BILLUPS, JACKSON FUEL VCU AS RAMS RACE PAST PENN STATE 86-74

From Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.: 

ESPN Events Invitational

Score: VCU 86, Penn State 74

Location: Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (State Farm Fieldhouse)

Records: VCU 4-3, Penn State 4-3

 

The short story: Redshirt freshman Fats Billups III exploded for 14 of his career-high 23 points in the second half to spark VCU’s victory over Penn State in the final day of the ESPN Events Invitational.

 

OPENING TIP

·      Billups buried 8-of-9 attempts from the floor, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range in 27 minutes of action. He also blocked a pair of shots

·      Senior guard Zeb Jackson also scored a career-high with 22 points Sunday for the Black and Gold on 8-of-18 shooting. He added seven rebounds, six assists and a steal

·      Senior guard Max Shulga supplied 19 points and six rebounds for VCU. Shulga converted all 10 of his free throw attempts

·      Former Ram Ace Baldwin Jr. led Penn State with 27 points

 

THE DIFFERENCE

·      Billups nailed all four of his 3-point attempts in the second half, including triples on back-to-back possessions to give VCU a 72-64 lead with 5:49 remaining. He scored on a layup a short time later, and by the time he connected on his fourth trey of the period at the 3:53 mark, the Rams had pushed their lead to 80-66

·      VCU shot .538 (28-of-52) from the field in the game, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range. The Rams also connected on 22-of-28 free throw attempts

·      The Rams shot .620 (16-of-26) in the first half on the way to a 46-40 lead

·      The Black and Gold limited Penn State to 5-of-17 shooting from 3-point range

·      VCU owned a 36-29 rebounding advantage

 

NOTABLE

·      VCU was facing its former head coach in Penn State’s Mike Rhoades. The Rams are 17-10 when facing former head coaches since 2008

·      The Rams led for 34:06 of Sunday’s contest

·      The game featured 10 ties and eight lead changes

·      The Rams played Sunday’s game without redshirt sophomore Jason Nelson (PPG: 8.5), who sustained a wrist sprain in VCU’s game with Boise State on Friday. 

 

NEXT UP

VCU will return home to face Norfolk State on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.