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Virginia Commonwealth University

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Max Shulga vs. Saint Joseph's - A-10 Semifinals
60
Saint Joseph's SJU 21-13,9-9 Atlantic 10
66
Winner VCU VCU 22-12,11-7 Atlantic 10
Saint Joseph's SJU
21-13,9-9 Atlantic 10
60
Final
66
VCU VCU
22-12,11-7 Atlantic 10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Saint Joseph's SJU 25 35 60
VCU VCU 23 43 66

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

TO THE MAX: SHULGA NEAR PERFECT AS VCU RETURNS TO A-10 TITLE GAME

Score: VCU 66, Saint Joseph's 60
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center)
Records: #5 VCU 22-12, #9 Saint Joseph's 21-13
 
The short story: Senior guard Max Shulga scored 25 points, including 19 in the second half, to lift VCU over Saint Joseph's and into the Atlantic 10 Championship Game. 
 
OPENING TIP
  • Shulga went 10-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. He shot 90.9 percent from the floor and tied the A-10 Championship record
  • VCU senior guard Zeb Jackson had 12 points along with a team-high eight rebounds
  • Sean Bairstow scored 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting for the Rams. Bairstow recorded his 1,000th career point on a layup in the second half
  • Sophomore forward Tobi Lawal recorded seven points and six rebounds for the Black and Gold
  • Saint Joseph's was led by Erik Reynolds who had 18 points
THE DIFFERENCE
  • VCU shot 51 percent (29-of-57) from the field while the Hawks shot 44 percent (24-of-55)
  • VCU forced 14 Saint Joseph's turnovers while committing just eight, leading 13-8 in points off turnovers
  • The Rams' efficient scoring came by way of outscoring the Hawks 42-26 in points in the paint
  • The score was tied 55-55 with 3:43 remaining before a Bamisile jumper and layups from Bairstow and Jackson pushed VCU ahead 61-57 with 1:35 left
  • The Hawks cut the lead to 61-60 on the next possession but Joe Bamisile answered with a baseline dunk and gave the Rams a 63-60 lead with 42 seconds left
  • The Rams got a defensive stop on the next possession on other end and sealed the game at the free throw line, scoring the final five points at the charity stripe
  • The Black and Gold built a 21-12 lead in the first half with 4:24 to go on a Shulga stepback jumper. The Hawks rallied with a 13-2 run and took a 25-23 lead into the half
  • VCU opened the second half on a 10-4 run and a Jackson layup gave the Rams a 33-29 lead with 16:35 left in the contest
  • There were eight ties and three lead changes in the second half but VCU never trailed in the final 12:38 of game action
NOTABLE
  • VCU has now reached the A-10 Championship game in eight of 11 seasons in the league since joining in 2012-13. The Rams are 8-0 all-time in A-10 Semifinal contests
  • The Rams are seeking to win back-to-back A-10 Championships for the first time
NEXT UP
Fifth-seeded VCU will face sixth-seeded Duquesne at 1 p.m. on CBS Sunday in the A-10 Championship.
 
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