Game Information
#18 Saint Louis Billikens (24-2) vs VCU Rams (21-6)
Time: 6pm CT Friday
How to watch: ESPN2
DraftKings Odds
Spread: SLU -7.5
Total: 164.5
KenPom Projection
SLU 86, VCU 78
It’s a showdown for first place in the Atlantic 10 tonight when the Saint Louis University Billikens tangle with the VCU Rams at Chaifetz Arena.
SLU is 12-1 in the league, with VCU just a half game behind at 12-2.
The Billikens opened up the door for the Rams to get back in the title race after suffering an 81-76 upset loss at Rhode Island on Tuesday night. VCU has been surging by winning 10 in a row after dropping back-to-back games to SLU and George Mason in early January.
Besides the A10 title race, this game also has huge NCAA Tournament implications with both teams chasing an at-large bid if they don’t win the conference tournament next month.
With a lot on the line and considering the makeup of these two teams, I think this game is a red hot under from a betting perspective.
The first meeting between SLU and VCU this season also had a high total set at 171.5, and the game went way under with just 133 points scored - and I don’t think that was a fluke.
As the saying goes, styles make fights. And when these two teams get together, it’s as if there are 10 wolves out there on the floor at all times and you have to earn just about every bucket you get.
This total is high because the offensive metrics on these teams are fantastic and they both like to play at a fast pace, so the betting algorithm spits out a high-scoring game as being likely.
I just don’t see it that way, as I find it very difficult to envision either team bringing their “A” game offensively with these squads defending each other hard for 40 minutes.
This is a multi-unit play for me tonight and one of my favorite bets of the weekend. I look for this game to end in the 70’s instead of the 80’s.
Pick: Under 164.5 at -115 on DraftKings (bet to 162.5)
Eric Sontag hosts Domesticated Gamblers every week on the STL Sports Central YouTube channel. Follow him on X @GamblingDads, and click here for his daily picks on all of our St. Louis area sports teams. Get Eric's picks for all sports by following him in the Action Network app with the username "esontag". Disclaimer