Takeaways from the VCU vs UVA Game

From VCU Athletics 

Both teams gave it there all last night, but VCU's Treveon Graham took the last second shot for the rams to win the game and avoid overtime with the Cavaliers. This game was an instant classic with both teams battling and throwing punches left and right. Once one team went on a short run the other team would come storming back to get a lead of their own. The two standouts from the game were UVA's Joe Harris, who was the leading scorer of the Cavaliers with 18 points, and VCU's Treveon Graham, who not only hit the game winning shot, but also was the leading scorer for the Rams with 22 points.

UVA executed well on offense and defense by keeping the game in check and not letting the game become a track meet which would favor VCU. UVA forced VCU into getting shots off late in the shot clock and contesting every single one of them. UVA out rebounded VCU and blocked 8 of VCU's shots.

VCU really gave the UVA guards a hard time getting up and down the court specifically Malcolm Brogdon, who turned the ball over 4 times and was exposed for his weak handle of the ball versus Briante Weber and the gang. VCU also guarded the 3 point line very well holding UVA to 1-8 from 3 pointers.

Here are some takeaways from the game that both teams can build upon and need to work on during this season:

What Both Teams Need to Work on:

1. Free Throws-Both teams struggled from the charity stripe tonight. VCU went 6-15 from the line and missed some key free throws to put the game out of the reach. UVA went 19-33 from the line and missed the chance to take the lead at the end with Malcolm Brogden only making 1-2 with 10 seconds left.  Joe Harris, who is a great free throw shooter, went 3-6 from the line. Harris was carrying UVA and you could see he just didn't have his legs under him after having to run up and down the court with VCU.  Terrance Shannon must hit more than 1-5 free throws in other close games if the Rams want to come out on top.
2. Transfers-Both UVA and VCU have new additions to their rosters Anthony Gill and Terrance Shannon. Gill is originally from USC, but transferred and was forced to sit out last year unlike Shannon who transferred from FSU and was granted immediate eligibility from the NCAA. Both are very good players for each team, but were non factors for most part of the game. Gill got into foul trouble which limited his playing time to only 16 minutes. In that time Gill got up no shots and pulled down just 4 rebounds. If UVA wants to contend with schools like Duke, UNC, and Syracuse this season they must have another post presence besides Akil Mitchell. Shannon also got into foul trouble which limited his playing time to 19 minutes. In those 19 minutes he went 1-3 from the field, 1-5 from the charity stripe, and only pulled down 1 rebound. Shannon has to be more aggressive on the boards if he is struggling offensively one night. He also must play better post defense and not allow his man to establish position and get to the spot that he wants to. 3 Atkins is not very skilled player in the post, but he made up for it by hustling and moving without the ball which aloud him to get 24 minutes of playing time and have 6 points and 8 rebounds during that time.  

What UVA Needs to Fix:

• UVA Needs to Find a True Point Guard-Malcolm Brogdon was very confident coming into the game saying how they should be able to get the ball up the without to many problems. While they did break the press a couple of times, most of the time when VCU ran it UVA was flustered and gave the ball up with bad passes or just being careless with the ball. Brogdon tried to break the press, but he was just getting exposed by Briante Weber and the other Rams with his average ball handling skills. Brogdon is a very good player don't get me wrong, but having to play a two guard at the point guard position versus the Rams will not end well for UVA. Brogdon just is not a natural point guard facilitator like Tony Bennett has had over the years with guys like Jontel Evans or even Sammy Zeglinski. Brogdon will be the most effective playing the off the ball. It is just the second game of the season so he could get better at running the point, but I just don't think it fits him playing that position. London Perrantes, freshman guard out of California, seems like sooner or later he will start at the point guard position. He has a very good shot and a much better handle on the ball. He just seems more comfortable running the team over guys like Brogdon and Tevin Jones.

What VCU Needs to Improve on:

• Half court Offensive Sets-Every year under Shaka the Rams have gotten better in running half court sets on offense and defense. They will need to get better at executing their game plan in those situations though because not every game will be an up-tempo style of play and might be a slow downed game like the one last night at UVA. If the Rams can be efficient in the half court set of things then the Rams are going to be a deadly team this year. Briante Weber has shown he is capable of taking the role as the leader on the court with Darius Theus gone. The next step for Weber is to become a threat in "Pick and Rolls" and in dribble drive situations where he either penetrates to the basket or kicks it back out for an open three. If he gets better at that than the sky is the limit with Briante because he already has the physical tools to make it in the NBA. 

Overall this game was an instant classic and one I will never forget. Both teams are going to be very good by the time March rolls by and who knows maybe they will meet again in the NCAA Tournament.

Treveon Graham and the Rams celebrate after the game winner

Treveon Graham's Dagger over Perrantes

Box Score:

Virginia Commonwealth Rams
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Terrance Shannon, F	19	1-3	0-0	1-5	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	4	3
Juvonte Reddic, F	22	4-6	1-1	0-0	1	4	5	1	1	0	1	4	9
Rob Brandenberg, G	25	3-8	1-2	0-0	1	1	2	3	3	0	1	2	7
Briante Weber, G	38	2-6	0-1	0-2	0	4	4	2	2	0	2	2	4
Treveon Graham, G	32	8-15	2-5	4-7	0	3	3	1	2	0	2	1	22
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Jarred Guest, F	10	0-2	0-0	0-0	1	1	2	0	1	1	1	2	0
Mo Alie-Cox, F	11	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3	0
Jordan Burgess, G	17	2-5	1-3	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	4	5
Melvin Johnson, G	13	2-6	0-1	0-0	1	1	2	0	0	0	2	4	4
JeQuan Lewis, G	12	2-5	0-0	1-1	0	2	2	0	0	0	2	1	5
Doug Brooks, G	1	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		24-58	5-14	6-15	8	20	28	7	9	2	13	27	59
		41.4%	35.7%	40.0%
Virginia Cavaliers
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Akil Mitchell, F	29	2-5	0-0	5-7	0	2	2	2	0	2	2	2	9
Anthony Gill, F	16	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	4	4	0	1	0	1	3	0
Malcolm Brogdon, G	30	3-8	0-1	4-6	0	5	5	2	1	1	4	2	10
Justin Anderson, G	21	1-6	0-1	1-2	2	1	3	1	0	1	2	3	3
Joe Harris, G	34	7-12	1-4	3-6	1	4	5	2	0	0	3	4	18
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Darion Atkins, F	24	3-6	0-0	2-5	4	4	8	0	1	2	2	1	8
Mike Tobey, F	11	2-4	0-0	1-2	5	4	9	0	0	2	0	3	5
Teven Jones, G	9	0-1	0-0	1-2	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	1
London Perrantes, G	26	0-4	0-2	2-3	0	4	4	1	1	0	4	3	2
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		18-46	1-8	19-33	12	29	41	9	4	8	19	21	56
		39.1%	12.5%	57.6%

----From Espn.com

Game Preview: VCU vs UVA

vs          

On ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m.

At John Paul Jones Arena:

Head Coach: Tony Bennet

Projected Starters for UVA:

PG- Malcolm Brogdon #15
Sophomore - 6'5

SG- Joe Harris #12
Senior- 6'6

C/PF- Anthony Gill
RS Sophomore- 6'8

PF- Akil Mitchell #25
Senior- 6'8 
✶If healthy

SF-Justin Anderson 
#1 Sophomore- 6'6

Key Reserves:

C- Mike Tobey #10
Sophomore- 6'11

PG/SG- Teven Jones #5
Sophomore- 6'0

SG- Evan Nolte #11
Sophomore- 6'8

PG- London Perrantes #23
Freshman- 6'2 

PF- Darion Atkins #32
        Junior- 6'8

Characteristics of UVA:

• Their guards and forwards are all very good shooters. With great shooters all over the court for UVA that helps them get the court spread out and makes it easier for Brogdon and Anderson to slash through the paint.

• Their big men are very skilled and can match up well with any team's bigs. They can be physical, but also are very composed in defending the paint.

• They are very disciplined on defense and do not give up easy baskets in the half court. With Bennet's philosophy of slowing the game down and being stout in their half court defense it has become hard to score up to 60 points against the Cavaliers.

• They have a go to scorer, in Joe Harris, that can get the team baskets in critical situations and South Carolina transfer, Anthony Gill, who sat out last season for transferring, but was said to be the best player in practice last season.

Advantages/Disadvantages for the Rams:

Advantages:

• Havoc will definitely cause fits for the inexperienced guards of UVA that bring the ball up the court for the whole game.
• Even though UVA has more depth than last year, they still are only four deep on the bench and that is the exact opposite of VCU. Shaka can play up to 12 players who can make an impact on offense or on defense.
• If VCU speeds the game up and it becomes an up-tempo game, then you will most likely see UVA lose composure in trying to keep up with the ram's athleticism. Evan Nolte and Mike Tobey will be thrown off their games' if the game gets to fast.

Disadvantages:

• UVA is a more disciplined team on the offensive side and they look for the best available shot. VCU can sometimes get a little to trigger-happy and force shots instead of looking for the best available one.

• UVA has a strong, physical team that will try to get good easy shots under the basket. They will try to feed Mitchell, Gill, and Tobey. It will be important that Juvonte Reddic, Terrance Shannon, and the other big men for the rams that they can defend and stop them from getting easy buckets.

• UVA has some real athletes on the team that you do not want to give space and drive right down the middle for an easy dunk or layup.

Key Player for the Rams and the Cavaliers:

 Melvin Johnson

     Melvin Johnson must be able to come off the bench and provide an instant spark on offense. With Reddic, Shannon, and Graham focusing on their individual match ups with Mitchell, Gill, and Harris, Melvin will be the X factor for the rams this game. Melvin will be able to get past UVA's inexperienced guards and get to lane where he will either use his signature floater over the UVA bigs or dump the ball of to a VCU the big man for an easy dunk. Melvin will also be making a lot more three's this season just because he is more comfortable in the system. Expect a rams victory if Melvin Johnson makes a big impact on offense. 

 Justin Anderson:
      Justin Anderson is an athletic freak that has the ability to affect the game offensively and defensively. Anderson is a great defender and it will be very hard for the rams to get by him in any sort of isolation play versus him. Anderson was not much of a factor offensively his freshman year, but he has had a good summer up at Charlottesville and is ready to show that he has become a complete player this year. If VCU lets Anderson get going on offense then, UVA will defiantly have the upper hand in this match up. VCU must close out as soon as Anderson gets the ball, so he can't set his feet and shoot the ball. If Anderson starts the fast break for UVA, then VCU must either force it out of his hands and not let him get into the lane where he will elevate over a defender and dunk it. Justin Anderson is a hustler and a hard worker so do not expect him to just give up if VCU is shutting him down offensively, but if they do then VCU will have a better chance of winning this game.

Predicted Score:

OT

VCU: 79

UVA: 71 

Game Preview of VCU vs Illinois State

     VS

At The Siegel Center:

Head Coach: Dan Muller

Projected Starters for Illinois State:

PG- Kaza Keane #0     SG- Zach Lofton #23    SF- Nick Zeisloft #15 PF- John Jones #10   C- Michael Middlebrooks #25

Sophomore- 6’1       Sophomore- 6’4         RS Sophomore-6’4 Junior- 6’9                 Junior- 6’9

Key Reserves:

C- Reggie Lynch       PG- Bobby Hunter    SG- Tony Wilis           PG- Daishon Knight

Freshman- 6’10        RS Junior- 5’10          Freshman- 6’3          Junior- 6’1 ✶Suspended Indefinitely

Characteristics of ISU:

• Not a single guy on the roster has played a minute under predecessor Tim Jankovich and only 2 scholarship players(Kaza Keane and Nick Zeisloft).

• They have very young talent.

• They have good size in the front court.

• Coach Muller wants the Redbirds to play fast and be a tough defensive team.

Advantages/Disadvantages for the Rams:

Advantages:

• VCU will definitely will be the deeper team compared to ISU.

• The talent for VCU should overwhelm ISU early and often throughout the game.

• This ISU team has not really ever player together so VCU should easily expose their new guards in the press.

Disadvantages:

• The Rams must get used to the NCAA’s new rules of hand checking and not get into foul trouble early in the press.

• There will most likely be some struggle from the rams in the half-court part of the offense with just being careless with the ball and passes just being a little off.

Key Player for the Rams and Redbirds:

Briante Weber: 

The new leader of the team Briante Weber will be starting out the season as this years new starting point guard. Weber must show that he has developed over the summer from not just a defensive specialist but into a complete guard. For VCU to have a successful season this year, Weber must provide composure in leading the offense and still be the relentless defensive player in the press. He must avoid fouling early and it also would help the team if he could get his offensive game going during this game.

Kaza Keane: 

The point guard will have to break the overwhelming press of VCU all night. If ISU has any chance of upsetting the rams they will need Keane to not just break the press, but also keep the offense composed and execute their game plan. They want to be an up-tempo team, but they might not want to try that game plan versus the VCU, when they don’t have much depth to run with the rested bodies of VCU.

Predicted Score:

VCU-93

ISU-57

Black vs Gold Scrimmage 10/13 at 6:00 p.m.

VCU fans will get a little preview of what the team will look like for the up and coming season this Sunday, October 13th at 6:00 p.m. The team will have an open scrimmage to the public with refs and with a regular clock system. With nine new players on the team that have not taken the court for the rams, 4 recruited freshman, 1 senior transfer, 2 redshirt freshman, and 2 walk-ons, it will be interesting how the new guys mix with the veterans. This game will have lots of dunks and highlight plays, and it will probably not be a much of a defensive struggle between the squads since the game is for the fans. I still expect to see the stifling full court press, or as the nation knows it Havoc, during most part of the game.
   
VCU is coming into the 2013-2014 season as the favorites for the new look A10 and are becoming a media favorite for making a run in the NCAA Tournament. Shaka Smart and the rams will have the pressure of living up to expectations, but  this is nothing new for Shaka. He is loving a good amount of the attention around the squad and is using it as motivation for the guys to be as prepared as possible for the season.  Here are some things that will be interesting to see on the court Sunday night for the new look rams.

1.Who will emerge as the main floor General for the Rams?  

     Now that Darius Theus has graduated and continued his playing career in Europe the point guard position is wide open for the taking. The role is expected to go to junior guard Briante Weber. When Briante step on campus the team felt his energy he gave off and was fueled by it. Briante first two seasons as a ram have been know for his great energy off the bench that he has brought and his knack for getting steals in the press. His game has grown more and more over the past two years, but this year will indicate if Briante will become a great point guard. This year he will have to be careful of not having to many fouls during a game and keeping the team composed on offense. Briante was invited this summer to Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp where he faced the top guards in the country. Rob Brandenberg has also been preparing over the summer to run the point guard position.

The real threat to Briante Weber for the position is freshman JeQuan Lewis. JeQuan Lewis propelled his stock over the course of his high school career and Shaka has high hopes for him. He will ofcourse have freshman mistakes and struggles over the year, but Shaka needs JeQuan to get up to speed as fast as he can. JeQuan is a complete guard unlike Briante. Briante is motivated to make sure that no one takes away his dream as starting point guard, but he will be expected to help out JeQuan to get him over the hump and reach his full potential. 

2.How will Terrance Shannon fit into the Rams lineup?
    Shaka Smart will finally have true power forward this season with Florida State transfer Terrance Shannon joining the team this season. Terrance will be a redshirt senior for the VCU. Terrance will give the rams more height under the boards and will allow Treveon Graham to slide to his natural position as a small forward. It will be interesting to see how Juvonte and Terrance play with each other. Juvonte will know have more one on one match-ups now since Terrance is a legitimate threat on offense also. Terrance brings hustle and toughness on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He averaged the most steals at FSU as a junior with 1.2 steals a game. On the offensive side of the ball, Terrance is described as a bully in the paint with good athleticism. He averaged 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. He does sometimes put up "dumb shots" but Shaka will work on that with him. Terrance came to VCU because he plans on winning here and with his addition to the team it will give the rams the height/depth they need to compete with top programs.
   
3.Will Melvin Johnson become the prolific scorer everyone is hoping for?
     Melvin Johnson was a late addition to the rams because he decomitted from Miami during the summer. Melvin had a rough start in the beginning with his shots not falling and his conditioning was not up to speed for the fast pace playing style. Even though he was struggling, his talent was finally showing and overcoming the fact that he was not up to speed. Melvin started to make crazy "street ball" shots and started to make some fancy passes that made the crowd go crazy. He became well known for his floater which seemed automatic every time. Melvin's confidence went up and he just seemed more comfortable out on the court. It was great to see a player figure out what he was doing wrong and turn it all around in one season. Melvin is not satisfied at all though with just a good freshman year. Shaka says that Melvin is the most improved player this summer which is scary for other teams. Melvin will probably be coming off the bench, but that does not mean he wont be a big part on the offensive side of the ball. Melvin is a special talent and if he keeps working hard he could be a great sixth man for VCU.


4.Will the Freshman class have some contributors right away? 
    With many key players returning this season, it will be interesting what younger guy or guys will be able to contribute for the rams. The two redshirt freshman Jordan Burgess and Mo Alie-Cox are not your typical freshman. They were both forced to sit out last year because of being ruled academically ineligible for their first season. Jordan and Mo both had good first years in the classroom with Jordan having a 3.5 and Mo having a 4.0 GPA. These two guys are physically ready for college basketball. Jordan is considered a true talent that can do it all. Mo is a physical freak. With great leaping ability and speed like his he should be able to make an impact right away. The four recruited freshman for the class of 2013 will have to fight hard for minutes. JeQuan Lewis seems like he will get the most minutes out of this group, but do not overlook the two shooting guards Jairus Lyles and Doug Brooks as both can make shots and are perfect for the press. They will get some minutes probably, but they will be the future of the program. The last recruited freshman is Antravious Simmons. Simmons is a 6'9 250 pound freshman that will probably have to get his weight down before he sees the court. His goal for this season should be absorb all the advice the veteran forwards give him.
    
5.Will this team go down as one of the great VCU teams?
    Now the media is just loving VCU this year. Hyping the rams up to be one of the top teams in the country. They have to tune out everything and work hard to make this season a season to remember. Shaka has a roster mixed with veterans and younger guys but all are talented enough to contribute. The talent is there with Juvonte Reddic, Treveon Graham, Rob Brandenberg, Melvin Johnson, Terrance Shannon, Jordan Burgess, Briante Weber, and Mo Alie-Cox. So many options to go to on offense its crazy. The rams must not be selfish on offense and look for the best shot available. They have the bodies to press all game and be effective. The hype in Richmond is crazy as it should be for this talented, deep team.