VCU Rams vs. Oklahoma Sooners Betting Odds, March Madness Analysis, Pick

After opening the Big Dance with a victory/cover over Oregon State the Rams of Virginia Commonwealth are now 8-5 straight up and 10-3 against the spread over their last 13 NCAA tournament games.

But this havoc-wreaking bunch will have their hands full when they challenge Buddy Hield and Oklahoma in a second-round bout Sunday evening in Oklahoma City.

Point spread: The Sooners opened as seven-point favorites; the total was 144, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. Line updates and matchup report.

March Madness pick, via Odds Shark computer: 73.7-67.4 Rams

Why pick Virginia Commonwealth to cover the spread

The 10th-seeded Rams reached Sunday's second round by eliminating Oregon State on Friday 75-67. VCU led by eight at the half, fell down by a bucket with nine minutes to go, but in the key sequence of the game got a big block from forward Mo Alie-Cox and a three-pointer from guard Melvin Johnson to retake the lead for good.

The Rams then hit 9-of-10 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory and the cover as four-point favorites. On the day VCU shot 48 percent from the floor, held the Beavers to just 42 percent shooting and won the rebounding battle 40-28. So the Rams are now 8-3 both SU and ATS over their last 11 games.

Why pick Oklahoma to cover the spread

The second-seeded Sooners advanced to this game by holding off Cal State-Bakersfield on Friday 82-68. OU led by eight at the half, fell down by a point with about 14 minutes to go but used a 10-0 run to retake control. The Sooners pushed their lead to 15 in the final minute, but they gave up one last Roadrunners bucket to miss out on the cash as 14-point favorites.

For the game Oklahoma shot 50 percent from the field and hit 11-of-20 from three-point range. On the season, led by Hield, the Sooners are shooting 46 percent from the floor and a deadly 43 percent from long range, which is second-best in the country. They're also limiting opponents to just under 41 percent FG shooting.

Smart betting pick

VCU will throw everything at Oklahoma, but the Sooners' experienced backcourt should be able to handle it. And it's always nice to have a guy who can throw it in the hole like Hield, especially when free-throw time comes around late in the game. The smart money here on the college basketball odds sides with OU.

March Madness betting trends

Oklahoma is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games as a favorite of 7.0 or less.

Oklahoma is 5-1 SU in its last six games after an ATS loss.

VCU is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games as an underdog of 7.0 or more.

VCU is 12-3 SU and 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games with a closing total of 147.0 or less.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, and all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app for iOS or Android.