Both the VCU Rams and Syracuse Orange enter Wednesday’s matchup in the Battle 4 Atlantis coming off of tough losses, with Syracuse looking to do better on defense and VCU on offense.
VCU Rams vs. Syracuse Orange (-6, 133)
The Rams have scored 57 points or fewer in all four of their games this season and their last two home games been have losses to Chattanooga and Wagner.
Meanwhile, the Syracuse zone defense was carved up for 100 points in the most recent loss against Colgate, as opponents are shooting 36 percent from 3-point range against them, one of the worst marks in the country.
The best way to defeat a zone is typically with 3-point shooting, but VCU is 309th in the country in 3-point shooting, making just 26.3% of their outside shots.
Despite the defensive struggles, Syracuse is 14th in the country in points scored on a per-possession basis and, with VCU 342nd out of 358 DI teams in this category, the Orange will be the team that bounces back on Wednesday.
Pick: Syracuse -6