Rams crush Tribe

Back at home after a tough couple of games on the road, the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams once again looked like the team to beat in the Colonial Athletic Association. Before a sell-out homecoming crowd (7,583) at the Siegel Center on Saturday night the Rams smothering defense wore out the Tribe from William & Mary: VCU […]

February 7, 2009; 11:05 PM • by FTRea

Back at home after a tough couple of games on the road, the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams once again looked like the team to beat in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Before a sell-out homecoming crowd (7,583) at the Siegel Center on Saturday night the Rams smothering defense wore out the Tribe from William & Mary: VCU 76, W&M 54.

For VCU, Eric Maynor and Larry Sanders each scored 13 points. Four of their teammates scored eight or more points. T.J. Gwynn came off the bench to add a spark, after missing several weeks due to an injury. Gwynn scored six points and grabbed four rebounds in 13 minutes on the floor.

VCU’s pressure forced 19 turnovers, which the Rams converted into 25 points. “Defensively,” said VCU head coach Anthony Grant, “we were very consistent. Great effort by everybody.”

Coming into the game VCU needed to atone for its last performance, a 81-72 loss to the Seahawks in Wilmington on Wednesday. In that game, mysteriously, the Rams seemed to have misplaced most of the progress they had made since November.

“I think there was a redemptive spirit all week, in terms of coming out and playing to our identity,” said Grant. “But whether you win or lose, it’s one game. You’ve got to move on, and I think our guys did that. I don’t think there were any lingering thoughts or lingering effects. We knew what we had to do.”

David Schneider led the Tribe’s scoring with 11 points. W&M had the same number of turnovers as it did field goals.

“At every position they have such speed,” said Tony Shaver, W&M’s head coach. In speaking of trying to prepare for the Rams aggressive defense, Shaver added, “We can’t simulate that down in Williamsburg.”

At the Siegel Center, 7:30 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 11, VCU (17-7, 10-3 in CAA) returns to action, when the Rams host the surging James Madison Dukes (16-9, 8-5 in CAA), who are coming off of a big Saturday afternoon win over George Mason.

February 7, 2009 11:05 PM 0