Score: VCU 85, Liberty 57
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 7-5, Liberty 3-11 

The Short Story: VCU shot a season-high 53 percent from the field Sunday and held Liberty to just 16 first-half points on the way to a wire-to-wire victory. Three Rams finished in double figures, led by Melvin Johnson's 15 points. Juniors JeQuan Lewis (14) and Jordan Burgess (11) also provided double-digit performances in the win.

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU got off to a hot start from the field, hitting its first six shots en route to a 14-4 advantage at the 16:06 mark in the first half. Johnson led the charge with six points off two 3-pointers.
• Later, five different Rams scored to fuel a 13-2 run midway through the period to extend VCU's lead to 27-9.
• The Rams held the Flames to their second lowest first half scoring total this season (16). In the frame Liberty shot 33 percent from the floor (7-of-21) and 14 percent from beyond the 3-point arch (1-of-7).
• VCU extended its lead to as much as 37 points, at 59-22, on a driving layup by Lewis with 16:10 left in the contest.
• Will Wade's bunch held the lead throughout the entire contest. The score was tied just once at 2-2 with 19:23 left in the first half.

• Johnson needed just 13 minutes to score 15 points Sunday. In his last two games, the Bronx, New York native is 12-of-17 from the field, including 9-of-14 from 3-point land. Johnson has made 220 career 3-pointers and is eyeing Bradford Burgess (231) next for third on the Rams' all-time list.
• Liberty's 16 first-half points were the fewest by a VCU opponent in any half since Western Michigan scored 16 in the first half against the Rams on Dec. 18, 2012.
• Lewis finished with a season-high 14 points, marking the fifth time this season the lead guard has recorded a double-digit scoring performance.
• VCU dominated the paint to the tune of a 40-22 scoring advantage. Junior forward Ahmed Hamdy scored eight points, grabbed nine rebounds, handed out three assists and blocked two shots. Sophomore power forward Justin Tillman added six points and 11 boards for the Rams, who outrebounded Liberty 37-23.
• The Rams are shooting .512 from the field in their past two games.
• VCU's 10 three-pointers are its second-most this season. The Rams were 10-of-19 overall from that distance.
• The Rams dished out 20 assists Sunday, their second-most this season.
• The Black and Gold extended its school-record sellout streak to 73 games.

• VCU, in the midst of a five-game homestand, will host North Florida on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Siegel Center.