VCU entered the night undefeated in A-10 play and riding a five-game win streak, but a cold offensive night and a late Saint Louis surge handed the Rams a 71–62 loss at the Siegel Center.
SLU arrived with a 13–1 record yet winless all-time in the building (0–10).
The Rams endured nine straight misses and went over six minutes without a field goal, falling behind 19–10 before Terrence Hill Jr. steadied things. Hill scored five straight, then hit three free throws later to tie the game at 19 as VCU closed the gap with a 7-0 burst.
But SLU immediately punched back. The Billikens ripped off a 10-0 run over just 1:39, taking a 30–22 lead into halftime as both teams shot under 30% from the floor in a grind-heavy first 20 minutes.
VCU opened the second half with stronger rhythm, including a three-point play and a Michael Belle triple that pulled the Rams within one possession. Free throws from Lazar Djokovic made it 58–57, and moments later an Ahmad Nowell layup with 2:27 remaining gave VCU its first lead of the night, 62–61.
That would be the final bucket VCU scored.
SLU responded immediately with a three at 2:14, igniting a 10-0 closing run while holding the Rams scoreless over the final 2:30.
With the loss, VCU falls to 2-1 in A-10 play and 11-5 overall. The Rams return to action on Saturday, January 10th, as they head to Fairfax to take on the Patriots of George Mason. Tip-off is set for 12pm EST and will be broadcast on ESPN.
SLU arrived with a 13–1 record yet winless all-time in the building (0–10).
The Rams endured nine straight misses and went over six minutes without a field goal, falling behind 19–10 before Terrence Hill Jr. steadied things. Hill scored five straight, then hit three free throws later to tie the game at 19 as VCU closed the gap with a 7-0 burst.
But SLU immediately punched back. The Billikens ripped off a 10-0 run over just 1:39, taking a 30–22 lead into halftime as both teams shot under 30% from the floor in a grind-heavy first 20 minutes.
VCU opened the second half with stronger rhythm, including a three-point play and a Michael Belle triple that pulled the Rams within one possession. Free throws from Lazar Djokovic made it 58–57, and moments later an Ahmad Nowell layup with 2:27 remaining gave VCU its first lead of the night, 62–61.
That would be the final bucket VCU scored.
SLU responded immediately with a three at 2:14, igniting a 10-0 closing run while holding the Rams scoreless over the final 2:30.
Key Performances
- Terrence Hill Jr. — 17 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl
- Lazar Djokovic — 11 pts, 12 reb, 2 blk
- Michael Belle — 10 pts, 7 reb
- Jadrian Tracey — 8 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast
Team Notes
- Shot 28.6% FG vs SLU’s 42.9% FG
- Lost points in the paint 40–24
- Assisted on just 7 of 18 FGs
- Won the FT battle: 20–24 (83%) to SLU’s 11–16 (69%)
- Held SLU to 30% from three, but surrendered 22 second-half paint points
Up Next
With the loss, VCU falls to 2-1 in A-10 play and 11-5 overall. The Rams return to action on Saturday, January 10th, as they head to Fairfax to take on the Patriots of George Mason. Tip-off is set for 12pm EST and will be broadcast on ESPN.
