VCU Rams vs La Salle Explorers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/13/24

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Rams versus the Explorers? Tip off is at at 12:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on USA. The game will be played at Tom Gola Arena in Philadelphia, PA. In this Atlantic 10 matchup, the Rams are the betting favorite against the Explorers. The over/under for the game is 145.5 points.

VCU RAMS VS LA SALLE EXPLORERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: La Salle Explorers +5.5

This game will be played at Tom Gola Arena at 12:30 ET on Saturday, January 13th.

WHY BET THE LA SALLE EXPLORERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-68 in favor of the Explorers.
• Not only will La Salle pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +5.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 142 points.

Does VCU Have a Shot at a Road Win?

VCU enters this game as 5.5-point favorites on the road. They have gone 7-4 this season when favored, including 8-2 on the road.

So far this year, VCU has a 9-7 record, including a 1-2 mark in Atlantic 10 play. They are coming off a 54-50 win over George Mason.

So far this season, VCU has an ATS record of 8-8. On the road, their ATS mark is 1-1. As the favorite, the Rams are 5-6 vs. the spread. In their last 10 games as the favorite, VCU has gone 5-5 ATS. Over their last three road games, the Rams are 1-2 vs. the spread.

VCU’s over/under record for the season sits at 8-8 and today’s over/under line of 145.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (140.2). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 145 points and their over/under record during that stretch is 2-1. So far, 10 of their games have finished with more points than today’s over/under line of 145.5.

Against George Mason, the VCU had a tough time putting up points compared to their season average of 73.3 points per game. They scored 54 points and posted a field goal percentage of 35.3% in the game. Max Shulga led the team in scoring, putting up 13 points. Additionally, Zeb Jackson contributed 8 points for the Rams.

So far this season, the VCU defense has been performing well, ranking 91st in the country at 67.8 points allowed per contest. Against George Mason, the Rams’ defense gave up 50 points and did a good job not fouling. For the game, George Mason only made 10 free-throws.

Does La Salle Have What it Takes to Win as Home Underdogs?

La Salle is 8-2 at home this season and will look to snap a two-game losing streak at home. They are 3-5 as the underdog this season, and they enter this game with a 1-2 record in Atlantic 10 play.

On the year, La Salle is 10-6 overall, including a 9-4 record in non-conference games. In their last game, they lost to Massachusetts by a score of 81-65.

La Salle’s ATS record this season is currently at .500 (8-8), but they have gone 2-3 vs. the spread in their last 5 home games and 5-5 in their last 10. As the underdog, the Explorers are 4-4 vs. the spread this year and 5-5 in their last 10 games as the underdog.

La Salle’s over/under record this season is 9-7 and today’s line of 145.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (143.2). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 147 points and their over/under record during this stretch is 1-2.

The La Salle offense is coming off a game in which they scored 65 points vs. Massachusetts. Overall their field goal percentage was 42.6% while connecting on 7 threes. The team’s top scorer is Khalil Brantley, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 15.3, while Jhamir Brickus also maintains a PPG average of 14.4 leading up to the game.

So far, the Explorers’ defense is ranked 201st in the country at 72.9 points per contest. So far, the La Salle defense is giving up an average of 9.9 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 9.8 times per game (381st).