Score: VCU 73, Massachusetts 59
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center)
Records: #5 VCU 21-12, #4 UMass 20-11
 
The short story: Senior guard Joe Bamisile scored a team-high 18 points and VCU held UMass scoreless the final 4:24 to fend off a Minuteman rally and advance to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Semifinals Thursday at Barclays Center.
 
OPENING TIP

• Bamisile connected on 4-of-6 from 3-point range and finished 6-of-9 from the field overall
• VCU senior guard Zeb Jackson registered 17 points, four rebounds and five assists. Fellow senior guard Max Shulga dished out a team-high seven assists
• Freshman forward Michael Belle and sophomore forward Tobi Lawal each added seven points and six rebounds on 3-of-4 shooting for the Black and Gold
• UMass was led by Rashool Diggins who had 21 points

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU shot 50 percent (22-of-44) from the field and 23-of-30 from the free throw line. The Rams held the Minutemen to just 35 percent (19-of-54) shooting from the floor and 29 percent (7-of-24) from deep
• VCU led 20-16 with 7:45 left in the first half before going on a 18-5 run capped off by a Lawal dunk. The Rams took a 42-25 lead into the break. The Rams held the Minutemen to 7-of-28 shooting in the first half, including 1-of-9 from three
• UMass was 14-of-19 from the free throw line
• VCU had a 15-7 advantage in points off turnovers, efficiently capitalizing on just nine Minutemen turnovers
• The Rams had their lead cut to 65-59 with 4:24 left in the game before clamping down on defense. VCU ended the game on an 8-0 scoring run sparked by a Bamisile layup to end the game
• UMass outscored VCU 19-8 to begin the second half behind Diggins' scoring outburst to cut the Ram's lead to 54-47 with 9:46 remaining
• UMass would only get as close as six points for the remainder of the game

NOTABLE

• VCU advanced to the Atlantic 10 Semifinals for the second consecutive season
• The Rams will be playing in the A-10 Semifinals for the eighth time in 11 chances since they joined the league prior to the 2012-13 season
• VCU improved to 20-8 all-time in A-10 Tournament play with Thursday's win

NEXT UP
Fifth-seeded VCU will face ninth-seed Saint Joseph's at 1 p.m. on Saturday on CBS Sports Network. The Rams and Hawks have met once this season, a 73-69 VCU victory Feb. 25 at the Siegel Center.