VCU Wins Season Opener: Rams 85, Aggies 69

 Game No. 1 Notes from: Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.

 

Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic

Score: VCU 85, Utah State 69

Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.

Records: VCU 1-0, Utah State 0-1

 

The short story: Sophomore Bones Hyland set a career-high with 23 points and junior Vince Williams helped key a decisive second-half blitz as VCU rushed past Utah State Wednesday to kick off the 2020-21 season.

 

OPENING TIP

·      Hyland scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half. He finished 6-of-12 from the floor, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range

·      Williams poured in 13 of his career-high 15 points in the second half to help VCU’s late surge. The Toledo, Ohio native also provided five rebounds, four assists and a steal

·      Junior guard KeShawn Curry added 10 points and six rebounds to the mix for VCU, while senior forward Corey Douglas and sophomore guard Tre Clark supplied eight each

·      Neemias Queta recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Aggies

 

THE DIFFERENCE

·      VCU trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half, but Hyland buried a 3-pointer, and Curry scooped up back-to-back Utah State turnovers for fast break buckets to spark an 18-0 Rams run that gave them a 74-63 lead with 5:00 remaining

·      The Rams held Utah State without a field goal for nearly 11 minutes down the stretch. VCU outscored the Aggies 29-6 the final 10:56

·      The Rams shot 53 percent (28-of-53) from the field, including 10-of-24 from 3-point range

·      VCU limited Utah State to 32 percent (9-of-28) shooting in the second half. 

·      VCU scored 28 points off of 18 turnovers in the game. The Rams turned the ball over just four times in the second half.   

 

NOTABLE

-   All 12 Rams who played scored. 

-     Box score. 

 

NEXT UP

VCU will take on 15^th-ranked West Virginia at 2:30 p.m. (EST) in the semifinals of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D. (ESPN).