Scouting Report: VCU vs George Mason
Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.
The VCU men’s basketball team will face off against George Mason University in a battle for first seed in the A-10 conference at the Siegel Center on Saturday, Feb. 22. Here are some of the key players to watch out for in this matchup.
VCU
Alexis Washington, Staff Writer
Jack Clark – Fast on his feet with the ability to defend, this 6-foot-10-inch graduate student will pose a threat to George Mason’s offense. Clark is a big rebounder in the paint. He averages 8.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, according to ESPN. Clark already has over 1,000 career points and 600 rebounds, according to VCU Athletics. Clark not only is a danger on defense, but offensively as well. The Patriots need a big dog that can keep up with his tempo. Clark can shoot anywhere on the floor and has scored double digit points in 10 games this season, according to VCU Athletics. This will be a great battle, but the Rams need Clark’s swiftness to secure a win.
Ethan York, Staff Writer
Phillip Russell – With a big game coming up against George Mason, the 6-foot graduate student guard looks to help VCU get a win against their inter-state rivals. Russell will look to knock down some threes against the Patriots which he shoots at a 37.3% clip, according to VCU Athletics. Since they will likely try to stack their defense against the bigger offensive names, the Patriots will likely not be able to stop Russell. Russell is also coming off a successful game against the George Washington Revolutionaries, and will likely continue the hot streak. He recorded 11 points, two steals and four assists to help the Rams secure a win, according to ESPN. Russell continues to find ways to boost his teammates, and come in clutch in big moments.
George Mason
Andrew McGhan, Staff Writer
Jalen Hayes – The 6-foot-8-inch fifth-year forward is a rebounding machine. Hayes averages 6.7 rebounds per game in Atlantic-10 play, according to Gomason.com. He sports 80 total rebounds with 22 of those rebounds coming from the offensive end. On top of being a tenacious rebounder, Hayes also averages 12.1 points per game, according to Gomason.com. He is the second leading scorer on his team behind fifth-year guard Darius Maddox. If the Rams want to win this game they will need to keep Hayes off the glass.
Renata Belhaj Mendez, Contributing writer
Darius Maddox – In the upcoming match fighting for first seed, fourth-year guard Darius Maddox will certainly keep the VCU Rams on their feet. Maddox is currently averaging 14 points per game with 335 points this season so far, according to ESPN. The 6-foot-5-inch guard will play a crucial role for the Patriots if they want to secure a win. Maddox started his collegiate career at Virginia Tech and played with them for three seasons. Maddox hit a historic game-winning 3 pointer for the Virginia Tech Hokies beating Clemson and ultimately paving the way for the hokies to win the 2022 ACC Championship according to Hokies Sports. After entering the transfer portal in March of 2023, Maddox made the move to George Mason. Proving to be a clutch player overall, Maddox’s ability to move swiftly on the court and find openings on the opposing team’s defence poses a threat to the Rams’ defensive front.
