Score: VCU 61, UMass 46

Location: Amherst, Mass. (Mullins Center)

Records: VCU 10-8 (5-0 A-10), Massachusetts (14-5, 4-2 A-10)

The short story: Trailing 18-9 after the first quarter, VCU's defense clamped down as the Rams outscored UMass 31-14 over the next two quarters to retake the lead and pull away for the win.

OPENING TIP

• VCU moves to 5-0 in the Atlantic 10, the second consecutive season the Rams have started 5-0 in conference play.
• The Rams had a season-high 20 assists in the win on 24 made field goals.
• Tera Reed scored 21 points, the 11^th game of her career with at least 20 points, and tied a career-high with six assists.
• Taya Robinson scored 11 points and had a career-high seven assists along with five rebounds and two steals.
• Sydnei Archie scored 10 points and went 5-of-7 from the floor.
• Danielle Hammond had 10 points to round out four Rams in double figures along with two steals.
• For the game, VCU shot 55.8 percent while UMass shot 29.1 percent. The Rams shot 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from 3-point range while UMass shot 26.3 percent (5-of-19).
• Destiney Philoxy led the Minutewomen with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Reed scored VCU's first six points of the game as VCU trailed 7-6 before the Minutewomen went on an 11-3 run to lead 18-9 at the end of the quarter.
• VCU's defense clamped down in the second quarter, allowing UMass to shoot just 1-of-14 from the floor. On the offensive end, VCU outscored UMass 17-5 in the quarter to take a 26-23 lead into halftime.
• The Black and Gold limited UMass to just 1-of-14 shooting in the second quarter.
• The Rams had another dominant third quarter, limiting UMass to just nine points as VCU built its lead to 40-32.
• VCU pulled further away in the fourth quarter, leading by as much as 61-44 with 1:10 remaining in the contest.

NEXT UP

VCU travels to George Mason for a tipoff at 2 p.m. on at EagleBank Arena.