#11 VCU vs #6 BYU NCAAB Pick: Rams Aim for Another Upset (Mar 20)

• VCU earned the A-10’s automatic bid after taking down George Mason, 68-63.
• BYU bowed out in the Big-12 Semifinals, after losing 74-54 to 1-seed Houston.
• These two teams last met on December 16, 1983, in a game that BYU won 81-77.

VCU and BYU face off in a first-round clash. The Rams are poised for a potential upset with a history of tourney success, but face a battle-tested Cougars squad. The winner of this game may draw a Second Round matchup with Wisconsin, but will first need to survive this clash.

VCU Looks to Repeat Past Success

VCU is back in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in the last 20 years. The Rams made it past the second round just one time, during their miracle run to the Final Four in 2011. Now playing in the A-10 conference, VCU has been battle-tested and is poised for another deep run.

In order to repeat their past success, VCU will rely on leading-scorer Max Shulga. The 6’5″ Senior has been an all-around star for the Rams with polish in all aspects of his game. VCU ranks in the top-45 both offensively and defensively, which will make them tough to eliminate.

BYU is Flying Under the Radar

BYU enters the tournament as a 6-seed after finishing 3rd in the Big-12 with a 14-6 conference record. They are another team being picked by very few to make it out of the first weekend. Yet, BYU’s 11th-ranked offense cannot be overlooked as they aim to get hot for the tournament.

The Cougars are led by Junior Richie Saunders, who took a major leap this year. Most notably, he improved his 3pt% from 36.4% last season to 43.4% this season. Doing so helped raise his scoring average from 9.6 ppg to 16 ppg. Saunders’ three-ball will be crucial in this matchup.

VCU Rams vs BYU Cougars Pick

This is a very intriguing first-round matchup. BYU’s offense is potent, but they struggled in games against strong defenses, such as their most recent loss to Houston. VCU is not on that level, but they do rank in the top-25 defensively. Coupled with their own potent offense and this is an upset waiting to happen. If you’re looking for a double-digit seed to pick, take VCU.