Joey does an amazing thing to keep Rams from drowning in THE WAVE

Citizens! It’s your friendly publisher / part-time sports reporter bringing you your three-ounce serving of hot and steamy Ram-action. I ask you, what is better than a 2pm tipoff at the Siegel Center on a snowy (well, the remnants of snow still exist) Saturday? Mayhaps nothing? MAYHAPS.

December 18, 2010; 5:58 PM • by Ross Catrow

Citizens! It’s your friendly publisher / part-time sports reporter bringing you your three-ounce serving of hot and steamy Ram-action. I ask you, what is better than a 2pm tipoff at the Siegel Center on a snowy (well, the remnants of snow still exist) Saturday? Mayhaps nothing? MAYHAPS.

The Rams came in still smarting from a loss to the Spiders last weekend: the halftime score was an embarrassing 40-17. VCU closed it up towards the end of the game, but the outcome was never in doubt.

Well, the past is, by it’s very definition, in the past, and, like a kitten to the litterbox we move INTO THE FUTURE. The Rams were likewise looking to move into the future, taking on the 6-2 Tulane “Green Wave.” Under first-year head coach Ed Conroy the Wave are already just two wins away from their 2009 grand total.

Musical aside: My love for poppy dance music is well-documented (100.9 hearts 4eva). Maybe my most favorite part about attending VCU basketball games is not only the amazing VCU pep band, but that the pep band SOMETIMES PLAYS DANCE HITS. Incredible. And when they aren’t the PA is — including Black and Yellow, which they should just put on infinite loop. Also, ladies, if you feel me: whip your hair.

In the first half the Rams shook off those spider webs (boom) and just plain out shot the Wave. Sure, they stated a bit slow and Tulane kept it fairly close for the first nine minutes. But after that, it was all VCU. Tulane went 0-7 on threes and shot 38% inside the arc in the first half. The Rams, however, shot 63%.

A lot of my notes in the first half read “Whoadang, sweet pass to Skeen underneath for two.” He’d finish the night with 15 points, six rebounds, and 3 blocks.

But dang, second half!! You were boring at first and then stressful. I was nearly lulled to sleep up in “press row” — really it is more of a corner now. But then! Those persistent Wavers, they kept on coming, like a … wave. With six minutes left in the game Tulane pulled within seven and, for the first time, the game felt close.

After that point, VCU unable to wake up after thirty sleepy minutes of comfortable lead, struggled to keep the ball, put points on the board, and rebound. It looked pretty grim a couple of times there. But, on the back of a ridiculous behind-the-back-while-falling-through-the-sky-shot by Joey Rodriguez, the Rams managed to tread water to the finish line.

Rams win 70-67 and move to 7-3, whew.

December 18, 2010 5:58 PM 1