RAMS DOMINATE IN THE PAINT TO SINK NAVY, 74-52 | VCU Athletics
RAMS DOMINATE IN THE PAINT TO SINK NAVY, 74-52 | VCU Athletics
RAMS DOMINATE IN THE PAINT TO SINK NAVY, 74-52
The short story: Redshirt sophomore forward Jamir Watkins and sophomore forward Jalen DeLoach were a dynamic duo in the paint, combining for 36 of VCU's 74 points to help the Rams sail past the Midshipmen. VCU has won a season-high four straight games.
OPENING TIP
- DeLoach scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals
- Watkins also notched 18 points on 7-of-13 from the field, including a perfect 3-of-3 from the free throw line
- Junior guard Ace Baldwin Jr. did a superb job of dishing the ball out to his teammates, leading the team with eight assists
- Junior guard Zeb Jackson, senior forward David Shriver, and sophomore guard Nick Kern Jr. added nine, eight, and seven points respectively to the Rams' total
- Tyler Nelson buoyed the Midshipmen effort with 17 points and eight rebounds
- Early on, it looked like it would be a smooth voyage for Navy, as the Midshipmen got out to a 11-0 run in the first 3:48 of the game. The Black and Gold, however, roared back with a 20-4 run over the course of 6:14, capped by back-to-back three-pointers by sophomore guard Jayden Nunn
- After Navy put up the first five points of the second half to draw within two, the Rams went on a 10-0 run for 3:08. Shriver got the ball rolling with a three-pointer, and then Watkins and DeLoach combined for the next seven Rams points
- The Rams' dominance inside was their key to success, outscoring Navy in the paint 46-24
- VCU also had a good night shooting the ball, connecting on 29-of-56 (52 percent) from the field compared to Navy's 20-of-55 (36 percent)
- The Black and Gold also got more production out of their bench than the Midshipmen, with the Rams' outscoring Navy's bench 27-14
- With the victory, VCU remains undefeated all-time against Navy at 3-0, with the previous victories coming in 1979 and 1980
- Navy's 52 points were the fewest scored by a VCU opponent this season, the previous low being 54 points by Morgan State back on Nov. 12
- The Rams gave up only nine turnovers, the second-lowest total of the season and only the second game with single-digit turnovers