The Dayton Flyers (19-3) travel to face off against the VCU Rams (15-8) on Friday, February 9th. This game will be played at Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond and televised on ESPN2. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
Dayton Flyers vs VCU Rams
The Dayton Flyers Are Coming Off A Win
Dayton heads into tonight’s game as the favorites, as they have been in 18 of their 22 games this season. They have gone 17-1 in those games, and they have gone 9-1 in Atlantic 10 games.
The Flyers have been solid on the road this season, going 6-3, and they are coming off a 94-79 win over Saint Joseph’s. Over their last 10 road games, Dayton has gone 6-4, and they are 4-1 over their last five.
As the favorite this season, Dayton has gone 10-8 vs. the spread. On the road, the Flyers have an ATS mark of 6-2-1, and their last three road ATS record is 2-1.
On the season, the over/under record for Dayton games is 12-10 and today’s line of 134.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (137.2). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total in those games is 154 points. On the year, 13 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line.
The VCU Rams Are Coming Off A Win
VCU has been the favorite in 17 of their 23 games this season, and they have gone 13-4 in those games. However, they have gone just 2-4 as the underdog.
At home, the Rams have gone 11-6 this season, and they have won their last three games at home. Over their last 10 games at home, VCU has gone 7-3.
VCU has an ATS record of 14-9 this season and they have gone 10-7 vs. the spread at home. Over their last 3 games at home, the Rams have an ATS mark of 3-0 and they are 6-4 vs. the spread in their last 10 games as the underdog.
Today’s over/under line of 134.5 is lower than the average over/under line in VCU games this season (140.2). So far, 10 of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. The average scoring total in their last three games is 125 points.
Dayton Offense Breakdown
Dayton’s offense is coming off a good game, putting up 94 points vs. Saint Joseph’s. Overall, they hit 56.9% of their shots from the field and went 16/22 from the free-throw line. The team’s scoring leader is DaRon Holmes II, who holds an average of 19.7 as they head into today’s matchup. Additionally, Nate Santos is averaging 11.7 points per game this season.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaRon Holmes II (F) | 19.7 | 7.6 | 2.5 |
| Nate Santos (F) | 11.7 | 6.6 | 1.6 |
| Koby Brea (G) | 10.7 | 3.9 | 1.1 |
VCU Offense Breakdown
The Rams’ offense finished with 75 points in their previous game, mirroring their current average of 72.4 points per contest. Currently leading the team in scoring is Max Shulga who comes into today’s matchup averaging 15.1. Zeb Jackson also heads into the game with a PPG average of 11.8.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Shulga (G) | 15.1 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Zeb Jackson (G) | 11.8 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Toibu Lawal (F) | 7.5 | 5.6 | 0.4 |
Dayton Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Dayton defense is giving up an average of 65.0 points per contest. On average, opposing teams are hitting 7.3 threes per game vs. VCU. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 31.6%.
VCU Team Defense
At present, the Rams’ defense is nationally ranked 40th, allowing 65.9 points per game. In their previous game vs. Fordham, the Rams finished with a field goal percentage of 38% and a total of 60 points vs. VCU.
Flyers vs Rams Trends
- The Flyers are 4-1 ATS in their last road games and 4-1 straight-up.
- Across their last three home contests, VCU has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 66 points per game.
- Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, VCU has an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
- Dayton has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
Flyers vs Rams Prediction
The Rams come in as the underdog at +1.5, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 134.5 and our model has the Flyers and Rams finishing with a combined 142 points. Our pick is to take the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 9, 2024 Dayton Flyers, VCU Rams