VCU wins easily at Richmond

Final Score: VCU 74, Richmond 62

Location: The Robins Center in Richmond

Current Records: VCU 15-5, 6-1 A-10. Richmond 11-9, 4-3 in A-10.

In a nutshell: After finishing the first half with a 10-point lead, VCU gradually crushed Richmond in the second half. Once again VCU's depth was a key factor. The Rams bench outscored the Spiders bench 31-to-19. 

The Rams held the Spiders without a field goal for nearly 10 minutes during one second-half stretch. In the last few minutes Richmond sank a few garbage-time baskets, which made the game look closer than it really was.   

VCU's redshirt sophomore forward Jamir Watkins played his best overall game of the season. In 25 minutes off the bench he set the pace for the Rams with 15 points and 10 rebounds. He connected on 5-of-8 field goals, including 2-of-5 treys and added two blocks, two steals and two assists to his stats line. Junior point guard Ace Baldwin added 14 points, five assists and a pair of steals, while graduate forward Brandon Johns contributed 12 points and four boards. 

NOTES (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D)

• Sophomore guard Jayden Nunn and senior forward David Shriver supplied 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Rams. Shriver hit 2-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc.
• Watkins buried a 3-pointer and converted a traditional three-point play to spark a 15-0 VCU run over a four-minute span in the second half that gave the Rams a 68-49 cushion with 4:34 remaining. VCU would lead the game by as many as 21 points in the second half. 
• Tyler Burton led Richmond with 14 points. Still, VCU limited Burton, the Atlantic 10 Conference’s second-leading scorer, to 5-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range. He also made six turnovers.
• VCU outrebounded Richmond 37-to-27. 
• VCU now leads the all-time series between these two rivals, 58-32.
• The surging Rams have won five games in a row and 10 of 11 overall. That includes three straight road wins.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP

VCU will host George Mason on Wed., Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Siegel Center. That contest will air on CBS Sports Network.

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