Vcu Basketball heads to Chaifetz Arena to face No. 19 Saint Louis in pivotal A-10 showdown
vcu basketball (21-6, 12-2 A-10) will visit No. 19 Saint Louis (23-2, 11-1) on Friday at Chaifetz Arena, with tip-off set for 7 p. m. ET on ESPN2 — a meeting that leaves both teams locked near the top of the Atlantic 10 standings.
Vcu Basketball at Chaifetz Arena
The Rams arrive riding a 10-game winning streak after an 89-75 victory on Tuesday over George Washington, when guard Tyrell Ward led the way with 15 points off the bench and six VCU players reached double figures. VCU has been favored in each game during the streak and is 5-5 against the spread this stretch, giving the Rams momentum and a clear scoring touch heading into Friday’s matchup.
Saint Louis’ recent setback and the January meeting
Saint Louis suffered its first conference loss Tuesday, falling 81-76 at Rhode Island after an 18-game winning streak ended. Center Robbie Avila scored 21 points and collected five rebounds in the loss, while guard Jonah Hinton finished 9-for-15 from long range in the game. The Billikens beat VCU 71-62 when the teams met Jan. 7 at VCU, a game Saint Louis won as a 3. 5-point road underdog and a result that adds context to this rematch.
Betting lines, picks and what the model likes
Sportsbook openings and model analysis have shaped expectations: BetMGM shows VCU at +7. 5 (-110) on the spread, and the market includes an OVER/UNDER near 164. 5. The recommendation from the model coverage favors Saint Louis in straight play but notes the price makes backing them less attractive; the pick made in the preview is UNDER 164. 5 (-110). Lines were last updated at 1: 02 p. m. ET on the day of the game.
Statistically, VCU is an efficient offense at 83. 7 points per game and Saint Louis sits even higher at 90. 2 PPG in the numbers cited by the preview — figures that frame the betting case for a lower-scoring, tightly contested A-10 matchup late in the season.
Both teams have clear, recent benchmarks to point to: VCU’s 10-game win streak capped by the 89-75 result against George Washington, and Saint Louis’s 81-76 setback at Rhode Island with Avila’s 21 points and Hinton’s long-range performance. The next confirmed event for both programs is the Friday tip-off at Chaifetz Arena at 7 p. m. ET on ESPN2.
