Dayton Flyers Aim to Upset VCU Rams in Atlantic 10 Matchup

Dayton looks to cover the 7.5-point spread against the favored Rams

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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The Dayton Flyers will face off against the VCU Rams in an Atlantic 10 college basketball matchup on Friday night. VCU enters as a 7.5-point favorite, but Dayton is looking to pull off the upset behind its improved perimeter defense and ability to force turnovers.

Why it matters

This game features two teams with respectable records in the Atlantic 10 conference, but both have underperformed at times this season. The large point spread suggests VCU should win comfortably, but Dayton's defensive adjustments and transition game could make this a closer contest than expected.

The details

Dayton holds a 15-8 record and has gone 6-4 in conference play, while VCU enters with a 17-6 record and an 8-2 mark in the A-10. The Rams are led by Terrence Hill Jr. (14.5 ppg) and Lazar Djokovic (13.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg), while Dayton is paced by Javon Bennett (16.1 ppg) and De'Shayne Montgomery (15.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.7 spg). VCU is a three-point dependent team, which could play into Dayton's hands as the Flyers have improved their perimeter defense of late.

  • The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, February 6, 2026.

The players

Javon Bennett

Dayton's leading scorer, averaging 16.1 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 90.4% from the free-throw line.

De'Shayne Montgomery

Dayton's second-leading scorer, averaging 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and a team-high 2.7 steals per game while shooting 37.1% from deep.

Terrence Hill Jr.

VCU's leading scorer, averaging 14.5 points per game and shooting 39.9% from three-point range.

Lazar Djokovic

VCU's second-leading scorer, averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 37.1% from deep.

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What they’re saying

“Dayton has underwhelmed a bit this season, while VCU has not quite been as solid as its record would suggest. Both teams have respectable records without playing to their peak.”

— Sean Barnard, Sports Analyst (draftkings.com)

“My biggest concern with this VCU team is how three-point dependent it is in its offensive process. The Rams attempt the 77th-most three-point attempts per game and rank 41st in efficiency.”

— Sean Barnard, Sports Analyst (draftkings.com)

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a step closer to securing a favorable seed in the upcoming Atlantic 10 tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between Dayton and VCU is closer than the 7.5-point spread suggests, as Dayton's improved perimeter defense and ability to force turnovers could keep the game competitive. An outright upset by the Flyers is not out of the question.