Getty Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland of the VCU Rams
The Saint Joseph’s Hawks (0-5) will host the VCU Rams (7-2) at Michael J. Hagan Arena Wednesday afternoon.
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The game (Noon ET start time) will be televised locally on NBC Sports Washington, but if you don’t have that channel, anyone in the US can watch VCU vs Saint Joseph’s live on ESPN+ right here:
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VCU vs Saint Joseph’s Preview
Virginia Commonwealth is putting up 77.4 points a game while allowing 64.7 points per contest to opposing teams. They haven’t lost since December 2, winning five in a row since that time.
Sophomore guard Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland leads VCU in scoring, netting 18.2 points per game. Junior forward Vince Williams is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game, and he’s also the team’s leading rebounder, hauling in 5.2 boards per contest.
“What great opportunities in front of us, but it’s about us, I’ve always been that way. Be us, do what we do, and try to do it on a high level home and away,” Rams head coach Mike Rhoades said about his team this week, per Richmond.com, adding: “We do talk to our guys pursuing a league championship. But you can’t get there until you take care of what’s in front of you.”
As for Saint Joseph’s, it is coming off a 102-66 loss to the No. 7 ranked Tennessee Volunteers. The Hawks were clearly outmatched against a superior ranked opponent in the loss, and it was indicative of how things have gone for the team this season: some mediocre shooting and decent overall play overshadowed by dreadful defense.
The Hawks may very well have been saddled with one of the most difficult schedules of any non-ranked team to start the season. They have played — and lost to — the likes of Tennessee, Kansas and Villanova, and they’re still looking for their first win. Lange said this after the loss to Tennessee:
“They are a great team. We’ve played three top-10 teams. They (Tennessee) have very few weaknesses, particularly on a night where they shoot the ball from three that well. They make it really hard. You try and contest the paint, and then they’re gonna make threes, like, particularly at the start of the game. It makes it very, very challenging. They’re a great team, and they should have a great season. They will have great season if everyone can stay healthy,” Lange said, per 247 Sports.
While Saint Joseph’s is averaging 74.8 points a game, they’re allowing 92.2 points a game to opponents so far through five games, and that won’t get it done, particularly if they don’t start attempting to clean up the glass.
VCU enter this matchup as 10.5 point favorites, per OddsShark.