Fast Start Sets the Tone
The Rams wasted no time imposing their will, storming out to a 12-3 lead in the opening minutes. Luke Bamgboye ignited the Siegel Center crowd with a thunderous dunk in traffic, drawing contact for the and-one. Moments later, Max Shulga turned a Richmond turnover into an instant triple, forcing the Spiders to call an early timeout before they could even settle in.Lockdown First Half
VCU’s defense smothered Richmond in the opening 20 minutes, holding the Spiders to just four made field goals and a total of 13 points at the break—fewer than Shulga had on his own. The senior guard led all scorers with 14 first-half points on 5-7 shooting, including a deadly 4-5 from three. Meanwhile, the Rams torched the nets at 64% overall, hitting 8 of 14 from deep, while Richmond missed all seven of their first-half attempts from beyond the arc.VCU’s bench provided a huge boost, pouring in 17 points before halftime, while their pressure defense forced 11 Richmond turnovers, leading to 15 points off mistakes.
No Let-Up in the Second Half
Richmond opened the second half with a quick 10-point burst in the first four minutes, but VCU never flinched. Every Ram who saw the floor contributed offensively, as all 12 players scored at least two points in a total team effort.VCU continued their offensive efficiency, finishing the night shooting 64.7% from the field, 55.2% from three (16-29), and a flawless 100% (8-8) from the free-throw line.