Men’s Basketball extends winning streak to six games

The red-hot VCU men’s basketball team stretched its winning streak to six games Saturday night at the Siegel Center, defeating the determined Blue Hens of the University of Delaware, 71-66.

Delaware (12-11, 7-7 CAA) was on fire early in the first half, taking an 8-2 lead four minutes into the half. A layup and a free throw by Domonic Jones brought the Rams (15-7, 10-4 CAA) to within three points, 8-5. The Blue Hens played tough, though, extending their lead to seven points, 19-12 with 13:30 left in the half.

VCU rolled off seven straight points, capped by a three-pointer from Emanuel Mathis, to tie the game 19-19. The Rams didn’t take their first lead until 10:30 left in the half, taking a 23-21 lead. The lead would be short-lived, as the Blue Hens tied the game up with a David Lunn basket and re-took the lead, 25-23, with a two-pointer from Mike Slattery.

VCU took the lead once more, 29-28 with six minutes left in the half, but the Blue Hens fought back to take a 36-33 halftime lead.

“They were the hungrier team in the first half,” VCU head coach Jeff Capel said.

The Rams brought renewed intensity to the court in the second half, starting on an 8-2 run to grab a 41-38 lead three minutes into the half. VCU was holding on to a 49-47 lead eight minutes into the half before Delaware went on a massive 11-1 run to take a 58-50 lead.

VCU held tough and went on a 7-0 run, with Mathis contributing five points, to come within one point, 58-57, with 5:30 left in the game.

Delaware’s Slattery made a layup to extend the Blue Hen lead to 60-57 before a Troy Godwin basket and three-pointer from Mathis gave the Rams a 62-60 lead with three minutes left in the game.

Calvin Smith of the Blue Hens made a free throw to make the score 62-61, but a three-pointer from Mathis sealed the win, as the Rams took the 65-61 lead. The rest of the game was marked by free throws as VCU took the 71-66 decision in what proved to be a defensive game.

“They’re a very tough team,” Capel said. “They’re one of the best defensive teams in the league.”

Referring to the team’s decison -making in the first half, Capel said, “We looked like a team that had won five in a row.

“We did a great job of calming down. We’re not where we want to be,” he said. “We’re on the right track, though. We just can’t get satisfied. We feel like we control our destiny.”

Emanuel Mathis led the Rams in scoring for the game with 23 points.

Nick George and Michael Doles added 12 and 11 points respectively for the Rams. Delaware had three players in double-figures: Ryan Iversen with 16 points, Lunn with 13 and Slattery with 12.

The Blue Hens had a 44-38 rebounding advantage for the game, while committing 11 turnovers to the Rams’ nine. VCU made 17 of 23 free throws compared to Delaware’s six.

Blue Hens’ head coach David Henderson said, “It was a great game, but unfortunately some team has to come up on the short end.”

Henderson was satisfied with the play of the team. “They played well enough to put us in a position to win the game,” he said.

VCU played its last home game of the season Wednesday night against the Tribe of William and Mary. The Rams travel to Hempstead, N.Y. to face Hofstra Nov. 22.