[2:32 PM] Virginia Commonwealth v. #20 Baylor

Who will WIN this matchup?

Virginia Commonwealth Rams (3-0)

#20 Baylor Bears (3-0)

 

• The line for this game is Baylor by 1.5 points.

• Baylor’s status in the rankings certainly could change with a good showing at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. The Bears are ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll but remain unranked in the coaches’ poll heading into Wednesday’s matchup with VCU.

• The Bears have four players averaging at least 10.7 points, including Lecomte and Al Freeman (14 per game), who have combined to make 14 of the team’s 20 3-pointers. Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. has been a beast on the glass with 30 rebounds in three games, and he also is averaging 5.3 blocks to rank second in the nation entering Tuesday’s action. Jonathan Motley is pitching in 14.5 points including a 17-point, seven-rebound effort in the big win against Oregon.

• The Rams will get a big boost from the return of forward Justin Tillman, who had 14 points and six rebounds in the season opener before missing the last two games with a foot injury. JeQuan Lewis is the other double-digit scorer for VCU, as he enters Wednesday averaging 10.7 points behind a crisp 7-of-16 connection rate from long-range. Freshman guard Samir Doughty has opened his career with three straight effective performances, while senior forwards Ahmed Hamdy-Mohamed and Mo Alie-Cox have been strong on the interior, averaging a combined 16.7 points and 9.4 rebounds.

• The winner will take on the victor of Michigan State and St. John’s on Thursday.

• The Rams only have nine blocks in three games, five of which are by Alie-Cox.

• The Bears grew used to dominating the boards in recent seasons but are ranked 241st nationally with an average of 35.3 rebounds this year.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Baylor Bears

Confidence: 4/10

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