Final Score: VCU 87, Saint Mary's 79
Location: Tempe, Ariz. (Desert Financial Arena)
Records: VCU (1-0), SMC (0-1)
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The Short Story: VCU had its lead cut to 72-71 with 3:44 remaining before freshman
Sarah Te-Biasu hit a 3-pointer and sparked a 7-0 run that put the game out of Saint Mary's reach.
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QUICK FACTS
- Coach Beth O'Boyle won her 200th career game as a head coach and 107th at VCU
- The Rams' had four players in double figures led by Tera Reed's 22 points
- Sarah Te-Biasu, in her first career game, scored 19 points while adding five assists and five rebounds. It marked the most points by a VCU freshman since Tera Reed in 2017-18
- Taya Robinson scored 17 points while grabbing six rebounds and adding four assists
- Madison Hattix-Covington added 10 points and four rebounds off the bench
- Samantha Robinson led the team with seven rebounds and added two points
- Nine VCU players scored in the contest, including Chloe Bloom and Elze Motekaityte who also made their debuts for the Black and Gold
- The Rams had a 29-12 advantage in points off turnovers, forcing the Gaels into 21 of them
- VCU shot 47 percent from the floor while SMC shot 41 percent
- The Rams led the entire contest despite the Gaels tying up the game at 25-25 and also coming within 72-71Â in the fourth quarter
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- VCU opened the game on a 7-0 run in the first 1:04 of the contest
- The Rams led the Gaels after the first quarter, 24-13
- Saint Mary's opened the second quarter on an 10-0 run to get within 24-23
- VCU closed the half on a 17-8 run capped off by a Motekaityte layup at the buzzer to put the Rams up 44-33
- Saint Mary's cut VCU's lead to 58-56 with 1:46 left in the third before a Reed 3-pointer and Te-Biasu layup pushed VCU to a 63-56 advantage
- The Gaels chipped away at VCU's lead to get back within 72-71 with 3:44 remaining in the game before VCU closed the game emphatically with a 7-0 run and holding the Gaels off at the free throw line
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WHAT'S NEXT
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VCU faces Arizona State on Friday, Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. EST.
