Rams Best Billikens on the Road, 59-54

Box Score

The Basics

Score: VCU 59, Saint Louis 54
Records: VCU (11-5, 2-1), Rhode Island (8-8, 1-2)
Location: Chaifetz Arena – St. Louis, Mo.
Short Story: The Rams won for the seventh time in their last games, beating Saint Louis to improve their conference mark to 2-1. Junior Adaeze Alaeze and sophomore Monnazjea Finney-Smith led the way for VCU with 12 points and 11 points, respectively.

How It Happened

Saint Louis grabbed an early lead but, midway through the half, went completely ice cold from the field. The Billikens ended the half making just two of their final 17 shots and missing their final 12.
Capitalizing on their opponents' inability to make a shot, the Rams were able to hang around despite not shooting particularly well themselves. This was thanks in large part to forcing 11 turnovers in the first half alone, as well as junior Adaeze Alaeze going four of five from the field and leading all scorers with 10 first half points. Junior Melanie Royster did her part on the defensive end, hauling in seven rebounds and blocking three shots.
VCU came out firing in the second half and jumped out to a nine-point lead at the 16:31 mark, the biggest lead of the game for either team on the night.
SLU clawed its way back, however, thanks to another stretch of shooting struggles from both squads. The Billikens came to within one possession of the Rams several times, but VCU's ability to make clutch shots and force turnovers kept them from letting Saint Louis reclaim the lead.
When the horn sounded at the end of the game VCU walked away with a 59-54 win, it's seventh victory in eight games.

Beyond the Box Score

Royster grabbed 10 rebounds, tying her previous career high. She is the fourth Ram to reach double figures in rebounds this season. Sophomore Isis Thorpe also tied a career high with four assists.
Sophomore Keira Robinson's five steals marks the second time she has reached that plateau this season, the only member of the team to do so.

Quotable

"It feels great, I'm really proud of our team. We talk a lot about when you go on the road you have to grind out a win, and I thought our players did an excellent job keeping that tempo up, and working hard." --Head Coach Beth O'Boyle
On the defense: "It's a philosophy we have, defense wins championships. You have to be able to get out there and defend in the half court. Our players have been working hard at it, and our staff has done a great job preparing them for games." --Head Coach Beth O'Boyle
"We talked about them being physical, Coach Norris said this would be a battle for real estate, and we couldn't let their post players come in and get catches on the low block. They had to go after them early, and I thought they did a great job on the boards." --Head Coach Beth O'Boyle

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