In perhaps the biggest name matchup on the home schedule this year, the VCU Rams menโs basketball team fell in overtime 85-80 to the Memphis Tigers.
The loss dropped the Rams to 4-5 on the season, the worst start to a season for the program since the 2004-05 season, when the Rams also opened the season 4-5. The loss also continues a recent slide, with four losses in the last five games.
After the game, redshirt freshman Fats Billups said the Rams are โthis closeโ to hitting their stride.
Wednesday night also marked the first overtime game VCU has played since 2021, when the Rams lost in overtime to UConn during that yearโs MTE tournament.
Close but no cigar
All told, VCU put up a strong performance on Wednesday, leading for more than 30 minutes of regulation off the strength of a 19-9 start to the game.
Powering that start was sophomore Tobi Lawal, who displayed his 49.5-inch vertical leaping ability with a variety of highlight reel worthy dunks. The Londoner led VCU with 16 points on the night to go with eight rebounds but fouled out with 20 seconds to play in regulation.
His presence ended up being missed in overtime, with an already shorthanded VCU squad facing foul trouble from other stars as Memphis pulled away in the extra frame.
Helping shoulder the load on offense was graduate student Max Shulga, who scored 14 points and led the team in assists (five) and steals (two) despite an inefficient night of shooting from the floor.
Joining Lawal and Shulga in double figures were Billups (13), Zeb Jackson (11) and Jason Nelson (10). Jackson filled the stat sheet with eight rebounds and four assists, while Nelson led the team in 3-point percentage and hit key shots that sparked scoring runs for the Rams.
Ultimately, Memphis outscored VCU 53-44 after halftime and survived a road trip to the Siegel Center to improve to 6-2 on the season. Memphisโs two leading scorers entering the game, David Jones and Jahvon Quinerly, scored 23 and 20 points respectively. Caleb Mills added 17 points of his own, while Malcolm Dandridge scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out late.
The win snapped a two-game slide for the Tigers, who are coached by NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway. Hardaway and his team will complete a four-game road trip on Sunday against No. 21 Texas A&M.
VCUโs last four losses have come by a total of 16 points, with Wednesdayโs five-point margin the largest of the quartet. The Rams led with 29 seconds to play following a…
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