VCU snaps two-game skid by beating JMU

After dropping back-to-back games in the Colonial Athletic Association, the VCU Rams hosted the James Madison University Dukes on Thursday night. With both teams desperate for a win, the game remained painstakingly close until a final run allowed the Rams to win 65-45 at home in the Siegel Center.

January 13, 2012; 7:45 AM • by Aaron Williams

After dropping back-to-back games in the Colonial Athletic Association, the VCU Rams hosted the James Madison University Dukes on Thursday night. With both teams desperate for a win, the game remained painstakingly close until a final run allowed the Rams to win 65-45 at home in the Siegel Center.

Sporting brand new grey uniforms, the Rams started at a sluggish pace. Trading blows, they finally found some seperation at the end of the first half behind some solid three point shooting.

The Rams started the second half sluggishly, and after five minutes the game was tied at 37. With ten minutes remaining, the Rams led by six points when Troy Daniels and Andrey Semenov got into a small altercation. Both players received technical fouls.

The Rams responded to the altercation by allowing JMU only four points in the final 12:17. Exhausting their opponent, forcing turnovers, and rebounding the Rams finished the game on a 23-4 run.

Player of the Game

Freshman Treveon Graham was the Rams most consistant offensive weapon. He tied his career high at 18 points and grabbed six boards in only 23 minutes. Graham’s game is quickly developing and every day it looks more and more like old school Bradford Burgess. He scores in the paint, from beyond the arc, he is a great defender, and he is a scrappy rebounder–especially for a wing player. At 6’-5” he is only one inch shorter than Burgess and he is capable of playing the 2,3 and 4 spots effectively. Their similarities have left Graham as Burgess’s back up, but also look for them to play in tanden in the coming weeks. The Rams desperately need weapons to put in next to Bradford Burgess to help spread out defenses and get Burgess open.

Rob Brandenberg

With a 43” vertical, incredible speedm and multiple ways to score, Rob Brandenberg has limitless potential, but he is officially in a slump. Coach Shaka Smart calls it a “lack of confidence” but he also thinks Brandenberg will break out of it. “He’s too good of a player not to,” added the 3rd year coach. Tonight, facing limited minutes Brandenberg shot 0-2 and turned the ball over four times. In 2012 he has shot 2-25 with eight turnovers, ten fouls, and only 11 points. Hopefully the spell will break soon and he will make some progress.

5 stats

• Freshman Treveon Graham tied his career high at 18 points.
• Bradford Burgess posted his eighth double-double of his career.
• JMU is 8-0 when winning the rebounding battle and 0-8 when losing.
• VCU out-rebounded JMU 44-30.
• There is a CAA steals race emerging between freshman guard Briante Weber and ODU senior guard Kent Bazemore. Weber’s 4 steals Thursday puts him ahead of Bazemore 43-40 but Bazemore has played 521 minutes to Weber’s 350.

Around the Conference

Drexel handed the red hot George Mason Patriots their first CAA loss of the season. This is huge for VCU who is now in fourth place. The Rams are now one game behind leaders George Mason, Old Dominion, and Georgia State.

Looking forward

VCU travels to Delaware on Saturday to face the (7-8, 3-2) Fighting Blue Hens at 4pm.

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January 13, 2012 7:45 AM 0