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.
· 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.
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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.
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.
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