PREMIUM
Rogers' Afternoon ANNIHILATION >> 8-3 Past 2 Days!
(NCAAB) VCU vs. Baylor,
Point Spread: -1.50 | 100.00 Baylor (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -1.50 | 100.00 Baylor (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up; Baylor did not open the season in the top-25 but the team's dominating 66-49 home win over preseason No. 5 Oregon allowed the Bears to become one of the first teams this season to enter the top-25 by virtue of a credible victory. 3-0 VCU is unranked but this is a program used to winning. The Rams have been to the NCAA Tournament for six straight years and last season advanced a round farther than Baylor (Bears lost their first game to Arkansas-LR). VCU defeated seventh-seeded Oregon State in the opening round and then the Rams pushed Final Four-bound Oklahoma for 40 minutes before the Sooners escaped Oklahoma City with a four-point win.
Baylor: The Bears lost three starters from last year's 22-12 squad, Prince (15.9-6.1), Gathers (11.2-9.0) and Medford (8.9). Guard Freeman averaged 11.3 PPG last season and is averaging 14.0 & 4.7 through three games. PG Lecomte is a Miami transfer and he's leading the team in scoring (16.7) and assists (7.0). The 6-10 Jonathan Motley (11.1 & 5.1 last year) was a preseason all-Big 12 selection and made his season debut against Oregon after he missed the opener due to suspension. Motley is averaging 14.5 & 6.5 in his two games, joined up front by 7-0 JCO transfer Lual-Acuil (10.7 & 10.0) plus returning forwards Wainwright (7.7-4.3-4.3) and Matson (7.3-4.3).
VCU: The Rams are accustomed to playing top-notch nonconference competition and have the March Madness credibility in recent years to match just about anyone in college basketball. However, three starters are gone from last year's team, including the team's best player, Melvin Johnson (17.4 PPG). VCU is expected to have the 6-7 Justin Tillman back for this game. He had 14 points and six rebounds in the season opener before missing the last two games with a foot injury. Senior guard JeQuan Lewis (10.7) is the team's only other double-digit scorer but there is strength in numbers with VCU. Eight others are getting 15 MPG and average between 4.7 and 9.3 PPG. The whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts with VCU.
The pick: VCU is a veteran team (coming off a 25-win season) but without a marquee talent. Baylor is now No. 20 in the latest AP poll and owns a dominating frontcourt led by the returning Motley and the 7-0 JUCO transfer Lual-Acuil plus in Miami transfer Lecomte, the Bears just may have a terrific PG on their hands. The Battle 4 Atlantis tourney features a quality field and the pick says Baylor advances to a Thanksgiving Day meeting with the winner of Michigan State and St. John's. Baylor is an 8* play.
Baylor: The Bears lost three starters from last year's 22-12 squad, Prince (15.9-6.1), Gathers (11.2-9.0) and Medford (8.9). Guard Freeman averaged 11.3 PPG last season and is averaging 14.0 & 4.7 through three games. PG Lecomte is a Miami transfer and he's leading the team in scoring (16.7) and assists (7.0). The 6-10 Jonathan Motley (11.1 & 5.1 last year) was a preseason all-Big 12 selection and made his season debut against Oregon after he missed the opener due to suspension. Motley is averaging 14.5 & 6.5 in his two games, joined up front by 7-0 JCO transfer Lual-Acuil (10.7 & 10.0) plus returning forwards Wainwright (7.7-4.3-4.3) and Matson (7.3-4.3).
VCU: The Rams are accustomed to playing top-notch nonconference competition and have the March Madness credibility in recent years to match just about anyone in college basketball. However, three starters are gone from last year's team, including the team's best player, Melvin Johnson (17.4 PPG). VCU is expected to have the 6-7 Justin Tillman back for this game. He had 14 points and six rebounds in the season opener before missing the last two games with a foot injury. Senior guard JeQuan Lewis (10.7) is the team's only other double-digit scorer but there is strength in numbers with VCU. Eight others are getting 15 MPG and average between 4.7 and 9.3 PPG. The whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts with VCU.
The pick: VCU is a veteran team (coming off a 25-win season) but without a marquee talent. Baylor is now No. 20 in the latest AP poll and owns a dominating frontcourt led by the returning Motley and the 7-0 JUCO transfer Lual-Acuil plus in Miami transfer Lecomte, the Bears just may have a terrific PG on their hands. The Battle 4 Atlantis tourney features a quality field and the pick says Baylor advances to a Thanksgiving Day meeting with the winner of Michigan State and St. John's. Baylor is an 8* play.
