Sports

VCU Rams (27-7, 18-3 A-10) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (24-8, 12-7 ACC)

Greenville, South Carolina; Thursday, 6:50 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tar Heels -2.5; over/under is 151.5

BOTTOM LINE: No. 21 North Carolina plays in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against VCU.

The Tar Heels are 12-7 against ACC opponents and 12-1 in non-conference play. North Carolina is third in the ACC with 25.7 defensive rebounds per game led by Caleb Wilson averaging 6.6.

The Rams' record in A-10 action is 18-3. VCU averages 81.6 points and has outscored opponents by 10.1 points per game.

North Carolina averages 8.6 made 3-pointers per game, 1.8 more made shots than the 6.8 per game VCU gives up. VCU averages 9.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 more made shots on average than the 8.0 per game North Carolina gives up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Luka Bogavac averages 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Tar Heels, scoring 9.8 points while shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc. Wilson is averaging 19.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals over the past 10 games.

Terrence Hill Jr. is averaging 14.4 points for the Rams. Nyk Lewis is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Tar Heels: 6-4, averaging 72.4 points, 30.2 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 4.3 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.9 points per game.

Rams: 9-1, averaging 75.7 points, 33.4 rebounds, 13.1 assists, 6.6 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.0 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

UCF Knights (21-11, 10-10 Big 12) vs. UCLA Bruins (23-11, 15-8 Big Ten)

Philadelphia; Friday, 7:25 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bruins -5.5; over/under is 152.5

BOTTOM LINE: UCLA squares off against UCF in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Bruins are 15-8 against Big Ten opponents and 8-3 in non-conference play. UCLA is eighth in the Big Ten at limiting opponent scoring, giving up 71.0 points while holding opponents to 43.3% shooting.

The Knights' record in Big 12 action is 10-10. UCF has a 4-1 record in one-possession games.

UCLA is shooting 47.1% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points higher than the 45.6% UCF allows to opponents. UCF has shot at a 46.6% rate from the field this season, 3.3 percentage points higher than the 43.3% shooting opponents of UCLA have averaged.

TOP PERFORMERS: Eric Dailey Jr. is averaging 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Bruins. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 14.5 points over the last 10 games.

Jamichael Stillwell is averaging 11.7 points and eight rebounds for the Knights. Jordan Burks is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 6-4, averaging 75.1 points, 27.8 rebounds, 17.6 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.8 points per game.

Knights: 4-6, averaging 76.8 points, 32.7 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 81.3 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Tennessee State Tigers (23-9, 17-5 OVC) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (27-7, 14-7 Big 12)

St. Louis; Friday, 2:50 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cyclones -24.5; over/under is 149.5

BOTTOM LINE: No. 6 Iowa State and Tennessee State meet in the NCAA Tournament first round.

The Cyclones' record in Big 12 games is 14-7, and their record is 13-0 in non-conference games. Iowa State ranks eighth in the Big 12 with 10.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Blake Buchanan averaging 2.9.

The Tigers are 17-5 against OVC opponents. Tennessee State leads the OVC scoring 80.5 points per game while shooting 46.0%.

Iowa State makes 49.0% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.6 percentage points higher than Tennessee State has allowed to its opponents (44.4%). Tennessee State scores 15.4 more points per game (80.5) than Iowa State allows to opponents (65.1).

TOP PERFORMERS: Milan Momcilovic is shooting 49.4% from beyond the arc with 3.7 made 3-pointers per game for the Cyclones, while averaging 17.1 points. Joshua Jefferson is shooting 42.4% and averaging 16.6 points over the last 10 games.

Aaron Nkrumah is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals for the Tigers. Travis Harper II is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cyclones: 6-4, averaging 75.0 points, 29.4 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 8.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.8 points per game.

Tigers: 9-1, averaging 79.5 points, 33.6 rebounds, 11.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.7 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.