VCU vs Dayton Basketball Predictions and Picks

The VCU Rams took sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 conference with a 10-point victory over Davidson on Wednesday. It was a historic moment for the Rams who clinched at least a share of the Atlantic 10 title with that victory. They will look to win the regular season title outright when they face the Dayton Flyers in a blockbuster matchup this coming Saturday.

Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this critical clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of LSU vs. Kentucky and Iowa vs. Michigan.

March Madness News & Predictions

VCU Rams vs. Dayton Flyers Preview

Where: University of Dayton Arena, Dayton

When: Saturday, March 5, 8:00 PM ET

Line: VCU Rams at Dayton Flyers – view all NCAA Basketball lines

TV Broadcast: CBSSN

Betting on the VCU Rams (22-8, 14-3 A-10)

The VCU Rams extended their winning streak to two games with a straightforward 70-60 victory over the Davidson Wildcats on Wednesday. It was a dominant display by the Rams who maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half. Three players scored in double-figures for the Rams who have now won five of their last six games.

Providing the impetus for the Rams’ resurgence is their incredible offense. The Rams are averaging 78.8 points over their last five victories. That’s way above their season average of 77.4 points. That sizzling offense was in full display Wednesday against Davidson where they shot a solid 50.9 percent from the field.

The Rams will look to secure the 1-seed in the upcoming conference tournament when they square off with Dayton this coming Saturday. For the Rams to accomplish that feat, they will need to get another solid performance from Mo Alie-Cox. He had 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in the win against Davidson. Alie-Cox has been magnificent for the Rams this campaign, averaging 10.2 points, 5.1 boards and 1.8 blocks per game this season.

The Rams will also take comfort in the knowledge that they have fared extremely well against the Flyers of late. They have won three of their last four games against Dayton. Saturday’s game is the first meeting between the two sides this season.

VCU is 6-4 SU and ATS in its last 10 road games.

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Betting on the Dayton Flyers (23-6, 13-4 A-10)

Dayton returned to the win column Tuesday with a thrilling 85-84 victory over Richmond at Robins Center. It was a huge bounce-back win for the Flyers, who absorbed a disappointing 75-66 defeat to Rhode Island in their previous game. The victory kept alive the Flyers’ chances of winning the Atlantic-10 regular-season title as they moved to within a game of VCU at the top of the team standings.

For a while, though, it seemed like an upset was in the cards as Richmond built a 58-47 advantage at the 11:39 mark of the second half. Fortunately for head coach Archie Miller, Scoochie Smith was there to save the day as his inspired play helped steer Dayton to the comeback victory. Smith scored 24 of his career-high 26 points in the second half to provide the spark the Flyers desperately needed.

He has been a vital cog to the Flyers’ success this season, averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Providing vital support to Smith was the pair of Charles Cooke and Dyshawn Pierre. Cooke hit four three-pointers to finish with 21 points while Pierre scored 15 markers and grabbed 10 boards.

The Flyers will look to sustain the momentum of that huge win when they take on VCU tonight. For the Flyers to end their regular season on a high, they will need to find a way to limit their turnovers. Dayton committed a whopping 12 miscues in their game against Richmond. Apart from protecting the basketball, the Flyers also need their bench to step up their play. Their reserves scored just seven points on Tuesday.