Atlantic 10 Conference Championship Game
Score: #2 VCU 70, #4 Dayton 62
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (PPG Paints Arena)
Records: VCU 27-7, Dayton 23-11
 
The short story: Freshman guard Nyk Lewis supplied a double-double and Tournament Most Outstanding Player Terrence Hill Jr. added 14 points as VCU led wire-to-wire to defeat Dayton and capture its second straight Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament title Sunday at PPG Paints Arena.
 
OPENING TIP

• Lewis registered 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc, and grabbed 11 rebounds
• Hill knocked down 6-of-15 attempts and grabbed a pair of steals in 33 minutes of action
• Junior forward Michael Belle also supplied 12 points, six rebounds and two steals off the bench for the Black and Gold. He knocked down a pair of 3-pointers on four attempts
• Javon Bennett paced Dayton with 14 points 

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU used a 6-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer by senior forward Barry Evans, to build a 16-10 lead with 11:37 left in the first half. The Rams pushed their advantage to 40-23 with 1:01 left in the first following a 12-2 burst, capped by a Hill layup
• VCU held Dayton to 33 percent (9-of-27) shooting in the first half, including 3-of-9 from the 3-point line
• The Rams shot 53 percent (16-of-30) in the first half on the way to a 40-25 halftime lead. Dayton chipped away to within seven on a Bennett scoop shot with 1:40 on the clock, but could get no closer as VCU hit 7-of-10 free throws in the waning moments

NOTABLE

• VCU has won three A-10 Tournaments in four years, and the Rams have reached the A-10 title game in four straight years
• The Rams have reached 10 A-10 title games in 13 seasons
• VCU has now won four A-10 titles, which is tied for Saint Joseph's for the most among current league members

NEXT UP
VCU has clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It will be the Rams 21^st NCAA appearance.