Box Score Score: VCU 62, Middle Tennessee State 56
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Murphy Center)
Records: VCU 5-2, MTSU 4-2
The Short Story: Melvin Johnson hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:01 left – the 200th of his career – and finished with a game-high 19 points to lift VCU to a 62-56 win at Middle Tennessee State Wednesday night.
OPENING TIP
- Johnson led all scorers with 19 points and became just the sixth VCU player to connect on 200 career 3-pointers.
- JeQuan Lewis, playing in his home state, added 14 points and three assists for the Rams, while senior Korey Billbury contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, including a pair of crucial, late 3-pointers.
- It was VCU's first true road contest of the season and Middle Tennessee's home opener.
- Darnell Harris sparked the Raiders with 17 points, while Reggie Upshaw registered a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
- VCU limited MTSU to 36 percent (20-of-56) shooting from the field, as well as 19 percent (4-of-21) from three.
- The Rams also outrebounded the Raiders 47-42 and forced 17 turnovers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Rams trailed by as much as six, at 45-39 with 10:16 remaining, before storming back.
- Johnson and Billbury hit back-to-back threes to push VCU in front 50-49 with 5:01 left. Moments later, a Johnson pull-up jumper made it 52-50 Rams.
- MTSU would tie the game one final time on a pair of Perrin Buford free throws with 3:27 left, but Billbury used an offensive putback and a corner three on consecutive VCU possessions to give the Rams a 57-52 lead with 1:50 remaining. Five VCU free throws in the final 1:50 helped sew up the win.
NOTABLE
- Johnson joins B.A. Walker (269), Troy Daniels (251), Bradford Burgess (231), Joey Rodriguez (211) and Treveon Graham (200) in VCU's exclusive 200 three-pointers club.
WHAT'S NEXT
VCU will head to Atlanta for a Dec. 6 neutral site contest with Florida State at 2 p.m. at Phillips Arena. That game will be broadcast national
