BYU vs. VCU odds, March Madness predictions, start time: 2025 NCAA Tournament picks from proven model

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The No. 11 seed VCU Rams and the No. 6 seed BYU Cougars collide in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The Rams head into the NCAA Tournament with some positive momentum. They’ve won three consecutive games, including a 68-63 win over George Mason in the A-10 Conference Championship. VCU went 28-6 in the regular season. Meanwhile, BYU was 24-9 during the campaign and is 9-1 in its last 10 contests.

Tipoff from the Ball Arena is at 4:05 p.m. ET. The latest VCU vs. BYU odds via SportsLine consensus list the Cougars as 2.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 148, up 4.5 from the opener. BYU’s over/under for total team points is 75.5, while VCU’s is 73.5. Before making any BYU vs. VCU picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament on a 228-166 roll (+2025) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. This model has also produced brackets that have beaten over 91% of CBS Sports entries in four of the last six tournaments and nailed 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds. Anyone following could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has dialed in on VCU vs. BYU and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for VCU vs. BYU:

VCU vs. BYU spread: Cougars -2.5
VCU vs. BYU over/under: 148 points
VCU vs. BYU money line: Cougars -136, Rams +114
VCU vs. BYU picks: See picks at SportsLine
VCU vs. BYU streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)

Why VCU can cover

The Rams have gone 15-11 against the spread coming off a win. Senior guard Max Shulga plays a major role for the Rams. He leads the team in points (15.1), assists (4.0), and steals (1.8) per game. In his last outing, Shulga finished with 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists. He’s scored 16-plus points in three of his past five outings.

Senior guard Joe Bamisile has been another scorer who can put the ball on the deck when needed. Bamisile logs 15.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. In his previous outing, the Virginia native compiled 17 points, three rebounds, and two assists. See which side to pick at SportsLine.

Why BYU can cover

Junior guard Richie Saunders has a soft touch on the perimeter as a shooter with the ability to excel off the ball. He averages a team-high 16 points and makes 43% of his 3-pointers. On March 13 against Iowa State, Saunders had 23 points, five rebounds, and knocked down three 3-pointers. This was his 11th game with 20-plus points this season.

Junior forward Keba Keita stands at 6-foot-8 and gives this group a bruising force in the frontcourt. He puts up 7.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. Keita also shoots 66% from the field. The Mali native has racked up 10-plus rebounds and at least one block in three of his last four games. In the March 14 contest against Houston, Keita finished with 14 points, 12 boards, and two blocks. See which side to pick at SportsLine.

How to make VCU vs. BYU picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over the total, predicting the teams will combine for 151 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. See which side to back at SportsLine.

So who wins BYU vs. VCU, and which side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since 2023, and find out.