Busting Brackets
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Bracketology 2023: 5 things to watch on the first weekend in February

By Jason Burgess

RICHMOND, VA - FEBRUARY 18: Adrian "Ace" Baldwin Jr. #1 and Mikeal Brown-Jones #2 of the VCU Rams celebrate after defeating the Richmond Spiders during a game at Siegel Center on February 18, 2022 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
RICHMOND, VA - FEBRUARY 18: Adrian "Ace" Baldwin Jr. #1 and Mikeal Brown-Jones #2 of the VCU Rams celebrate after defeating the Richmond Spiders during a game at Siegel Center on February 18, 2022 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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Bracketology Gibson Jimerson #24 of the Saint Louis Billikens (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Bracketology Gibson Jimerson #24 of the Saint Louis Billikens (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

VCU 17-6 (8-2) at Saint Louis 15-7 (7-2)

Saint Louis, MO, Friday, February 3, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN2

Another first-place battle takes place on Friday when VCU travels to Saint Louis with the top spot in the Atlantic 10 on the line. Both teams enter the game with two conference losses, but VCU holds a half-game lead over Saint Louis entering this tilt. This matchup will feature two of the better point guards in the country, the Billikens’ Yuri Collins and VCU’s Adrian “Ace” Baldwin, Jr. The duo has combined to dish out 16 assists per game and have an assist-to-turnover ratio of 8-to-3.

Both teams have a NET that leaves them on the outside looking in so this game is vital for both teams as they are the top two teams in the conference in NET. The Billikens enter the contest with two wins over the first two quads and have a quad 3 loss to UMass hanging over their heads. Their opponents have a slightly better resume to this point. The Rams rank higher in the NET, in every predictive metric, and have a slightly better record over the first two quadrants at 2-4.

The Rams’ numbers might look better but the Billikens have played the much tougher schedule so far with a ranking of 120 to VCU’s 228. This is the first meeting between two teams that can separate themselves from the rest of the pack and from a resume standpoint, it’s the Billikens who need this win more.

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