In the first conference game at home in the Stuart C. Siegel Center, the VCU Rams (13-3; 3-0 A10) used hot second-half shooting to warm up the crowd and defeat the visiting Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts.
UMASS began the game on a 5-0 run and held VCU scoreless for nearly two and a half minutes before Senior Jordan Burgess (9pts, 4reb) hit a three pointer from the corner to get the Rams on the scoreboard.
The Minutemen would lead much of the first half. Just before the under-4 minute TV timeout, Senior Doug Brooks (14pts, 5reb, 2stl) would hit a three pointer to give the Rams their first lead of the night 25-23.
Brooks would finish the first half with only 11 minutes of action, but connecting to score 10 points on 2-3 three pointers, 4-4 free throws, 2 steals, 3 rebounds and a block.
Point guard JeQuan Lewis scored all 17 of his points after the break. The Senior guard would also add 7 rebounds and 6 assists to his stat line for the afternoon.
Despite being sidelined for much of the game due to foul trouble UMASS Center Rashaan Holloway scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Justin Tillman, who started the second half in place of Ahmed Hamdy-Mohamed, was the only player in addition to Holloway to post a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Junior Jonathan Williams was the fourth Ram of the afternoon to score in double digits with 12 points and 4 assists.
The Rams finished with 11 turnovers on the afternoon and committed only 2 after the halfway point. UMASS ended the contest with 14 total turnovers which led to 11 points for VCU.
The contest today was the 91st consecutive sellout for the Rams and brings the current win-streak to 7 games.
The Rams return to action on Wednesday, January 11th against the visiting Colonials of George Washington. The game is set to tip at 6:00PM and will be broadcast on ESPN2 network.
UMASS began the game on a 5-0 run and held VCU scoreless for nearly two and a half minutes before Senior Jordan Burgess (9pts, 4reb) hit a three pointer from the corner to get the Rams on the scoreboard.
The Minutemen would lead much of the first half. Just before the under-4 minute TV timeout, Senior Doug Brooks (14pts, 5reb, 2stl) would hit a three pointer to give the Rams their first lead of the night 25-23.
Brooks would finish the first half with only 11 minutes of action, but connecting to score 10 points on 2-3 three pointers, 4-4 free throws, 2 steals, 3 rebounds and a block.
Point guard JeQuan Lewis scored all 17 of his points after the break. The Senior guard would also add 7 rebounds and 6 assists to his stat line for the afternoon.
Despite being sidelined for much of the game due to foul trouble UMASS Center Rashaan Holloway scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Justin Tillman, who started the second half in place of Ahmed Hamdy-Mohamed, was the only player in addition to Holloway to post a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Junior Jonathan Williams was the fourth Ram of the afternoon to score in double digits with 12 points and 4 assists.
The Rams finished with 11 turnovers on the afternoon and committed only 2 after the halfway point. UMASS ended the contest with 14 total turnovers which led to 11 points for VCU.
The contest today was the 91st consecutive sellout for the Rams and brings the current win-streak to 7 games.
The Rams return to action on Wednesday, January 11th against the visiting Colonials of George Washington. The game is set to tip at 6:00PM and will be broadcast on ESPN2 network.
