VCU cranks up the defense and hands No. 18 Dayton a 49-47 loss
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Jason Nelson scored 11 points and VCU never trailed after the opening minutes in a 49-47 victory against No. 18 Dayton on Friday night.
The Rams (16-8, 8-3 Atlantic 10) won for the eighth time in their last nine games, despite not scoring for the final six minutes. They held on by holding Dayton scoreless over the last 3:03.
“It was just a rock fight throughout. Really hard-fought game for us,” VCU coach Ryan Odum said. His squad has now beaten all three teams it trails in the A-10 standings.
The Rams went ahead 49-42 on a tip-in by Toibu Lawal with six minutes left, but attempted just four shots from the field the rest of the way. Lawal twice went to the free-throw line for a 1-and-1 opportunity, but each time he missed the first try.
“We manufactured enough baskets with - I’ll call it suspect, because it really was suspect offense,” Odum said. “Our offense was not very good. Down the stretch, we’ve got to be better.”
The Flyers (19-4, 9-2) fell to 0-2 in Virginia, having lost 69-64 at Richmond on Jan. 27.
“Obviously they did enough to limit us,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said. “Nights like that, when you struggle offensively, it’s tough. Tough to win. But we had chances.”
The Rams never led by more than eight. VCU had a chance to make it a two-possession game in the final minute, but DaRon Holmes II blocked Sean Bairstow's layup attempt with 30 seconds left.
Holmes then got a clean look at a potential tying basket, but missed and a long rebound ended it.
Nate Santos led the Flyers with 19 points and Holmes scored 12.
“Tonight wasn’t a great night for him,” Grant said of Holmes, who made just five of 13 free throws. “Wasn’t a great night for our team. And you've got to give VCU credit. They had a lot to do with that.”
BIG PICTURE
Dayton: The Flyers got no points from Kobe Elvis, who averages 9.8 per game but missed all six of his shots. They got only two from Javon Bennett, who averages 9.2 a game but was just 1 for 6 from the field. Dayton went 9 of 18 on free throws.
VCU: Since allowing an average of 86.5 points in their first two A-10 games, both losses, the Rams have limited teams to an average of less than 60 points since.
UP NEXT
Dayton is home against Duquesne next Tuesday.
VCU plays at Saint Louis next Friday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Flyers gains possession) | |||
19:50 | Kobe Elvis misses two point layup | |||
19:48 | Sean Bairstow defensive rebound | |||
19:33 | Christian Fermin misses two point jump shot | |||
19:31 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
19:05 | +3 | Nate Santos makes three point jump shot (Kobe Elvis assists) | 3-0 | |
18:11 | +2 | Christian Fermin makes two point layup (Max Shulga assists) | 3-2 | |
17:33 | Nate Santos misses three point jump shot | |||
17:31 | Sean Bairstow defensive rebound | |||
17:25 | Sean Bairstow turnover (lost ball) (DaRon Holmes II steals) | |||
17:11 | Nate Santos turnover (lost ball) (Kuany Kuany steals) | |||
17:00 | Kuany Kuany misses two point layup | |||
16:58 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
16:48 | Kuany Kuany blocks Nate Santos's two point layup | |||
16:46 | Sean Bairstow defensive rebound | |||
16:39 | Max Shulga turnover (lost ball) (DaRon Holmes II steals) | |||
16:25 | DaRon Holmes II misses two point jump shot | |||
16:23 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
16:16 | Max Shulga misses three point jump shot | |||
16:14 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
15:58 | Enoch Cheeks misses three point jump shot | |||
15:56 | Max Shulga defensive rebound | |||
15:33 | Max Shulga misses three point jump shot | |||
15:31 | Flyers defensive rebound | |||
15:30 | TV timeout | |||
15:14 | Toibu Lawal blocks Isaac Jack's two point layup | |||
15:12 | Max Shulga defensive rebound | |||
15:03 | Sean Bairstow misses two point layup | |||
15:01 | Sean Bairstow offensive rebound | |||
14:57 | +3 | Jason Nelson makes three point jump shot (Max Shulga assists) | 3-5 | |
14:43 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point layup | 5-5 | |
14:12 | +3 | Jason Nelson makes three point jump shot (Kuany Kuany assists) | 5-8 | |
13:51 | +2 | Enoch Cheeks makes two point dunk (Javon Bennett assists) | 7-8 | |
13:30 | Max Shulga offensive foul | |||
13:30 | Max Shulga turnover (offensive foul) | |||
13:17 | Koby Brea misses two point layup | |||
13:15 | Michael Belle defensive rebound | |||
12:56 | Michael Belle misses two point driving hook shot | |||
12:54 | DaRon Holmes II defensive rebound | |||
12:42 | DaRon Holmes II turnover (Michael Belle steals) | |||
12:37 | Enoch Cheeks personal foul (Michael Belle draws the foul) | |||
12:20 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
12:18 | Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound | |||
12:02 | Kobe Elvis misses two point layup | |||
12:00 | Jason Nelson defensive rebound | |||
11:36 | +2 | Toibu Lawal makes two point dunk (Michael Belle assists) | 7-10 | |
11:06 | Enoch Cheeks misses three point jump shot | |||
11:04 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
10:39 | Joe Bamisile misses two point floating jump shot | |||
10:37 | DaRon Holmes II defensive rebound | |||
10:24 | Toibu Lawal shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
10:24 | TV timeout | |||
10:24 | DaRon Holmes II misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
10:24 | DaRon Holmes II misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
10:24 | Michael Belle defensive rebound | |||
9:58 | Max Shulga misses two point jump shot | |||
9:56 | Flyers defensive rebound | |||
9:34 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point layup (Javon Bennett assists) | 9-10 | |
9:02 | Michael Belle misses two point jump shot | |||
9:00 | Koby Brea defensive rebound | |||
8:37 | Kobe Elvis misses three point jump shot | |||
8:35 | Rams defensive rebound | |||
8:07 | +2 | Christian Fermin makes two point floating jump shot (Sean Bairstow assists) | 9-12 | |
7:45 | +3 | Koby Brea makes three point jump shot (Javon Bennett assists) | 12-12 | |
7:20 | Javon Bennett personal foul (Joe Bamisile draws the foul) | |||
7:20 | TV timeout | |||
7:08 | +2 | Sean Bairstow makes two point jump shot (Max Shulga assists) | 12-14 | |
6:49 | Nate Santos misses three point jump shot | |||
6:47 | Joe Bamisile defensive rebound | |||
6:38 | Joe Bamisile misses three point jump shot | |||
6:36 | Kobe Elvis defensive rebound | |||
6:30 | Nate Santos misses two point layup | |||
6:28 | Sean Bairstow defensive rebound | |||
6:21 | Max Shulga misses three point jump shot | |||
6:19 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
6:10 | +2 | DaRon Holmes II makes two point layup (Koby Brea assists) | 14-14 | |
5:52 | Christian Fermin misses two point floating jump shot | |||
5:50 | DaRon Holmes II defensive rebound | |||
5:36 | Christian Fermin blocks DaRon Holmes II's two point layup | |||
5:34 | Sean Bairstow defensive rebound | |||
5:24 | Sean Bairstow misses three point jump shot | |||
5:22 | Koby Brea defensive rebound | |||
5:11 | Kobe Elvis misses two point layup | |||
5:09 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
5:00 | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point finger roll layup | 14-16 | |
4:40 | Koby Brea turnover (bad pass) (Max Shulga steals) | |||
4:32 | +2 | Joe Bamisile makes two point dunk (Sean Bairstow assists) | 14-18 | |
4:31 | Flyers 30 second timeout | |||
4:11 | Javon Bennett misses three point jump shot | |||
4:09 | Javon Bennett offensive rebound | |||
4:03 | +2 | Javon Bennett makes two point reverse layup | 16-18 | |
3:48 | +2 | Sean Bairstow makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 16-20 | |
3:23 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point layup | 18-20 | |
3:05 | TV timeout | |||
3:06 | Jump ball. Sean Bairstow vs. Nate Santos (Sean Bairstow gains possession) | |||
2:57 | +3 | Jason Nelson makes three point jump shot (Max Shulga assists) | 18-23 | |
2:35 | Jason Nelson shooting foul (Nate Santos draws the foul) | |||
2:35 | +1 | Nate Santos makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-23 | |
2:35 | +1 | Nate Santos makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-23 | |
2:14 | Toibu Lawal offensive foul | |||
2:14 | Toibu Lawal turnover (offensive foul) | |||
1:55 | Koby Brea misses three point jump shot | |||
1:53 | Joe Bamisile defensive rebound | |||
1:46 | +2 | Kuany Kuany makes two point floating jump shot (Joe Bamisile assists) | 20-25 | |
1:13 | Enoch Cheeks turnover (lost ball) (Joe Bamisile steals) | |||
1:13 | Joe Bamisile misses two point layup | |||
1:11 | Rams offensive rebound | |||
1:03 | Max Shulga misses two point layup | |||
1:01 | Kobe Elvis defensive rebound | |||
0:37 | +2 | Enoch Cheeks makes two point layup | 22-25 | |
0:10 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
0:08 | Christian Fermin offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | Christian Fermin misses two point layup | |||
0:01 | DaRon Holmes II defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:38 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point layup (DaRon Holmes II assists) | 24-25 | |
19:21 | Enoch Cheeks shooting foul (Christian Fermin draws the foul) | |||
19:21 | Christian Fermin misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
19:21 | +1 | Christian Fermin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-26 | |
19:10 | Javon Bennett misses two point layup | |||
19:08 | Sean Bairstow defensive rebound | |||
19:00 | Enoch Cheeks shooting foul (Max Shulga draws the foul) | |||
19:00 | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-27 | |
19:00 | +1 | Max Shulga makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-28 | |
18:47 | Christian Fermin blocks DaRon Holmes II's two point layup | |||
18:45 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
18:39 | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point layup | 24-30 | |
18:31 | Christian Fermin shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
18:31 | DaRon Holmes II misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
18:31 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-30 | |
18:12 | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point layup (Christian Fermin assists) | 25-32 | |
17:51 | +3 | DaRon Holmes II makes three point jump shot (Javon Bennett assists) | 28-32 | |
17:36 | +3 | Zeb Jackson makes three point jump shot (Kuany Kuany assists) | 28-35 | |
17:13 | Christian Fermin personal foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
17:13 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-35 | |
17:13 | DaRon Holmes II misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
17:13 | Kuany Kuany defensive rebound | |||
16:57 | Toibu Lawal turnover (bad pass) (Javon Bennett steals) | |||
16:48 | Javon Bennett misses two point layup | |||
16:46 | Toibu Lawal defensive rebound | |||
16:21 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
16:19 | Koby Brea defensive rebound | |||
16:08 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point layup | 31-35 | |
15:50 | +2 | Sean Bairstow makes two point layup | 31-37 | |
15:31 | +2 | DaRon Holmes II makes two point layup | 33-37 | |
15:11 | +3 | Joe Bamisile makes three point jump shot (Sean Bairstow assists) | 33-40 | |
14:52 | Toibu Lawal shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
14:52 |