No. 6 Rams lose to top-ranked UNC Wilmington

It is now an official problem, and heading into the CAA tournament it is a serious area of concern for Virginia Commonwealth University. The inability of the Rams to maintain early leads throughout the game cost them again. This time the breakdown resulted in a victory against UNC Wilmington slipping through their hands, losing to the Seahawks 61-54.

For the final home game of the season the Rams came out with energy, controlling loose balls and working hard for second-chance points.

“We couldn’t keep them off the glass in the first half. We had a difficult time getting them to be one and done,” Seahawks head coach Brad Brownell said.

Second-chance points and hustle kept the Rams in the game while their seniors struggled from the field on their final game at the Siegel Center. Julian Capel (Fayetteville, N.C.), Nick George (Manchester, England) and Alexander Harper (Columbia, S.C.) shot a combined 2 of 9 in the first half and went 4-of-20 for the game.

Jesse Pellot-Rosa (Richmond/George Wythe High School) led the Rams during the first half, finished with nine points at the break and finished with 16 to lead the Rams. Though the two teams shot nearly identical percentages, the Rams held a six-point halftime lead and extended it to 13 with 15 minutes left to play in the game. But the Seahawks went into lockdown mode.

“I want to congratulate Wilmington,” said Rams head coach Jeff Capel. “They were tough throughout the game. I thought we were for the first 28 minutes.”

After the Rams built the lead to 13, the Seahawks started to make their comeback by clamping down defensively, aggressively attacking the defensive glass and bringing their coach’s halftime talk to the floor.

“I was more talking to the whole team that our intensity level had to improve; that VCU was more aggressive, was playing harder and getting more things done, getting the loose balls, beating us to things that we usually do well,” Brownell said. “And I think our kids took that to heart and we had a lot of guys step up.”

Guard T.J. Carter was the most offensively aggressive player for the Seahawks, finishing with 19 points and scoring 14 points in the second half, including a contested 3-pointer with 40 seconds left that put the Seahawks up five. Carter said during the Seahawks’ push he could tell the Rams’ players attitudes had changed.

“I think our momentum made us more aggressive and I think they did kind of stop being so aggressive, shooting a lot more 3’s,” Carter said. “But you know they fought hard. I don’t think they gave in at all. They fought hard for 40 minutes.”

Losing a double-digit lead has become an unwelcome trend for the Rams at home. In the four of the past five home games, the Rams have let a double-digit lead in the first half dwindle to single digits in the closing minutes of the second half. And though, “every good team you play against is going to make a run,” as Brownell said, the cause for concern is high for the Rams, especially with the time to fix it running out.

“It’s kind of the same old story for us; we get a lead, things are going well,” Capel said. “Then all of sudden things get a little bit difficult for us and we fall apart.

“They ended the game on a 30-12 run and when that happens it is difficult for you to win. Hopefully we can learn from it. Hopefully we can figure out a way to get better and correct this, but there’s not much time left so we’ve got to figure it out. Everyone is responsible. I am the main (person) responsible because it’s my program.”