The college basketball betting board for Friday is headlined by a showdown between the top two teams in the Atlantic 10 conference as the St. Bonaventure Bonnies face the VCU Rams.
Not much separates these two conference foes with the Bonnies ranked as the No. 51 school in the nation according to KenPom, while Virginia Commonwealth checks in just behind them at No. 52.
We break down the college basketball odds with our best St. Bonaventure vs. VCU picks and predictions for Friday, February 12, with tipoff at 7 p.m. ET.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies at VCU Rams Betting Preview
Key Injuries
St. Bonaventure: Anthony Roberts G (Out).
VCU: Jarren McAllister G (Out).
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Under is 5-0 in St. Bonaventure's last five games on the road. Find more NCAA betting trends for St. Bonaventure vs. VCU.
NCAAB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonVirginia Commonwealth opened a 3-point favorite at PointsBet USA, spent a couple of hours this morning at -2.5 and returned to -3, where the line is as of 4:30 p.m. ET. "Perfect 50/50 split on point-spread tickets and handle," PointsBet's Patrick Eichner said. The total is up to 135.5 from a 134 opener, also on two-way play, with 55 percent of bets on the Over and 51 percent of money on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
These teams met up three weeks ago with St. Bonaventure winning 70-54 at home. That game was a story of two very different halves, with the Rams outscoring the Bonnies 40-25 in the first 20 minutes before the home side dominated with a 45-14 score in the second half.
St. Bonaventure is fresh off a win against La Salle and is 8-1 SU and 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine games.
VCU has also played very well recently, reeling off four consecutive wins since that defeat to the Bonnies, but the Rams have struggled to cover the spread going just 2-6 ATS in their previous eight games overall.
Both teams are very strong on the defensive end of the floor, with the Rams forcing turnovers at a rapid pace and the Bonnies slowing down opponents and forcing them into tough looks.
That should mean that whichever side displays more efficient shooting should come away with the W.
While the Rams have a terrific leading scorer in Nate Hyland (19.2 points per game), he and forward Vince Williams Jr. (10.9 ppg) are the only VCU players averaging over 7 ppg. So, if either of them goes through a cold-stretch, the Rams are cooked.
Meanwhile, the Bonnies have a terrific starting five with each player averaging double-digits, led by guard Kyle Lofton and his 16 points and 5.3 assists per game. That scoring depth could be key for the Bonnies as they hunt for another win in a pivotal conference battle.
While this game should be closer than the previous matchup, being able to back the team that comfortably won that game, and take three points, is too good an option to pass up.
PREDICTION: St. Bonaventure +3 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Not only did these sides combine for just 125 points on 37 percent shooting when they faced off on January 20, but Under trends abound for both of them.
The Bonnies are 8-2 to the Under in their last 10 games while the Rams have cashed the Under in four of their previous five contests.
St. Bonaventure ranks 19th in the country by holding opponents to just 39.2 percent shooting from the field and plays at a glacial pace, ranking 300th in adjusted tempo according to KenPom.
While the Rams play at a faster pace, they are extremely efficient on the defensive end of the floor, ranking 14th in the country by allowing just 88.4 points per 100 possessions. Back the Under.
PREDICTION: Under 134.5 (-110)
St. Bonaventure vs VCU Betting Card
- St. Bonaventure +3 (-110)
- Under 134.5 (-110)
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