VCU defeated Saint Joseph’s 77-64 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament semifinals on March 14 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, securing a spot in the conference championship game.
The win is significant as VCU seeks its first back-to-back Atlantic 10 Championships since joining the league in the 2012-13 season. The Rams have now reached their fourth consecutive A-10 Championship game and their tenth overall appearance in the title matchup.
The Rams built an early lead after freshman guard Nyk Lewis hit a three-pointer, sparking a decisive 24-3 run that put VCU ahead 31-9 with just under nine minutes left in the first half. Sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. led all scorers with 18 points, shooting eight of ten from the field. Redshirt senior guard Jadrian Tracey added 15 points, marking his third double-digit scoring effort in five games. Junior forward Lazar Djokovic contributed 13 points, while sophomore guard Brandon Jennings chipped in seven points along with six rebounds and four assists. Austin Williford led Saint Joseph’s with 17 points.
VCU maintained a double-digit advantage for most of the contest, never allowing Saint Joseph’s to get closer than within fifteen points until a late dunk with eight seconds remaining. The Rams shot over forty-five percent from the field and nearly seventy-nine percent from the free throw line. They also outscored Saint Joseph’s in bench points by a margin of thirty-one to ten and had a twelve to six edge in points off turnovers.
Looking ahead, VCU will face Dayton at 1 p.m. on CBS on Sunday, March 15 for the Atlantic 10 Championship.
