Score: VCU 75, St. Bonaventure 61
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Attendance: 7,637 (Sellout)
Records: VCU 16-4 (6-1 Atlantic 10), St. Bonaventure 15-6 (3-5)
 
The short story: Graduate guards Joe Bamisile, Phil Russell, Jack Clark and Max Shulga all scored in double figures as the Rams offense scored 50 in the second half to down St. Bonaventure for their sixth straight win.
 
 OPENING TIP

• Bamisile led the Rams with 18 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc, while adding six rebounds and six assists
• Russell added 16 points, and shot 5-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range
• Shulga and Clark scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, while graduate guard Zeb Jackson would added seven points and a career—high nine rebounds from the bench
• Chance Moore would lead all scorers with 21 points for the Bonnies

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU responded to an eight-point halftime deficit with a 12-2 run to open the second, capped off by a Bamisile layup to tie the game at 35-35 and force a Bona timeout with 16:17 left in the second half
• The Rams pieced together another 11-2 run shortly afterwards to take a 48-43 lead with 10:58 left in the second half. VCU would not trail again
• VCU forced 16 St. Bonaventure turnovers and outscored the Bonnies 17-4 off miscues
• The Black and Gold used many of those turnovers to spark runouts, and outscored Bona 22-5 on the fast break
• VCU shot 45 percent (26-of-58) from the field, including 46 percent (11-of-24) from 3-point range
• The Rams fell behind quickly in the first half as the Bonnies started the game with a 7-2 run over the first four minutes. VCU took its first lead of the game at 16-15 with 9:27 left in the first following an 8-0 run. But the Bonnies immediately answered with a 7-0 counterpunch. St. Bonaventure would take a 33-25 lead into the locker room

NOTABLE

• VCU's rally from a 10-point deficit, at 35-25, was the largest lead its overcome to win a game this season
• VCU assisted on 20 of its 26 field goals
• The Black and Gold snapped a four-game losing streak to St. Bonaventure
• The Rams' bench outscored St. Bonaventure's 15-0

NEXT UP
VCU will take on Saint Louis on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. That game will be televised on CBS Sports Network