LaSalle is only one season removed from having gone to the Sweet 16, yet this go around in 2013-2014 has featured rougher waters for the Explorers. They sit at 11-7 overall heading into this battle with the Rams but do hold a 3-1 conference mark.
VCU had some early struggles as well but they have mostly put those to rest thanks to a 7-1 run their last eight games. Their defense has proven stifling once again and they will head into Tom Gola Arena in Philadelphia today as 3/3.5 point favorites for this game.
LaSalle has struggled some offensively this season, but they rank 56th in turnover efficiency and that’s a huge bonus in this type of game given their opponent. Tyrone Garland and Tyreek Duren are veterans who understand how to deal with the “havoc” defense.
But the bigger concern for LaSalle relates to their depth. Their rotation is not very deep, and so it’ll be interesting to see how they hold up against a VCU club which often features nine bodies in any given game. LaSalle has playmakers as mentioned, but their offense is a free flowing style that doesn’t feature a ton of interior production. Their lack of balance could put undue pressure on a thin group of guards and that does not bode well despite the veterans they do bring to the table here.
Prior to an impressive win at Dayton on wednesday night the Rams had dropped their previous two road trips. But that Dayton performance made you believe that Shaka Smart’s team could be hitting their stride at exactly the right time.
VCU got a really good performance from Briante Weber and the junior point appears to be finally honing his offensive game in a manner that could really benefit this program. He was 7-9 from the field and dished out five assists with zero turnovers to go along with three steals.
Production like that will be difficult to overcome for the Explorers today, although there could be some value with them as a him dog. Roughly 73 percent of spread bets are coming in on the road favorite, but this is a tight number and its not inaccurate.
Watching LaSalle today will be highly intriguing because this game should tell us a lot about how well equipped they are to navigate through this conference slate in the same manner they did a year ago. Game theory might indicate that they are a decent play, but VCU looks like a team I do not want to get in the way of currently.
