Score: VCU 84, Loyola Chicago 65
Location: Chicago, Ill. (Gentile Arena)
Records: VCU 11-4 (1-1 Atlantic 10), Loyola Chicago 9-5 (0-1)
 
The short story: VCU's clamped down defensively in the second half and graduate guard Phil Russell poured in a game-high 25 points to lift the Rams on the road Saturday in Chicago.
 
OPENING TIP

• Russell connected on 7-of-11 attempts from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, to notch his second straight 25-point performance. He also corralled six rebounds and two steals
• Junior forward Christian Fermin racked up a season-high 14 points and four rebounds for the Black and Gold, while graduate guard Zeb Jackson contributed 11 points, including three critical second-half 3-pointers
• Graduate forward Jack Clark provided 12 points and 11 rebounds to the VCU cause – his second double-double of the season
• Des Watson led the Ramblers with 20 points

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU trailed 40-37 at the half, but held Loyola to 22 percent (6-of-27) shooting in the second half. The Ramblers were 3-of-14 from 3-point range after the break

• The Rams used 18 offensive rebounds to rack up a 30-5 advantage in second-chance points
• VCU outrebounded Loyola 29-12 in the second half and 40-28 overall

• VCU shot 49 percent (30-of-61) from the field in the game, including 38 percent (9-of-24) from beyond the arc
• The Rams trailed by as many as five points, at 51-46, with 12:05 left. But Clark converted back-to-back buckets to give the Black and Gold a 54-52 advantage with 9:22 remaining. Jackson buried back-to-back 3-pointers a short time later to extend VCU's edge to 60-54 at the 7:36 mark
• VCU dropped the hammer with a 16-0 blitz – including nine points from Russell – to put the game out of reach at 78-59 with 2:05 showing

NOTABLE

• The Rams are 3-0 all-time against Loyola Chicago, including 2-0 at Gentile Arena
• VCU outscored the Ramblers 40-22 in the paint

NEXT UP
VCU will return home to meet Fordham on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on MASN and ESPN+.