VCU Men’s Basketball Notes

  This season VCU head coach Anthony Grant (pictured above) has used his bench extensively. Only Eric Maynor and Jamal Shuler have started every game and have averaged over 30 minutes per game. Grant has used nine different starting lineups this season. Given the level of intensity on defense Grant’s team usually displays, it is understandable that […]

March 6, 2008; 1:00 AM • by FTRea

 

This season VCU head coach Anthony Grant (pictured above) has used his bench extensively. Only Eric Maynor and Jamal Shuler have started every game and have averaged over 30 minutes per game. Grant has used nine different starting lineups this season.

Given the level of intensity on defense Grant’s team usually displays, it is understandable that he would need to develop depth for his scheme to work. He has used at least 11 of the 15 men on the roster in most games. Given the Rams record as they approach the CAA tournament this weekend — 23-6, 15-3 in CAA — it’s fair to say Grant’s scheme has worked pretty well, so far.

Although much of the attention the media will focus on Grant during this tournament will no doubt be about which universities will be trying to lure him away from VCU, after the season ends, Grant is unlikely to say much to stoke such speculation. Throughout the season, with their comments, he and his players have steadfastly refused to look one minute beyond their next game.

So, likewise, questions about the chances of VCU receiving an at-large bid to the NCAAs, should the Rams falter at the CAA tournament, won’t get much of an answer, either. VCU’s first game in the tournament is at noon on Saturday against the winner of the Hofstra vs. Towson tilt.

Below is the VCU Rams 11-man rotation, listed in order of minutes averaged per game, with some additional stats:

Name/class/height/weight (ppg./rpg.)
Eric Maynor, junior, 6-2, 175 (17.8, 4.3)
Jamal Shuler, senior, 6-3, 180 (15.6, 4.7)
Joey Rodriguez, freshman, 5-10, 165 (5.4, 2.9)
Michael Anderson, senior, 6-7, 205 (7.4, 4.9)
Wil Fameni, senior, 6-7, 250 (5.1, 4.0)
Larry Sanders, freshman, 6-9, 205 (4.4, 4.8)
T.J. Gwynn, sophomore, 6-4, 190 (3.3, 2.7)
Ed Nixon, freshman, 6-3, 190 (1.9, 0.5)
Lance Kearse, freshman, 6-6, 225 (3.8, 1.8)
Kirill Pishchalnikov, sophomore, 6-8, 240 (1.6, 2.3)
Brandon Rozzell, freshman, 6-2, 170 (2.3, 0.6)

– Words and photo by F.T. Rea

March 6, 2008 1:00 AM 0