Try to curb your enthusiasm, but this season is going to be exciting

Jim Swing
Sports Editor

ANALYSIS/OPINION

This year’s VCU team just gave us another reason to be chomping at the bit.

What these Rams just did to Virginia Union in an exhibition, which in the end will amount to nothing, was inhumane, ungodly and downright mean.

At this point of the year, we’ll take just about anything we can get to see what the upcoming season will be like. And a 94-44 whooping of the Panthers made the anticipation even worse.

The refreshing sound of this raucous crowd, which carried the same volume even when the VCU lead grew as large as 62 points, the mauling defense and that offense that you never know what you’re going to get revived that feeling in us all: tis the season for college basketball.

Even Shaka Smart –  the Rams cool, calm and collected coach – admitted he was a little giddy.

“When you get away from it for awhile in the offseason,” Smart said, “you don’t necessarily forget, but it is a pleasant reminder when you come back and play a home game just how special of an atmosphere we have here and what great of fans we have here.”

But you can’t get carried away. This was a Virginia Union team that went 15-14 last season and competes at a Division II level. Don’t let this pummeling get to your head; these Rams have a long way to go.

They were sloppy on offense at times and turned the ball over 12 times. Juvonte Reddic, who is supposed to be the centerpiece of this year’s offense, wasn’t as dominant as he should have been. He was beaten on a couple of rebounds he should’ve had and his 10 points and five rebounds could’ve been better in a rout like this.

You’ve got to pick on someone, right?

But don’t get me wrong, this was exciting. Briante Weber’s 12 points and eight steals, which would’ve set a new single-game record at VCU if this weren’t an exhibition, were exhilarating. The defense was stout, forcing 22 turnovers and keeping the Panthers offense in complete disarray for the better part of the night.

“Just because it was an exhibition game, they’re a good team and we had to come out and compete,” said senior Darius Theus, who had eight assists, four rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes of play. “That was our mindset, just come out there and play hard.”

A lot of things that happened left room for a lot of questions.

Freshman Justin Tuoyo’s six rebounds, five points and three blocks were eye-catching. He played like he had something to prove, throwing his weight around, hauling in rebounds and getting to the free throw line. What kind of role will he play this season?

“He’s got a lot of potential as a player,” Smart said.

Sophomore Jarred Guest earned a spot in the starting five, which was worth raising an eyebrow at. Guest played just over four minutes a game last season, but came out and grabbed 10 points, five rebounds and two steals. Smart told Guest he’d be starting after watching film a day before the exhibition game.

“It’s been a lot of hard work we’ve put in,” Guest said.

Then there was the new guy everybody’s been waiting to see – the highly touted Melvin Johnson, a top 100 recruit out of the Bronx. Johnson looked shaky at first, air-mailing his first three-point attempt. He later settled in and found a couple good looks driving towards the basket. Johnson finished with nine points and had one steal on the defensive end.

After one simple exhibitioner, it feels like there are so many questions to be answered and so much to look forward to. And for that there’s a long season ahead to satisfy. A long season left to improve and get where this team needs to be.

A year ago we saw what Smart was capable of doing with one of the youngest teams in the country after losing four seniors that led VCU to its first Final Four.

Let’s see what he’s got in his bag of tricks this year.

“Regardless of if we won by 50, regardless of if we won by 100 we have a lot of work to do,” said Troy Daniels, who was the usual suspect behind the three-point line, canning five treys. “And this weekend, we’re going to get at it.”