Outstanding Defense Puts VCU in A-10 Championship
by Charlie Krausse March 6, 2021
@c0achcrewshow
@c0achcrewshow
Brazilian soccer prefers finesse first, winning second. In other words, anything below looking good while winning is unacceptable. The Atlantic 10 Conference Semifinals between VCU Rams and Davidson Wildcats would not have lived up to Brazilian soccer expectations.
In the Rams 64-52 victory, defense took over the entire game for VCU. In the first half, scoring came at a premium for both squads as the Rams led at halftime 24-17. VCU’s offense showed during the second half, but their defense was present all 40 minutes.
The Wildcats were held to below 30% percent shooting. It was not bad shot selections that caused the misses, it was VCU’s defense. Havoc has evolved. It is more than steals and blocks. It also includes sound, tough, tight defense. One proof of that, the Rams held Davidson to just 16 points inside the paint.
“We guarded at a high level in March. Its what you have to do,” stated Head Coach Mike Rhodes. Credit the bigs by VCU. Corey Douglas, the hidden gem of the Rams, along with sophomore sensation, Hassan Ward, combined for 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Davidson’s forwards combined to make only three shots. Douglas added 10 points (six in a row at one point); while Ward added six points, two of which came as a last second turnaround as the shot clock expired.
“After half, I felt, we took a deep breath, and then made some of those shots we missed in the first half,” added Rhodes. Bones led the team in scoring with 12 points, but the guard play throughout added consistency. Still injured and coming off a goose egg, tonight Vince Williams added 8 points while freshman sensations, Jamir Watkins and Ace Baldwin added 10 and 7, respectively. Josh Banks added to the scoring in the second half making his only three point attempt.
Davidson only made 17 baskets, 9 of which were 3-pointers. The defense suffocated the Wildcats all night. Twenty-four hours prior, the same Davidson squad put up 99 points with an Atlantic 10 Tournament record 17 made three pointers.
VCU will now wait 8 days before the Atlantic 10 Championship game. The Rams travel to Dayton, OH to face the 1-seeded St. Bonaventure Bonnies. The Bonnies have had two double-digit impressive victories so far this tournament. First easily disposing of Duquesne. Then, in the early semi-final game on Saturday, in some ways, surprisingly, put St. Louis away, 71-53.
The Rams and Bonnies split their regular season meetings. The Bonnies put on a show in the second half, coming back from 15 down to win by 16 and holding VCU to just 14 points in the second half on January 20. Returning the favor, VCU won in the Siegel Center on February 12.
Both teams now seem as “At Large” locks for the NCAA Tournament. The winner next Sunday will obviously earn the Automatic Bid, however, given the rest of the nation and how they are fairing, VCU and St. Bonaventure look to land around the 10-seed line. St. Louis will now be the team sitting on the edge of the seats for the next 8 days. The Billikins entered as a “Last Four In” in a lot of projected brackets. Schools like Ole Miss, Syracuse and St. John’s are now the arch enemies for St. Louis.
Tournament brackets are announced next Sunday at 6pm. Both the Rams and Bonnies will travel straight from Dayton, OH to their bracketed region somewhere in Indiana. Before that though, the rubber match to decide the Atlantic 10 Champion must be decided.
In the Rams 64-52 victory, defense took over the entire game for VCU. In the first half, scoring came at a premium for both squads as the Rams led at halftime 24-17. VCU’s offense showed during the second half, but their defense was present all 40 minutes.
The Wildcats were held to below 30% percent shooting. It was not bad shot selections that caused the misses, it was VCU’s defense. Havoc has evolved. It is more than steals and blocks. It also includes sound, tough, tight defense. One proof of that, the Rams held Davidson to just 16 points inside the paint.
“We guarded at a high level in March. Its what you have to do,” stated Head Coach Mike Rhodes. Credit the bigs by VCU. Corey Douglas, the hidden gem of the Rams, along with sophomore sensation, Hassan Ward, combined for 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Davidson’s forwards combined to make only three shots. Douglas added 10 points (six in a row at one point); while Ward added six points, two of which came as a last second turnaround as the shot clock expired.
“After half, I felt, we took a deep breath, and then made some of those shots we missed in the first half,” added Rhodes. Bones led the team in scoring with 12 points, but the guard play throughout added consistency. Still injured and coming off a goose egg, tonight Vince Williams added 8 points while freshman sensations, Jamir Watkins and Ace Baldwin added 10 and 7, respectively. Josh Banks added to the scoring in the second half making his only three point attempt.
Davidson only made 17 baskets, 9 of which were 3-pointers. The defense suffocated the Wildcats all night. Twenty-four hours prior, the same Davidson squad put up 99 points with an Atlantic 10 Tournament record 17 made three pointers.
VCU will now wait 8 days before the Atlantic 10 Championship game. The Rams travel to Dayton, OH to face the 1-seeded St. Bonaventure Bonnies. The Bonnies have had two double-digit impressive victories so far this tournament. First easily disposing of Duquesne. Then, in the early semi-final game on Saturday, in some ways, surprisingly, put St. Louis away, 71-53.
The Rams and Bonnies split their regular season meetings. The Bonnies put on a show in the second half, coming back from 15 down to win by 16 and holding VCU to just 14 points in the second half on January 20. Returning the favor, VCU won in the Siegel Center on February 12.
Both teams now seem as “At Large” locks for the NCAA Tournament. The winner next Sunday will obviously earn the Automatic Bid, however, given the rest of the nation and how they are fairing, VCU and St. Bonaventure look to land around the 10-seed line. St. Louis will now be the team sitting on the edge of the seats for the next 8 days. The Billikins entered as a “Last Four In” in a lot of projected brackets. Schools like Ole Miss, Syracuse and St. John’s are now the arch enemies for St. Louis.
Tournament brackets are announced next Sunday at 6pm. Both the Rams and Bonnies will travel straight from Dayton, OH to their bracketed region somewhere in Indiana. Before that though, the rubber match to decide the Atlantic 10 Champion must be decided.