VCU gets one more tuneup before heading to Florida for this year's Emerald Coast Classic semis and the resume-building opportunities that await against Purdue and either Tennessee or Florida State. But first comes Alabama State and what is on paper VCU's biggest mismatch of the season. This could be a lot of fun.
VCU (5-0)
VCU (5-0)
ALABAMA STATE (0-4)[/HEADING=3]
A QUICK LOOK AT ALABAMA STATE[/HEADING=3]
Last season's sixth place SWAC finishers will collect a paycheck to take on the Rams tonight at the Stu in what is a daunting task for Lewis Jackson's Hornets. The longtime State coach has struggled to get his Hornets out of sub-300 range these past few seasons and has been beaten up early by a slew of top-100 teams, taking several 30-point beatings to the likes of Gonzaga, Houston and Tennessee. The Hornets posted a season-high 64 points agains the Zags but surrendered 95 in their road opener, but have yet to surpass 60 since. That gets no easier tonight against the highest-ranked defense they will have faced all season.
State currently sits at 317th in kenpom's rankings, the lowest ranked team VCU will have faced all season long. The Hornets rank 328th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and bring one of the nation's worst turnover offenses into what is sure to be a real hornets nest tonight at Siegel against VCU's fourth-ranked turnover D. Defensively ASU ranks a little higher, checking in at 277th nationally but find themselves sub-300 in both two-point and three-point percentage defense.
They're one of the most experienced teams in the country, playing literally zero freshmen or sophomores, but what they make up in experience, they lack in size, checking in at 341st nationally in average height. ASU starts a backcourt of 5'9 and 6'1 and are anchored at the five spot by 6'8 215, Brandon Battle and 6'8 220 Tyrese Robinson.
Alabama State comes to the Stu as the lowest ranked opponent VCU will have played since hosting kenpom No.331 VMI on Dec 22, 2017, a closer-than-expected 10-point win for the black and gold.
A QUICK LOOK AT VCU[/HEADING=3]
VCU's recent win against Florida Gulf Coast demonstrated what makes this Rams team so dangerous: they won by 30 despite shooting just 36.8% from the field.
That is terrifying for opponents remaining on the Rams' schedule.
The black and gold ranked seventh nationally in defensive efficiency by the end of last year's schedule, then returned every key piece from that team and added some promising freshmen, including 6'9 Hason Ward who leads the team with a 20.9% blocks percentage, currently higher than Larry Sanders' 19.3% career best. Combine VCU's new shot blocking prowess -- ranked forth nationally after checking in at 40th last season -- with the forth-ranked turnover D in the nation and you've got ultimate havoc on Broad St. and a defense that has the potential to take VCU to great heights this season.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 77.2, ASU 52.8</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 61.8, ASU 78.5</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 51.3%, ASU 42%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.5%, ASU 56.4%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 34.1%, ASU 32.5%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 32.3%, ASU 39%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 51.4%, ASU 37.9%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 44%, ASU 55.3%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 36.6, ASU 26.5</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 20.7%, ASU 25.1%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 30.2%, ASU 19%</span>
VCU WINS IF[/HEADING=3]
On paper VCU simply needs to remember there is a game tonight to win this one. It's the biggest mismatch of the season statistically and one of the biggest in recent memories. Tonight is less about "VCU wins if" and more about tightening up to see "how they win", specifically on the offensive end.
VCU shooting under 40% in their last game against the nation's 211th-ranked defense wasn't a big deal in that game, but hints at some concern against better teams. I'll be looking to see how VCU improves offensive efficiency against a defense they should completely shred and hoping VCU can win by more than 25 to improve their overall kenpom ranking of 33 that ranks considerably lower than their national ranking in both the media and coaches polls (meaning the computers like VCU a bit less than the humans do). I also would love to see the Rams get up large enough early to get some more run for a guy like Jarren McAllister, who anyone who sits near me knows it's a young player I'm extremely high on that Ram fans aren't getting to see much of early due to a VERY experienced group of players at his position ahead of him (Jenkins, Vann, Simms and Crowfield).
Kenpom: 80-55 VCU win with a 99% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: MASN/ESPN+
Listen: <a href="https://www.iheart.com/live/fox-sports-910-richmond-2461/?autoplay=true&pname=1248&campid=header&cid=index.html">Fox Sports 910 AM & 98.5 FM</a>
Live Tweets: <a href="https://twitter.com/vcuramnation">@VCURamNation</a>
Last season's sixth place SWAC finishers will collect a paycheck to take on the Rams tonight at the Stu in what is a daunting task for Lewis Jackson's Hornets. The longtime State coach has struggled to get his Hornets out of sub-300 range these past few seasons and has been beaten up early by a slew of top-100 teams, taking several 30-point beatings to the likes of Gonzaga, Houston and Tennessee. The Hornets posted a season-high 64 points agains the Zags but surrendered 95 in their road opener, but have yet to surpass 60 since. That gets no easier tonight against the highest-ranked defense they will have faced all season.
State currently sits at 317th in kenpom's rankings, the lowest ranked team VCU will have faced all season long. The Hornets rank 328th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and bring one of the nation's worst turnover offenses into what is sure to be a real hornets nest tonight at Siegel against VCU's fourth-ranked turnover D. Defensively ASU ranks a little higher, checking in at 277th nationally but find themselves sub-300 in both two-point and three-point percentage defense.
They're one of the most experienced teams in the country, playing literally zero freshmen or sophomores, but what they make up in experience, they lack in size, checking in at 341st nationally in average height. ASU starts a backcourt of 5'9 and 6'1 and are anchored at the five spot by 6'8 215, Brandon Battle and 6'8 220 Tyrese Robinson.
Alabama State comes to the Stu as the lowest ranked opponent VCU will have played since hosting kenpom No.331 VMI on Dec 22, 2017, a closer-than-expected 10-point win for the black and gold.
A QUICK LOOK AT VCU[/HEADING=3]
VCU's recent win against Florida Gulf Coast demonstrated what makes this Rams team so dangerous: they won by 30 despite shooting just 36.8% from the field.
That is terrifying for opponents remaining on the Rams' schedule.
The black and gold ranked seventh nationally in defensive efficiency by the end of last year's schedule, then returned every key piece from that team and added some promising freshmen, including 6'9 Hason Ward who leads the team with a 20.9% blocks percentage, currently higher than Larry Sanders' 19.3% career best. Combine VCU's new shot blocking prowess -- ranked forth nationally after checking in at 40th last season -- with the forth-ranked turnover D in the nation and you've got ultimate havoc on Broad St. and a defense that has the potential to take VCU to great heights this season.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 77.2, ASU 52.8</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 61.8, ASU 78.5</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 51.3%, ASU 42%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.5%, ASU 56.4%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 34.1%, ASU 32.5%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 32.3%, ASU 39%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 51.4%, ASU 37.9%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 44%, ASU 55.3%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 36.6, ASU 26.5</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 20.7%, ASU 25.1%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 30.2%, ASU 19%</span>
VCU WINS IF[/HEADING=3]
On paper VCU simply needs to remember there is a game tonight to win this one. It's the biggest mismatch of the season statistically and one of the biggest in recent memories. Tonight is less about "VCU wins if" and more about tightening up to see "how they win", specifically on the offensive end.
VCU shooting under 40% in their last game against the nation's 211th-ranked defense wasn't a big deal in that game, but hints at some concern against better teams. I'll be looking to see how VCU improves offensive efficiency against a defense they should completely shred and hoping VCU can win by more than 25 to improve their overall kenpom ranking of 33 that ranks considerably lower than their national ranking in both the media and coaches polls (meaning the computers like VCU a bit less than the humans do). I also would love to see the Rams get up large enough early to get some more run for a guy like Jarren McAllister, who anyone who sits near me knows it's a young player I'm extremely high on that Ram fans aren't getting to see much of early due to a VERY experienced group of players at his position ahead of him (Jenkins, Vann, Simms and Crowfield).
Kenpom: 80-55 VCU win with a 99% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: MASN/ESPN+
Listen: <a href="https://www.iheart.com/live/fox-sports-910-richmond-2461/?autoplay=true&pname=1248&campid=header&cid=index.html">Fox Sports 910 AM & 98.5 FM</a>
Live Tweets: <a href="https://twitter.com/vcuramnation">@VCURamNation</a>
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 77.2, ASU 52.8</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 61.8, ASU 78.5</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 51.3%, ASU 42%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.5%, ASU 56.4%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 34.1%, ASU 32.5%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 32.3%, ASU 39%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 51.4%, ASU 37.9%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 44%, ASU 55.3%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 36.6, ASU 26.5</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 20.7%, ASU 25.1%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 30.2%, ASU 19%</span>
