La Salle vs VCU 1/8/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds
VCU Rams (8-4) vs. La Salle Explorers (5-6)
January 8, 2022 2:00 pm EDT
The Line: La Salle Explorers +8 ; Over/Under: 126
(Get latest betting odds)
The VCU Rams and the La Salle Explorers meet Saturday in college basketball action from Tom Gola Arena. VCU is currently 8-4 so far this year and took out Dayton in their last game. As for the Explorers, they’re sitting at 5-6 on the season. La Salle lost to Fordham in their last game. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place.
VCU stumbled out of the gate at 3-4 this year, losing to Wagner, Chattanooga, Baylor and UConn. The Rams have hit a five-game win streak since then however; the wins have been against Campbell, Jacksonville State, Old Dominion, Florida Atlantic and Dayton.
Matched up against Dayton on Wednesday, the Rams held a four-point lead at halftime. VCU managed to hang on for the 53-52 win. Vince Williams notched a double-double for the Rams with 13 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Over on the La Salle side, they hit a 5-4 run out of the gate this year with losses to Sacred Heart, Delaware, Villanova and Temple. The Explorers would win three straight before taking consecutive losses to Bucknell and Fordham.
In the Fordham game, the Explorers posted a 31-26 edge at the break. La Salle lost it in a 43-30 deficit from there for the 69-61 loss. Clifton Moore topped the team on 26 points and eight rebounds.
The Explorers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight Saturday games and 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 overall. The over is 6-2 in La Salle’s last eight Saturday games.
Meanwhile, the Rams are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games and 4-0 ATS in their last four overall. The under is 18-8 in VCU’s last 26 overall.
PICK: I’m going to stick with VCU here. The Rams haven’t exactly lit up the scoreboard during this five-game win streak—they’ve hit more than 66 points just once—but it’s hardly mattered. VCU has been getting it done on the other side, allowing 66 points or fewer in each game. La Salle could pose some problems though; the Explorers had a four-game run with 70 or more points in each just before the Fordham loss. Ultimately however I think VCU will put the clamps on and cover in this one. Should be a fun matchup, though.
