Score: VCU 76, La Salle 65
Location: Philadelphia, Pa. (Tom Gola Arena)
Records: VCU 15-5 (5-2 Atlantic 10), La Salle 10-9 (1-6)

The short story: Junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva led four players in double figures with 16 points and nine rebounds as VCU held off La Salle Saturday in Philadelphia, Pa.

OPENING TIP

• Santos-Silva supplied 11 of his points in the second half as La Salle attempted to rally from an early 17-point deficit. He connected on 6-of-12 field goals, as well as 4-of-5 attempts from the free throw line
• Freshman guard Bones Hyland came off the bench to supply 15 points and five assists for the Black and Gold
• VCU senior forward Mike'L Simms buried 3-of-6 threes and finished with 13 points and five rebounds, while classmate Issac Vann scored all 10 of his points in the second half
• Scott Spencer led La Salle with 16 points

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU forced 16 turnovers and scored 17 points of those La Salle miscues
• The Rams connected on 10-of-21 attempts from beyond the arc
• VCU shot 46 percent (26-of-56) from the field overall
• La Salle cut what was once a 17-point VCU lead to three on a layup by Ayinde Hikim with 3:21 remaining. Hyland answered for the Rams with a 3-pointer from the wing to push the margin to 68-62. La Salle followed with four straight empty possessions, and VCU used five free throws to extend the lead to 74-62 with less than a minute to play
• La Salle scored the first five points of the game, then watched as VCU embarked on a 21-0 run over an eight-minute span that included consecutive 3-pointers by Hyland, Simms and junior forward Corey Douglas. VCU pushed its lead to 28-11 a short time later on Simms' second three of the half

NOTABLE

• VCU led for the final 34:19
• The Rams improve to 9-2 all-time against La Salle, including 5-0 at Tom Gola Arena. VCU has won five straight in the series
• VCU shot 52 percent (15-of-29) in the second half

NEXT UP
VCU will return home and face rival Richmond on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Stuart C. Siegel Center on CBS Sports Network.