Rams outlast Patriots, 54-to-50

Final score: VCU 54, Mason 50
Location: EagleBank Arena in Fairfax
Current Records: VCU 9-7, 1-2 in A-10. Mason 13-3, 2-1 in A-10.

In a nutshell: After last week's fuzzy focus play on defense, VCU's effort tonight extended to both ends of the floor. And, the Rams' defense didn't let up in the closing minutes. Altogether, it was a physical game in which both teams played hard the full 40 minutes. The refs allowed a lot of contact. 

The difference? The Rams swarming defense completely shut down the Patriots three-point game; 0-for-15.

Winning a such a game on the road should make the Rams feel much better about themselves. It's bound to make Ryan Odom, the new VCU head coach, feel better about his team's chances to continue improving and even jell into a confident contender by the end of the month. 

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

·      Senior guard Max Shulga hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 1:14 remaining and finished with a team-high 13 points. Shulga also corralled seven rebounds, handed out three assists and grabbed two steals for the Rams. He connected on 2-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc and converted 5-of-6 free throw attempts. Senior guard Zeb Jackson added eight points, three rebounds and two steals for VCU, while graduate forward Sean Bairstow turned in a six-point, eight-rebound effort.

·      Redshirt sophomore guard Jason Nelson supplied seven points off the bench for the Black and Gold.

·      Keyshawn Hall led all players with 14 points for George Mason.

·      VCU closed the game on a 9-2 run over the final 2:20. Jackson buried a deep 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:36 left to tie the game at 50-50. Shulga came up with a steal on George Mason’s next possession and drew a foul to earn a trip to the free throw line. In a one-and-one situation, he hit both attempts for a 52-50 VCU advantage. The Rams forced a missed 3-point attempt and a turnover on Mason’s final two possessions, and Shulga added two more free throws with 2.3 seconds left to clinch the win.

·      The Rams held the Patriots, who came into the game shooting 38 percent from the 3-point arc this season, to 0-of-15 from long range.

·      George Mason shot just 37 percent (20-of-54) overall in the game.

·      The Patriots stormed to an 18-12 lead by the 9:38 mark of the first half, but Shulga and freshman wing Michael Belle splashed back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 9-2 run that gave VCU a 26-24 lead with 3:47 left in the period. Nelson added a coast-to-coast layup before the first-half horn to send the Rams into the locker room with a 30-27 lead.

·      Tuesday’s contest marked VCU’s first true road game of the 2023-24 season. 

·      VCU has won four straight against George Mason and improved to 47-22 all-time against the Patriots. The Rams have won in their past seven trips to EagleBank Arena, a streak that dates back to 2016.

·      The Rams owned a 12-8 advantage on points off turnovers and VCU’s bench outscored Mason’s 17-9.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP

VCU will stay on the road. On Saturday, Jan. 13, VCU will face La Salle in the Tom Gola Arena in Philadelphia. Tipoff is at 12:30 p.m. TV: The USA Network.

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