Duquesne vs VCU Prediction 3/13/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The VCU Rams and the Duquesne Dukes will meet on Friday afternoon in an Atlantic 10 Tournament matchup at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

VCU Rams Betting Preview

The VCU Rams enter Friday’s contest with a 24–7 overall record, including a 15–3 mark in conference play and a 7-3 record on the road. The Rams have compiled recent wins over George Washington, Richmond and Dayton, while dropping games to Utah State, North Carolina State and George Mason.

Earlier this season, in the VCU Rams 89–75 victory over George Washington, VCU guard Brandon Jennings amassed 14 points (4 of 5 shooting from the field: 2 of 2 shooting from three-point range), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks showcasing his ability to lead the Rams backcourt.

The VCU Rams are averaging 82.4 points (35th in country) on 46.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent shooting three-point range per game. Shifting our focus to the defensive side of the basketball, the Rams are allowing opponents 72.2 points per contest.

Sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. leads the VCU Rams averaging 14.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on 45 percent shooting from the field per game. Junior forward Lazar Djokovic contributes 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. Senior guard Jadrian Tracey averages 10.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists on 42 percent shooting from the field per contest providing the Rams with further backcourt stability.

Duquesne Dukes Betting Preview

The Duquesne Dukes enter Friday’s contest with a 18–14 record, including a 9–9 mark in conference play and a 5–7 record away from home. The Dukes have amassed recent wins over Rhode Island, Richmond, George Washington and George Mason, while losing games to Saint Louis, Davidson, Dayton, VCU and La Salle.

More recently, in the Duquesne Dukes 67–61 victory over the Rhode Island Rams earlier today, Duquesne guard Tarence Guinyard tallied 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal showcasing his ability to anchor the Dukes offense.

The Duquesne Dukes average 77.6 points on 45.3 percent shooting from the field per game. Defensively, the Dukes are allowing opponents 76.6 points per game.

Senior guard Tarence Guinyard leads the Duquesne Dukes averaging 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Junior guard Jimmie Williams contributes 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists on 46.1 percent shooting from the field per contest, while senior forward Alex Williams averages 8.4 points and 3.1 rebounds on 42.9 percent shooting from the field per game.

Why the VCU Rams Will Win

• Superior offense. The VCU Rams are averaging 82.4 points (35th in country) on 46.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent shooting three-point range per game. Conversely, the Dukes average 77.6 points per contest.

• Guard play. Sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. leads the VCU Rams averaging 14.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on 45 percent shooting from the field per game

• Momentum. The VCU Rams enter tomorrow’s contest on the heels of a three-game winning streak.

• Confidence. The VCU Rams defeated the Duquesne Dukes 93-80 earlier this season.

Why the Duquesne Dukes Will Win

 • Balanced scoring. Guinyard, Hill Jr. and Williams provide reliable production.

• Tournament momentum. Duquesne enters off a 67–61 win over Rhode Island in the opening round.

VCU Rams vs. Duquesne Dukes Prediction

In my view, the VCU Rams should be able to pull away in this matchup. Why? The Rams defensive pressure and game tempo force Duquesne into a style of play that is not conducive to success for the Dukes. The Rams overall team balance, defensive strength and ability to generate steady offense make VCU the more stable side to be on in this one. Having stated that, I am backing the VCU Rams to cover the 8.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: VCU -8.5