Richmond vs VCU Odds and Picks (Feb. 18)

• VCU is a 2.5-point favorite over Richmond on Friday
• Richmond is 4-1 straight up, 2-2-1 ATS since losing to VCU on Jan. 29
• Read below for Richmond vs VCU odds, analysis and a betting prediction

VCU (17-7, 10-3 Atlantic 10) is a 2.5-point home favorite over Richmond in A-10 game at 7 pm ET Friday on ESPN2. The Rams have won seven of their last eight, going 5-3 ATS.

Richmond (17-9, 8-5 Atlantic 10) suffered a 64-62 home loss to Virginia Commonwealth in the first meeting this season. The campuses are located 6.1 miles apart.

Richmond vs VCU Odds

Odds from DraftKings on Feb.17.

VCU is a 2.5-point favorite over Richmond with the total set at 130.5, the lowest total in a Richmond game all season. VCU is -145 on the moneyline, meaning the Rams have a 59.2% implied win probability. Richmond is +120 on the moneyline, which translates into a 44.4% implied win probability.

The latest March Madness bracket projections do not feature either Richmond or VCU. Sitting 64th in the NET Rankings, the Rams have a better resume than the Siders (88th) but it’s likely that both teams will need to win the A10 Tournament to make the 68-team field.

First One Down to the Wire

VUC guard Vince Williams was two assists short of a triple-double in the Rams’ 64-61 victory in the first meeting, and his 3-pointer with 25.3 seconds remaining broke a tie at 61. He had 22 points and 10 rebounds, the second of his two double-doubles this season.

Richmond’s Tyler Burton made a free throw to make it 64-62 with four seconds remaining and intentionally missed the second. Williams rebounded, but he missed a free throw attempt. Jacob Gilyard’s hurried three-pointer bounced off the right side of the rim.

Rams forward 6’9 Hason Ward had a career-high 14 points and 10 rebound off the bench for his first double-double of the season. He has had two more since. VCU shot 50.9 percent.

Forward Grant Golden had 18 points and Gilyard had 14 for the Spiders, who had trouble finding open looks and shot only 35.5% from the field and were 4 of 22 from three-point range. Leading scorer Burton had five points on 1 of 12 shooting.

Ward  suffered a sprained left ankle in the 66-61 victory at Fordham the last time out Tuesday and his status in unknown. He missed two December games because a right ankle injury.

VCU, Richmond Make Good Points

Disruptive point guards Gilyard and VCU’s Ace Baldwin give each team a defensive edge. Gilyard leads Division I with an average of 3.2 steals per game, and he set the NCAA career steals record in a 60-52 victory at Northern Iowa on Dec. 2.

Gilyard, a 5’9 fifth-year senior, has 441 career steals and is averaging 12.7 and 6.2 points. He had seven steals in the season opener and six against Mississippi State.

The Rams. meanwhile, are 13-3 since 6′ Baldwin returned to the starting lineup Dec. 3 after suffering a a ruptured Achilles tendon in June.

Sophomore Baldwin, named to the A10 All-Rookie team last season, is averaging 10.7 points and 5.6 assists while making 22 of 47 three-pointers. He has played all 40 minutes in the last two games, with 22 points and 17 assists.

Baldwin has had games of five (twice), six and seven steals this season, and his average of 2.9 steals per game would be third in Division I if he had enough games to qualify.

Gilyard had 14 points (5 of 16 shooting) and six assists in the first game this season. Baldwin (3 of 8 shooting) had nine points and six assists before fouling out with three minutes remaining.

Richmond vs VCU Head-to-Head Results

VCU has won three in a row and 5-1 straight up (4-2 ATS) in the last six. Over a longer stretch, the Rams are 11-3 (9-5 ATS) in the last 14 games in one of the best if least publicized intercity rivalries in Division I.

Chalk this up to stats we like https://t.co/IQPwlyesH8

— Atlantic 10 MBB (@A10MBB) February 16, 2022

The Rams are 5-1 (4-2ATS) in the last six at the Siegel Center. Since 2011 they are 8-2 (6-4 ATS) at home, all as a favorite of no fewer than 2.5 points. VCU covered the 2.5-point number in a 68-56 victory last season.

The Spiders’ last victory at VCU was a 77-59 victory in 2020.

Ace had a career night against George Mason, with a career high 1️⃣8️⃣ points and his first career double-double #ThisIsRamNation #LetsGoVCU pic.twitter.com/zNc1OAtEZC

— VCU Basketball (@VCU_Hoops) February 14, 2022

Betting Trends

The main trends Virginia sports bettors should know are that VCU is 15-9 ATS, 5-5 in its last 10 after a six-game win and cover streak. The Rams are 8-5 ATS in the A10, 3-3 ATS at home. They have gone over the total in six of the last seven.

Richmond is 12-13-1 ATS, 7-2 ATS on the road. The Rams are 4-2 ATS in A10 road games. They have gone under total in seven of the last eight.

Adjusted Efficiency Margin Mid Majors. @saintmaryshoops @RamblersMBB @USFDonsMBB @wyo_mbb @CSUMBasketball @mid_madness pic.twitter.com/ZBJUdxQWdP

— JG Trends (@jgtrends) February 16, 2022

Richmond Relies on Continuity

Spiders’ leading scorer Tyler Burton (16.8 points, 7.4 rebounds), Grant Golden (14.9, 6.5), Gilyard and Nathan Cayo (8.5, 4.3) have started all 26 games this season.

The Spiders are 7-2 since defensive-minded guard 6’4 Andre Gustavson joined in the starting lineup in a Jan. 18 victory over Fordham.

VCU’s Williams On a Roll

Vince Williams leads the Rams in scoring (13.1), rebounding (6.0) and assists (3.1), and he has gotten more productive as the season has progressed.

Vince Williams: Cuts like a 🔪#ThisIsRamNation #LetsGoVCU pic.twitter.com/ePT7V05i8M

— VCU Basketball (@VCU_Hoops) February 16, 2022

He is averaging 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals in his last 11 games and has at least one three-pointer in all 11 and is 27 of 55 from distance.

Williams missed a loss to Dayton and a victory over Duquesne two weeks ago with a left calf strain and came off the bench against Rhode Island before returning to the starting lineup for the last two, victories at George Mason and Fordham.

Richmond vs VCU Prediction

The difference between these teams is about as small as the difference in the distance from their campuses, 6.1 miles. VCU has had the upper hand in this city rivalry for the last few years, but Richmond  brings the revenge factor into this one. Any points are worth it in this battle for city pride.

The pick: Richmond +2.5 (-110)