VCU vs. Old Dominion preview

Commonwealth Times Sports’ Twitter

What: VCU (19-6, 11-2) vs. Old Dominion (18-6, 9-4)

When: 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 12

Ticket information: Sold Out, 802-828-RAMS

All-time series: VCU leads, 43-40

Probable starters:

VCU:
Forward- Juvonte Reddic
Guard- Joey Rodriguez
Guard- Bradford Burgess
Forward- Jamie Skeen
Guard- Ed Nixon

ODU:
Forward- Ben Finney
Forward- Chris Cooper
Center- Frank Hassell
Guard- Kent Bazemore
Guard- Darius James

Streaks:
VCU: won 10 of last 11 games

ODU: won four of last five games

Last meeting: VCU came away with a 59-50 victory in front of a hostile crowd at the Ted Constant Convocation Center behind a combined 53 points from upperclassmen.

Game notes:

VCU returns home to the confines of the Siegel Center after playing five of its last seven games on the road. The Rams will look for their 23rd straight win at home, which ranks fourth in the nation amongst active home win-streaks.

After dropping two of three to ODU last year, VCU looks for revenge Saturday as it attempts to take the season

Skeen will be matched up against ODU big-man Frank Hassell who is averaging 13.3 points per game along to go with 9.3 rebounds. Skeen found success against Hassell in their first meeting this year, holding the senior forward to just six points and seven rebounds.

The Rams will have to be aggressive on the board as they go up against a Monarch team that is currently averaging 40 rebounds per game, which ranks 11th in the nation.

VCU has found recent success on the weekends, posting a 7-1 record when competing on Saturdays so far this season.

Saturday’s matchup marks the beginning of a crucial final stretch for the Rams, who will face four of the Colonial Athletic Association’s top six teams, along with a ESPN BracketBusters game, to close out the regular season.