. The defense they call “Havoc” definitely propelled them through the tournament. Expectations were slightly lower this year, but the Rams are back in the tournament after winning the CAA Conference Tournament.
This year’s team doesn’t shoot the ball as well, but they create turnovers better than anyone else in the nation. Six players on this VCU team have at least 37 steals this season. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Offensively, Bradford Burgess is the team’s leading scorer at 13.3 points per game. Troy Daniels leads the team in three-point shooting at 39%.
VCU gives up just 59.8 points per game. If the Rams are going to make another run, it will start with their defense.
Wichita State has been solid all season. The Shockers played a tough non-conference schedule and finished the year with a stellar 27-5 record.
Balance is the key to this team’s success. Garrett Stutz, Toure Murray, and Joe Ragland are all capable of taking over the game offensively. Stutz leads the team in points and rebounds. He averages 13.5 points and 8 boards per game. He is a 7’0 foot center who has a great shooting touch. Ragland and Murray have 105 and 104 assists respectively.
The Shockers shoot 48.5% from the floor as a team. Defensively, this is a very athletic team that doesn’t allow many open shots. Opponents shoot just 39.2% from the floor against Wichita State.
I really like Shaka Smart and the VCU program, but I think Wichita State is the much more balanced team here.
Prediction: Wichita State 73 VCU 64
