Revolutionaries edge Rams, 84-to-82

Final score: GW 84, VCU 82. 

Location: Siegel Center.

Current records: GW 12-3, 1-1 in A-10. VCU 8-7, 0-2 in A-10. 

In a nutshell: The George Washington team that outscored VCU today at the Siegel Center is better than what Rams fans have grown accustomed to seeing from the Revolutionaries. With the game on the line GW made one more play than the home team did. 

However, a factor stands out in the two home court losses the Rams have suffered to start their A-10 Conference schedule -- Coach Ryan Odom's Rams don't have much confidence in their defense. And, for good reason: So far, against good teams, it looks like VCU can't dial up stops when push comes to shove.

In today's tilt, as well as Wednesday's against St. Bonaventure, too often the Rams were playing defense reaching with their hands, but not by moving their feet in a timely fashion. They were rarely staying in front of their men, sure that help will appear from a teammate should the defender anticipate a wrong zig instead of the right zag. Then, once the opponents being guarded have already gotten a step or TWO on the men supposedly checking them, the defenders have been chasing the offensive players with the ball ... instead of staying in front of them.

Thus, unless their slow-reacting defense improves, in order to beat talented A-10 foes, the Rams offense is going to be called upon to outscore its opponents, shootout style. And, of course, that won't necessarily work against good teams. Today, the Revolutionaries appeared to be a pretty good team.

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

• Max Shulga led the Rams with 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He also handed out four assists.
• Joe Bamisile supplied 18 points in 20 minutes off the bench. He connected on 6-of-12 attempts, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson (13 points) and redshirt freshman wing Fats Billups III (10 points) also scored in double figures for VCU, while sophomore forward Christian Fermin added eight points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
• GW's James Bishop led all players with 28 points. He was 12-of-14 at the free throw line.
• In a back-and-forth game, Bamisile tied the contest at 82-82 with a floater in the lane with 11.7 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Bishop drove left, but was cut off by the VCU defense eight feet from the basket. But the fifth-year guard pivoted and tossed up a high-arching shot over the outstretched hand of a VCU defender and found nothing but net with 1.5 remaining. A long VCU 3-point attempt as time expired fell short.
• George Washington knocked down 17-of-21 attempts from the field in the second half, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range. The Revolutionaries shot 55 percent (27-of-49) from the field in the game, including 9-of-16 from beyond the arc. GW also converted 21-of-26 free throw attempts.
• VCU took a 73-71 lead with 4:05 remaining after Shulga was fouled on a 3-point try and made all three free throws. But Bishop answered with a long step-back 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, and George Washington never trailed again. VCU would tie the game down the stretch at 80-80 with 41 seconds left on three Bamisile free throws, but GW’s Garrett Johnson drove and drew a foul on the next play and knocked down both attempts from the charity strip to give the Revs an 82-80 edge 31 seconds on the clock.
• VCU buried 11-of-24 from 3-point range. The Rams grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and owned a 20-0 advantage in second-chance points.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP

On Tues, Jan. 9, VCU will face George Mason in Fairfax. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN+.