Score: VCU 93, Western Carolina 68
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Records: 6-2 VCU, WCU 6-2
 
The Short Story: Fueled by a career-high 31 points from sophomore guard Bones Hyland, VCU pulled away from Western Carolina Tuesday night for the Rams' fourth straight victory.  
 
OPENING TIP
 

• Hyland poured 15 of his 31 in the first half as the Rams built a 43-30 lead. The Wilmington, Del. native connected on 6-of-11 attempts from three-point range. He also pitched in three assists and two steals
• It took less than four minutes for senior forward Corey Douglas to put seven points on the board. Douglas would go on to match his career-high of 11 points while contributing a block and a pair of steals
• Freshman guard Jamir Watkins broke out with a career-high 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He also corralled three rebounds in 18 minutes
• Sophomore forward Hason Ward provided eight points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal off the bench for the Black and Gold

THE DIFFERENCE
 

• With 1:41 to play in the first half, Ward jarred the ball loose on the defensive end and the Rams were off to the races. Hyland received a cross-court pass from junior forward Vince Williams and lobbed the ball high above the rim for Ward to slam home. The alley-oop was part of a 14-1 run that would send the Rams to the locker room with a 43-30 advantage
• VCU cashed in on 29 points off of 20 forced turnovers. The Rams totaled 13 steals; On the other end, the Rams committed a season-low eight turnovers
• VCU shot .587 (37-of-63) from the field, including .655 (19-of-29) in the second half alone

NOTABLE 

• The Rams recorded a season-high 52 points in the paint
• For the first time this season, four different Rams scored in double figures
• VCU has tallied double-digit steal totals in six of its eight games this season
• The Rams scored 90-plus points for the second time this season
• Williams tallied 10-plus points and three-plus rebounds for the fourth time in his career
• Hyland's six 3-pointers marked the seventh time in his career he's connected on five or more in a game

UP NEXT
The Rams will travel to Baton Rouge, La. to take on LSU at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The game will air on SEC Network.