Nail-biter: VCU defeats University of Dayton, 49-47
VCU fourth-year guard Joe Bamisile celebrates the team's win after the final buzzer. Photo by Andrew Hill.
Andrew McGhan, Contributing Writer
Malachi Keys, Contributing Writer
The VCU men’s basketball team defeated the nation’s No. 18 University of Dayton Flyers at home on Friday night by a score of 49-47.
The black and gold came into the matchup riding a two-game winning streak, preparing to face arguably their toughest opponent down the stretch of the season.
Both teams came out slow after the tipoff with a combined five total points scored in the first four and a half minutes. The officials let the players be physical and compete, calling very few fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Redshirt second-year guard Jason Nelson kickstarted the game offensively for the Rams, hitting two consecutive contested threes.
Nelson would finish the game with a team-high 11 points, while only playing 14 minutes.
Dayton and VCU both showed off their defensive prowess at the start of the game, including sky-high rejections and great collective lockdown efforts.
Even though the Rams struggled on offense, the black and gold’s lockdown defense held up and gave them a 25-22 lead going into halftime.
Nelson said their preparation leading up to the game helped the team focus more on the defensive end.
“We just been taking more pride on the defensive end,” Nelson said. “Guarding our guy and not letting somebody get by us.”
The second half started with both teams going back and forth trading buckets.
There were only six personal fouls called in the first half, while in the second half, 17 personal fouls were called, according to Statbroadcast.
VCU head coach Ryan Odom said he told his team to adjust to the change in foul calls.
“Some teams get whacked out with that,” Odom said. “All of a sudden it’s foul, foul, foul, and it takes you out of your game, but our guys stayed right with it and began to get the necessary stops that they needed in order to close it out.”
With 18 minutes to go in the game, the score was VCU 32 and Dayton 28, according to Statbroadcast.
Both teams were shooting below 25% from three, with Dayton shooting 2-8 and VCU shooting 2-11, according to Statbroadcast.
VCU went on a 10 to 6 run with 13 minutes to go, according to Statbroadcast. Making the score VCU 42 and Dayton 34.
Dayton was not out of the game yet and went on a seven to one run of their own to cut the lead down to two points, according to Statbroadcast. The score was knotted at VCU 43 and Dayton 41
Second-year forward Toibu “Tobi” Lawal scored a second chance lay-up at the six-minute mark making the score VCU 49 to Dayton 42, according to Statbroadcast.
In the remaining six minutes of play, Dayton cut the VCU lead to two points, and with 10.7 seconds left on the clock, Dayton had the last possession of the game, according to Statbroadcast.
Fourth-year guard Zeb Jackson said during the timeout that the last possession was an opportunity to show how good of a defensive team they are.
“It was great defense at the end, especially by Tobi,” said Jackson.
Dayton inbounded the ball to third-year center DaRon Holmes II, with Lawal as his primary defender.
Holmes drove to the basket and went for the lay-up, but it bounced off the rim to VCU fourth-year guard Max Shulga for the game-sealing rebound.
VCU won with a final score of 49-47.
VCU will travel to St. Louis to take on Saint Louis University on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
