It's been eight years since VCU hosted the then little-known Florida Gulf Coast, a 80-57 black and gold victory no one realized was as impressive as it ended up being until that year's FGCU, aka "Dunk City" team, would go on to advance to a Sweet 16. Both teams are one their second coach since the meeting, the Rams having sustained their success since that season, an NCAA tournament year, but Florida Gulf Coast, not so much. VCU catches that Atlantic Sun squad at their weakest since that year, the Eagles limping into the Stu at 1-4 and ranked just 272nd nationally by kenpom, their lowest ranking since 2012.
VCU (4-0)
VCU (4-0)
FGCU (1-4)[/HEADING=3]
A QUICK LOOK AT FLORIDA GULF COAST[/HEADING=3]
Like VCU, Florida Gulf Coast's success resulted in coaching turnover. But unlike VCU, FGCU has not been able to rebound from that much change. Second year head coach, Michael Fly, saw his first Eagles squad finish his past season at 14-18. At 1-4 with three sub-200 losses, his second season might not offer the improvement VCU saw this past year under then second-year head coach, Mike Rhoades. FGCU boasts a relatively young lineup that includes four freshmen, one of whom, Qwanzi Samuels, finds himself in the starting lineup alongside sophomores Caleb Cotto and Zach Scott. The trio has struggled offensively in a FGCU offense that currently ranks 300th nationally in adjusted efficiency. FGCU has yet to crack 70 points in regulation against their five opponents, a goal that gets no easier against VCU's 20th-ranked defense. FGCU has the potential to be somewhat dangerous on offense due to the high amount of threes they take. 43.8% of the Eagles shots have come from beyond the arc despite their less-than-impressive 31.9% three-point percentage. FGCU has played one A-10 opponent already this season, losing 89-67 against a Saint Louis team they attempted more threes (27) than twos (25) against.
Things haven't been much better on the defensive end for Michael Fly's squad. The 89 points given up to SLU was a Billikens season-high and the most Saint Louis has scored in a game since January of 2016. FGCU has struggled to rebound on that side of the floor and are seeing teams once again find success from long range against the Eagles. FGCU ranked 300th nationally in three-point percentage D this past season and are on pace to come close to that this season as well.
Zach Scotts comes into this game as FGCU's leading scorer at 15.6 points per contest and leads the Eagles defensively at two steals a night with a fairly pesky 3.5% steals rate. Caleb Cotto may be the team's most dangerous scorer however, averaging 12.6 points of his own but on a more efficient 55.7% true shooting percentage, FGCU's best true shooting percentage so far this season.
A QUICK LOOK AT VCU[/HEADING=3]
The Rams steamrolled the last Florida-based team they saw, defeating Jacksonville State 93-65 last Sunday at the Siegel Center. It was VCU's highest point total of the season thanks to a ridiculous 67% true shooting percentage in the win. The Rams shot 42.3% from deep in that one, pulling VCU's season three-point percentage up to 35.5% on the year, good for a top-100 national ranking from distance. It's a trend the Rams wish to continue after finishing last season at 30.5%, good for 332nd nationally.
VCU's ability to find that offensive efficiency makes this Rams team a scary opponent for essentially anyone in the country thanks to a defense that ranks ninth nationally in both steals and blocks percentage.
Four Rams are currently shooting over 40% from three, Marcus Evans leading the team with seven makes from distance at a 43.8% clip, but Issac Vann the team's current accuracy leader at 60% due to his 6-10 start from deep.
Scoring inside hasn't been much of a problem either. The Rams rank 57th in two-point percentage offense, Marcus Santos-Silva leading the charge with 5.5 makes inside the arc per contest, but it's sophomore Vince Williams who fins himself VCU's overall most efficient scorer, posting a ridiculous 71.8% true shooting percentage since returning from injury.
Due to positional needs, freshmen Bones Hyland and Hason Ward have find themselves playing the largest newcomer rolls for the Rams. Both have offensive rating over 100 (note, that's good) with dunk machine Ward leading the team with a 168.3 off the bench. That rating is BY FAR the best for not only any freshman at VCU, but of any player EVER at VCU since kenpom has been tracking the stat ('02-'03 season), albeit in a very limited sample (15 total minutes of action).
While Ward has impressed in brief flashes, it's Hyland that has filled a desperate need for the Rams. Four games in of playing double-digit minutes, Hyland 101.5 offensive rating exceeds that of starter Marcus Evans' thanks to what has been a tighter handle early that has limited him to a 22.9% turnover rate (Evans sits at 33%). That gives VCU some backup PG consistency they lacked last season, as freshman PJ Byrd posted a 71.1 offensive rating thanks largely to his historically rough 43.5% turnover rate.
In short, VCU got older and deeper over the offseason, which gives this Rams team legit Sweet 16 potential if they continue to play on edge.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 77, FGCU 63.4</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 65.3, FGCU 72.6</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 54.1%, FGCU 46.2%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.6%, FGCU 50%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 35.5%, FGCU 31.9%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 30.5%, FGCU 34.4%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 54.7%, FGCU 45%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.6%, FGCU 49.2%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 35.3, FGCU 33.4</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 23%, FGCU 24.7%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 28.4%, FGCU 20.5%</span>
VCU WINS IF[/HEADING=3]
It is extremely rare that all those statistical categories are green in my game previews, which suggests to me an absolute mauling tonight at Siegel. But this is a weird sport where a Chaminade can take down Ralph Sampson and Co. and tonight's matchup isn't that level of mismatch. So in short, if VCU shows up and takes FGCU seriously, does what they train to do, they win. There's no magic formula for this one. Play hard and win.
Kenpom: 79-57 VCU win with a 97% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: ESPN2
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>
Like VCU, Florida Gulf Coast's success resulted in coaching turnover. But unlike VCU, FGCU has not been able to rebound from that much change. Second year head coach, Michael Fly, saw his first Eagles squad finish his past season at 14-18. At 1-4 with three sub-200 losses, his second season might not offer the improvement VCU saw this past year under then second-year head coach, Mike Rhoades. FGCU boasts a relatively young lineup that includes four freshmen, one of whom, Qwanzi Samuels, finds himself in the starting lineup alongside sophomores Caleb Cotto and Zach Scott. The trio has struggled offensively in a FGCU offense that currently ranks 300th nationally in adjusted efficiency. FGCU has yet to crack 70 points in regulation against their five opponents, a goal that gets no easier against VCU's 20th-ranked defense. FGCU has the potential to be somewhat dangerous on offense due to the high amount of threes they take. 43.8% of the Eagles shots have come from beyond the arc despite their less-than-impressive 31.9% three-point percentage. FGCU has played one A-10 opponent already this season, losing 89-67 against a Saint Louis team they attempted more threes (27) than twos (25) against.
Things haven't been much better on the defensive end for Michael Fly's squad. The 89 points given up to SLU was a Billikens season-high and the most Saint Louis has scored in a game since January of 2016. FGCU has struggled to rebound on that side of the floor and are seeing teams once again find success from long range against the Eagles. FGCU ranked 300th nationally in three-point percentage D this past season and are on pace to come close to that this season as well.
Zach Scotts comes into this game as FGCU's leading scorer at 15.6 points per contest and leads the Eagles defensively at two steals a night with a fairly pesky 3.5% steals rate. Caleb Cotto may be the team's most dangerous scorer however, averaging 12.6 points of his own but on a more efficient 55.7% true shooting percentage, FGCU's best true shooting percentage so far this season.
A QUICK LOOK AT VCU[/HEADING=3]
The Rams steamrolled the last Florida-based team they saw, defeating Jacksonville State 93-65 last Sunday at the Siegel Center. It was VCU's highest point total of the season thanks to a ridiculous 67% true shooting percentage in the win. The Rams shot 42.3% from deep in that one, pulling VCU's season three-point percentage up to 35.5% on the year, good for a top-100 national ranking from distance. It's a trend the Rams wish to continue after finishing last season at 30.5%, good for 332nd nationally.
VCU's ability to find that offensive efficiency makes this Rams team a scary opponent for essentially anyone in the country thanks to a defense that ranks ninth nationally in both steals and blocks percentage.
Four Rams are currently shooting over 40% from three, Marcus Evans leading the team with seven makes from distance at a 43.8% clip, but Issac Vann the team's current accuracy leader at 60% due to his 6-10 start from deep.
Scoring inside hasn't been much of a problem either. The Rams rank 57th in two-point percentage offense, Marcus Santos-Silva leading the charge with 5.5 makes inside the arc per contest, but it's sophomore Vince Williams who fins himself VCU's overall most efficient scorer, posting a ridiculous 71.8% true shooting percentage since returning from injury.
Due to positional needs, freshmen Bones Hyland and Hason Ward have find themselves playing the largest newcomer rolls for the Rams. Both have offensive rating over 100 (note, that's good) with dunk machine Ward leading the team with a 168.3 off the bench. That rating is BY FAR the best for not only any freshman at VCU, but of any player EVER at VCU since kenpom has been tracking the stat ('02-'03 season), albeit in a very limited sample (15 total minutes of action).
While Ward has impressed in brief flashes, it's Hyland that has filled a desperate need for the Rams. Four games in of playing double-digit minutes, Hyland 101.5 offensive rating exceeds that of starter Marcus Evans' thanks to what has been a tighter handle early that has limited him to a 22.9% turnover rate (Evans sits at 33%). That gives VCU some backup PG consistency they lacked last season, as freshman PJ Byrd posted a 71.1 offensive rating thanks largely to his historically rough 43.5% turnover rate.
In short, VCU got older and deeper over the offseason, which gives this Rams team legit Sweet 16 potential if they continue to play on edge.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
Scoring Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 77, FGCU 63.4</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 65.3, FGCU 72.6</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 54.1%, FGCU 46.2%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.6%, FGCU 50%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 35.5%, FGCU 31.9%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 30.5%, FGCU 34.4%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 54.7%, FGCU 45%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.6%, FGCU 49.2%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 35.3, FGCU 33.4</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 23%, FGCU 24.7%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 28.4%, FGCU 20.5%</span>
VCU WINS IF[/HEADING=3]
It is extremely rare that all those statistical categories are green in my game previews, which suggests to me an absolute mauling tonight at Siegel. But this is a weird sport where a Chaminade can take down Ralph Sampson and Co. and tonight's matchup isn't that level of mismatch. So in short, if VCU shows up and takes FGCU seriously, does what they train to do, they win. There's no magic formula for this one. Play hard and win.
Kenpom: 79-57 VCU win with a 97% chance of a Rams victory.
Game tips at 7PM at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, VA
Watch: ESPN2
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, FGCU 63.4</span>
Scoring Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 65.3, FGCU 72.6</span>
Effective Field Goal% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 54.1%, FGCU 46.2%</span>
Effective Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.6%, FGCU 50%</span>
3-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 35.5%, FGCU 31.9%</span>
3-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 30.5%, FGCU 34.4%</span>
2-Point Field Goal%: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 54.7%, FGCU 45%</span>
2-Point Field Goal% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 45.6%, FGCU 49.2%</span>
Rebounds per game: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 35.3, FGCU 33.4</span>
Turnover% Offense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 23%, FGCU 24.7%</span>
Turnover% Defense: <span style="color: #339966;">VCU 28.4%, FGCU 20.5%</span>
