Defense Takes the Night Off; Rams 95, Billikens 85

Final Score: VCU 95, St. Louis 85
Location: Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. 
Current Records: VCU 17-8, 9-3 in A-10. St. Louis 9-16, 2-10 in A-10.

In the Nutshell: VCU seized control early and led for 31 of the contest's 40 minutes. The Rams' whopping 39-24 rebounding advantage was a key to their victory. 

VCU's noteworthy confidence shooting from the charity stripe continued, as the Rams sank 87 percent of their shots (27 good on 31 attempts).  

On the Rams side of the stat sheet, consistent Max Shulga provided 26 points. Shulga added six rebounds and three assists. Zeb Jackson scored nine points, pulled down two rebounds and dished for three assists. Kuany Kuany added seven points and three boards. Coming off the bench, Joe Bamisile scored 27 points and grabbed three boards; he sank five treys on nine attempts. 

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

• Shulga buried a pair of clutch 3-pointers down the stretch. Overall, he connected on 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and converted 10-of-11 from the free throw line. 
• Bamisile knocked down 7-of-13 attempts from the field, including 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc.  
• Sean Bairstow chipped in 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Rams. Tobi Lawal added five points, 10 rebounds, two steals and one impressive block.
• Sincere Parker led all scorers with 30 points for the Billikens. 
• Saint Louis pieced together a number of second-half rallies. The Billikens pulled within 85-80 with 2:50 remaining, but Shulga canned a step-back 3-pointer from the wing with 2:14 left to give VCU an eight-point margin. On the Rams’ ensuing possession, Shulga connected again from deep to supply the Rams with a 91-82 lead with less than a minute to play. Shulga added four free throws in the waning moments to cement the VCU victory.
• In rebounding, VCU had a 14-8 advantage on the offensive glass. The Rams converted those offensive boards into 19 second-chance points.
• VCU shot 49 percent (29-of-57) from the field, including 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half. The Rams made good on 27-of-31 free throws in the contest. 
• VCU’s 95 points are its most since it beat North Carolina A&T 95-69 on Dec. 9, 2020. 
• The Rams bench outscored Saint Louis’ bench, 35-11. 
• In two games against Saint Louis this season, Bamisile has burned the Billikens for 56 points. 
• VCU improved to a 16-5 all-time record against Saint Louis and has won five straight games in the series. 

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will continue its road swing on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at UMass at 7 p.m. That contest will air on CBS Sports Network.

Fear-Driven Ketchup

Ha! I pity the fool who thinks he's going to buffalo D.A. Fani Willis in a courtroom. Now I am so-o looking forward to watching the live broadcasts of her prosecution of Trump, et al.

Meanwhile, I sure hope she weathers this storm. To avoid overplaying her hand, maybe tomorrow she should shift gears into being smooth and confident. Or, maybe her instincts are good and she should just trust them.

You can bet that while Trump, 77, was gobbling down his first course of greasy cheeseburgers a la deluxe, he was studying Fani's live performance, testifying on the stand. 

As you read these words, Trump is probably watching a tape of Fani, dealing! Which means down at Mar-a-Lago the fear-driven ketchup has hit the wall.

Politico (6-28-22): “There was ketchup dripping down the wall and a shattered porcelain plate on the floor,” Hutchinson testified, noting that aides nearby conveyed the president was “extremely angry” at the Barr interview. She told the committee that she then grabbed a towel and started wiping the ketchup off the wall alongside a presidential valet.

If Fani Willis doesn't get removed from the Trump case in Fulton County, Georgia, to me, she looks like she could become the dragon slayer who saves America from the monster MAGA-ism has become.

VCU defense withstands Dayton rally; just barely

Final score: VCU 49, Dayton 47.
Location: Siegel Center (sellout)
Current records: VCU 16-8, 8-3 in A-10. Dayton 19-4, 9-2 in A-10.

In a nutshell: With conference rival Dayton in town, the Rams were facing a tough challenge: could they keep the Flyers star, DaRon Holmes, from controlling the game? Coach Ryan Odom had the Rams double-team Holmes whenever he got the ball within 12 feet of the rim. They surrounded him, they shoved him and they fouled him. The refs let 'em play and the Rams needed that factor.

Holmes went 5-for-13 from the charity stripe. Although he scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, it was hardly the game Coach Anthony Grant needed from his likely A-10 player of the year power forward.

Except for the first few minutes VCU led the entire way. With his confidence out of joint, the Rams had to expect -- maybe even want -- for Holmes to take the last shot. He did. It was an 8-foot runner from the wing. Like most of his foul shots had, it clanged off the rim. VCU's hard earned two-point lead held up.

The Rams defense provided just enough swagger to beat the Number 18 team in the nation (AP Poll). The Rams held Dayton without a field goal for the last 4:45 of the game.

All nine Rams who played scored. Jason Nelson's 11 points set the pace. VCU's bench outscored Dayton's, 23-to-eight. The Rams won the battle of the boards, 37-to-32.

If you like an all-out brawl of a defensive game, this one was a treat. De-fense!

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

• Jason Nelson knocked down 3-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc in the first half – including one as the shot clock expired -- to help lead the Rams to a 25-22 lead at the break. Senior guard Zeb Jackson scored nine points and added six rebounds and graduate transfer Sean Bairstow added six points and eight rebounds for the Rams. 
• Sophomore forward Tobi Lawal gave the Rams a 49-42 lead with six minutes remaining on a put back. VCU did not score for the final six minutes of the game, but the Rams held Dayton to 1-of-5 shooting and forced three turnovers down the stretch to hold on for the victory. 
• The Rams were able to hold Dayton to 36 percent shooting (17-of-47) from the field for the game, including 4-of-17 from 3-point range. The Flyers entered the night as one of the nation’s top 3-point shooting teams.
• The Flyers connected on just eight second-half field goals.
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson had a personal 7-0 run early in the second half to spark the Rams as they pushed their lead to as much as 42-34 with 13:44 remaining.
• The victory is VCU’s first over a ranked foe since the Rams defeated 25th-ranked Davidson on Jan. 26, 2022.
• Dayton misfired on 9-of-18 attempts from the free throw line.
• Nate Santos led all Dayton scorers with 19.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will travel to face Saint Louis for the Rams second match-up of the season with the Billikens on Friday, Feb. 16. Tipoff at 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2.

Strong Second Half Propels VCU to Win in the Bronx

Final Score: VCU 75, Fordham 60
Location: Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx. 
Current Records: VCU 15-8, 7-3 in A-10. Fordham 10-13, 4-6 in A-10.

 

In a Nutshell: Sandwiched between home games with Richmond and Dayton, this tilt in the Bronx could easily have been a trap game for VCU. 

However, after a lackluster, sloppy first half, VCU opened the second stanza with a crushing 20-to-4 run. From then on the visitors looked like a different team. 

Shulga poured in 10 second-half points. He finished the night with a double-double -- 13 points, 10 boards and seven assists. Bamisile added 13 points, two rebounds and two assists. After missing two games with a rib injury, Bairstow contributed 12 points, eight boards, two assists. VCU's bench outscored Fordham's bench 42-to-17.

 

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

• Senior guard Shulga connected on 3-of-5 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc in the contest. Bamisile also made 3-of-5 from three-point distance.
• By the time freshman swingman Michael Belle canned a 3-pointer from the right corner at the 9:31 mark, VCU’s one-point halftime lead had ballooned to 52-35. Shulga supplied a bucket and assisted on two others in VCU’s game-changing run. Shulga later scored five straight points, including a pull-up 3-pointer with 6:52 remaining. It expanded VCU's lead to 20 points, 62-42. 
• VCU shot 51 percent (26-of-51) from the field, including 43 percent (9-of-21) from the 3-point distance. 
• VCU limited Fordham to 38 percent (23-of-60) shooting in the contest. Medor led the home team scoring with 17 points. 
• VCU also owned a 33-31 rebounding advantage and forced 15 Fordham turnovers.
• VCU outscored Fordham 29-16 off turnovers. VCU outscored Fordham 34-22 in the paint. It also connected on 14-of-16 free throws.
• The VCU Rams improved to 13-1 all-time against the Fordham Rams.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP

VCU will host (No. 18 AP Poll) Dayton at the Siegel Center on Fri., Feb. 9. Tipoff at 7 p.m. It will be televised by ESPN2. 

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+.

Biograph First Party: Feb. 11, 1972

On the afternoon of Sunday, February 11, I hope some of the Biograph Theatre's friends/fans (which means mostly geezers on Facebook and a handful of people who will hear about this from friends) will join me in remembering that old Fan District cinema's anniversary. It will provide a little intermission to momentarily escape the Super Bowl pregame show's parade of big budget commercials.

Background: On Feb. 11, 1972, the party to open The Biograph happened like all get-out at 814 West Grace Street in Richmond. Thus, this is a notice for a brief celebration of what was an evening (and early-morning) definitely worth remembering. Fifteen years of cinematic treats followed.

Accordingly, at 4:20 p.m. (EST), to enhance our collective remembering moment, let's all lift a properly filled glass and/or fire up a good times facilitator and have ourselves an imaginary celebration.

Volunteers only.

Rams Winning Streak Halted; Bonnies Prevail

Final score: St. Bonaventure 67, VCU 62
Location: St. Bonaventure, N.Y. (Reilly Center)
Current Records: St. Bonaventure 13-7, 4-4 in A-10. VCU 13-8, 5-3 in A-10. 

In a nutshell: The confidence Head Coach Ryan Odom's VCU team displayed in winning five consecutive games carried over into the first 17 minutes of this road game. At the 2:51 mark of the first half the Rams led by 20 points, 39-to-19. 

Then, poof! the swagger disappeared and the Bonnies finished the half on a seven-to-zero run. In the second half VCU was outscored, 41-to-23. 

In the first half, VCU sank 10 of the 15 treys attempted. Hot-handed Max Shulga made good on all five of his treys attempted. In the second half, the Rams sank just one of their 14 three-point shots they fired up. 

While Shulga finished the night having scored a season-high 25 points, it wasn’t enough to stave off St. Bonaventure's steady second stanza comeback. In the game's last five minutes, the Rams coughed up the lead they had held throughout most of the contest. 

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

• Shulga finished 6-of-9 from beyond the arc for the Rams. He was 8-of-12 from the field overall and added four rebounds and three assists. 
• In all, four Rams scored in double figures, including senior guard Joe Bamisile, who added 13 points and five rebounds. 
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson and graduate forward Kuany Kuany added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Black and Gold. 
• Daryl Banks III led four Bonnies in double figures with 15 points. 
• It was a tale of two halves for the Rams, who shot 54 percent (14-of-26) from the floor in the first half, but connected on just 26 percent (7-of-27) from the field in the second. At halftime VCU headed into the locker room with a 39-26 advantage. 
• The offensive glass fueled Bona’s comeback. The Bonnies corralled 11 offensive boards in the second half alone and turned them into 12 second-chance points. St. Bonaventure owned a 43-30 rebounding edge in the game overall, including 16-5 on the offensive end. 
• An Adams-Woods free throw trimmed the Rams’ lead to 48-44 with 9:37 remaining, but Bamisile answered with a traditional three-point play on a hard drive to the bucket. But a short time later, Banks punctuated a 15-5 Bona run with a 3-pointer and gave the Bonnies their first lead of the night at 59-56 with 4:35 on the clock. The Rams rallied to retake the lead when Jackson finished a lefty layup and drew a foul for a three-point play that gave the Rams a 61-59 lead with 3:59 just left in the contest. 
• Charles Pride hit a pair of go-ahead free throws for Bona with 1:15 remaining that made it 63-62. VCU’s next two possessions produced a missed 3-point attempt and a turnover, and Mika Adams-Woods extended Bona’s advantage to 65-62 on a pair of free throws with 18.1 left. The Rams got a pair of looks from 3-point range on their final possession, but were unable to get either to fall. 
• Bona connected on 20-of-23 free throws, while VCU converted 9-of-11 opportunities.
• VCU held the Bonnies to 36 percent (21-of-59) shooting in the game, including 5-of-22 from 3-point range. 
• VCU saw its 11-game road win streak, the longest active streak in the country, come to an end in Tuesday’s loss.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP:

VCU will host Richmond on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Siegel Center. Tipoff is at 4 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

Free Throws Clinch VCU Victory at Davidson

Final Score: VCU 63, Davidson 58
Location: Davidson, N.C. (Belk Arena)
Records: VCU 13-7, 5-2 in A-10. Davidson 12-8, 2-5 in A-10.

In a Nutshell: It was a well-played game with VCU leading for most of the first half. Then Davidson grabbed a three-point advantage at halftime (30-to-27). 

The Wildcats stayed on top until a Shulga trey at 6:16 remaining in the game gave VCU its first lead of the second stanza (52-to-51). 

The Rams held on to the lead and sealed the deal by hitting 10-of-10 free throws in the game's final 2:39; that included five from the charity stripe by Tobi Lawal. Overall for the game, VCU made good on 17-of-21 (81 percent) from the free throw line. 

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

• Senior guard Max Shulga scored a team-high 18 points including a late, go-ahead 3-pointer, and VCU held Davidson to just two field goals the final 9:19 on the way to a road win Saturday night. Shulga connected on 5-of-9 attempts from the field on the contest, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range. He added five rebounds and a pair of assists. 
• Lawal, a sophomore forward, supplied 13 points and six rebounds coming off the bench. 
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson returned after missing the past two games with back spasms and added nine points and two steals for VCU. Senior guard Joe Bamisile chipped in eight points. 
• Davidson’s Connor Kochera led all players with 19 points.
• With 9:19 remaining in the contest, following a 3-pointer by the Wildcats’ Bobby Durkin, VCU trailed by nine points (49-to-40). But then the Rams responded with a 17-4 run. 
• The Rams forced 12 Davidson turnovers, while only committing six of their own. And, VCU outscored the 'Cats 18-5 off turnovers. 
• VCU limited Davidson to 37 percent (19-of-52) shooting in the game, including 21 percent (4-of-21) from 3-point range. 
• VCU sank 10-of-26 (39 percent) attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. 
• This month the Rams have won five consecutive games. 
• VCU has now won 11 straight true road games. That streak dates back to last season and it’s the longest in the country. 

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will travel to St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network.

Rams Finish Strong; VCU 74, Loyola Chicago 67

Final score: VCU 74, Loyola 67.

Location: Richmond (Siegel Center).

Current Records: VCU 12-7, 4-2 in A-10. Loyola 13-7, 5-2 in A-10. 

In a nutshell: In winning its fourth consecutive game, Coach Ryan Odom's VCU team sank nine of its 15 attempts from beyond the arc. Bamisile hit five treys in eight attempts; Kuany made good on all three of his attempts; Shulga sank one of three. On the other hand, Loyola Chicago was only successful on four of its 20 three-point attempts. 

Overall, this was a well-played game between two pretty good teams. In the closing minutes VCU stiff-armed a determined Loyola comeback. In the doing, the Rams sank their free throws and finished the game looking confident.  

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

• VCU senior guard Joe Bamisile scored a game-high 25 off the bench, and the Rams held Loyola Chicago to 42 percent shooting, the Ramblers second-lowest mark of the season, in a win Tuesday at the Siegel Center. buried 5-of-8 from 3-point range and connected on 9-of-17 from the field overall in the game. He also snagged six rebounds for the Black and Gold.
• Graduate forward Kuany Kuany buried 3-of-3 attempts from 3-point range and finished with a season-high 16 points for the Rams.
• Graduate wing Sean Bairstow added 12 points, six assists and four rebounds for VCU.
• Dame Adelekun led the Ramblers with 14 points.
• Kuany converted a four-point play to cap a 12-1 VCU run and give the Rams their largest lead of the game, at 67-55, with 3:41 remaining. Loyola back to within 67-63, but VCU connected on 7-of-8 free throws, including 4-of-4 by Bairstow, in the final 1:09 to secure the win.
• VCU held the Ramblers to 33 percent (10-of-30) shooting in the second half to erase a 36-33 halftime deficit
• Bamisile drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing off a Kuany steal at the first half buzzer to pull VCU within three at the break.
• VCU converted 19-of-23 attempts at the free throw line (83 percent).
• The Rams made the most of their chances at the free-throw-line shooting 83 percent (19-23) compared to Loyola Chicago’s 76 percent.
• The Rams were without without senior guard Zeb Jackson (back spasms) for the second straight contest.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will travel to Davidson on Saturday. The game will be televised at 8 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.

VCU Overwhelms Saint Louis; Led by Bamisile's 29 Points

Final Score: VCU 85, Saint Louis 61.

Location: Richmond (Siegel Center)

Current Records: VCU 11-7, 3-2 in A-10. Saint Louis 8-10, 1-3 in A-10.

 

In a nutshell: Before a sellout crowd, VCU played its most complete game of the season (so far). No doubt, first year head coach Ryan Odom had to be pleased with what he saw. His team outplayed its opponent in all phases of the game.

Against the Billikens, the Rams shot better, rebounded better and defended better. If VCU could bottle tonight's performance, it could probably win​ most of the remaining games on its schedule in much the same fashion as this one.

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

●      VCU senior guard Joe Bamisile scored a season-high 29 in just 23 minutes, while the Rams held Saint Louis to a season-low offensive output on the way to their third straight win Friday night at the Siegel Center.  Bamisile buried 7-of-10 from 3-point range and 10-of-13 from the field overall. He also corralled five rebounds and one steal.

●      Senior guard Max Shulga added 15 points, three assists and four rebounds for VCU, while graduate wing Sean Bairstow turned in a 10-point, six-assist, four-rebound effort.

●      Redshirt sophomore guard Jason Nelson supplied 13 points and two assists in his first start of the season for the Black and Gold.

●      Sincere Parker led all the Billikens with 21 points for Saint Louis. 

●      VCU allowed just three field goals during their 15-5 first half run and took away three steals to go into the half up ten, 36-26.

●      The second half saw Saint Louis cut it to seven early, but the Rams responded with a 12-6 burst on the way to a 50-37 lead midway through the second half, capped off by a Shulga steal and layup.

●      The Rams continued to pour it on, shooting 53 percent (15-of-28) from the field in the second half, reaching their largest lead of 28 at the 1:44 mark of the second off a Bairstow steal and dunk.

●      The Rams held the Billikens, who came into the game averaging just under eight made threes per game, to just 4-of-20 shooting from beyond the arc.  Saint Louis shot just 35.7 percent (20-of-56) overall in the game.

●      The win is the Rams’ largest margin of victory this year. VCU also handed the Billikens their lowest point total of the year, as well as their fewest field goals (20).

●      VCU has won four straight against Saint Louis and improved to 15-5 all-time against the Billikens. 

 

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP:

On Tue., Jan. 23, VCU will host Loyola Chicago at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network. 

Rams top Explorers

Final Score: VCU 71, La Salle 65

Location: Philadelphia (Tom Gola Arena)
Current Records: VCU 10-7, 2-2 in A-10. La Salle 10-7, 1-3 in A-10.

In a nutshell: In winning its second consecutive road game, once again VCU called upon its defense to make the difference, especially in the closing minutes. The Rams have looked like a different/better team this week. 

Today some of the Rams most consistent offensive threats had cold shooting hands from the field; Shulga went 2-for-8; Bamisile went 0-for-5; Nelson 0-for-1. And, Jackson went 1-for-3 before leaving the game, due to an injury in the first half. 

So, to stay in the game with the Explorers, VCU had to fall back on playing heads-up team defense. Which it did. La Salle didn't get all that many easy shots. 

With Jackson sitting on the bench, VCU lost its quickest player. Bairstow responded by becoming a sort of "point forward," while turning in a career performance with the ball in his hands. 

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

·      Graduate wing Sean Bairstow handed out a career-high 12 assists, and graduate forward Kuany Kuany buried a pair of late 3-pointers to lift VCU Saturday at La Salle. Bairstow recorded his first double-double in a VCU uniform with 14 points to go along with his 12 assists. He knocked down 4-of-5 attempts from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

·      Kuany knocked down all three of his 3-point attempts in the game and finished with 14 points, all in the second half.

·      Sophomore forward Christian Fermin added 12 points and four rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting, while senior guard Max Shulga provided 13 points and nine rebounds for the Black and Gold. Sophomore forward Tobi Lawal kicked in nine points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

·      Jhamir Brickus led all players with 20 points for La Salle.

·      Lawal slammed home a feed from Bairstow with 1:36 remaining to give the Rams a 64-62 lead. Kuany buried a triple from the left corner on the Rams’ next possession to push VCU to a five-point cushion with 58 seconds on the clock. VCU would not trail again, but Brickus hit a 3-pointer with 48 ticks left to trim the Rams’ lead to 67-65. But Bairstow found Lawal for another dunk on VCU’s ensuing possession. A La Salle turnover effectively snuffed out the Explorers’ comeback chances with 21 seconds remaining.

·      Kuany hit three 3-pointers in the second half, including one at the 6:40 mark that provided VCU with a 55-49 advantage.

·      The Rams held La Salle to 34 percent (22-of-65) shooting in the game, including 26 percent (6-of-23) from the 3-point line. VCU shot 48 percent (23-of-48) in the contest and connected on 6-of-13 three-pointers.

·      The Rams trailed by as many as seven in the first half, at 22-15, but a Bairstow 3-pointer from the left wing kicked off a 7-0 run. The game remained close the rest of the afternoon. 

·      Bairstow’s 12 assists are the most by a Ram since JeQuan Lewis handed out 12 against Princeton on Nov. 29, 2016. VCU improved to 13-2 all-time against La Salle and is now 7-0 at Tom Gola Arena. 

 

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP:

VCU will host Saint Louis on Fri., Jan. 19, at the Siegel Center. Tipoff at 7 p.m. This A-10 Conference game will be televised by ESPN2.

About 'without fear or favor'

Think about it: "Without fear or favor" is a powerful saying. We are accustomed to seeing/hearing it used in a context to mean being "fair." Being "just." 

But the words say more to me. "Without fear" has to mean your stance is not that of one who has been intimidated; you aren't giving sway to fear.

"Without favor" says your action has not been fashioned to serve a hidden and/or undeserving benafactor; it has not been bought.

Consequently, "without fear or favor" is a sometimes abused phrase that should not be used to serve a bullshit political agenda.

Apparently, Twain had seen the likes of a Trump

"You take the lies out of him, and he'll shrink

to the size of your hat; you take the malice

out of him, and he'll disappear."

-- From 'Life on the Mississippi' (1883)

by Mark Twain.

 

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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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+.

In praise of short speeches

President Joe Biden's speech today marking the third anniversary of the infamous Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection mayhem was a good one. Wisely, it focused mostly on the evil of Trump's MAGA cult.

OK, how would I make it better? Cut the time in half.

This year Biden's stump speeches should be succinct and always be about one particular topic. So perhaps the next one should be about the economy. Then the next one could be about infrastructure accomplishments. In each case, make the speeches just 10 to 12 minutes long.

Then Biden should allow his surrogates to give the long speeches touting his record and his team's many strengths. The president should exude confidence; brevity will help sell that point.

Bonnies' hot shooting dooms Rams

Final Score: St. Bonaventure 89, VCU 78.

Location: Siegel Center.
Current records: St. Bonaventure 10-3 (1-0 in A-10). VCU 8-6 (0-1 in A-10). 

In a nutshell: For many VCU fans, watching a visiting team score at will on the Rams home court, was a bad surprise. For years VCU has been known for its stingy defense. However, there was little evidence of that tradition in this game. Why? Well, one reason could be that six of the 10 players Ryan Odom put in the game weren't on last season's team. Odom is the new VCU head coach. 

Maybe it's too soon to tell, but 14 games into the new season, it seems Odom is putting more emphasis on offense -- instead of defense -- than did his predecessor, Mike Rhoades, at VCU. In Rhoades' six years on the Rams bench, when VCU scored 78 points it usually won.    

Thus, in what was the Atlantic 10 Conference opener for both programs, while VCU's offense was fairly productive -- sinking 50 percent of its shots from the field -- the Rams were unable to stop, or match, the hot 3-point shooting of the visitors.  

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

• VCU was led offensively by sophomore forward Christian Fermin who contributed a career-high 15 points. That, along with nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
• Graduate forward Kuany Kuany added 13 points for the Rams. half. Kunay was 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 4-of-5 from the floor.
• VCU graduate guard Sean Bairstow scored 11 points and handed out a team-high six assists. Zeb Jackson was the fourth Ram in double figures, with 11 points and five assists.
• St. Bonaventure was led by Chad Venning who had a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds. The Bonnies knocked down 6-of-11 treys in each half.
• The Bonnies held a 15-6 edge in second chance points, grabbing 10 offensive boards to VCU’s six. 
• Despite trailing by as many as 19 points, the Rams cut the deficit to nine points with 6:16 left in the contest. However, the Bonnies answered with an 8-2 run to extend their lead to 79-64 and stiff-arm the home team's rally. 

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP

VCU will host A-10 rival George Washington on Saturday, Jan. 6. Tipoff at 4 p.m. TV on the USA network. Radio on WRNL 910 AM. 

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