Score: VCU 55, Rhode Island 54
Location: Kingston, R.I. (Ryan Center)
Records: VCU 19-7 (10-3 Atlantic 10), Rhode Island 8-17 (4-9)
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The short story: Sophomore guard
Zeb Jackson hit a 15-foot step-back jumper as time expired to give VCU a hard-fought, 55-54 win at Rhode Island Wednesday night.
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OPENING TIP
- Jackson scored all nine of his points in the second half to hep spearhead VCU's comeback. He was 4-of-5 from the field and added three rebounds
- Graduate forward Brandon Johns Jr. led VCU with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. He connected on 6-of-8 field goal attempts and knocked down 4-of-6 from the free throw line
- Sophomore forward Nick Kern Jr. added nine points and three boards for the Black and Gold, while redshirt sophomore guard Jamir Watkins provided eight points and four rebounds off the bench
- Rhode Island's Ishmael Leggett led all players with 21 points
THE DIFFERENCE
- Leggett hit two free throws with 4.2 seconds left to give Rhody a 54-53 lead. On the ensuing inbound play, Jackson caught the ball in the backcourt and streaked up the right side of the floor before stopping and stepping back for the game winner from the right wing
- VCU trailed for more than 34 minutes in the contest and trailed by as many as 13 points with 11:44 remaining. Jackson finished a pair of layups around the rim to kick off a 13-2 run that gave the Black and Gold a 48-47 lead with 3:37 remaining. In the waning moments, Watkins briefly pushed VCU to the brink of victory with a putback with 21 seconds remaining. But Leggett drove to the rim on Rhody's ensuing possession and drew a foul with 4.2 seconds left
- VCU shot 50 percent (13-of-26) from the field in the second half. The Black and Gold also forced 17 Rhode Island turnovers and turned them into 17 points
NOTABLE
- VCU has earned one-point victories in its past two trips to the Ryan Center. A late Bones Hyland 3-pointer gave the Black and Gold a 63-62 win here in 2021. VCU has won three straight over Rhode Island in this series
- VCU won despite a 1-of-13 night from the 3-point line. VCU committed just 10 turnovers, its fourth straight game with 10 or fewer
NEXT UP
VCU will play host to upstart Fordham on Homecoming in front of a sold out Stuart C. Siegel Center on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2:30 p.m. That game, which will also serve as VCU's Senior Day, will be broadcast on USA Network.
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