VCU Rams (Overall: 26-7, Conf: 14-4)
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Team Strengths:
The Rams won’t wow anyone on offense, but their passing is better than most teams, and they usually make sure that the open man or the one who has the best rhythm to take a shot will have the ball, as evidenced by ranking 43rd in the country in assists.
Mixing well with that unselfishness is the solid team defense. As the 36th-ranked D overall (as per Kenpom.com), they only allow opponents to score 66.3 points per game and shoot 41.8 percent from the field.
Their floor general, JeQuan Lewis, can be considered as a key strength as well. He’s a two-way player that register 14.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per contest, all of which leads the team.
Team Weaknesses:
As mentioned, the Rams can’t score in bunches. They are only in the top 100s in points and 72nd in offensive efficiency. They have the tendency to put too much trust on their pesky defense, and it will have them going home after a couple of rounds, or probably earlier than that.
VCU is also falling behind in outside shooting. Lewis provides some touch behind the line (2.5 threes per game) but other than that, this team has no threat in trifectas. They collectively shoot a dismal 33.6 percent from three and only rank 291st overall in threes made.
Team Stats:
| Category | Stat | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Points Per Game | 75.0 | 129th |
| Rebounds Per Game | 36.3 | 111th |
| Blocks Per Game | 4.0 | 76th |
| Steals Per Game | 7.6 | 25th |
| Free Throw Percentage | 70.5 | 159th |
Starting Lineup:
| Position | Name | PPG |
|---|---|---|
| C | Mo Alie-Cox | 9.8 |
| F | Justin Tillman | 12.5 |
| F | Jordan Burgess | 4.7 |
| G | Samir Doughty | 5.7 |
| G | JeQuan Lewis | 14.7 |
Writer’s Prediction:
VCU will fail to advance past the round of 32.
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