Sputtering offense dooms Rams; Billikens prevail

Final Score: Saint Louis 71, VCU 62.
Location: Siegel Center 
Updated Records: Saint Louis 14-1 (2-0 in A-10).. VCU 11-5 (2-1 in A-10).

In a nutshell: The game matched what many think are the two best teams in the Atlantic 10. Both are known for their high scoring offenses. When the game started both teams raced up and down the floor and missed a lot of shots. However, eventually Saint Louis began hitting shots, but VCU kept on missing. 

So the Rams finished the game having sunk just 29 percent of their shots from the field. That, while the Billikens made good on 43 percent (27-of-63) of their field goal attempts. Put simply, that was the difference. 

The Rams shooting was actually the coldest of the season. To their credit, they never quit; they just couldn't hit wide open shots. Saint Louis led for 38:38 of the game. After a furious rally, VCU led (62-to-61) for 13 seconds, late in the contest.  

A few VCU stats: Coming off the bench Terrence Hill led the Rams scoring with 17 points. Lazar Djokovic’s scored 11 points, grabbed 12 boards and blocked two shots. Michael Belle scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots.

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

●      VCU trailed by as many as 14 points, at 49-35, following a Kellen Thames layup with 12:11 remaining. But the Rams chipped away. A traditional three-point play by Djokovic sparked a 12-2 VCU run that culminated in a drive and layup by sophomore guard Ahmad Nowell that gave the Rams a 62-61 lead with 2:30 on the clock. But Saint Louis took command down the stretch. The Billikens outscored VCU 10-0 in the final 2:30, including a go-ahead 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:17 left.  

 ●      Jadrian Tracey tied a career-high with four steals.

●      Thames led the Billikens with a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds.   

●      Saint Louis also took advantage in the paint as they outscored VCU 40-24.

●      Wednesday’s match-up pitted the Atlantic 10 Conference’s preseason No. 1 (VCU) and No. 2 (Saint Louis) teams against one another.

●      Both teams received 30 points from their bench.

●      The Rams shot 83 percent (20-of-24) from the free throw line.

 

BOXSCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will hit the road to face George Mason on Saturday, January. 10. Tipoff at noon. TV: ESPNU. 

-- 30 --

VCU tops Duquesne, 93-to-80

Final Score: VCU 93, Duquesne 80
Location: Pittsburgh (UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse)
Updated Records: VCU 11-4 (2-0 in A-10), Duquesne 9-6 (1-1 in A10)

In a nutshell: The VCU Rams looked confident, as they led for most of the game. The Duquesne Dukes struggled on their homecourt to keep the score close. Most of the time VCU led by a comfortable margin. 

With this performance in a road game it's fair to say that Coach Phil Martelli's team is shaping up nicely 15 games into a 31 game regular season. The Rams impressive offense is averaging 87.2 points per game. Among D1 programs that puts them at 27th in the nation. However, the Rams defense is allowing their opponents to score an average of 73.4 points per game. Which has the Rams ranked at 144th. 

Still, maybe the best yardstick to look at right now is that VCU has won five consecutive games. In my view that says VCU is getting better. To me, it suggests the Rams are learning, as a team, how to finish games off.     

.   
Here's a look at some individual Rams scoring numbers from the Duquesne game. Five Rams scored in double figures: Hill 21; Djokovic 18, Nowell 14; Lewis 13; Tracey  11. 

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

· Hill knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and connected on 7-of-12 attempts from the field overall on the way to his third 20-point effort of the season.

· Djokovic scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked a pair of shots to lead the Rams in the paint. He buried 9-of-10 attempts from the free throw line.

· Sophomore Ahmad Nowell provided the Rams with a much-needed second-half spark off the bench, supplying 12 of his 14 of his points after intermission. He connected on 5-of-7 attempts from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range.

· Freshman Nyk Lewis added 13 points, four assists and three steals, while senior Jadrian Tracey provided 11 points and four rebounds to round out VCU’s quintet of double-digit scorers.

· Tarence Guinyard led all scorers with 22 points for Duquesne.

· VCU shot 54 percent (29-of-54) from the field in the contest, its fifth straight game over 50 percent. The Rams hit 44 percent of their 3-point tries (11-of-25).

· The Rams owned a 33-25 rebounding advantage and used 10 offensive boards to build an 18-5 edge in second-chance points.

· Duquesne opened the second half with a 19-8 run to trim VCU’s lead to 54-53 with 13:33 remaining. But Hill and Nowell drove the lane for back-to-back buckets to afford VCU some breathing room. A short time later, Hill finished another from close range and Nowell buried a deep 3-pointer to cap a 9-0 run that gave the Black and Gold a 63-53 lead with 10:23 on the clock. The Dukes could get no closer than seven the rest of the way, and the Rams pushed their margin to as much as 84-69 on a wide-open 3-pointer from the right wing by senior Barry Evans at the 2:38 mark.

· VCU built a 46-34 first half lead behind 7-of-14 shooting from three and 10 points by Hill.

· VCU has scored at least 80 points in five straight games for the first time since the 1975-76 season.

· The Rams’ bench outscored Duquesne’s reserves 43-23.

· VCU improved to 10-4 all-time against Duquesne with Saturday’s win. 

BOXSCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will host Saint Louis on Wednesday, January 7. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. This tilt matches up the A10 Conference’s preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams. TV: CBS Sports Network.

-- 30 --

For-Sure Truths

For-Sure Truths: Post 1
by F.T. Rea

My 78 years on Earth have taught me a few for-sure truths. Here's one of them: In order for groups to run smoothly it's essential to have recognized standards of honesty. That goes for groups of all sizes; teams, neighborhoods and societies. 

(And, it requires that sometimes we must run dishonest people off. More about that angle later in Post 2.)

Having genuine confidence in the honesty of our teammates, associates and fellow citizens greases the wheels of progress. That confidence saves time in doubting and fact-checking. Yet another for-sure truth is that dishonesty acts as sand in the gears of cooperation. 

On April 3, 2017, TIME Magazine's striking red, black and white cover asked a question that was both timely and scary: "Is Truth Dead?" 

In the spring of 2017, having Donald Trump in the White House had suddenly made that heavy blunt question much more timely and scary. After all, with Trump the fraudster -- looming as a role model, many parents had to have started wondering how in the world a praiseworthy reverence for honesty and fair dealing will ever develop in their children's young minds. 

Today, as 2026 is beginning to unfold, it seems obvious that Trump is convinced that truth itself has always been shaped by powerful men, just as they have seen fit. Like, we should never trust our lying eyes and ears. 

Moreover, in Trump's MAGA world a concept such as "standards of honesty" is merely a collection of malleable words, another phrase in a propagandist's lexicon.     

--  30 --

Late rally boosts VCU over St. Bonaventure

Final Score: VCU 89, St. Bonaventure 82
Location: Siegel Center
Updated Records: VCU 10-4 (1-0 in A-10), St. Bonaventure 11-3 (0-1 in A-10)

In a nutshell: This well-played game was a close affair most of the way; with lead changes aplenty. Then the always tough Bonnies managed to build a seven-point lead 12 minutes into the second half. 

At that point the sellout crowd swelled up and inspired the Rams defense to clamp down and utterly dominate the game. St. Bonaventure went without a field goal for over six-and-a-half minutes during that game-deciding crucial stretch. 

And, in what was an eye-popping clutch performance, Brandon Jennings completely took over the Rams offense. As the clock wound down the sophomore guard became an unstoppable go-to guy. All of Jennings' career-high 20 points were scored in the second half. In the doing, he made good on 14 of his 15 free throw attempts.  

Some other noteworthy Rams stats: Lazar Djokovic scored 23 points, pulled down four rebounds and went five-for-five in free throws. Coming off the bench Terrence Hill scored 19 points and grabbed three rebounds. Barry Evans scored 10 points and dished for four assists. Hot-handed VCU shot 55 percent from the field. The Rams outscored the Bonnies, 48-38, in the paint.

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

●      Djokovic finished with 23 points, thanks to 9-of-12 shooting from the field, including three thunderous slam dunks. He added a career-high 38 minutes and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field in the second half.

●      Senior forward Barry Evans rounded out the VCU double-digit scorers with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. 

●      Frank Mitchell led all scorers with 24 points for the Bonnies.

●      The Rams converted 26-of-28 free throws (93 percent) in the contest and shot 55 percent (29-of-53) from the field. VCU connected on 13-of-14 baskets from inside the arc in the second half. 

●      Jennings’ 14 free throws tied the program record for a single game, held by four others and reached most recently by Treveon Graham against Richmond in 2015..

●      Djokovic’s 23 points is the most by a VCU player in a game this season, passing Hill who scored 22 points in a victory over Samford.

●      With the victory, VCU ties the all-time series with St. Bonaventure at 11 wins apiece.

 

BOXSCORE

NEXT UP: On Saturday, January 3, VCU hits the road to Pittsburgh for an A-10 conference game with Duquesne. Tipoff at noon. TV: USA Network.

-- 30 --

VCU over easy on Rider: 100-to-79

Final Score: VCU 100, Rider 79.
Location: Siegel Center
Updated Records: VCU 9-4, Rider 1-10.

In a nutshell: Talk about depth. The Rams bench scored 62 points! That, as Rider's bench managed to score just 20 points. 

Off VCU's bench: sophomore guard Ahmad Nowell scored 19 points (a career high) to lead the way. While junior forward Keyshawn Mitchell produced his second double-double of the season, with 14 points and 10 rebounds.   

Once again VCU coasted through the first half, then, in the second half, stepped up its defense and buried its opponent with an avalanche of points. Which all works fine against weaker teams. But that's a dicey pattern and it asks for trouble if it continues into the challenging conference schedule coming up. 

Noteworthy Rams stats: Nowell sank all five of his 3-point attempts. Lazar Djokovic scored 13 points, grabbed three rebounds and made one steal; all in a mere 17 minutes on the floor. Terrence Hill scored 12 points, snatched two rebounds and dished for three assists.  

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

●      Mitchell converted 7-of-8 attempts from the line.

●      Rams guard Terrence Hill Jr. provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, converting all of his free-throw attempts.

●      Rider was led by Shemani Fuller with 15 points, while Zion Cruz and Caleb Smith each scored 13.

●      The Black and Gold shot a season-high 58 percent (36-of-62) from the floor and 48 percent (11-of-23) from 3-point range.

●      The Rams controlled the paint, outscoring the Broncs 50-32.

●      VCU used a decisive 23-5 run, highlighted by three 3-pointers from Nowell, to extend the lead to 71-48 with 12:16 remaining. Rider never seriously threatened again..

●      VCU has topped the 100-point mark four times this season, the first time since the 1975-76 campaign the Rams have reached the century mark four times.

●      The Rams have won a season-high three straight games.

BOXSCORE 

NEXT UP: VCU opens its Atlantic 10 play against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday, December 31. Tipoff at 2 p.m. TV: MASN and ESPN+. 

-- 30 --

VCU's offense overwhelms American: 105-to-83.

Final Score: VCU 105, American 83
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Updated Records: VCU 8-4, American 7-5.

In a nutshell: Eleven Rams scored points, as hot-handed VCU (57 percent from the field) had five players score in double figures. They also converted on 17 of 18 free throw attempts. . 

So while VCU's rather porous defense allowed the visiting American Eagles to score a whopping 83 points, the home team still won by 22 points. And, actually, most of the time the game didn't seem as close as the final score suggests on paper. 

In short, it was a romp. And, by the way, the Eagles are a pretty decent team that may do fairly well in their conference, the Patriot League. 

 

Some noteworthy Rams stats: Hill with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists. Djokovic with 15 points, three rebounds. Lewis with 14 points, four rebounds, six assists. Belle with seven points, eight rebounds, three assists. VCU pulled down 43 rebounds, while American managed to grab only 26. 

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

●      VCU sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. led the Rams with a game-high 17 points off the bench, knocking down three 3-pointers while grabbing five rebounds.

●      Junior forward Lazar Djokovic chipped in with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field for the Black and Gold, while graduate guard Jadrian Tracey knocked down 4-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc and finished with 12 points.

●      Sophomore guard Brandon Jennings rounded out VCU’s double-digit scorers with 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

●      American was led by Wyatt Nausadis with 17 points, while Geoff Sprouse chipped in 16 on five made 3-pointers.

●      VCU’s shooting efficiency carried the day. The Rams shot a season-high 57 percent (38-of-67) from the floor, including 44 percent (12-of-27) from 3-point range. American shot 40 percent (25-of-62) for the game.  VCU converted 17-of-18 free throws.

●      VCU controlled both the interior and open floor, outscoring the Eagles 48-20 in the paint and 21-8 on the fast break.

●      The Rams shot 59 percent (20-of-34) in the second half to turn a 13-point halftime advantage into a 22-point victory.

●      The Black and Gold turned 15 offensive rebounds into 23 second-chance points

●      VCU’s depth proved decisive, as the Rams’ bench poured in 48 points while American’s reserves contributed 16. 

●     VCU’s 105 points were its most since a 106-66 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore here on Nov. 20, 2014.

●      The Rams have topped the century mark three times this season, the first VCU team to do so since the 1990-91 campaign.

BOXSCORE

UP NEXT: The Rams will host Rider on Monday, December 22. Tipoff at 7 p.m. TV: MASN or ESPN+.

-- 30 --

Rams Pluck Purple Eagles: 84-to-58

Final Score: VCU 84, Niagara 58
Location: Siegel Center
Updated Records: VCU 7-4, Niagara 2-9

In a nutshell: Most of all, the Rams needed to shake off any lingering ill effects of their December 10th home court loss to New Mexico (81-to-78). So the second half of Monday night's game against Niagara was just what VCU's team needed. After playing a rather lackluster first half, Rams up by three points, Coach Phil Martelli's team flipped a switch and seized control of the proceedings.

As the Rams confidence grew, they suddenly seemed a step quicker. They became more aggressive at both ends of the floor. And, in the doing, maybe we saw the unveiling of two new stars. At several points, just when the team needed a good play to be made, either junior Michael Belle or freshman Nyk Lewis stepped up. As VCU's lead steadily increased that duo continued to provide fresh leadership.  

.  . 

Some noteworthy stats: Lazar Djokovic scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He sank all 11 of his free throws. He also blocked four shots. Belle scored 15 points and he made good on all four of his attempts from beyond the 3-point line. Freshman Nyk Lewis recorded his career-first double-double with 12 points and 12 boards. VCU's bench outscored Niagara's bench by 22 points.

 

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

●      VCU sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. added 14 points with three assists and a steal.

●      Senior forward Barry Evans rounded out VCU’s double-digit scorers with 10 points..

●      Sophomore guard Landon Williams led the Purple Eagles with 17 points and three 3-pointers. 

●      VCU knocked down a season-high 16 three-pointers on 33 attempts (49 percent). The Rams also the Purple Eagles to a 25 percent  clip (5-of-20). Niagara was 0-of-7 from three in the second half.

●      The Purple Eagles remained neck-and-neck with the Rams throughout the first half, entering halftime down 37-34 and tying the game at 40 with 18:13 remaining. However, VCU took control of the game for good thanks to an 11-0 run to give them a 67-48 lead with 5:42 remaining.

●      VCU commanded the glass as they recorded nine blocked shots compared to Niagara’s one. Djokovic led the way with four and Belle added two of his own.

●      The Rams took advantage of Purple Eagles miscues as they scored 16 points off of turnovers.

●      The 16 made 3-pointers set a new season-high mark for the Rams. The previous high was 14 in their opening night victory over Wagner. 

●      Belle had the first perfect performance from the field this season for a Ram with at least five field goal attempts. The last time VCU had such a performance was on Nov. 4, 2024 when Max Shulga went 6-of-6 from the field in a victory over Bellarmine.

●      Djokovic became the seventh Ram in school history to connect on at least 10 free throw attempts without a miss in a game and the first since Max Shulga finished 10-of-10 against Temple on Dec. 10, 2023.

BOXSCORE

 

Up Next: VCU will host  American on Thursday, December 18. Tipoff at 7 p.m.TV: MASN or ESPN+

-- 30 --. .

Lobos unravel Rams: NM 81, VCU 78

Final Score: New Mexico 81, VCU 78.
Location: Siegel Center.
Updated records: New Mexico 8-2. VCU 6-4.

 

In a nutshell: On Wednesday night two pretty good teams with high hopes of being in on the NCAA's championship tournament in March faced one another at the Siegel Center. The visitors, the New Mexico Lobos, came away with a win over the VCU Rams that should buff the Lobos post season credentials. 

In my view the two teams were rather evenly matched, talent-wise. VCU led by five points at halftime. During the contest both teams enjoyed runs in which they appeared to be dominant. However, for over half of the game the Lobos managed to maintain a slim lead.  

Then, in those last, money-time minutes, it all came down to which team -- under intense pressure -- could execute their strategies better than the other. That was when the Rams fell apart. 

Try as it might, suddenly, Coach Phil Martelli's team couldn't make a timely good play. During that final couple of minutes the Rams had their chances. Still, the coach's selected late-game players were unable to seize those opportunities. 

Now, 10 games into the season, we'll soon see how well the VCU 2025-2026 team's confidence recovers from such a tough, homecourt loss. 

  

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

·      Jennings stuffed the box score with 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, four steals and three blocks to bolster the Black and Gold. He converted all nine of his free throw attempts and was one of four Rams to score in double figures.

·      Freshman guard Nyk Lewis led the Rams with 14 points, going 3-of-7 from three and added three rebounds.

·      VCU junior forward Lazar Djokovic followed with 13 points and five rebounds

·      Jadrian Tracey added 12 points to the VCU cause and shot 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.

·      Michael Belle and Terrence Hill Jr. combined for 18 points off the VCU bench, with Hill Jr. knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and finishing with nine points, while Belle shot a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and pulled down a season-high seven rebounds.

·      Freshman Jake Hall led the Lobos with a career-high 24 points, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.

·      New Mexico’s shot 50 percent from the floor (27-of-54) and 44 percent from three (8-of-18). VCU shot 39 percent from the field and 27 percent (7-of-26) from 3-point range.

·      The Rams led 65-61 midway through the second half before New Mexico responded with a 14-0 run to go up 75-65. VCU answered with a 10-0 run of their own to tie it 75-75 with 4:45 remaining. But the Lobos got a go-ahead three by Hall on a broken play with 2:40 remaining and never surrendered the lead again. The Rams had three chances down the stretch to tie the game or take the lead, but could not convert.

·      New Mexico’s bench edged VCU’s 21-18, led by JT Rock and Uriah Tenette combining for 15.

·      The Lobos knocked down 19-of-22 attempts at the free throw line (86 percent), while VCU connected on 23-of-28 (82 percent).

·      The Rams outrebounded New Mexico 37-33 and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds

·      VCU shot a season-high 82 percent at the line. Jennings went 9-for-9 from the line. 

BOXSCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will host Niagara on Monday, December 15. Tipoff at 7 p.m. TV: MASN or ESPN+.

-- 30 --

VCU's second half buries Samford

Final Score: VCU 83, Samford 57
Location: Siegel Center
Updated Records: VCU 6-3, Samford 4-6

In a nutshell: With its deep bench VCU ran Samford ragged in the second half. During the second stanza the running Rams outscored the weary Bulldogs by 23 points.   

Some noteworthy Rams stats: In defeating Samford, Terrence Hill scored 22 points (career high) and a trio of his teammates contributed double-doubles. Barry Evans, Jadrian Tracey and Keyshawn Mitchell, all three, scored 10 points. 

And, Tracey snatched 13 boards. Evans grabbed five rebounds and dished for six assists. Mitchell got 11 rebounds. The home team corralled 18 more rebounds than did the visitors. 

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

 

●      Hill tied a career-high with five 3-pointers made on nine attempts. His previous career-highs in points and three-pointers each occurred in VCU’s victory over Virginia Tech on Nov. 28.

●      Freshman guard Jordan Tillery added 10 points and made both of the 3-pointers he attempted for the Rams.  

●      The Rams' bench dominated as they scored 50 points, compared to nine for the Bulldogs

●      VCU collapsed the glass, grabbing 52 total and 17 offensive rebounds, compared to 34 and 9 for Samford, respectively. The Rams also scored 16 second-chance points compared to six for the Bulldogs.

●      The Rams held the Bulldogs to 2-of-20 shooting from beyond the arc, while the Rams connected on 12-of-28 (43 percent) from long rang.

●     In all, VCU outscored Samford 27-6 between the 3:05 mark in the first half and the 14:35 mark in the second half.

●      Dylan Faulkner led Samford with 22 points and nine rebounds.

BOXSCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will host New Mexico on Wednesday, December 10. Tipoff 7 p.m. TV: MASN or ESPN+.

-- 30 --

Rams Thanksgiving in Nassau: two wins, one loss

Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament Game 1: Rams Coast Past South Florida

Final score: VCU.78  South Florida 66.
Location: Nassau, Bahamas (Imperial Arena)
Updated records: VCU 4-2. SF 3-3.

In a nutshell: On Wednesday afternoon VCU's star forward Lazar Djokovic was hard to stop. He poured in a game-high 20 points, while his teammate, forward Barry Evans, contributed a double-double. That pair led the Rams past the South Florida Bulls in the opening round of the three-day tournament. Most of the game VCU stayed in the lead just by coasting..  

Other noteworthy Rams stats: Djokovic grabbed five rebounds to go with his 20 points. Guard Terrence Hill scored 15 points, got two rebounds and dished for two assists. Evans scored 10 points and pulled down 10 boards. 

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

 

·      Djokovic connected on 4-of-7 attempts from the floor, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc in the contest, but he lived at the free throw line Wednesday, where he converted 11-of-18 attempts. He also corralled eight rebounds and blocked a shot

·      Evans shot 5-of-10 from the floor and finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds on the way to his fifth career double-double.

·      In all, four Rams reached double figures, including sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr., who provided 15 points, while freshman guard Nyk Lewis added 11 and five rebounds

·      Izaiyah Nelson led USF with 16 points. 

·      South Florida came into the game averaging 100 points per game this season, and the Bulls lowest point total prior to Wednesday was 95. But the Rams’ blanketing defense held USF to 39 percent (26-of-67) shooting from the field, including 2-of-13 from 3-point range.

·      Djokovic’s presence helped VCU gain a 48-34 advantage in points in the paint..

·      The Rams outrebounded the Bulls 47-39, including 27-14 in the second half. VCU grabbed 16 offensive rebounds.

·      The Rams fell behind 12-3 in the game’s early moments, but used a 14-2 burst, punctuated by back-to-back Hill 3-pointers, to take a 17-14 lead at the 10:27 mark of the first half. Evans later scored the final two buckets of the first half, including a steal and dunk to beat the first half buzzer, to send the Black and Gold into the locker room with a 36-33 lead. The Rams would not trail again. 

·      VCU opened the second half with a 13-6 burst, capped by a Djokovic 3-pointer, to push its lead to 49-39 with 16:09 on the clock. 

·      Djokovic’s 18 free throw attempts were one shy of the VCU single-game record of 19, set by Shawn Hampton on Dec. 12, 1998 against Liberty. 

 

BOXSCORE

* 

Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament Game 2: VCU Falls to Vanderbilt 

Final score: Vanderbilt 89, VCU 74. . 

Location: Nassau, Bahamas 
Updated records: Vandy 7-0. VCU 4-3.

In a nutshell: The now 17th-ranked (AP Poll) Commodores were aggressive, confident and too damn quick. That, while the Rams seemed a step slow, maybe a little tired. 

Nonetheless, Rams point guard Nyk Lewis racked up 16 points, to lead a couple of his teammates who also put double-doubles in the scorebook. Vanderbilt was smooth and competent at both ends of the floor.   

Other noteworthy Rams stats: Jadrian Tracey -- 15pts. Lazar Djokovic -- 12 pts.. Michael Belle grabbed six rebounds. . 

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

·      Lewis converted 6-of-8 attempts at the free throw line and added a pair of assists for the Black and Gold

·      Senior guard Jadrian Tracey added 15 points for VCU, while junior forward Michael Belle kicked in seven points and six rebounds off the bench for the Rams

·      VCU junior forward Lazar Djokovic provided 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from the line

·      Vanderbilt’s Duke Miles led all players with 20 points. He was 10-of-11 at the charity stripe

·      The Commodores entered the day as one of the most efficient offenses in the country and did little to dent that reputation. Vanderbilt shot 53 percent (27-of-51) from the field, including 50 percent (11-of-22) from 3-point range. VCU shot 36 percent (20-of-56) from the floor, including 24 percent (7-of-29) from beyond the arc

·      Vandy also owned a 43-29 rebounding advantage

·      The Commodores shot 61 percent (14-of-23) in the second half. A step-back 3-pointer by Lewis, followed by a Belle floater pushed VCU within 60-54 with 12:08 remaining, but Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel buried a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer on the next possession to kick off a 7-0 burst that pushed the margin out to 13

·      In the first half, Nickel drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a 20-2 Vanderbilt run that gave the Commodores a 20-4 advantage at the 13:22 mark. But VCU chipped away. By halftime, a Tracey traditional three-point play and a Belle tip-in had pulled the Rams within 43-41 at intermission.

BOXSCORE

*

Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament Game 3: Rams Clobber Hokies 

Final score: VCU 86,Va Tech 68.

Location: Nassau, Bahamas

Updated records: VCU 5-3. Va. Tech 6-2..

 
In a nutshell: In  Friday afternoon's tilt guard Terrence Hill scored 21 points; four other Rams managed to score in double figures. In the doing, VCU completed the Battle 4 Atlantis holiday tournament with a 2-1 record, which was good for third place. 

Overall, in this third game in Nassau, VCU played well. We saw none of the leg-weariness the Rams exhibited for too much of Thanksgiving Day's game. In Friday's contest the Rams dogged defense stymied the Hokies' rather overwhelmed offense. 

Other noteworthy Rams stats: Barry Evans scored 17 points, grabbed five boards and dished for three assists. Lazar Djokovic scored 11 points and got five rebounds. 

So far this season, VCU has not had much trouble scoring points, Thus, when the Rams defense is working like it ought to, I expect they will defeat some pretty good teams this season. There's no shortage of athleticism on this squad.

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

·      Hill buried all five of his 3-point attempts in the game and finished 6-of-7 overall from the field. He also connected on all four of his free throw attempts and grabbed three rebounds.

·      Senior forward Barry Evans stuffed the box score with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Black and Gold.

·      VCU senior guard Jadrian Tracey and junior forward Lazar Djokovic added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

·      Amani Hansberry and Tyler Johnson led the Hokies with 16 points each.

·      VCU shot 53 percent (30-of-57) from the field in the contest, including 11-of-21 from 3-point range. The Rams also owned a 36-28 edge on the glass.

·      The Rams led by as many as 20 Friday, but with eight minutes remaining, Virginia Tech had whittled that advantage down to 68-62 with a 13-3 run. But Evans finished a tough two-point bucket in the paint with 6:39 left, and Hill scored five straight points in a 12-3 burst to extend the Rams’ lead to 80-65 with 4:55 remaining. Tracey effectively drove home the dagger with a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock with 3:29 remaining.

·      Evans scored three early baskets and Tracey hit a step-back three as VCU sprinted to a 15-5 lead by the 15:59 mark. Virginia Tech answered later with a 12-0 run, fueled by a pair of Jaden Schutt 3-pointers, to take a 27-25 lead with 7:20 left in the first half. The Hokies would not lead again. Evans scored the next three buckets in the game and VCU eventually took a 45-35 lead into intermission.

·      VCU and Virginia Tech were meeting for just the second time since 1995 and the first time since the 2013-14 season. The Rams lead the all-time series 12-10.

BOXSCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will host Samford on Fri,, Dec. 5. Tipoff at 7 p.m. at the Siegel Center. TV:: MASN or ESPN+. 

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