RICHMOND, Va. – Sophomore Joey Rodriguez (Oviedo, Fla.) scored a career-high 25 points and senior Eric Maynor (Raeford, N.C.) and sophomore Larry Sanders (Fort Pierce, Fla.) each registered double-doubles for Virginia Commonwealth University in an 88-59 rout of UNC Wilmington Monday at the Alltel Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.
Rodriguez connected on 8-of-10 field goals, including 5-of-7 3-pointers. The 5-10 guard scored 18 of his points in the first half as the Rams (9-5, 2-1 CAA) raced out to a 49-25 advantage and never looked back. Rodriguez added five rebounds and four steals.
Both Maynor and Sanders scored 16 points, while sophomore Brandon Rozzell (Richmond, Va.) chipped in with 10. Maynor also dished out a season-high 12 assists, his most since booking 15 Feb. 3, 2007 against Georgia State. Sanders added 10 rebounds to record his third double-double of the season
The Rams shot .525 (32-of-61) for the game, including .586 (17-of-29) in the second half. VCU also knocked down 10-of-19 3-pointers and out-rebounded the Seahawks, 43-31.
The 29-point margin of victory was VCU’s largest since a 78-45 dismantling of Longwood Dec. 15, 2007.
Kevon Moore led UNC Wilmington (3-12, 0-3) with 17 points, while Johnny Wolf added 13 for the Seahawks, who have lost nine straight.
“Thought it was a great effort by our guys tonight in the areas that we talked about specifically the last few days, which was defensively the intensity that we needed to play with and the understanding of being able to defend the 3-point line and play a 40-minute game,†said VCU Head Coach Anthony Grant.
“I’m proud of the way these guys responded after a difficult loss at Delaware, to come out and understand the effort that we need to play with. Hopefully we understand that this is the kind of effort we need to bring on a nightly basis, not once in a while or every other game or after a loss, but on a nightly basis that this is how we’re supposed to play.â€Â
VCU returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 8 when it heads to Philadelphia, Pa. to meet Drexel at 7 p.m. That game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
