VCU vs BYU March Madness First Round: Betting Lines & Expert Predictions (March 20)
The #6 BYU Cougars face off against the #11 VCU Rams in a compelling March Madness first-round matchup. The game tips off at 4:05pm ET at Ball Arena in Denver, with BYU favored by 3.5 points.
Basketball players leap for ball
Key Matchup Factors:
- VCU boasts the 8th best defense nationally, allowing just 62.4 points per game
- BYU's offense struggled recently, scoring a season-low 54 points against Houston
- Both teams seek to break long droughts: VCU hasn't advanced past round one since 2015-16, BYU since 2013-14
Key Players:
- VCU: Max Shulga and Joe Bamisile (15.1 PPG each)
- BYU: Richie Saunders (16.0 PPG), Egor Demin (10.3 PPG, 5.4 APG)
Recent Form:
- VCU has won 12 of their last 13 games
- BYU has won 9 of their last 10, despite the recent loss to Houston
Betting Analysis:
- BYU is 17-6 as favorites this season
- VCU is 0-2 as underdogs
- Public betting heavily favors BYU (73% of moneyline bets)
- Total set at 145.5 with 69% of bets on the over
Expert Pick: VCU +3.5 (-112) Reasoning: VCU's elite defense should contain BYU's key scorers, particularly Demin, who struggled in the Big 12 Championship (9 points total, 3-for-13 FG). The Rams' defensive prowess makes them likely to cover the spread and potentially win outright.
Odds:
- Spread: BYU -3.5
- Moneyline: BYU -162
- Total: 145.5
The score predictor favors VCU to cover the spread and win outright, while also projecting the total to go over 145.5 points.