Who’s Playing
Iowa State Cyclones @ VCU Rams
Current Records: Iowa State 4-0, VCU 3-1
How To Watch
- When: Thursday, November 23, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. ET
- Where: State Farm Field House — Kissimmee, Florida
- TV: ESPN2
- Follow: CBS Sports App
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What to Know
VCU has played every game this season on their home court, but they’ll have to hit the road on Thursday. They will face off against the Iowa State Cyclones at 5:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Field House. The two teams have allowed few points on average, (VCU: 61.8, Iowa State: 45.8) so any points scored will be well earned.
Last Saturday, the Rams didn’t have too much breathing room in their match against the Redhawks, but they still walked away with a 60-56 win.
Zeb Jackson was the offensive standout of the game as he scored 20 points along with 6 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Iowa State put another one in the bag on Sunday to keep their perfect season alive. They simply couldn’t be stopped as they easily beat the Tigers 92-37 at home. Fans of Iowa State have seen this all before: every one of the games they’ve played this season ended as a blowout.
Iowa State got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Tamin Lipsey out in front who scored 17 points along with 9 assists and 3 steals. Curtis Jones was another key contributor, scoring 14 points along with 5 assists and 3 steals.
The Rams’ win bumped their record up to 3-1. As for the Cyclones, they pushed their record up to 4-0 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home.
Looking ahead, VCU shouldn’t be too worried about this matchup, as the experts have them favored by 12 points. This will be their first time playing as the underdogs this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: VCU have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.8 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Iowa State struggles in that department as they’ve been even better at 39.8 per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check CBS Sports after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other NCAA Basketball content.
Odds
Iowa State is a big 12-point favorite against VCU, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Cyclones as a 11-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 130.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Injury Report for VCU
- Sean Bairstow: Out (Foot)
- Joe Bamisile: Out for the Season (Not Injury Related)
Injury Report for Iowa State
- Hason Ward: Out (Foot)
- Jelani Hamilton: Out for the Season (Undisclosed)
- JT Rock: Out for the Season (Redshirt)