Men’s Basketball Recap

Rams fall short against Monarchs

OLD DOMINION 78, VCU 75

NORFOLK, Jan. 14 – Valdas Vasylius made two free throws with 16 seconds remaining as Old Dominion was able to knock off VCU.

B.A. Walker (Onancock/Nandua High School) responded with a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to close the lead to 77-75.

Alex Loughton made the front end of a one-and-one with 9 seconds to go, but missed the second, giving the Rams a chance to tie on the final possession.

But Nick George (Manchester, England), who scored 27 points, could not hit a last-gasp 3-pointer with 3 seconds to go, and Old Dominion corralled the rebound and the win.

Rams stifle Dukes on the road

VCU 76, JAMES MADISON 48

HARRISONBURG, Jan. 12 – Nick George (Manchester, England) scored a game-high 19 points, including four 3-pointers, as VCU cruised to a victory over conference rival James Madison.

Jesse Pellot-Rosa (Richmond/George Wythe High School) scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half for the Rams, who started the game with a 20-4 spurt.

The Dukes were held to a season-low 48 points.

Walker’s buzzer beater lifts Rams

VCU 62, DREXEL 60

Jan. 7 – Junior guard B.A. Walker (Onancock/Nandua High School) nailed an 18-foot jumper at the buzzer to lift VCU past visiting Drexel.

Trailing 60-50 with less than 3 minutes remaining, the Dragons went on a 10-0 spurt capped by a Bashir Mason layup to tie the game with 13.9 seconds to go.

Senior forward Nick George (Manchester, England) scored a team-high 22 points, and Walker added 19 for the Rams.

Shuler shines in second half

GEORGE MASON 73, VCU 60

FAIRFAX, Jan. 5 – Jamal Shuler (Jacksonville, N.C.) scored a game-high 21 points, including 15 in the second half, but VCU fell to George Mason.

Shuler was 6-of-9 from behind the arc for the Rams, and Alexander Harper (Columbia, S.C.) made four 3-pointers and tallied 14 points.

Rams fall in first game in 2006

ALA.-BIRMINGHAM 68, VCU 62

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Jan. 2 – Junior guard B.A. Walker (Onancock/Nandua High School) scored a game-high 20 points, and Nick George (Manchester, England) added 19, but VCU opened 2006 with a loss to UAB.

Jesse Pellot-Rosa (Richmond/George Wythe High School) contributed 12 points for the Rams, who trailed 39-30 at the half.

Rams trounce Pirates

VCU 84, HAMPTON 44

HAMPTON, Dec. 30 – Junior guard B.A. Walker (Onancock/Nandua High School) scored 16 points to help VCU cruise to a win against in-state rival Hampton.

Nick George (Manchester, England) chipped in 12 points, and Alexander Harper (Columbia, S.C.) and Jamal Shuler (Jacksonville, N.C.) added 10 points apiece.

Walker propels Rams’ triumph

VCU 91, LONGWOOD 80

Dec. 22 – B.A. Walker (Onancock/Nandua High School) scored a game-high 22 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead five Rams in double figures as VCU topped visiting in-state rival Longwood.

Senior forward Nick George (Manchester, England) scored 18 points, and Jamal Shuler (Jacksonville, N.C.) added 18 points, 12 from behind the arc for the Rams, who tallied a season-high 51 first-half points.

Pellot-Rosa leads Rams’ rally

VCU 67, GEORGIA STATE 54

Dec. 20 – Junior guard Jesse Pellot-Rosa (Richmond/George Wythe High School) scored 17 points to help VCU come from behind to down visiting Georgia State.

The Rams trailed by nine at halftime, but started the second half with an 11-1 run to take a 40-39 lead.

The Rams used another run, scoring nine straight points to take a 51-44 lead, which they would not relinquish.

Davis seals the deal

VCU 76, COLL. OF CHARLESTON 71

Dec. 17 – Junior forward Eric Davis (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored 15 of his career-high 18 points in the second half to propel VCU past College of Charleston in a back-and-forth game.

The lead changed hands seven times in the final 7 minutes, but Davis’ bank shot with 1:53 left gave VCU the lead for good. Davis also blocked a shot with 1 minute to go and made a jumper with 32.3 seconds remaining to give the Rams a three-point lead.

Rams win battle for Richmond

VCU 49, RICHMOND 37

Dec. 10 – Senior Nick George (Manchester, England) scored 13 points, and Alexander Harper (Columbia, S.C.) added 12 points as VCU defeated visiting cross-town rival Richmond.

The Spiders’ slow-tempo offense and the Rams’ solid defense contributed to the low score.

The Rams did not allow a Spider to reach double-figures.

Walker heads downtown

VCU 87, HOFSTRA 64

Dec. 7 – B.A. Walker (Onancock/Nandua High School) drained a career-high six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 22 points as VCU scorched visiting Hofstra.

Trailing 26-19 with 8:30 to play in the first half, the Rams used a 12-0 run to take a five-point lead. The Rams, who trailed by as many as 11, scored 19 of the final 22 points of the first half to take a 38-29 lead at the half.