The Rams head to Brooklyn this weekend for some pre-Thanksgiving Legends Classic action. That action tips up for the black and gold late Monday night in a 9:30PM tip against VCU's brief conference foes, the Temple Owls. Both teams are off to undefeated starts, Temple winning their first four at home including a victory over the A-10's La Salle Explorers, as well as an early season highlight win over kenpom No.102 Georgia. The Rams are winners of their first three contests, but have yet to face a team of this caliber just yet. We'll know a bit more about both of these teams by tomorrow morning.
<h4>VCU (3-0)
TEMPLE (4-0)</h4>
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT TEMPLE</h4>
After two mediocre seasons including a 17-16 finish this past year, Temple is looking to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three seasons. They'll look for former VCU target, Shizz Alston Jr., to get them there. Alston leads the Owls in scoring at 21.5 points per contest and is shooting a red-hot 48.4% from three this season. The senior is joined by backcourt mate Nate Pierre-Louis (14 ppg, 40% 3p%) and returning leading scorer, forward Quinton Rose (18.3 ppg). That trio is all averaging over 30 minutes per contest on an Owls squad that goes about eight deep. The Owls could best be described as "solid", but not spectacular, on both sides of the ball. Last year Temple checked in at 239th nationally in effective field goal percentage offense, didn't really crash the offensive glass and rarely drew fouls, but didn't turn the ball over either, keeping their offensive efficiency just sniffing the top-100 at No.111. This year's start has them at No.98 with almost an identical EFG%. Temple's ranking is higher despite their overall adjusted offensive efficiency being down. The story on the defense is quite similar. The Owls are turning teams over a bit more so far this year than last and are rebounding better, but have allowed teams to hit a higher percentage of shots than last season despite playing a very winnable schedule so far. The Owls have struggled somewhat in first halves this season, trailing kenpom No.330 Detroit after one half of play before a dominating second half, then took a tie into the half against a very down La Salle squad. The Owls interior defense struggled this past season, giving up 50.5% shooting inside the arc and 51.3% in AAC play. Against the one top-150 team they've played this season (Georgia), they gave up 53.3% shooting inside the arc. Temple added no real new key pieces this offseason, meaning in many ways they are very much last year's team, but without graduates Josh Brown and Obi Enechionyia, a duo that both played about 30 minutes per contest.
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT VCU</h4>
What we know: VCU has looked incredibly on defense this year. The black and gold check in top-10 nationally in effective field goal percentage defense as well as defensive turnover percentage. What we're hoping for: that that defense is more than just VCU beating up on cupcakes. We also hope that the Rams offense is about to regress to the mean from beyond the arc. VCU is shooting 27.8% from deep this year, a season after connecting on 35.2%. Mark my words: that 27.8% number will go up. The Rams are set to get more minutes out of Marcus Evans and have seen two of their better shooters from last year, De'Riante Jenkins and Sean Mobley, both shooting under 28% from deep. So basically if VCU's defense can prove this improved while also getting some shots to fall from deep --not to mention more minutes for for aforementioned Evans, an explosive guard and arguably the best player on this team -- the Rams have a gear we've yet to really see this season. This year's VCU group has yet to really be challenged against outmatched opponents, but they've yet to really show just how good they can be as well. Temple will hope they don't show the world just how high their ceiling is tonight in Brooklyn.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
<h4>VCU (3-0)
TEMPLE (4-0)</h4>
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT TEMPLE</h4>
After two mediocre seasons including a 17-16 finish this past year, Temple is looking to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three seasons. They'll look for former VCU target, Shizz Alston Jr., to get them there. Alston leads the Owls in scoring at 21.5 points per contest and is shooting a red-hot 48.4% from three this season. The senior is joined by backcourt mate Nate Pierre-Louis (14 ppg, 40% 3p%) and returning leading scorer, forward Quinton Rose (18.3 ppg). That trio is all averaging over 30 minutes per contest on an Owls squad that goes about eight deep. The Owls could best be described as "solid", but not spectacular, on both sides of the ball. Last year Temple checked in at 239th nationally in effective field goal percentage offense, didn't really crash the offensive glass and rarely drew fouls, but didn't turn the ball over either, keeping their offensive efficiency just sniffing the top-100 at No.111. This year's start has them at No.98 with almost an identical EFG%. Temple's ranking is higher despite their overall adjusted offensive efficiency being down. The story on the defense is quite similar. The Owls are turning teams over a bit more so far this year than last and are rebounding better, but have allowed teams to hit a higher percentage of shots than last season despite playing a very winnable schedule so far. The Owls have struggled somewhat in first halves this season, trailing kenpom No.330 Detroit after one half of play before a dominating second half, then took a tie into the half against a very down La Salle squad. The Owls interior defense struggled this past season, giving up 50.5% shooting inside the arc and 51.3% in AAC play. Against the one top-150 team they've played this season (Georgia), they gave up 53.3% shooting inside the arc. Temple added no real new key pieces this offseason, meaning in many ways they are very much last year's team, but without graduates Josh Brown and Obi Enechionyia, a duo that both played about 30 minutes per contest.
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT VCU</h4>
What we know: VCU has looked incredibly on defense this year. The black and gold check in top-10 nationally in effective field goal percentage defense as well as defensive turnover percentage. What we're hoping for: that that defense is more than just VCU beating up on cupcakes. We also hope that the Rams offense is about to regress to the mean from beyond the arc. VCU is shooting 27.8% from deep this year, a season after connecting on 35.2%. Mark my words: that 27.8% number will go up. The Rams are set to get more minutes out of Marcus Evans and have seen two of their better shooters from last year, De'Riante Jenkins and Sean Mobley, both shooting under 28% from deep. So basically if VCU's defense can prove this improved while also getting some shots to fall from deep --not to mention more minutes for for aforementioned Evans, an explosive guard and arguably the best player on this team -- the Rams have a gear we've yet to really see this season. This year's VCU group has yet to really be challenged against outmatched opponents, but they've yet to really show just how good they can be as well. Temple will hope they don't show the world just how high their ceiling is tonight in Brooklyn.
