VCU’s Havoc has been seemingly out of character lately… why?

Jim Swing
Sports Editor
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In the past two games something has seemed different – or off – about the VCU men’s basketball team’s full-court press. It hasn’t had that Havoc-y pop to it that usually sends opponents scrambling in the backcourt, fumbling the ball around trying to get it to a teammate.

So it begs the question: Were Drexel and Georgia State really that good against the press or has VCU not played with the same level of intensity and aggressiveness?

“I think it’s a combination of both,” head coach Shaka Smart said. “Those two teams do a great job with their guards, they’re very poised.

“At the same time I don’t think we’ve pressed with the same level of energy.”

The numbers haven’t been the same either. Prior to last Wednesday’s game against the Panthers, the Rams forced opponents to turn the ball over an average of 18.6 times per game. Against Georgia State and Drexel, VCU caused just 24 turnovers combined.

Freshman Briante Weber – the Rams’ key defensive menace – was averaging 2.7 steals before the previous two games. He’s had just one in his last two outings and picked up seven fouls in the meantime.

“Quite simply I think Briante Weber read the CAA notes too many times when he was rookie of the week last week because he was nowhere near the player that he should be or could be,” Smart said. “He sets the tone in our press and he and I are going to have a very heart to heart conversation about that because it’s tough when you play with a lot of energy and you play with a reckless abandon you also have to have a discipline in what you do and I don’t think that we’ve done a good enough job with that over these last couple of games.”