Rams take out frustration of first meeting, get revenge on JMU
Right back at ya’
Rams take out frustration of first meeting, get revenge on JMU
Taylor Howsmon
Sports Editor
It was possibly the season low for a team that has now won 20 games for the fourth year in a row, the longest streak of that kind in school history.
When VCU went up to JMU on Feb. 13, the Rams played a solid first half only to blow their second consecutive halftime lead on the road.
Wednesday night, it was payback time. The Rams struggled with a gritty JMU team at times, but overall dominated the Dukes to the tune of 76-62 for their third straight win.
“It was a really bad night for all of us,” T.J. Gwynn (Burlington, NC/Cummings) said. “I took the initiative to look myself in the mirror and ask what I could do to help the team. I think if everybody does that we can’t be beat in this league.”
The huge CAA win was extra sweet because it was a night where the spotlight was centered on two seniors, Gwynn and Kirill Pishchalnikov (Maykop, Russia/MGGTK AGU) playing their final game at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.
Although the spotlight was on the two seniors before the game, it was a junior that would steal it from the tip off. Joey Rodriguez (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Howell) scored 11 of VCU’s first 13 points, almost single handedly spurring a 13-0 run after JMU scored the first bucket.
From the early deficit, the Dukes fought their way back into the game. Led by superstar junior Denzel Bowels, the Dukes were eventually able to knock the lead down to one around the eight minute mark. The two battled and played a nip and tuck game for the remainder of the half, which ended with an exclamation-point jumper at the buzzer by Bradford Burgess (Midlothian/Benedictine).
The big basket gave the Rams a 37-33 lead at the break and changed the momentum completely. And that theory was proven by the way VCU came out of the gate in the second.
The Rams opened the second stanza on a 7-2 run, gathering a nine-point advantage. And for the next eight minutes, the Rams tried to pull away.
Thanks to a raucous crowd on hand and the brilliant play from many contributors, VCU was able to gain its largest lead of the evening at 63-45 after a 19-8 run.
“We were able to go on a couple big runs that ultimately helped us win the game,” VCU coach Shaka Smart said. “It wasn’t our best performance of the year but I think we had several individuals that stepped up.”
With an 18-point lead and under 10 minutes to play, it appeared that VCU had sewn the game up, but James Madison again had other ideas.
The Dukes, who fought and clawed their way through the entire night, answered with a 9-0 run before succumbing to the Rams when it was all said and done.
Since Bowels was the only player keeping the Dukes afloat (scoring JMU’s final 10 points) the offense was few and far between. With slow, but steady offensive production, the Dukes were just not able to overcome the deficit, eventually falling to VCU 76-62.
Rodriguez led the Rams with 24 points, 18 of which came in the first half. Burgess had 16 and two other Rams, Ed Nixon (St. Petersburg, Fla./Lakewood) and Brandon Rozzell (Richmond/Highland Springs) finished in double figures with 10. Bowels was the game’s high scorer with 31 on 13-17 shooting. Pierre Curtis was the only other Duke in double figures with 11.
VCU forced JMU into 17 turnovers, scoring 28 points off those blunders. The Rams out-rebounded the Dukes 40-31 on the night.
With the win VCU moves to 20-7 on the year and 11-6 in the CAA.
With losses for both Drexel and William & Mary, the CAA tournament picture comes more clearly into focus. A VCU win at Old Dominion on Saturday gives the black and gold the fourth seed, and an all-important first round bye. A loss, sends them to the fifth seed.
The game with ODU in Norfolk tips on Saturday at 4 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN 2.
By the Numbers JMU (12-18,4-13) Louis 7, Bowels 31, Wells 7, Flores 4, Curtis 11, Diouf 0, White 0, Parker 0. Totals: 25 7-9 62 3-pointers: Louis 1, Wells 1, Curtis 3 (team: 5-19)
VCU (20-7, 11-6) Pishchalnikov 0, Rodriguez 24, Burgess 16, Gwynn 5, Nixon 10, Sanders 7, Saintil 0, Theus 2, Skeen 2, Daniels 0, Rozzell 10. Totals: 27 14-19 76 3-pointers: Rodriguez 3, Burgess 1, Nixon 2, Rozzell 2 (team: 8-16)