Rhode Island tops VCU

Playing on the road, the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball team shot 60.7 percent from the floor on Saturday night. While that stat is usually pleasing, the Rams head coach Anthony Grant was less than happy after the game. The University of Rhode Island, also nicknamed the Rams, handed VCU a 92-86 loss before 5,439 […]

November 22, 2008; 10:17 PM • by FTRea

Playing on the road, the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball team shot 60.7 percent from the floor on Saturday night. While that stat is usually pleasing, the Rams head coach Anthony Grant was less than happy after the game. The University of Rhode Island, also nicknamed the Rams, handed VCU a 92-86 loss before 5,439 at the Thomas M. Ryan Center.

For the season, VCU falls to 2-1. Rhode Island is 3-1.

Grant called the shooting stats “fool’s gold.” VCU allowed Rhode Island to shoot 54.1 percent. Rhode Island turned 26 VCU turnovers into 43 points. Rhode Island scored 56 points in the paint.

“We are still working to develop an identity,” Grant said. “One thing we need to continue to work on is toughness so we can win games like this. We can’t give the ball away that many times and expect to be successful.”

Senior guard Eric Maynor led VCU with 22 points. He had 19 of them in the second half and helped the visiting Rams erase a 10-point deficit late. VCU led by as many as four with 6:45 to play and still led by a point with 2:38 on the clock. But the homestanding Rams scored 11 of the final 15 points.

Sophomore Joey Rodriguez scored 14 points for VCU, which also got 11 from freshman Bradford Burgess and 10 from junior T.J. Gwynn. Rhode Island was led by Keith Cothran with 23 points. Kahiem Seawright and Jimmy Baron added 17 apiece. Rhode Island placed five players in double figures.

“For us, we have a young basketball team. Tonight was our first road game,” Grant said. “I thought it was evident. In the first half, with the youth of our team, we really didn’t come out and play with any identity. When you are relying on a team that has one senior and a bunch of first- and second-year guys, as a coach you are going to expect some of that.

“I thought we were done in by things we hang our hat on – rebounding and valuing the basketball. To come on the road and allow a team to shoot 54 percent from the field, to give up 19 offensive rebounds and to turn the ball over 26 times, it’s amazing we even had a chance. I thought our guys showed some good fight and heart at the end. We had a chance at the end but ultimately their depth was too great and we couldn’t overcome the things we needed to overcome.”

VCU next plays Tuesday when it visits East Carolina for a 7 p.m. game.

– The information above was provided by Mike Harris at VCU

November 22, 2008 10:17 PM 0