NFL Tickets
The No. 15 VCU Rams open their 2014-15 NCAA basketball season with a game against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Quicken Loans Veterans Classic on Friday at 6:30 EST.
VCU disappointingly was upset in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament by Stephen F. Austin, but look to rebound with a deep tournament run in 2015. Shaka Smart’s squad loses Juvonte Reddic, but returns two key players in Treveon Graham and Melvin Johnson. Graham could be a legitimate contender for the Naismith award, especially if VCU can dominate their non-conference schedule.
Tennessee is in the midst of a major transition year, after losing their three best players from last season and bringing in a new head coach. The bright spot for this team appears to be senior guard Josh Richardson, who made a name for himself as one of the best one-on-one defenders in all of college basketball last season. Several young players will have opportunities to shine for Tennessee, but Richardson has to explode offensively for this team to stand a chance.
My prediction is that this game is a quick paced, first-to-80 game that sees VCU defeat the Volunteers. Tennessee will be in the game early, but the athleticism of the Rams and the elite coaching of Smart will be too much for the Vols. Don’t be surprised if Tennessee gets blown out in this one, because the Vols are nowhere near as stable as they were under Cuonzo Martin.
VCU is a legitimate contender for a top three seed in the 2015 NCAA Tournament; expect this one to get ugly.
Prediction: VCU 82, Tennessee 65
Taylor Sturm is a Featured College Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
Share 
