Saint Louis Billikens vs VCU Rams NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/14/25
Looking to win big? The Billikens and Rams face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Rams are hosting the game at Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA. The over/under for this Atlantic 10 conference contest is set at 145.5 points, with VCU being favored by -8.5 at home against Saint Louis.
SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS VS VCU RAMS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Saint Louis Billikens +8.5
This game will be played at Stuart C. Siegel Center at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, January 14th.
WHY BET THE SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Rams.
- Even though we have VCU winning straight-up, we like Saint Louis at +8.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Does Saint Louis Have What it Takes on the Road?
Saint Louis improved to 8-6 on the season with a 73-68 win over St. Bonaventure on Wednesday. The Billikens, playing at home, were favored by 3.5 points and covered the spread.
Leading 34-28 at halftime, Saint Louis scored 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 40. The game’s total points of 141 narrowly missed the over/under line of 141.5.
Saint Louis put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 49% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 62.7%. They hit 13 threes at a 39.4% clip and were 66.7% on two-point attempts.
Gibson Jimerson led the way with 28 points, knocking down 6 of 11 threes. Chance Moore added 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Noel Brown was 8 for 11 from the field, finishing with 16 points.
Saint Louis gave up 68 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 49% from the field on 25 of 51 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 12 made shots on 18 attempts, a 66% shooting rate.
From three-point range, the opposing team hit 13 of 33 shots, good for 39%. Saint Louis also sent them to the free-throw line 13 times, where they made 10, shooting 76%. The Billikens limited them to just 3 offensive rebounds.
Will VCU Live Up to Expectations at Home?
VCU Rams Recent Game/Games
VCU improved to 11-4 on the season with a 73-61 win over Fordham on Wednesday, January 8th. Playing at home, the Rams were -17 point favorites going into the game.
VCU led 24-23 at halftime before scoring 49 points in the 2nd half while allowing 38. Despite the win, they didn’t cover the spread, and the total points of 134 fell short of the 144.5 O/U line.
VCU’s offense put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 41.5% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 5 of 26 attempts for 19.2%, leading to an effective field goal percentage of 46.2%. Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, connecting on 56.4% of their two-point shots.
Japhet Medor led the Rams with 19 points, adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Joe Bamisile contributed 18 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 63.6% from the field. VCU also grabbed 23 offensive rebounds, with Matt Zona adding 14 points in just 16 minutes, shooting 71.4% overall and 50% from three.
Despite VCU’s defensive efforts, they couldn’t slow down their opponent, who scored 61 points on 41% shooting from the field. The Rams allowed 22 made two-point shots on 39 attempts, with their opponent converting 56% of their shots inside the arc.
From beyond the three-point line, VCU’s defense held their opponent to just 5 made threes on 26 attempts, a 19% shooting performance. The Rams also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 22 times, where they made 14 free throws, shooting 63%.