Score: George Washington 84, VCU 82
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 8-7 (0-2 Atlantic 10), George Washington 12-3 (1-1)
 
The short story: Senior guards Max Shulga and Joe Bamisile combined for 38 points for VCU, but George Washington's James Bishop IV hit an off-balance, contested jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining to give the Revolutionaries an 84-82 win Saturday at the Siegel Center.
 
OPENING TIP

• Shulga led the Rams with 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He also handed out four assists
• Bamisile supplied 18 points in 20 minutes off the bench for the Black and Gold. He connected on 6-of-12 attempts, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson (13 points) and redshirt freshman wing Fats Billups III (10 points) also scored in double figures for VCU, while sophomore forward Christian Fermin added eight points, 14 rebounds and three blocks
• Bishop led all players with 28 points. He was 12-of-14 at the free throw line

THE DIFFERENCE

• In a back-and-forth game, Bamisile tied the contest at 82-82 with a floater in the lane with 11.7 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Bishop drove left, but was cut off by the VCU defense eight feet from the basket. But the fifth-year guard pivoted and tossed up a high-arching shot over the outstretched hand of a VCU defender and found nothing but net with 1.5 remaining. A long VCU 3-point attempt as time expired fell short
• George Washington knocked down 17-of-21 attempts from the field in the second half, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range
• The Revolutionaries shot 55 percent (27-of-49) from the field in the game, including 9-of-16 from beyond the arc. GW also converted 21-of-26 free throw attempts
• VCU took a 73-71 lead with 4:05 remaining after Shulga was fouled on a 3-point try and made all three free throws. But Bishop answered with a long step-back 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, and George Washington never trailed again. VCU would tie the game down the stretch at 80-80 with 41 seconds left on three Bamisile free throws, but GW's Garrett Johnson drove and drew a foul on the next play and knocked down both attempts from the charity strip to give the Revs an 82-80 edge 31 seconds on the clock

NOTABLE

• The game featured 15 second-half lead changes and 19 overall in the game
• VCU buried 11-of-24 from 3-point range
• The Rams grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and owned a 20-0 advantage in second-chance points 

NEXT UP
VCU will head to Fairfax, Va. for its first true road game of the 2023-24 season when the Rams take on George Mason on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. That game will air on ESPN+.