VCU's has had one chance for a revenge game this season and tonight is it. The black and gold host Rhode Island, one of just two teams to hand the black and gold an Atlantic 10 loss this season, overcoming an early double-digit deficit by hanging a 50-point second half on VCU earlier this season in Kingston, RI. The southern Rams have won every game since while their northern Keaney blue counterparts have won just one contest since, a stretch that includes a shocking home loss to Fordham this past Saturday.
VCU v Rhode Island: Round 2.
<h4>VCU (19-6, 10-2)
RHODE ISLAND (12-12, 5-7)</h4>
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT RHODE ISLAND</h4>
The way I've described Rhode Island to folks this season is basically a poor man's VCU. Much like our Rams, they're a team led by a defense that can be very stingy, but one that struggles to hit shots at times. So yes, essentially our successes and our struggles, but worse.
Rhody has been one of the tougher Atlantic 10 defenses this season, but where VCU ranks 6th nationally on that side of the ball, Rhody ranks 106th. Like VCU, the Rhode Island Rams really struggle from deep, but while VCU is bad from three at 30.1% on the season (333rd nationally), Rhody is worse, checking in at dead last in the country from long range at 25.4% (they hit just one three in the previous meeting between these two...but again, still won).
The Rams are led by the talented, but often inefficient backcourt duo of junior Jeff Dotwin and sophomore, Fatts Russell as well as junior big man, Cyril Langevine. All three can be tough on both sides of the ball, but Langevine and Russell in particular tend to run really hot or really cold.
Langevine is a double-double machine (14.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg), a solid shot-blocker for David Cox's squad and great at drawing fouls, but can struggle at times holding on to the ball.
Russell is a lightning-quick pest of a guard, but now has back-to-back seasons with effective field goal percentages under 44% (not good). He also has one of the only negative defensive box plus/minus ratings on the team, something that feels quite new for star Rhode Island players.
Dowtin is a solid all-around guard but like the team as a whole, can really struggle to hit shots and has seen his three ball plummet to 22.7% in A-10 play, down from 38.7% last season.
That trio all play over 30 minutes per game for Rhody. They all also dumped double-digits on VCU in their last meeting, combining for 43 of Rhody's 71 points. They were joined by freshman, Tyrese Martin, in the double-digit scoring gang, the Allentown, PA native scoring 12 points in his 30 minutes of action.
Martin has been Rhody's fourth option this season on a Rams team that goes about seven deep.
Rhode Island has been held under 60 points in regulation their last three games.
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT VCU</h4>
The black and gold have been the hottest team in the Atlantic 10 and have positioned themselves on the ride side of the NCAA tournament bubble according to most bracketologists. A win tonight combined with a Dayton upset of Davidson would give VCU sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 and would avoid a loss that the Rams don't need on their NCAA tournament resume.
It will be the first of three consecutive home games for VCU after a six-game winning streak that included four road wins. Almost all of those wins came in dominating fashion, the Rams winning four by double-digits prior to the recent win at Dayton where VCU saw a 22-point second half lead turn into a one-point second half deficit before gutting out a tough W in front over a sold out UD Arena.
Marcus Evans did not have his best game in the most recent win, but came up huge when it mattered most. Huge is also what he's been for VCU this season, leading the Rams in offensive box plus/minus and responsible for a handful of game-winners already this season.
Evans leads what has been and improving offense to go with an already dominant defense, the Rams rising to third in A-10 offensive efficiency just behind Dayton and Davidson.
TALE OF THE TAPE[/HEADING=3]
VCU v Rhode Island: Round 2.
<h4>VCU (19-6, 10-2)
RHODE ISLAND (12-12, 5-7)</h4>
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT RHODE ISLAND</h4>
The way I've described Rhode Island to folks this season is basically a poor man's VCU. Much like our Rams, they're a team led by a defense that can be very stingy, but one that struggles to hit shots at times. So yes, essentially our successes and our struggles, but worse.
Rhody has been one of the tougher Atlantic 10 defenses this season, but where VCU ranks 6th nationally on that side of the ball, Rhody ranks 106th. Like VCU, the Rhode Island Rams really struggle from deep, but while VCU is bad from three at 30.1% on the season (333rd nationally), Rhody is worse, checking in at dead last in the country from long range at 25.4% (they hit just one three in the previous meeting between these two...but again, still won).
The Rams are led by the talented, but often inefficient backcourt duo of junior Jeff Dotwin and sophomore, Fatts Russell as well as junior big man, Cyril Langevine. All three can be tough on both sides of the ball, but Langevine and Russell in particular tend to run really hot or really cold.
Langevine is a double-double machine (14.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg), a solid shot-blocker for David Cox's squad and great at drawing fouls, but can struggle at times holding on to the ball.
Russell is a lightning-quick pest of a guard, but now has back-to-back seasons with effective field goal percentages under 44% (not good). He also has one of the only negative defensive box plus/minus ratings on the team, something that feels quite new for star Rhode Island players.
Dowtin is a solid all-around guard but like the team as a whole, can really struggle to hit shots and has seen his three ball plummet to 22.7% in A-10 play, down from 38.7% last season.
That trio all play over 30 minutes per game for Rhody. They all also dumped double-digits on VCU in their last meeting, combining for 43 of Rhody's 71 points. They were joined by freshman, Tyrese Martin, in the double-digit scoring gang, the Allentown, PA native scoring 12 points in his 30 minutes of action.
Martin has been Rhody's fourth option this season on a Rams team that goes about seven deep.
Rhode Island has been held under 60 points in regulation their last three games.
<h4>A QUICK LOOK AT VCU</h4>
The black and gold have been the hottest team in the Atlantic 10 and have positioned themselves on the ride side of the NCAA tournament bubble according to most bracketologists. A win tonight combined with a Dayton upset of Davidson would give VCU sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 and would avoid a loss that the Rams don't need on their NCAA tournament resume.
It will be the first of three consecutive home games for VCU after a six-game winning streak that included four road wins. Almost all of those wins came in dominating fashion, the Rams winning four by double-digits prior to the recent win at Dayton where VCU saw a 22-point second half lead turn into a one-point second half deficit before gutting out a tough W in front over a sold out UD Arena.
Marcus Evans did not have his best game in the most recent win, but came up huge when it mattered most. Huge is also what he's been for VCU this season, leading the Rams in offensive box plus/minus and responsible for a handful of game-winners already this season.
Evans leads what has been and improving offense to go with an already dominant defense, the Rams rising to third in A-10 offensive efficiency just behind Dayton and Davidson.
