Men’s basketball utilizes disrespect as ammo for motivation

Jim Swing
Assistant Sports Editor

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Photo by Kyle LaFerriere.

Just minutes after the close of Selection Sunday and the announcement of the inclusion of the VCU men’s basketball team as an at-large bid, analyst spanning across the country began throwing around the squad’s name like a disrespected ragdoll.

“They haven’t accomplished anything,” ESPN “expert” analyst Jay Bilas said.

“I haven’t looked at their numbers. I haven’t looked at their RPI numbers, strength of schedule numbers. I hope that’s not the reason that they got into the NCAA tournament,” analyst and former player Hubert Davis said after blindly judging the senior-laden team.

ESPN analyst and the face of college basketball himself Dick Vitale proclaimed that teams like St. Mary’s – which was later eliminated in the first round of the NIT by Kent State – got a “raw deal” by being left out after the admittance of VCU.

It appeared as if the only ones who believed the Rams belonged in the NCAA tournament were the Black & Gold faithful and the team itself.

But for head coach Shaka Smart and his crew, the downplay of their abilities and achievements meant the perfect ingredient for an essential concoction: motivation.

The magic began on a windy night in Dayton, Ohio in what some call a “play-in” game in which VCU took on the USC Trojans with the winner advancing to face Big East power Georgetown in the Chicago – the Windy City.

The Rams rolled past the Trojans in comfortable fashion and gave the nation a taste of what was soon to come.
Before its matchup against Georgetown Friday night during a tape session Smart showed his group a clip of ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi proclaiming that VCU couldn’t guard him if they tried.

The message had effects.

Like a freight train the Rams blew past the Hoyas and earned themselves a ticket to face Purdue in the Round of 32.

“It feels really good because a lot of people doubted us and we were able to come out and prove some people wrong rather than just talking about it we just came out here and played,” senior forward Jamie Skeen said following the Rams rout of USC.

And the magic wouldn’t end there.

Like clockwork VCU dismantled the previously ranked Boilermakers bringing its margin of victory in the NCAA tournament to an average of just over 16 points against three major conference schools.

Shortly after the Rams win over Purdue, many who had doubted VCU came to a realization that this team could compete with the best and truly belonged in the NCAA tournament.

Vitale tweeted “Some people felt VCU did not belong in the Dance – okay I plead GUILTY to all charges! 4th in Colonial – Coach Smart STOCK UP BABY!” from his person twitter account just minutes following the Rams win over Purdue.

“VCU can beat anyone in the country, and I believe that,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

With the win over the Boilermakers, the Rams now advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history and just the fourth school in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Three double-digit victories and 29 3-pointers later, the trash-talking and demeaning predictions have faded away and transpired into motivation for a surging VCU team.

Whether it’s the unmistakable 3-ball, the prodigal coach with a crazy name, or the crowd-pleasing pep band, one thing has become clear: VCU basketball is a perfect fit in the NCAA tournament.

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