College Hoops

VCU set for road rematch against Davidson

VCU set for road rematch against Davidson

For just the second time in conference play, the VCU Rams men’s basketball team will be coming off a loss on Tuesday night.

This most recent loss, to a slumping St. Bonaventure team at home on Saturday evening, marked the second time VCU (16-6, 7-2 Atlantic 10) has lost at home as a double-digit favorite. The loss dropped VCU behind Saint Louis in both the A-10 standings and our site’s power rankings and has popped any remaining at-large bubble the Rams may have had.

The game against the Bonnies (11-11, 5-4 A-10) was a rock fight of a defensive battle. VCU held the Bonnies to just 18 first-half points, but the Bonnies kept the Rams within arm’s reach by giving up just 23 points in the first half.

Couple that with foul trouble for Ace Baldwin and Jalen DeLoach and a season-low 2-for-15 from behind the 3-point line, and you get the exact game that Bonnies’ head coach Mark Schmidt wanted his team to play. Most notable was the contribution of freshman guard Yann Farell, who scored a game-high 15 points – all courtesy of 3-pointers. His five 3-pointers were as many as every other player – on both teams – made combined.

Junior Moses Flowers scored 15 points of his own, including an impressive 3-for-6 from deep, while sophomore Chad Venning was the most effective paint player in the game. Venning fouled out in the game’s final minute, departing with 13 points on 6-for-12 shooting.

Baldwin made his usual impact, leading the Rams with 15 points and six assists. But he committed his third foul of the game early in the second half, sending Baldwin to the bench and allowing the Bonnies to capitalize. His 31 minutes played was the second-lowest mark of the conference slate.

DeLoach was also hampered by a four-foul evening, including drawing his fourth technical of the season during the second half for taunting. He did continue his tear on the glass, securing 12 rebounds to pair with 12 points for his third double-double of the season.

Ultimately, the Rams could not overcome a Bonnies team who effectively used double teams to neutralize some of VCU’s offensive threats while also shooting 47.1% from deep. The Bonnies pulled ahead during the opening portions of the second half when Baldwin was out and never surrendered the lead, securing the win after a potential game-tying 3-pointer from Baldwin clanged off the rim at the buzzer.

Following the loss, the Rams will head down south for the first repeat matchup of the season: a Tuesday night tilt at…

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