Tonight the A-10 preseason No.1 and No.2 fight to simply finish in the top-4 when the Wildcats of Davidson come to the Stu to take on the black and gold of VCU. The duo combined for just six total conferences losses last season, a number they have already surpassed (7) with half of A-10 play still yet to be tipped up. The Rams currently sit outside of the Atlantic 10 top-4 and the coveted tournament double-bye that comes with it. A win tonight and VCU stays on pace for a Friday opener in Brooklyn. A loss and the Rams find themselves in the bottom half of the conference after starting the season ranked in the national top-25.
VCU (16-6, 6-3)
VCU (16-6, 6-3)
DAVIDSON (11-10, 5-4)[/HEADING=3]
A QUICK LOOK AT DAVIDSON[/HEADING=3]
Despite their record, the Cats currently sit at about their same position on kenpom this year (No.89) as last season (No.85) and oddly enough have an ever-so-slightly better adjusted efficiency margin this season than last. They are a dangerous team, but one that has had some very puzzling losses. Bob McKillop and Co. own Ls to sub-100 teams like Charlotte (by 13), Wake Forest (by 12), Temple (by 13), Vanderbilt in a close one and most recently, their worst loss of the season, a 4OT L at kenpom No.213 George Washington.
Davidson looks somewhat similar to last year's team, returning A-10 Player of the Year, Jon Axel Gudmundsson and backcourt mate, Kellan Grady, but have seen strange departures from college basketball altogether from sharpshooter Luke Frampton (a 48.2% three-point shooter this season) and 6'6 senior "glue guy", KiShawn Pritchett.
In their place the Cats are getting good minutes from 6'7 freshman, Hyunjung Lee, a 40% three-point shooter on a team that ranks 53rd nationally in three-point percentage. He joins Mike Jones (who? Mike Jones) as one of two new 40%+ three-point shooters to help makeup for the loss of Frampton.
The duo have found consistent minutes for Davidson and are two big reasons the Cats are one of the better offensive teams in the country.
Defensively Davidson has been beatable, but are as of this moment the current No.1 two-point defense in Atlantic 10 play, limiting conference foes to just 43.9% shooting inside the arc. Outside of the odd 107 points surrendered in four overtimes at GW, the Cats had limited their other previous opponents to 62 points or less.
Last year's group limited VCU to just 57 points in a Wildcats win in the only meeting between these two last season.
A QUICK LOOK AT VCU[/HEADING=3]
We're 22 games into the season and the Rams have the look of a team still trying to figure out their roster. VCU ranks 39th nationally in bench minutes played and with such a deep roster, seem to be having a bit of a challenge finding the right group(s) for optimal efficiency. Injuries have added to the confusion as well, with senior Malik Crowfield only recently coming back from injury and Vince Williams set to do the same himself soon enough.
The Rams made their first real big change to the starting lineup in last week's road loss at Rhody, opting for 6'9 Corey Douglas at the power forward position over previous starter, 6'5 Mike'L Simms, but foul trouble limited Douglas to just 11 minutes, coaches decision limited Simms to 16 (including just three the second half) and saw KeShawn Curry play a career-high 24.
Bones Hyland has earned a major role in VCU's lineup, averaging 15.3 points per contest over the last three and shooting an Atlantic-10 best (and absolutely ludicrous) 51.1% from three-point land in conference games.
Freshman Jarren McAllister has seen his role increase, even if it's just been limited minutes. He played a career-high nine in the loss at Rhody, six of which came during the second half in which VCU outscored Rhode Island, 48-38.
The Rams have climbed into the top-100 offensively this season thanks mostly to an improved turnover rate and three-point shooting. Defensively VCU has taken a bit of a step back, most recently giving up a season-high 87 in the loss at Rhode Island. Despite that fact, the black and gold currently rank 26th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 72.8, DAV 72.4</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 63.5, DAV 67.4</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 53.3%, VCU 50.6%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 46.3%, DAV 49.1%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 36%, VCU 35.4%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 32.4%, DAV 33.6%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 52.7%, VCU 49.1%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.1%, VCU 48.3%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 34.4, DAV 32.6</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 16.7%, VCU 18.2%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 25.2%, DAV 18.1.%</span>
<h4>VCU WINS IF</h4>
The three A-10 teams that Davidson has played that most resemble VCU are Saint Louis, Duquesne and Rhode Island. Physical teams who can, at times, go a bit cold from the field.
The Wildcats went 1-2 against that trio, limiting SLU to just 31.4% shooting inside the arc despite Saint Louis' physicality advantage and hitting a solid 35% from distance in the win. Davidson gave up 40% shooting from distance to Rhody (to just 17.4% themselves) and were outscored by seven at the free throw stripe. The Cats allowed Duquesne to finish 60% of their interior shots and shot a decent 34.5% from distance but made just six free throws in the loss to Keith Dambrot and Co.
The Rams gotta knock down the open looks they get, attempt to bully the Wildcats down low and must be more like the VCU defense we know than the one we saw at Rhode Island or it's gonna be misery on the forums for the next several weeks.
Kenpom: 72-65 VCU win with an 75% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: CBS Sports Network
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>
Despite their record, the Cats currently sit at about their same position on kenpom this year (No.89) as last season (No.85) and oddly enough have an ever-so-slightly better adjusted efficiency margin this season than last. They are a dangerous team, but one that has had some very puzzling losses. Bob McKillop and Co. own Ls to sub-100 teams like Charlotte (by 13), Wake Forest (by 12), Temple (by 13), Vanderbilt in a close one and most recently, their worst loss of the season, a 4OT L at kenpom No.213 George Washington.
Davidson looks somewhat similar to last year's team, returning A-10 Player of the Year, Jon Axel Gudmundsson and backcourt mate, Kellan Grady, but have seen strange departures from college basketball altogether from sharpshooter Luke Frampton (a 48.2% three-point shooter this season) and 6'6 senior "glue guy", KiShawn Pritchett.
In their place the Cats are getting good minutes from 6'7 freshman, Hyunjung Lee, a 40% three-point shooter on a team that ranks 53rd nationally in three-point percentage. He joins Mike Jones (who? Mike Jones) as one of two new 40%+ three-point shooters to help makeup for the loss of Frampton.
The duo have found consistent minutes for Davidson and are two big reasons the Cats are one of the better offensive teams in the country.
Defensively Davidson has been beatable, but are as of this moment the current No.1 two-point defense in Atlantic 10 play, limiting conference foes to just 43.9% shooting inside the arc. Outside of the odd 107 points surrendered in four overtimes at GW, the Cats had limited their other previous opponents to 62 points or less.
Last year's group limited VCU to just 57 points in a Wildcats win in the only meeting between these two last season.
A QUICK LOOK AT VCU[/HEADING=3]
We're 22 games into the season and the Rams have the look of a team still trying to figure out their roster. VCU ranks 39th nationally in bench minutes played and with such a deep roster, seem to be having a bit of a challenge finding the right group(s) for optimal efficiency. Injuries have added to the confusion as well, with senior Malik Crowfield only recently coming back from injury and Vince Williams set to do the same himself soon enough.
The Rams made their first real big change to the starting lineup in last week's road loss at Rhody, opting for 6'9 Corey Douglas at the power forward position over previous starter, 6'5 Mike'L Simms, but foul trouble limited Douglas to just 11 minutes, coaches decision limited Simms to 16 (including just three the second half) and saw KeShawn Curry play a career-high 24.
Bones Hyland has earned a major role in VCU's lineup, averaging 15.3 points per contest over the last three and shooting an Atlantic-10 best (and absolutely ludicrous) 51.1% from three-point land in conference games.
Freshman Jarren McAllister has seen his role increase, even if it's just been limited minutes. He played a career-high nine in the loss at Rhody, six of which came during the second half in which VCU outscored Rhode Island, 48-38.
The Rams have climbed into the top-100 offensively this season thanks mostly to an improved turnover rate and three-point shooting. Defensively VCU has taken a bit of a step back, most recently giving up a season-high 87 in the loss at Rhode Island. Despite that fact, the black and gold currently rank 26th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 72.8, DAV 72.4</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 63.5, DAV 67.4</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 53.3%, VCU 50.6%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 46.3%, DAV 49.1%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 36%, VCU 35.4%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 32.4%, DAV 33.6%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 52.7%, VCU 49.1%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.1%, VCU 48.3%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 34.4, DAV 32.6</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 16.7%, VCU 18.2%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 25.2%, DAV 18.1.%</span>
<h4>VCU WINS IF</h4>
The three A-10 teams that Davidson has played that most resemble VCU are Saint Louis, Duquesne and Rhode Island. Physical teams who can, at times, go a bit cold from the field.
The Wildcats went 1-2 against that trio, limiting SLU to just 31.4% shooting inside the arc despite Saint Louis' physicality advantage and hitting a solid 35% from distance in the win. Davidson gave up 40% shooting from distance to Rhody (to just 17.4% themselves) and were outscored by seven at the free throw stripe. The Cats allowed Duquesne to finish 60% of their interior shots and shot a decent 34.5% from distance but made just six free throws in the loss to Keith Dambrot and Co.
The Rams gotta knock down the open looks they get, attempt to bully the Wildcats down low and must be more like the VCU defense we know than the one we saw at Rhode Island or it's gonna be misery on the forums for the next several weeks.
Kenpom: 72-65 VCU win with an 75% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: CBS Sports Network
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 72.8, DAV 72.4</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 63.5, DAV 67.4</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 53.3%, VCU 50.6%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 46.3%, DAV 49.1%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 36%, VCU 35.4%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 32.4%, DAV 33.6%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 52.7%, VCU 49.1%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.1%, VCU 48.3%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 34.4, DAV 32.6</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #ff0000;">DAV 16.7%, VCU 18.2%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 25.2%, DAV 18.1.%</span>
<h4>VCU WINS IF</h4>
The three A-10 teams that Davidson has played that most resemble VCU are Saint Louis, Duquesne and Rhode Island. Physical teams who can, at times, go a bit cold from the field.
The Wildcats went 1-2 against that trio, limiting SLU to just 31.4% shooting inside the arc despite Saint Louis' physicality advantage and hitting a solid 35% from distance in the win. Davidson gave up 40% shooting from distance to Rhody (to just 17.4% themselves) and were outscored by seven at the free throw stripe. The Cats allowed Duquesne to finish 60% of their interior shots and shot a decent 34.5% from distance but made just six free throws in the loss to Keith Dambrot and Co.
The Rams gotta knock down the open looks they get, attempt to bully the Wildcats down low and must be more like the VCU defense we know than the one we saw at Rhode Island or it's gonna be misery on the forums for the next several weeks.
Kenpom: 72-65 VCU win with an 75% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: CBS Sports Network
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>
