Veterans Classic
Score: VCU 80, Boston College 55
Location: Annapolis, Md. (Alumni Hall)
Records: VCU 2-0, Boston College 1-1
 
The short story: Graduate guards Phillip Russell and Joe Bamisile combined for 38 points as VCU blasted Boston College Friday night in the Veterans Classic at the Naval Academy.
 
OPENING TIP

• Russell led all players with 20 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also connected on 8-of-12 free throws
• Bamisile filled up the box score with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot. He buried 3-of-8 from 3-point range
• The Rams also received 12 points and two blocks from junior forward Christian Fermin, as well as 10 points and seven boards from graduate forward Jack Clark
• Donald Hand Jr. led the Eagles with 17 points

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU smothered Boston College defensively, holding the Eagles to 29 percent (17-of-58) shooting, including 2-of-11 from long distance. The Rams limited BC to 27 percent (8-of-30) shooting from the floor in the second half and led by as many as 30 points
• The Black and Gold owned a 46-41 rebounding advantage and turned 17 Boston College turnovers into 24 points
• Bamisile buried a pair of 3-pointers to spark a 15-2 first-half run that staked VCU to a 21-8 lead with 9:46 left in the period. The Eagles would trim the lead to five a short time later, but Russell scored five straight points during a 6-0 burst to keep BC at bay. The Eagles never got closer than nine points the rest of the night
• VCU opened the second half with a 9-2 run that included another Russell trey to expand its lead to 42-22 with 16:57 left

NOTABLE

• VCU has not trailed in two games this season
• This was the Rams' second appearance at the Veterans Classic. The Black and Gold topped Tennessee 85-69 here in 2014
• The Rams improved to 2-0 all-time against Boston College

NEXT UP
VCU will host Merrimack at the Stuart C. Siegel Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. That contest will air on MASN and ESPN+.