Rams defeat Spiders with late burst

Final score: VCU 63, Richmond 52
Location: Siegel Center
Current records: VCU 14-8, 6-3 in A-10. UR 16-6, 8-1 in A-10.

In a Nutshell: For most of the game the crosstown rivals struggled to gain an advantage on the scoreboard. Before a sellout crowd neither team's offense could gain the upper hand and establish a working margin. So their defenses ruled throughout the first half. 

The first half ended with VCU ahead by two points, 20-to-18. The second half played out differently, as the Rams scored 43 points to the Spiders 34. Guard Max Shulga and forward Kuany Kuany each finished with 15 points, which paced VCU's offense. 

The Rams won the battle of the boards by a 42-to-27 margin. VCU's bench outscored Richmond's 13-to-0.                

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

• Shulga scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half. He finished 5-for-14 from the field, adding five assists and five rebounds with two buckets from beyond the arc. 
• Kuany also scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half, shooting 5-for-7 with six rebounds and two blocks.
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson directed the VCU offense with six assists, adding five rebounds and seven points (2-for-8) while sophomore forward Tobi Lawal came off the bench to provide a strong 20 minutes, grabbing a team-high eight rebounds while adding seven points.
• VCU trailed 26-22 at the 16:50 mark of the second stanza, but back-to-back buckets from Kuany and sophomore forward Christian Fermin tied the score at 26-all with 14:51 remaining and set the stage for Shulga’s heroics.
• With VCU holding a one-point lead at 33-32, with 9:54 to go, Shugla went on a tear, scoring 11 straight points to give the home team the lead for good. The run began at 8:49, when Shulga would hit the first of back-to-back 3-pointers. 
• Richmond would answer each basket with a pair of their own and after a three-point play by the Spiders’ Neal Quinn the Rams held a two-point advantage at 39-37 (6:54). It was here the Shulga took over the scoring completely, nailing three free throws after being fouled beyond the arc to make it 42-37. Shulga then caused a turnover at midcourt and was off and running, slamming home a dunk to ignite the Siegel Center and put the Rams up by seven with six minutes to play.
• VCU connected on 18-of-20 free throws.
• Jordan King and Delonnie Hunt led Richmond with 12 points each.
• The Rams have now won the last three meetings with Richmond and have prevailed in nine-of-the-last 11 games in the Capital City Classic. The Rams victory was also the 60th all-time against Richmond for VCU; it extends their all-time advantage to 60-32.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP:

On Tuesday, February 6, VCU will face Fordham in the Bronx. The A-10 game tips off at Rose Hill Gym at 7 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN+.