Box Score ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
Score: #1 Dayton 62, #8 VCU 61
Location: Richmond, Va. (Richmond Coliseum)
Records: VCU 22-9, Dayton 22-6
THE BASICS
- Dayton's Celeste Edwards broke a 60-all tie with a fastbreak layup off a steal by Amber Deane with six seconds remaining to help the Flyers survive a VCU upset bid.
- VCU senior Robyn Parks bolstered the eighth-seeded Rams with 19 points and 16 rebounds.
- It's the second near-miss for VCU against Dayton this season. The Rams fell to the Flyers 73-69 on Feb. 5 in Dayton in a game that, for all intents and purposes, came down the final possession.
- Freshmen Keira Robinson and Isis Thorpe added 10 points each for VCU, which led for more than 39 minutes Friday.
- Ally Malott led Dayton with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Andrea Hoover added 15 points for the Flyers.
- Dayton, the No. 1 overall seed in the A-10 Tournament, trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half before mounting its comeback.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With Dayton knocking at VCU's doorstep, Robinson converted a traditional three-point play to give the Rams a 60-56 cushion with 1:56 remaining. But a bucket by Dayton's Cassie Sant on the ensuing possession and a jumper in the lane by Mallot a short time later tied the game at 60-60 with 1:05 on the clock.
- Each team had a crack at the hoop in the final minute, but it wasn't until Deane knocked the ball away atop VCU's 3-point line and found Edwards in transition that someone broke the tie. The Rams were able to draw a late foul, but could not convert the back end of a one-and-one in the final seconds.
- VCU came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. The Rams buried 4-of-6 from beyond the 3-point line early in the first half to build what became a 28-10 lead with 8:39 left in the period. But Hoover answered with five straight points and helped lead Dayton to within 36-24 at the half.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Parks booked her 22nd career double-double for VCU, which moved her into a tie with Lauren Hogan for fifth on the Rams' all-time list.
- Despite the loss, VCU has improved by 11 wins over the 2012-13 campaign, Coach Marlene Stollings' first in Richmond.
WHAT'S NEXT
VCU will have more than a week of as it waits to hear its postseason fate. The Rams will likely receive strong consideration for a WNIT berth.
