Recap: Michigan thumps VCU
4th-seeded Michigan was too much for 5th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University Saturday afternoon in the 3rd round of the NCAA tournament. After a close start, the Wolverines broke open the game and won 78-53.
4th-seeded Michigan was too much for 5th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University Saturday afternoon in the 3rd round of the NCAA tournament. After a close start, the Wolverines broke open the game and won 78-53.
Recap
We didn’t have quite the spirit or energy that we’ve had when we’ve been at our best. Coach Smart
The Rams kept the game close early, but fouls forced Darius Theus and Juvonte Reddic to the bench which derailed the usually high-octane VCU offense. Michigan’s length gave VCU problems as the Rams missed shot after shot.
Several teams have used similar game plans to beat VCU. It starts with beating the press and Michigan came prepared. On some possessions, Trey Burke used his speed to simply dribble straight through it. On others, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III would pass laterally through the press and then deliver the ball to Burke who was waiting (and resting) to run the offense. Other times, Michigan would just blow up the press and either drive and kick or deliver a highlight dunk.
The next part is defense. Like St. Louis’s Dwayne Evans, Nik Staukus face guarded Troy Daniels for extended minutes. Daniels struggled to connect on the few open looks he saw and he finished the game 1-9 from 3-point range. The Rams put together some signature runs this season, but very few if any happened without the help of the most prolific 3-point shooter in VCU history.
As an added bonus, Michigan attacked and put two of VCU’s most important weapons in foul trouble. With the Rams’ offense floundering, Michigan put VCU on their heels and they had to deal with the press on fewer possessions. Game. Set. Sweet 16.
Seniors
The NCAA tournament is not designed for joyful goodbyes (unless you win the whole thing). Saturday’s loss ended the careers of seniors Darius Theus, Troy Daniels, and David Hinton. The three seniors set VCU records for wins (111), NCAA wins (7), they won a CBI Championship, and they were sophomores during VCU’s run to the NCAA Final Four.
Bad Matchup
Several times this postseason, Coach Smart said the teams that will go far in the NCAA tournament will succeed because of match ups. Saturday, VCU played an under-seeded team that was perfectly equipped to handle HAVOC! a mere fifty miles from their campus.
Top performer: Mitch McGary
21 points on 10-11 shooting, 14 rebounds
6-foot-10, 250-pound freshman Mitch McGary was too much for VCU in the front court. He dominated the the glass, scored at will in the paint, and even had a few impressive moments in the open court. He finished with career highs in points and rebounds.
Saturday was only McGary’s fourth career start and his minutes have been limited this season because of physical fitness. Fitness clearly wasn’t an issue. After the game, Coach Beilein credited CBS timeouts and his lowered body weight to help extend his minutes. Either way, McGary is clearly turning into one of the best big men in the nation.
He just outworked me tonight. Juvonte Reddic
5 stats
- VCU joins Gonzaga, Florida, Kansas, Ohio State, Marquette, Syracuse, and UNC as the only eight teams to win an NCAA tournament game each of the past three seasons.
- 25 points is the worst loss in Coach Smart’s career. He lost to GMU by 20 points on 2/15/11.
- VCU scored more first half points against Akron (50) than in the first halves of the Michigan (23) and St. Louis (21) games combined.
- For the second year in a row, no five seeds made the Sweet 16.
- Michigan’s starters finished 25-37 (.676) from 2-point range.
Box score
VCU
| Player | Min | TP | 2FG | 3FG | FT-FTA | OR | DR | PF | A | TO | Blk | Stl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treveon Graham* | 35 | 11 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 2-2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Troy Daniels* | 30 | 7 | 2-4 | 1-9 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Rob Brandenberg* | 25 | 7 | 2-7 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Juvonte Reddic* | 24 | 16 | 7-11 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Darius Theus* | 17 | 3 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Briante Weber | 25 | 8 | 4-9 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Melvin Johnson | 21 | 2 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jarred Guest | 10 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Hinton | 8 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Tuoyo | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teddy Okereafor | 2 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 200 | 53 | 20-42 | 3-16 | 4-6 | 7 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 9 |
Michigan
| Player | Min | TP | 2FG | 3FG | FT-FTA | OR | DR | PF | A | TO | Blk | Stl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trey Burke* | 37 | 18 | 4-8 | 2-6 | 4-4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr.* | 36 | 14 | 2-6 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mitch McGary* | 34 | 21 | 10-11 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Glenn Robinson III* | 33 | 14 | 7-9 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Nik Staukus* | 31 | 8 | 2-3 | 0-4 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Spike Albrecht | 15 | 3 | 0-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jon Horford | 5 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Caris LeVert | 4 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eso Akunne | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Vogrich | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Bartelstein | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake McLimans | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Person | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 200 | 78 | 25-40 | 6-20 | 10-11 | 12 | 29 | 7 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 7 |
Looking Forward
Priority #1: keep Coach Shaka Smart. It goes without saying, but it is now that time of year when programs try to lure him away from Richmond. So far: VCU – 2. Everyone else – 0. UCLA is expected to fire Coach Ben Howland on Sunday. The Bruins have won 11 national champions and could make a move on Coach Smart.
VCU returns so much firepower next season including leading scorers and rebounders Treveon Graham and Juvonte Reddic. After an up and down sophomore season, Rob Brandenberg put together a successful junior campaign. He will return better than ever next season. Melvin Johnson joined VCU so late in the offseason that he has the most to gain in the coming months and he could join the Ram’s starting lineup.
The Rams lose their point guard Darius Theus. Briante Weber is the obvious replacement but Teddy Okerafor could improve in the offseason. Losing Troy Daniels is a huge blow, but VCU will replace his 3-point shooting by committee.
Jarred Guest and Justin Tuoyo are next season’s x-factors. Guest has show flashes of brilliance, but he struggles with fouls. Tuoyo has the inside-outside skills to add an entirely new dimension to VCU’s offense.
The Rams add five new players next season: Jordan Burgess, Mo Alie-Cox, Antravious Simmons, JeQuan Lewis, and Jairus Lyles. They are some of the most talented recruits Coach Smart has brought into the program. The future is bright!
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Aaron Williams
Aaron Williams loves music, basketball (follow @rvaramnews!), family, learning, and barbecue sauce.
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