1/30/09

By: Matt Josephs

ESPN Radio 950

VCU is at a critical point in their season. The realization has officially hit that barring a miracle, an at-large bid is out of reach. There isn’t enough on the resume to get them in over the multitude of ACC and BIG EAST teams that will surely squeak  their way in. That said, new goals must be set for this team. Realistically they need a top two seed or at least a bye in the first round the CAA tournament. The short bench doesn’t bode well for a team that could have to win three games in three days.

The Northeastern loss sobered Rams fans to the fact that The  SIEGEL CENTER isn’t an impenatrable fortress and Eric Maynor’s shots don’t all go in. So now the Rams sit at 15-6, 8-2 in the conference. Coming up VCU has two straight road games and both present their own challenges. Hofstra to The SIEGEL CENTER earlier this month and hung around with VCU on their way to a close loss. NEW YORK hasn’t been the friendliest place in the world either. If Charles Jenkins is on, this game will be really close. One has to hope that the hangover from Tuesday night is gone.

After this one is UNC WILMINGTON at TRASK COLISEUM…I’ll until you  are done laughing. This game will not be easy…revenge will be on the Seahawks minds after getting drummed out of the building in Richmond. WILMINGTON has lost by 2 at home to Hofstra and won a good one in Baltimore against Towson. Chad Tomko won’t be held down again.

The theme of the rest of the season is it’s never easy. Every game remaining has it’s own challenges. This team needs to find consistency and hopefully can get TJ Gwynn back into the fold before the Tournament in March. Such is life as a Mid-Major, you fight and claw until the end of that final game. Hopefully the bracket buster brings VCU a good opponent. Crieghton, Davidson, Niagra will be challenges and possibilities to add to the resume. Unfortunately, it may be too late. We’ll look back on the Rhode Island and East Carolina games as winnable opportunities to have removed blemishes off their record.

The Rams will be fine. The Northeastern game was just a blemish to a season that is filled with postseason aspirations.