VCU starts season with a win at home.

Coming off the bench junior small forward T.J. Gwynn scored 20 points to help VCU start its 2008-09 men’s basketball season with a win over The Citadel: VCU 82, Citadel 59. A Siegel Center crowd of 5,123 saw Gwynn hit all eight of his shots from the field. For good measure Gwynn, who had been nursing […]

November 16, 2008; 7:22 PM • by FTRea

Coming off the bench junior small forward T.J. Gwynn scored 20 points to help VCU start its 2008-09 men’s basketball season with a win over The Citadel: VCU 82, Citadel 59.

A Siegel Center crowd of 5,123 saw Gwynn hit all eight of his shots from the field. For good measure Gwynn, who had been nursing a bad back, added five rebounds and three assists to his stat line.

“I thought T.J. really came in and gave us a great start,” said VCU head coach Anthony Grant. “He was the beneficiary of his teammates playing unselfishly, making some very good passes and he did a great job of finishing. I think one of the strengths of our teams is that we have a variety of different guys that in a given night can step up and be effective on both ends of the floor.”

Last year’s Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year, senior guard Eric Maynor, didn’t have a good night shooting but he dished seven assists and scored 12 points against longtime Southern Conference member from Charleston.

A surprise starter, freshman forward Bradford Burgess (Benedictine), scored nine points and grabbed six boards in 21 minutes of play. Of why the first-year player got the nod to start the game over some of his returning players, Grant said, “He earned it.”

The Rams defense forced 23 turnovers, blocked five shots and harassed the Bulldogs mercilessly the entire 40 minutes. “We played to our identity,” said Maynor, “we have a chance to be a great defensive team.”

Next up, VCU (1-0) will play the Jackrabbits of South Dakota St. at 7:30 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 19, at home.

November 16, 2008 7:22 PM 0