Driving to the basket could be hazardous to your health — and certainly to your shooting percentage — when Virginia Commonwealth University hosts the University of Massachusetts on Saturday, Jan. 7, at the Siegel Center.

Visiting Massachusetts (10-4 overall, 0-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference) and host VCU (11-3, 1-0) boast two of the most powerful, intimidating figures in all of college basketball.

The Rams’ center is 6-foot-7, 260-pound senior Mo Alie-Cox, aka “Mo-nan the Barbarian.”

UMass will counter with 6-foot-11, 320-pound sophomore Rashaan Holloway, who seems more “mountain man” than “Minuteman.”

All that’s missing from this heavyweight matchup is famed ring announcer Michael “Let’s get ready to rumble” Buffer providing intros and “Enter at your own risk” signs guarding the painted area under the hoops.

Alie-Cox, from Northern Virginia, averages 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and leads the A-10 in blocked shots with 2.4 per game.

Holloway, from Elmer, N.J., averages 10.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, but has trouble staying on the court because of foul trouble.

Holloway’s .631 shooting accuracy ranks second in the A-10.

Joining Holloway in the UMass frontcourt is 6-foot-9, 220-pound Brison Gresham.

Alie-Cox, who has drawn scouting interest more from the NFL than the NBA, will finish his collegiate career as one of the Rams’ all-time defensive enforcers. His 33 blocks are more than the rest of the team (61 total) combined.

The fifth-year senior has 217 career blocks, the second most in Rams basketball annals. Only Ren Watson, with 391 blocks from 1975 through 1979, has more.

This season, Alie-Cox has eclipsed Larry Sanders (187), Kendrick Warren (193) and L.F. Likcholitov (207) on VCU’s all-time rejections list.

Alie-Cox enjoyed one of his finest games Friday, Dec. 30, in VCU’s 73-64 win at George Mason University

The bruising Ram tallied 14 points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots, three assists and two steals as VCU broke the Patriots’ nine-game winning streak.

JeQuan Lewis paced VCU at George Mason with 26 points, five steals and three assists. It marked the 11th time in Lewis’ career that he has scored at least 20 points.