The opening Thursday afternoon of the 2025 NCAA Tournament has an absolutely thrilling slate of games, including a few of the most popular early upset picks. In the midst of that, the A-10 regular season and tournament champions, eleventh-seeded VCU, find themselves up against six-seed BYU.
BYU comes in scalding hot, thanks to a nine-game late-season win streak that pushed the Cougars up from the bubble to an advantageous seed line. That run included a win over Kansas, along with a trio of fantastic victories away from home, beating Iowa State both away and at the Big 12 tournament and Arizona in their own building.
VCU overcame an embarrassing home loss to Dayton in the regular season finale to sweep their way through the A-10 tournament, although it got tight at the end. The Rams have also played their best basketball late, albeit over a longer period, going 18-2 since New Year's.
How to watch #11 VCU vs. #6 BYU
- Date: Thursday, March 20
- Time: Approximately 4:05 pm EST
- Venue: Ball Arena, Denver
- How to Watch (TV): TNT
- Streaming: March Madness Live
- #11 VCU record: 28-6
- #6 BYU record: 24-9
VCU vs. Loyola Chicago odds, spread and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- #11 VCU +116
- #6 BYU -140
Spread
- #11 VCU +2.5 (-112)
- #6 BYU -2.5 (-108)
Total
- 145.5 (-110/-110)
#11 VCU injury report
- N/A
#6 BYU injury report
- F Kanon Catchings (knee) - Day-to-day
VCU and BYU series history
- BYU vs VCU: 1-0
#11 VCU vs. #6 BYU prediction
BYU is hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's first round loss to A-10 champions Duquesne, but the Cougars face a far more formidable opponent this time around. Just like that affair, this game will likely be dictated by the star (and mostly veteran) guards on each side.
BYU freshman guard Egor Demin has been the team's motor for much of the season, although turnover problems have often forced the Cougars to rely mostly on Richie Saunders and Dallin Hall. It will be a battle of supreme strengths when they have the ball, with BYU's seventh best effective field goal percentage offense against VCU's best in the nation effective field goal percentage defense. Throw in the Rams penchant for steals, and they could give Demin one of the most daunting challenges of his young career.
On the other end, BYU lets their opponents take a lot of three pointers, and all five of VCU's key seniors will be happy to shoot them. A hot game from sparkplug Phillip Russell or the suddenly cold shooting Joe Bamisile could easily push the Rams over the top, knowing that A-10 Player of the Year Max Shulga will deliver his consistent excellence. But it may come down to freshman offensive rebounding machine Luke Bamgboye against the Cougars' excellent defensive rebounders.
Prediction: No. 11 VCU 77, No. 6 BYU 75