VCU vs Purdue | Prediction & Pick

Boilermakers lock horns with the VCU Rams

The 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth Rams have won more than one game in the NCAA tournament of the first time, earning them a spot opposite of the No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers, who have made it to the round of 16 for three consecutive seasons, in a third round NCAA Tournament game on Sunday in the Windy City.

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#11 Virginia Commonwealth (25-11, 12-6 CAA) vs. #3 Purdue (27-7, 14-4 Big Ten)

Date/Time: Sunday, March 20, 7:00 PM ET
Venue: United Center in Chicago, IL.
Broadcast: TBS

Money Line: VCU +350, Purdue -450
Spread: Purdue -9
Over/Under: 135

After winning an ugly one against Southern California in their First Four bout on Wednesday, the Rams showed any remaining doubters that they indeed, belong in the NCAA tournament.

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Brandon Rozzell led four players in double figures and VCU made 12 3-pointers to stun Georgetown with a 74-56 win in the Southeastern Regionals on Friday.  Rozzell tied his career high with six 3-pointers and finished with 26 points, while Joey Rodriguez had 17 points and seven assists. Bradford Burgess and Jamie Skeen added 12 each.

It was pure pandemonium as the Rams, who skidded into the tournament with five losses in their previous eight games, including a 20-point loss to George Mason, made budding bracketologists weep as they toppled the mighty Hoyas.

VCU finished 12-of-25 from 3-point range and shot almost 41 percent overall.

Meanwhile, Purdue who advances to the round of 32 for the fifth straight season, proved that they are every bit as good without their best player Robbie Hummel, who injured his ACL before the season began.

Picking up the slack in his absence has been JaJuan Johnson, who led the Big Ten in scoring at 20.5 points per game and finished fourth in rebounds in the league at 8.2 per contest, and E’Twaun Moore scored 18.2 points per game, fourth best in the league, and shot 41.1 percent from three-point range. Moore had 19 points, overcoming seven turnovers, and Johnson had 16 points and 16 rebounds, despite shooting just 6-for-16 on Friday night.

The Rams rely on balanced scoring, having four players averaging at least 11 points, and another two over five points per game. They love to run and gun and throw up three-pointers, most of which they knock down with mind-boggling consistency.

The Boilermakers will counter with a double dose of Moore and Johnson. Moore shot 7-for-15 against the Peacocks, and his all-around game is what makes the Boilermakers a difficult team to defend, especially the way he can play off teammate JaJuan Johnson who recorded his 11th double double of the season.

Purdue is just too much for the Rams to be able to keep up with for 40 minutes, and we feel the Boilermakers will advance to the Sweet 16.

The odds makers have the Purdue Boilermakers as a -9 point favorite with an over/under of 135.5.

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