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Scouting VCU!!!
By
Andy Mac Williams,
2/22/2013
Virginia Commonwealth plays a unique aggressive uptempo 94 foot style. They're a bit of a one trick pony,but that horse usually runs like Secratariat. It's balls to the wall full court pressing with plenty of three pointers in transition, alot of lay-ups and a bunch of dunks They call it "HAVOC".
VCU leads the country in turnovers forced(20/game). They're Number 1 in D-1 in steals(12/game). The Rams score 78PPG and give up just 63PPG. They launch 24 threes/game.
VCU(#24 in the polls) is 21-6 overall-tied for second in the A-10 with Butler at 9-3. The BU Bulldogs host St Louis(9-2) tonite(7PM-ESPNU).
Coach Shaka Smart is the architect of mayhem. He assisted at VCU under Anthony Grant(now at Alabama). Smart's in his 4th year in charge with an NCAA Final 4 appearance in 2011 and a third round NCAA loss to Indiana(63-61) last season.
Two Senior guards lead the way. PG Darius Theus sports a gaudy 3:1 assist to turnover ratio and manages almost 3 steals/game. The 2 guard is 6-4 Senior Troy Daniels. One basketball expert friend of mine described him as a serial shooter. He's made 95 threes and just lets it fly with no conscience.He canned 11 3's against ETSU.
6-3 guard Rob Brandenburg is the X factor. When he scores 11 points or more VCU is 13-0. Soph wing Treveon Graham is a 6-5 slasher averaging 16PPG and 6 Rebounds. He has an NBA future as does 6-9 235 pound forward Juvonte Reddick(14PPG-8REB) a bull on the glass.
Top guard sub is Briante Weber averaging 3 steals/game exactly in just 21 minutes. He had 10 steals in a game. Frosh Melvin Johnson is explosive to the rim at 6-3. 6-8 Jarrod Guest is an inside workhorse. 7 footer DJ Haley gets time.
VCU has weaknesses. They don't run strong halfcourt offense. They don't shoot FTs well(68%). If they're not knocking down shots,the Rams can't set up their press.
St Louis clobbered VCU 76-62 Tuesday leading 32-9 16 minutes into the game. It was at SLU. The Billikens are playing well(won 17 of 19). The SLU guards Kwamaine Mitchell,Mike McCall and Jordair Jett shredded the VCU press and attacked the basket. SLU turned it over just 8 times.
XU has two good ballhandlers in Dee Davis and Semaj Christon. Brad Redford will have to step-up against the pressure. Will the Muskie guards wear out like they did against Cincinnati?
Xavier can do damage inside with Travis Taylor,Isiah Philmore and Jeff Robinson,but they have to crack the press first then throw it down low. Justin Martin should thrive against the VCU style. He likes to mix it up and match aggression with aggression. He'll be a tough match-up for VCU in the halfcourt.
The Rams have not been a juggernaut on the road recently. They lost at St Louis-won by 6 at Rhode Island and won by 7 at Charlotte. Maybe their high energy style is wearing on them? Certainly,opponents know what to expect. Whether XU can handle "HAVOC" for 40 minutes remains to be seen.
Cintas Center is a formidable advantage. Xavier is 52-1 at home vs A-10 competition since 2007. But over the last two seasons VCU is 17-5 on the road.
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