This is a good matchup for Oregon State. The Beavers can be effective against Virginia Commwealth with their 1-3-1 zone defense and won't get taken advantage inside because the Rams lack the height to exploit the Beavers' small front line. Oregon State is 19-1 when outrebounding its opponent and has the necessary guard quality and backcourt depth to handle the Rams' presses even without injured Tres Tinkle, it's second-leading scorer.

Oregon State led the Pac-12 in assist-to-turnover ratio, committing more turnovers than its opponents just once in 18 conference games. The Beavers force nearly 14 turnovers per game and hold foes to under 33 percent shooting from 3-point range. Gary Payton II is an elite guard and one of the top defensive players in the country just like his father was.

VCU has NCAA Tourney experience, unlike Oregon State. However, the Rams have just one win by more than three points during their last six NCAA Tournament games. They are 0-3 the past three seasons in the NCAA Tournament. The Rams didn't prove themselves either in non-conference play as they failed to beat any really good teams outside of their Atlantic-10 falling to Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Wisconsin and Duke.