Virginia Commonwealth University

Score: VCU 82, Little Rock 72
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 1-0, Little Rock 0-1
Attendance: 7,637 (Sellout)
 
The short story: Redshirt junior forward Torey Alston poured in a game-high 17 points to help VCU hold off Little Rock in the Rams' season-opening contest at the Siegel Center.
 
OPENING TIP

• Alston scored 17 on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor, including 1-of-2 from 3-point range. He also connected on 8-of-11 free throws and recorded a double-double by corralling 12 rebounds
• Junior guard Blake Harper added 14 points and knocked down 6-of-8 free throws for the Rams
• Sophomore guard Nyk Lewis and Lazar Djokovic contributed 15 points each for the Rams. With Lewis also adding 5 assists to his total
• Jah'Likai King led the Trojans with 27 points and four rebounds 

THE DIFFERENCE

• Alston slammed home a tip-in dunk at the 10:04 mark of the second half, and Harper followed moments later with a 3-pointer to stretch VCU's lead to 64-50 with 9:39 showing. The Black and Gold would push its advantage to as many as 15, and the Trojans never seriously threatened again
• The Rams drew 38 fouls and made 48 trips to the free throw line, making 34
• Little Rock used an 11-0 run, punctuated by a putback layup by Bradyn Hubbard, to take a 33-31 lead with 1:45 left in the first half. But Alston answered with a bucket, and junior guard Nyle Ralph-Beyer canned a 3-pointer a short time later as the Rams closed the first period with a 6-0 burst
• VCU shot .458 (11-of-28) in the second half
• The Rams outscored the Trojans 31-5 in fast break points and outscored Little Rock including 23-10 off turnovers. VCU forced 16 Trojan turnovers in the game
• VCU held Little Rock to 5-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc

NOTABLE

• The Rams' 48 free throws are tied for its most since it recorded 48 against Winthrop on Nov. 16, 2013
• Alston's double-double was the 12^th of his career
• VCU has won three straight season openers 

NEXT UP
VCU will return to the floor on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Rams hit the road to meet Memphis at the FedEx Forum. That contest will tip-off at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.