Recap: VCU falls short against Saint Louis in A-10 Championship

Saint Louis University grinded out a 62-56 victory over Virginia Commonwealth University in the Atlantic 10 Tournament finals Sunday afternoon.

March 18, 2013; 6:15 AM • by Aaron Williams

Saint Louis University grinded out a 62-56 victory over Virginia Commonwealth University in the Atlantic 10 Tournament finals Sunday afternoon.

Recap

It took HAVOC! 20 seconds to force a turnover and Treveon Graham hit the first shot of the game, but the remainder of the first half was dominated by Saint Louis. Kwamain Mitchell scored six points in an 11-0 run that lasted six minutes and 17 seconds leaving VCU down 11-2 after more than seven minutes of basketball.

Despite being plagued by foul trouble, the Rams went on a 10-to-1 run to keep the game close, but St. Louis’s stout defense and a bevy of whistles frustrated the Rams. Back-to-back Kwamain Mitchell 3-pointers pushed the margin to nine and the Billikens eventually carried a 29-21 halftime lead into the locker room. The Rams hit zero 3-pointers in the first half, they lost the turnover battle 10-8, and St. Louis attempted a demoralizing nine more free-throws than VCU.

Things didn’t come any easier for the Black & Gold at the start of the second half. Troy Daniels picked up his third and fourth fouls in the first 110 seconds, Dwayne Evans started scoring in bunches, and Saint Louis continued to suppress VCU’s typically high octane offense. With 11:45 remaining in the game, a pair of Dwayne Evans free-throws put VCU down 45-32.

Then HAVOC! happened. First, Darius Theus delivered a beautiful behind the back pass and Treveon Graham willed a contested 3-pointer into the basket. Billikens head coach Jim Crews was impressed, “That behind the back pass was like the best pass I’ve ever seen…I almost applauded.”

Rob Brandenberg immediately stole the ball and scored two more on free-throws. Juvonte Reddic grabbed a rebound and scored before grabbing a steal and finding Melvin Johnson for two more points. Reddic then hit one of two free-throws before grabbing another steal and dunking it. The run started with Graham, but Juvonte Reddic was incredibly vocal and he scored seven points, grabbed a rebound, and snatched two steals in 2:53.

It was a classic VCU run, but Saint Louis responded with the same poise that has earned them a reputation as a team that is almost impossible to rattle. Cody Ellis scored eight of the Billikens next eleven points and the Rams found themselves in an insurmountable six point hole with 2:15 remaining. For the only the second time in school history, and the first time since joining the Atlantic-10, Saint Louis cut down the nets after a conference tournament title.

Saint Louis’s ceiling

Coach Smart & Co. are disappointed, but these are no longer the do-or-die days of the CAA. The loser of the conference tournament is no longer NIT bound and Saint Louis could be the best conference opponent the Rams have faced in decades — if ever. Depending upon match-ups, they have the coaches, the players, and the system to win games in the postseason.

“Now that this tournament is over, I’m going to be pulling for them, I’m going to be pulling for all the A-10 teams.” ~Coach Smart

Top performer: Kwamain Mitchell

19 points on 7-9 shooting (3-4 3PFG), 2 ast, 2stl

Kwamain Mitchell missed the first 11 games of the season with a foot injury, and it took him even longer to get back to full form. Since his return, the Billikens are 19-3. Sunday, he hit dagger after dagger from 3-point range stymying the hopes of the persistent Rams.

Dwayne Evans

Evans was overshadowed by Mitchell in the finals, but he was named the A-10 Tournament player of the year for his stellar play all weekend. He averaged 21.6 ppg on 19-25 shooting, 7.3 rpg, and 1.6 spg in the tournament while setting a tournament record for made free-throws (26). Evans’s defense on Troy Daniels Sunday was stifling. He fought through screens, denied passes when he helped on dribble penetration, and limited Daniels to four 3-point attempts.

5 stats

• Troy Daniels was held scoreless for the first time in 45 games.
• Entering the game, VCU was 26-0 when forcing 15+ turnovers. Sunday, they forced 18 turnovers.
• SLU attempted 40 shots, the fewest against VCU since 2/8/12 and the fewest in a VCU loss since 1/8/12.
• VCU finished 19-56 (.339) from the field. It was their worst percentage since losing to Duke on 11/23/12.
• The Billikens finished 18-40 (.450) from the field, the worst percentage in a VCU loss since 11/23/12.

Box score

VCU

Player	Min	TP	2FG	3FG	FT-FTA	OR	DR	PF	A	TO	Blk	Stl
Darius Theus*	36	4	1-5	0-1	2-2	0	0	4	2	5	0	2
Treveon Graham*	35	20	4-9	2-6	6-9	3	9	3	1	1	0	0
Juvonte Reddic*	30	15	6-9	0-0	3-5	5	3	3	0	1	1	2
Rob Brandenberg*	20	6	1-4	1-5	1-1	0	2	5	0	4	0	2
Troy Daniels*	17	0	0-1	0-4	0-0	0	2	4	0	0	0	1
Briante Weber	28	6	2-4	0-1	2-2	2	2	3	2	1	0	1
Melvin Johnson	15	2	1-3	0-0	0-0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Jarred Guest	11	3	1-1	0-0	1-2	1	1	2	0	0	1	0
Justin Tuoyo	6	0	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
David Hinton	2	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Teddy Okereafor	0+	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Team	200	56	16-38	3-18	15-21	13	23	25	5	13	2	8

Saint Louis

Player	Min	TP	2FG	3FG	FT-FTA	OR	DR	PF	A	TO	Blk	Stl
Kwamain Mitchell*	37	19	4-5	3-4	2-4	0	1	2	2	3	0	3
Dwayne Evans*	36	16	4-6	0-0	8-11	3	5	1	1	3	0	1
Rob Loe*	29	7	1-3	0-1	5-6	3	5	4	1	2	0	2
Mike McCall Jr.*	18	1	0-1	0-2	1-2	0	1	0	4	4	0	2
Grandy Glaze*	11	4	2-4	0-0	0-0	0	1	3	0	0	1	0
Cody Ellis	27	9	1-3	2-7	1-2	0	5	4	0	1	0	0
Jordair Jett	24	4	1-3	0-0	2-4	0	2	1	3	2	0	0
Jake Barnett	10	0	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	2	3	0	1	0	0
Cory Remekun	8	2	0-0	0-0	2-4	0	2	3	2	1	1	0
Team	200	62	13-26	5-14	21-33	8	25	21	13	18	2	8

Looking forward

5th seeded VCU will face 12th seeded Akron on Thursday in Auburn Hills, MI.

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Related

• Preview
• Scott’s A-10 Bracket
• A-10 Tourney

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March 18, 2013 6:15 AM 0