St. Bonaventure vs VCU Prediction and Odds (Rams To Get Vengeance at Home)

The 19-7 St. Bonaventure Bonnies take a seven-game winning streak into a matchup with the 20-7 VCU Rams tonight at 8:30 PM EST.

VCU brings a seven-game winning streak of their own into tonight and seek revenge after a 73-53 blowout loss to the Bonnies in January. The Rams sit a game behind Davidson for the Atlantic 10 Conference lead and need a win to keep pace.

Will VCU get their vengeance or will St. Bonaventure win their third straight in this matchup?

Here are the odds via WynnBET:

St. Bonaventure vs VCU Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• St. Bonaventure +4.5 (-110)
• VCU -4.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

• St. Bonaventure: +150
• VCU: -180

Total:

• 132.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

St. Bonaventure vs VCU Prediction and Pick

After a mid-season slump that saw them go just 2-11 against the spread (ATS), the Bonnies have rebounded in a huge way. They're 6-1 ATS during their seven-game winning streak and find themselves fourth in the Atlantic 10 standings.

With a balanced offense that ranks 31st in offensive turnover rate, they'll need to continue their steady play against a frenetic Rams defense that's 3rd nationally in adjusted efficiency behind the 2nd-highest defensive turnover rate.

If you just look at the line and consider that the Bonnies won by 20 in the first matchup, you may be tempted to take the road underdog. There's no way VCU should be favored after that loss, right? But that's exactly what the sportsbooks want us to do here. We have to zig where others zag, or something like that.

St. Bonaventure's strong play has not carried over to their road games, as they're just 2-5 ATS on the road and have failed to cover by an average of 9.6 points per game in those losses. The Rams have covered in two of their last three as a home favorite and would have made it four straight, if not for failing to cover by just one point against both George Mason and Duquesne.

I think the Rams' defense will be too much for the Bonnies to handle on the road and am fading their recent success to side with VCU. If a line looks like the sportsbooks are begging us to take it, which is the case here with St. Bonaventure a 4.5-point underdog, then we need to take the other side.

Pick: VCU -4.5 (-110)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.