VCU tops Vanderbilt with strong finish

Final score: VCU 70, Vanderbilt 65.

Location: Siegel Center in Richmond.

Current records: VCU 5-2. Vandy 3-4.

In a nutshell: This was a good victory for VCU against a decent power conference foe. After missing four games the Rams starting point guard, Ace Baldwin, returned from injury (right wrist) just in time. He scored a career-high 28 points in 33 minutes on the court. Baldwin also grabbed three rebounds and dished out four assists. He played dogged defense and got a pair of steals. It's hard to believe that VCU could have won this game without Ace's noteworthy contributions.  

NOTES

• Baldwin knocked down 7-of-14 from the floor and connected on 10-of-12 free throws in his first game back since suffering a right wrist injury on Nov. 12.
• Redshirt sophomore forward Jamir Watkins joined Baldwin Jr. in double figures with 13 points, just two off of his career-high 15. Watkins got a majority of his points via free throws, shooting 7-of-11 from the line.
• Freshman forward Tobi Lawal added a career-high four points and put in a solid defensive effort in 12 minutes of action for the Rams.
• Sophomore forward Jalen DeLoach led the Rams with six rebounds, while graduate student forward Brandon Johns Jr. added seven points and five rebounds.
• Vanderbilt saw three players score in double figures, led by Myle Stute’s 20 points, who hit 6-of-9 from beyond the 3-point arc. Liam Robbins and Ezra Manjon added 14 and 12 points, respectively. 

• In a game that featured 15 ties and eight lead changes, Baldwin pushed the Rams in front for the final time with a pair of free throws with 3:14 remaining. Vanderbilt pulled within 66-64, but Baldwin answered again, driving left of the lane for bucket with 51 ticks on the clock. Watkins helped salt away the win with a fadeaway jumper to beat the shot clock with 16.8 second remaining
• Vanderbilt got within three at 54-51 before it was assessed three technical fouls, one to Robbins and two to Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse. Stackhouse was ejected, and Baldwin made 4-of-6 free throws to give VCU a 58-51 lead with 7:59 on the clock
• The Commodores later put together a 9-0 run to tie the game at 61 with 3:56 remaining. The Rams responded by outscoring Vanderbilt 9-4 the rest of the way to seal the victory
• VCU made 37 trips to the free throw line and connected on 25
• VCU went on a 6-0 run in the final 1:11 of the first half to open up a 35-28 halftime lead. They then built that lead up to 11 with 18:23 left, allowing them to play with the lead for most of the second half

 

Head Coach Mike Rhoades on Ace Baldwin: “He’s a competitive freak. And I say that with unbelievable respect. You got to kill him to beat him. He loves competition. He’s not afraid of the spotlight, he’s not afraid of pressure situations. He’s very hard on himself and even harder on his teammates but it's because he wants to win so bad and he gives other guys competitive confidence and he has always been like that, that’s why I liked him so much in high school. And he’s just tough, he’s just really tough. He made plays on both ends of the court and kept our guys calm.”  

BOX SCORE

UP NEXT

The Rams travel to Philadelphia, Pa. on Saturday, Dec. 3 to take on the Temple Owls out of the American Athletic Conference. Tip-off from the Liacouras Center is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

-- Info provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.