VCU vs Saint Joe’s Predictions, Picks, Odds for Friday, January 17

The VCU Rams take on the Saint Joe’s Hawks in Philadelphia, PA. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

VCU is favored by 2 points on the spread with a moneyline of -142. The total is set at 142 points.

Here’s my VCU vs. Saint Joe’s predictions and college basketball picks for January 17, 2025.

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VCU vs Saint Joe’s Prediction

My Pick: Under 141 or Better

My VCU vs Saint Joe’s best bet is on the under, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, find the best lines using our live NCAAB odds page.

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VCU vs Saint Joe’s Odds

• VCU vs Saint Joe’s spread: VCU -2
• VCU vs Saint Joe’s over/under: 142 points
• VCU vs Saint Joe’s moneyline: VCU -142, Saint Joe’s +120
• VCU vs Saint Joe’s best bet: Under 141 or Better

Spread

I’m passing on the spread.

Moneyline

I’m passing on the moneyline.

Over/Under

I like the under in this game between two catch-and-shoot-reliant offenses against two solid catch-and-shoot-denial defenses.

My Pick: Under 141 or Better

VCU vs Saint Joe’s College Basketball Betting Preview

We have a wild schematic matchup between two elite A-10 squads on Friday.

Saint Joe’s runs a very entertaining dribble-handoff-based secondary-motion five-out offense that’s elite in spacing behind stretch-five Rasheer Fleming and the Erik Reynolds II-Xzayvier Brown backcourt duo.

The Hawks will always be erratic and subject to variance with their high 3-point rate, but they’re an analytically friendly, ultimately effective offense.

I’d like to think that VCU’s aggressive, press-happy defense would be vulnerable against teams with elite spacing and shooting, but that’s not quite the case. The Rams have been borderline elite in catch-and-shoot denial while also being elite in ball-screen coverage, a feat only the great Ryan Odom could pull off.

Then again, if any team can beat a press-happy defense, it’s the Hawks. Saint Joe’s ranks seventh nationally in PPP against press coverage (1.21), as these guards can slice over-aggressive defenses apart.

The Rams have an up-tempo, attack-and-kick unit with excellent spacing, which is the offense Odom has always run. VCU has its own elite backcourt, led by Max Shulga and Joe Bamisile, which should make this one a wildly entertaining guard-friendly battle.

But Saint Joe’s is also a fantastic catch-and-shoot denial defense. Fleming is an uber-versatile defender who can chase anyone around the court, and his rotations could play a significant role in closing out on the Rams’ jumpers.

Typically, I immediately look toward the under when two catch-and-shoot-reliant offenses face off against two catch-and-shoot-reliant defenses. It’s challenging for secondary-based offenses to seamlessly switch to on-ball creation, even when defenses are handing them the middle of the floor.

I’m a little scared of these two up-tempo, often-transition-reliant offenses. Still, projections also think this number is a tad high, with EvanMiya, KenPom and Bart Torvik projecting the total between 138 and 140, while Haslametrics projects it closer to 135.

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