Mar 22, 2019
NCAA Tournament First Round
Score: UCF 73, VCU 58
Location: Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena)
Record: VCU 25-8, UCF 24-8
The short story: Junior guard Malik Crowfield sparked a valiant second-half comeback effort, but it wasn't enough for VCU to overcome 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall and UCF Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
OPENING TIP
- Crowfield scored all 11 of his points in the second half, including three 3-pointers, as VCU rallied from a double-digit deficit
- Junior guard De'Riante Jenkins added 10 points to the VCU cause
- Redshirt junior guard Issac Vann also provided nine points, five rebounds and a pair of steals
- Fall led the Golden Knights with 13 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots. B.J. (15) and Aubrey Dawkins (14) also scored in double figures for UCF
THE DIFFERENCE
- Fall's presence made life around the basket challenging for VCU. The Rams shot .311 (19-of-61) from the field in the game, including .231 (6-of-26) from 3-point range
- UCF used a 19-0 run that stretched from the latter stages of the first half into the second half that turned a tie game into a 43-24 UCF advantage
- VCU used an 11-0 run that featured back-to-back 3-pointer by Crowfield to pull within 62-55 with 4:53 remaining. However, the Rams were only able to manage three points down the stretch as UCF held firm
- The Golden Knights outrebounded the Rams 42-34
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- UCF connected on 9-of-14 three-pointers
- The Golden Knights outscored VCU in the paint 34-24
NOTABLE
- VCU's 25 regular season wins tied a school record
- The Rams return their top eight scorers in 2018-19
- VCU has appeared in eight of the past nine NCAA Tournaments
