VCU Game Thread at the Stu- 4pm Sat ESPNU/ESPN+ (?)

[SpiderTrap]

Team goals.

1) Win the A10 regular season or A10 tourney.
2) Make the NCAA tourney
3) Beat VCU

If you achieve 1, you likely did 2 and probably 3. You can achieve 2 without 1. Don't achieve 1 or 2, that is when 3 becomes more important. I know beating our rival is important - but look at Harbaugh at Michigan. Everyone up there was giving him a hard time about not beating Ohio State when they were not wining the big 10 or making the playoff. But once he started doing that, and even won the title - not really mentioned anymore. And chances are - if you winning the A10 or making the NCAA tourney on an at-large bid - we are probably at least splitting with VCU anyways.

 

[Eight Legger]

Harbaugh isn't the best example because once he started achieving major goals like making the playoff and winning the title, he was also beating Ohio State. A better comparison would be our national championship football team that lost that heartbreaker to JMU but then won the title that season. Still sucked to have lost to them, but in the end, so what?

 

[SpiderDad75]

Idk where u got that. In hindsight it was a mistake responding to u directly about team goals. It’s been a topic b4. I’m sure my tone was off too I’m sorry. Next time I’ll respond independently.

I’m all in for the season…as always…I’ve just long had concerns about our vcu approach. And that game has huge effect on other goals. When u have the longest worst rivalry coach in our level or higher in likely the history of American sports I don’t gloss over it.

It’s all good…I was a little smart ice too and I apologize 👊🏼 Understandable about vcu everyone on this board for the most part have been fans longer than me and I get it. I would def feel the same about UNC if the record to dook was like ours. I just have the mind set that it’s one game in grand scheme of things but it infuriates me bc we lost to vcu and hate that it was them that stopped the streak. I think we will bounce back and hearing from a few of the guys they want payback and believe they will get it. I’m all in just like you.

 

[GKiller]

Maybe expectations is a better word. I used “pie in the sky” goals earlier. Anyone can have those. Given the rate at which we win A10 and beat vcu, pie in the sky goals might be a reasonable description.

 

[SpiderDogg]

You can understand the atmosphere of the Siegel Center unless you where there in person. That might have been the most hostile crowd the new players on the team have ever experienced.

Atmosphere wasn’t that impressive our Dayton game much louder. They got loud after the 3s but i was not impressed with crowds intensity on defense

 

[gcarter52]

I second and third this. Have said this several times this season. This year’s team especially has the athletes to play up tempo. When we’ve done this this season, we are at our best. Played way too slowly yesterday - shot clock violation or two as well as multiple possessions down to last second or two. I refuse to give outstanding kudos to VCU defense. We hurt ourselves more than VCU did.

I guess we lose sight in the fact that we had won 11 games in a row, give the guys credit for that outstanding run of games. Who would have thought!! Yes, it sucked that our streak was snapped but it was VCU that broke our streak. I’m proud of our team, let’s start a new streak going forward #Lets Go Spiders 🏀🕷️🕸️

 

[Spiderwiz]

“but it was VCU that broke our streak” - I think that is the whole point. Very few of us expected to go undefeated in conference play. Yes the future is bright and it is a talented, cohesive and resilient team but losing to VCU thrusts the 8-25 record prominently to the forefront and that leaves me, for one, a tad surly.

 

[SpiderTrap]

I guess we lose sight in the fact that we had won 11 games in a row, give the guys credit for that outstanding run of games. Who would have thought!! Yes, it sucked that our streak was snapped but it was VCU that broke our streak. I’m proud of our team, let’s start a new streak going forward #Lets Go Spiders 🏀🕷️🕸️

I disagree about the uptempo piece- I think we have 4 guys who can play uptempo - Bigelow, Bailey, Hunt, and King. Quinn can't sustain it, and we don't have the bench necessary to play uptempo. That is probably the biggest factor hindering our ability to play more uptempo, is that if we do - we run the risk when the game gets tight at the end - we have tired guys out there, cause we have zero bench at this point. We have guys that can give someone a 1-2 minute rest, but thats about it.

 

[fatherspider]

Yeah, what the hell was that. They stop the game to review blows to the head all of the time and Bigs has to 8 stitches and they are like play on. VCU definitely got the benefit of some calls, Kauny's "block" on Neil which was a slap on the arm. Shulgu got away with several push offs.

At the end of the day, the refs didn't cost us the game. VCU got hot from 3 to close the game and we couldn't match. Thought our defense was pretty sound as usual but sometimes guy just make shots.

Disagree strongly that King was a no show. VCU was essentially double teaming him, he was wise not to push it. Although on Mooney for not making adjustments of his own to get King opportunities.

Also, Nelson is completely inconsequential on the court. Him going to VCU was the biggest gift to our program that we could have imagined.

King took 9 shots and Id say 6 were in the first half. 3 other Spiders had more shots. First game all year king didnt have the most attempts. Most games he has double the attempts and I cant believe this was the first team to double team him or that VCU was so extraordinary at doubling him. If its that easy to get King to stop taking shots, and Moondog lies down and accepts that, it doesnt look good for the rest of the season imo.

 

[SpiderDad75]

King took 9 shots and Id say 6 were in the first half. 3 other Spiders had more shots. First game all year king didnt have the most attempts.

The game plan to double him was smart. We didn't adjust very well and the ball didn't come out of the doubles fast enough. I thought maybe we figured it out starting the 2nd but only for a few possessions. I feel confident we will get that figured out.

 

[SpiderGuy]

I disagree about the uptempo piece- I think we have 4 guys who can play uptempo - Bigelow, Bailey, Hunt, and King. Quinn can't sustain it, and we don't have the bench necessary to play uptempo. That is probably the biggest factor hindering our ability to play more uptempo, is that if we do - we run the risk when the game gets tight at the end - we have tired guys out there, cause we have zero bench at this point. We have guys that can give someone a 1-2 minute rest, but thats about it.

I agreed with your initial analysis points and still do. I will diverge with you on tempo. We have proven this year that we can play tempo. Plenty of games. I’d add at least Tyne to your 4 named players. Possibly Harris and Roche. But the overriding point is that we reverted back to too many last second shots after passing, passing, and more passing. Not saying we need to play 40 mins of uptempo, but the success we’ve shown this season kicking it into higher gear proves we can do it, and I think we settled back more into the previous norms. The offensive flow didn’t look anywhere as dynamic Saturday as when we step it up.

Edit - remember that our players are 18 to 20 something young guys & in good shape. They are capable of running & athleticism. They can play uptempo as needed.

 

[SinsemillaSpider]

Going to be a long week coming to terms with letting a very winnable game get away from us. Especially against a team that has owned us for several years. We have to do better. The grit was there but we have to make the shots. Also tough to listen to those announcers. Felt like they were actively cheering for VCU?

I think our goal each and every year is to get to the Big Dance and see what we can do. Remember that GMU went to the Final Four showing that it is an open playing field if you can just earn an invitation.

The Kind.

 

[VT4700]

What do you think team goals are? To poop the bed at their rival? Because the coaches and the team couldn’t possibly have any. Idk maybe win the conf, win the conf tourney, and make the dance…why is this hard?

Exactly. I can't remember hearing a bunch of other coaches yelling out their team's goals. Just another thing to get on our program for, I guess.

 

[ManiBenton]

Mooney has actually done a terrific job over the past 5 years and will be in the running for A10 coach of the year this year. Over the past 5 years we have:

1. 2019-20 NCAA quality team
2. 2020-2021 had lowest AP ranking in history of the school at 19th, before 3 covid breaks killed our season, but still made NIT
3.2021-2022 NCAA appearance and beat Big ten Champ.
4. 2022-2023 After losing 2 of the best players in school history we had a down year
5. 2023-2024 16-6 and 1st place A10 with potential at NCAA or NIT

It has been a great time to be a Spider basketball fan!

Ah the covid break excuse for the 19-20 season that’s hilarious. Not like we lost to Hofstra, La salle or joes or anything

 

[spiderman]

1) we were too passive early. I know we run a patient offense, but we were getting very late in the shot clock every possession.

2) VCU did defend well but King and Roche had wide open looks they usually knock down. they didn't.

3) Quinn was too passive offensively. we obviously ran the offense through him as always a the high post, but usually he'll pin a guy deep or back someone down, then use his spins.

4) I agree with father about King and it wasn't just this game. it just stands out because we lost. teams have and will try to take King out of our offense. Fordham totally did, especially in the 2nd half basically face guarding him ... and he still put up 29. it's not all the time, but King seems to take offensive possessions off and stands out of the play. maybe that's on him, maybe it's the offense. maybe he needs a blow. but he can score despite the defensive focus when he wants it. he should always be expecting that kind of attention.

5) if you could look through my history I almost never blame refs. but they were bad. I lost count of how many missed calls went against us. the left hand in Bigelow's back, the "block" of Neal's dunk where the only thing blocked was Neal's left forearm, the push off by Shulga, etc ...

6) I think I bought into Nelson's high school accolades too much. and his body language is awful. he looks miserable just like last year. he's just not what I thought he'd be. his one basket was a blown layup nowhere near the cylinder. Bigelow hitting rim had no effect.

it's one loss. we're fine. we're still way ahead of where any of us expected. get back to winning and beat VCU when they visit us.

 

[VT4700]

8-25 would bother me a lot more if we have never won a big game against them, or had not done so recently. The wins over them in the A-10 tourney in 2022 and in the at large chasing 2020 season were monster wins. So, yes, 8-25 is bad, but we could beat them at home and then again in the A-10 tourney, and then what would we hear on here next year? That we are only 10-25 against them.

 

[Not-A-Homer]

No reason to panic - this game just highlighted our weaknesses, which I think we already knew. The problem was they all hit at the same time in the same game - which when that occurs for any team, it will be tough to win. We had some good luck early, while we were cold and couldn't make a shot, neither could VCU. This kept the game close, but unfortunately in the 2nd half - our cold shooting continued, and VCU was able to hit more shots and be more timely near the end with their 3's and build a lead. Here's our weaknesses, which hopefully don't all get exaggerated in the same game again.

1) King - he has played great all season, especially in the A10. But we need him, in big games - to have a big game. Dayton - he didn't play great, but still got 17 for us, and go us over the hump for the win. This game, he was cold and could never get going. This is our biggest weakness. We are really dependent on him to get everything going. I don't expect him to have many of these games, cause he has not had a lot this year. But if he can't get us big points in big games - its an uphill battle.

2) Quinn is soft. Plain and simple. He is finesse player, who is much better at floating on the perimeter and passing than going down low and banging, rebounding, and getting hard earned buckets. In a game where our shooting goes cold - you would think, pound inside, get Quinn going, and maybe get to the free throw line. But no - and I think some of that is coaching, but I think some of that is they know its not his game. In the A10 - Quinn is about 10 points and 5 rebounds kinda guy. Don't expect a lot more. And really - we don't need it when King is cooking. But when we play a team like VCU - who attacked the glass, sometimes it would be nice if we had some other than Bigelow to be tough down low.

3) No depth. Before every season we think we have depth. Then we realize - we don't have any. We get no production from our bench. Roche has regressed this season. And everyone else off the bench is just there to give someone 2 minutes to take a seat, get a water, and get back in the game. I am not expecting our bench to win games for us. But when you a cold shooting night - this is when you hope the bench can come in and somebody can hit a shot or get the team going. But we don't get it. VCU game - our bench gave us 0 points, 1 rebound and 3 turnovers. This will make us finishing in the top of the league that much more important as we will need the byes in the A10 tourney to make a run.

Again - not something to panic about, as usually we can mask these weaknesses or 1-2 of them on any given night. Lack of toughness - not a problem when we hit 3's, and King is scoring like normal. Lack of bench, no worries - we build a lead and don't need them anyways. But in the VCU game - these were all highlighted.

The true key here is King. I hate to pin it all on him, but as he goes UR will go. He is having an incredible and A10 POY type year up to this point, and if he continues to get about 20 a game in A10 play and UR finishes top 3 - he will be first team and get POY votes.

And yes - losing to VCU stinks, but to me - it only matters a lot if we miss our first two goals of every season. 1) Win the A10 regular season or tourney 2) Make the NCAA tourney. If we don't achieve any of those - then VCU becomes more significant.

The team has no bench every season due to coaching practice and philosophy. This is true though many on this site don't understand it or want to acknowledge it.

The same is true regarding VCU underperformance (8-25). The Spider coach prepares his team for VCU with his same ole, just another game, no big deal, the sun will come up tomorrow philosophy. That may be a fine philosophy for life, but it is not helping the Spiders defeat their cross town opponent regularly.

VCU approaches the game as a rivalry, hair on fire, must win (especially this year). Fire, urgency, and juice was obvious in VCU this game, not nearly as much in Richmond. This is the result of Richmond's mental approach in my opinion. It is my belief that this is also why some say they noticed what they thought was a TIRED or lacking sufficient energy performance by the Spiders. Young, premier athletes should not be TIRED or lacking sufficient energy when facing their cross-town rival in a game that had HUGE NCAA implications.

That means that there is another reason for the (too often) malaise looking performances against VCU. Mooney's mental approach to the game (tamping down, everything will be all right, no big deal) is facilitating losing too often to his rival. Some may say "how do you know, are you in the locker room?" The answer, NO. I'm not in the locker room, but it is plain to see. And, I have heard Mooney recite this philosophy many times thru the years.

Whether all or no-one agrees with my perspective is irrelevant, but it is crystal clear that what the coach is doing isn't working well against VCU. His record is the proof.

 

[Eight Legger]

I feel like I'm more willing to let go of this one because we just had an 11-game winning streak. It was going to end at some point. I didn't expect us to go 18-0 in the A-10. I hate that we lost at vcu and I hate the way we lost, looking tentative and incapable of running an offense, which is par for the course there for some reason. But if we come out and win the next 3 or 4, we'll be fine.

 

[SinsemillaSpider]

8-25 would bother me a lot more if we have never won a big game against them, or had not done so recently. The wins over them in the A-10 tourney in 2022 and in the at large chasing 2020 season were monster wins. So, yes, 8-25 is bad, but we could beat them at home and then again in the A-10 tourney, and then what would we hear on here next year? That we are only 10-25 against them.

Yes. 10-25 against VCU is still not acceptable. It is a start, however.

 

[Spiderwiz]

8-25 would bother me a lot more if we have never won a big game against them, or had not done so recently. The wins over them in the A-10 tourney in 2022 and in the at large chasing 2020 season were monster wins. So, yes, 8-25 is bad, but we could beat them at home and then again in the A-10 tourney, and then what would we hear on here next year? That we are only 10-25 against them.

I would be thrilled with 10-25 as progress would have been made toward balancing the results.

 

[urmite]

Exactly. I can't remember hearing a bunch of other coaches yelling out their team's goals. Just another thing to get on our program for, I guess.

While the public proclamation of goals, doesn’t really bother me,
are you saying you have never heard a P5 coach in a preseason press conference say
”This is what we hope to accomplish this season”?

 

[GKiller]

Exactly. I can't remember hearing a bunch of other coaches yelling out their team's goals. Just another thing to get on our program for, I guess.

Some do. But I wasn't getting on us for not yelling out team goals. But we shouldn't assume we know what they are either. I was speculating. But for instance I don't think they include beating VCU specifically or getting at large bids.

 

[97spiderfan]

6) I think I bought into Nelson's high school accolades too much. and his body language is awful. he looks miserable just like last year. he's just not what I thought he'd be. his one basket was a blown layup nowhere near the cylinder. Bigelow hitting rim had no effect.

We all did. Nelson looks like a really good D-1 player when you see him in warm-ups and watch him in high school games. Has a nice looking shot, very smooth handle, very quick. But then you watch him during the game and he just does a whole lot of nothing. He dribbles too much, the offense stagnates when the ball is in hands. A D-1 pg has to run the offense for their team and he is simply in capable of doing that.

He has 2 years left, there is certainly talent there, but I'm glad Odom has to solve the enigma that is Jayson Nelson and not Mooney.

 

[GKiller]

8-25 would bother me a lot more if we have never won a big game against them, or had not done so recently. The wins over them in the A-10 tourney in 2022 and in the at large chasing 2020 season were monster wins. So, yes, 8-25 is bad, but we could beat them at home and then again in the A-10 tourney, and then what would we hear on here next year? That we are only 10-25 against them.

It's almost impossible not to have a few big wins in 33 tries when VCU is consistently good. If we were 1-32 u would probably say hey that one time. It's indisputable we've had more killer losses, they've won way more in big spots and helped themsleves lot more than we've helped ourselves. Sure we've had a few I'd hope so, but the disparity is great. This year may be no different. So far 0-1 in really big spot. I'd love to win next 2 this year, if we do I'd give us props. Odds of us facing them twice this year r low, odds of winning 2 in a row even lower.

8-25 is not bad, it's a disaster. I've said this b4 we should promote the hell out of it. We have the losingest longest tenured rivalry coach in American sports history. Nobody been in 1 place longer and lost more frequently. Find me another. I don't think anyone can.

It might engender some sympathy pr and who knows might help us. The next vcu game could have national attention.

 

[Ferrum Spider]

I'm not going to get too caught up in this loss because we are absolutely exceeding our expectations this year and much of the focus should be on that, but one criticism I have always have of Mooney is I don't think this game brings out a sense of urgency within the team. Or if he does, us fans certainly couldn't tell by the game play and rhetoric leading up to it. By the time they do show a will to win, its often WAYYYY too late.

We had an opportunity to all but end our rivals ability to easily earn a top 4 seed and have them begin to turn on Odom. Not only that, we would of had the local medias attention on us the next couple of months exclusively. Absolutely a missed opportunity in the micro sense. Gotta rise above mediocre officiating, we certainly could of played better to where it wouldn't of been a factor.

From the macro perspective, I could give a rats ass about this game if we make the NCAA's after we thump them at home.

We can mock them for treating it like their super bowl every year, maybe if we matched their intensity we would have better results vs them, but that's probably why they have won 25 of 33 from us. I enjoy that 2022 win more than most I am willing to bet, but it doesn't remove the stings of 2017 Pittsburgh or 2015 Brooklyn that likely cost us NCAA bids along with all the other losses to go with it. VCU only has like 3-4 more cumulative wins than us the past 5 years total, yet we still lose to them at a similar pace.

 

[spiderman]

I don't question the team's intensity or effort. VCU had 20 points at the half. we defended our butts off.
we just didn't execute well enough on offense.

 

[Eight Legger]

It's almost impossible not to have a few big wins in 33 tries when VCU is consistently good. If we were 1-32 u would probably say hey that one time. It's indisputable we've had more killer losses, they've won way more in big spots and helped themsleves lot more than we've helped ourselves. Sure we've had a few I'd hope so, but the disparity is great. This year may be no different. So far 0-1 in really big spot. I'd love to win next 2 this year, if we do I'd give us props. Odds of us facing them twice this year r low, odds of winning 2 in a row even lower.

8-25 is not bad, it's a disaster. I've said this b4 we should promote the hell out of it. We have the losingest longest tenured rivalry coach in American sports history. Nobody been in 1 place longer and lost more frequently. Find me another. I don't think anyone can.

It might engender some sympathy pr and who knows might help us. The next vcu game could have national attention.

I used to listen to Colin Cowherd a lot back in the day, and he always made a very basic but logical point about why certain college and pro teams in certain sports in certain parts of the country were traditionally good year in a year out: Because the people in those places cared more about those sports.

Most of the good lacrosse is played in the Northeast because the people and schools there care about it a lot more than people in Utah do. The best baseball rivalry is Boston-NY in large part because the people in those two cities have been passionate about baseball for more than a century. When fans and organizations in one place care more about their success than other fans and organizations care about theirs somewhere else, the results typically demonstrate that.

You're right that with 33 attempts, something does not add up when you have results this lopsided.

 

[spider fan]

When we first starting playing RPI (now known as VCU) we expected to beat them every game and we did the first 4 or 5 games. Also you could count on seeing some sort of fight and in those days the refs would let the fight end, say a few words to the players of don't do that, and the game would continue. Showed the passion involved in the game. Why we don't have confidence that we will beat them every game I just don't understand? We have let the recent record against them "get into our heads" and now it appears we expect to lose - a self fulfilling prophecy.. We need some kind of motivation like a Knute Rockne or Winston Churchill type speech to get us fired up enough that we refuse to lose. (As a fan sadly I also expect to lose, and am happily surprised on those all-too-rare occasions when we beat them. Maybe I also need a motivational speech to convince me we are going to win! and obviously more wins would convince me.)

 

[97spiderfan]

I don't question the team's intensity or effort. VCU had 20 points at the half. we defended our butts off.
we just didn't execute well enough on offense.

Yes. And we have seen this team multiple times this year go into extended offensive lulls. That is not unusual, I would say we are an average at best offensive team. But, we are a superior defensive team and that shows up game after game. VCU got hot at the end of the 2nd half and sometimes that happens even to good defensive teams.

But I am not surprised that offensively struggled and don't think that reflects on our intensity. Now, if you we came out and didn't defend like we are capable off, that would be a different story.

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

So I can accept losing. If you can't you should never watch.

But it's the repetitive nature of how UR plays offense when it loses that's bothersome. Because honestly whether it's an entire game or just the endgame, it's mostly the offensive struggles that are a cause for defeat IMO. And it's often that an aggressive defense disrupts the flow of the passing early in the shot clock and because of that aggression the flow of individual possessions largely become a struggle when it takes an extra 5 seconds to get the ball where we want on the initial setup, or we get the ball to someone in a poor position. From there, more of the same with defensive looks being more aggressive and more disciplined. Anyone can be a world beater in our motion offense when passes are easy and an undisciplined defense (Fordham, etc.) breaks down after 4 or 5 passes and a screen or two. But when teams play tough and disciplined, you have to be precise and you have to match their intensity in your own offensive execution. This can mean that the first open shot might be the best one you will get and you have to take it. And then guys have to make shots.

From the outset on Saturday, when we started the halfcourt offense, if anyone cares to re-watch, watch where Nelson was - waaaay up top, disrupting the flow of the second weave pass back to the top of the key. For several possessions, we either delayed that pass until our guy could get open in a different spot, or bypassed it altogether. The flow of the offense thus disrupted, now guys are a little off from where they usually are. No one made them pay for these overplays early, and UR settled for a lot of jumpers in not scoring the first 4 minutes, often shooting late in the clock.

The beginning of the second half, UR took advantage of those overplays to get some nice cuts. But then they stopped again. And then Neal - despite his size/bulk advantage - was never able to impose himself down low, which could have been a solution to how VCU was trying to disrupt the perimeter. Like others have said, he's not a bully ball player, his moves are largely finesse and he's wary of getting blocked, often pump faking once he gets a drop step ahead.

So yeah, it's not ideal to lose, even less so to our archrival, but when the offense does not get what it wants, when the defense does not allow us our preferred spots on the court - what is the plan?

I sense the frustration with King not getting shots or Neal not getting the ball on the blocks largely comes out of the offense taking what the defense gives, not the offense forcing the defense to bend to its will. Sometimes what the defense gives is the 4th/5th best look - that's exactly what it wants to do - not let the best offensive players beat you. UR did the exact same against Dayton - it's why Holmes put up 7 first half threes. But 38 combined first half points in last two games against better teams in the league show that the league is adjusting to how UR plays through King and we have to figure it out.

 

[GKiller]

We can mock them for treating it like their super bowl every year, maybe if we matched their intensity we would have better results vs them, but that's probably why they have won 25 of 33 from us. I enjoy that 2022 win more than most I am willing to bet, and VCU only has like 3-4 more cumulative wins than us the past 5 years total, yet we still cant figure them out, even when were clearly the better team.

I agree with a couple of your points Ferrum. I don't understand the Super Bowl thing. I've seen that referenced b4. We are saying this is VCU's Super Bowl? in what way? They dominate us esp under Mooney (8-25).

I just don't think we're using that term right. It usually signfies someone getting up for a game bc they don't have bigger, more important ones. Or doing better in a singular game bc not a lot to play for otherwise. Neither applies to VCU. Don't get me wrong. My impression has been VCU puts more importance on the game than we do. But their Super Bowl doesn't make sense...what I am missing. Furthermore VCU gets someones best shot way way more than we do. Their crowds r much more similar hosting UR vs. rest of their home games than the VCU at UR game is to rest of our home games. If anything it should be our SB. Plus VCU draws attendance much higher at away games. They play teams treating it as SB. When we play teams on road we are more likley to have a weaker away crowd on average which should be an advantage. This year only we have some added target being in 1st place.

 

[SFspidur]

I used the Super Bowl comment somewhat out of hyperbole, but it has seemed to kind of apply for them this season. A lot of their fans have been down on their team and Odom (even though they're still decent), seeing an at-large as out of reach and not being optimistic about being able to make a run to the auto in the A-10 tourney.

So for some of them, this game was a big opportunity to play spoiler against the hated Spiders in the absence of many other goals thought to be reachable.

 

[SpiderGuy]

I agree with a couple of your points Ferrum. I don't understand the Super Bowl thing. I've seen that referenced b4. We are saying this is VCU's Super Bowl? in what way? They dominate us esp under Mooney (8-25).

I just don't think we're using that term right. It usually signfies someone getting up for a game bc they don't have bigger, more important ones. Or doing better in a singular game bc not a lot to play for otherwise. Neither applies to VCU. Don't get me wrong. My impression has been VCU puts more importance on the game than we do. But their Super Bowl doesn't make sense...what I am missing. Furthermore VCU gets someones best shot way way more than we do. Their crowds r much more similar hosting UR vs. rest of their home games than the VCU at UR game is to rest of our home games. If anything it should be our SB. Plus VCU draws attendance much higher at away games. They play teams treating it as SB. When we play teams on road we are more likley to have a weaker away crowd on average which should be an advantage. This year only we have some added target being in 1st place.

Maybe Super Bowl is that VCU looks at the thrill of beating us knowing the odds are skewed heavily in their favor based about 19 years of games. However, with them holding a 25-8 mark over CM, to me it's more like a Las Vegas Bowl for their fans. Who wouldn't double up on those odds at a craps table? My goodness, there is no spinning it any other way even though some try. That's a 24 pct win rate for us during 19 years.

We absolutely need to turn the tide on this, should play as aggressively as possible, & run up up the score when VCU comes to the RC next game.

 

[8legs1dream]

Reality says, Mooney will never reach even a .500 record against them. We would have to go on a serious decade-long tear and they would have to basically give up on their basketball program for that to take place.

 

[whampas]

Reality says, Mooney will never reach even a .500 record against them. We would have to go on a serious decade-long tear and they would have to basically give up on their basketball program for that to take place.

We don't necessarily need to catch up. We need to stop losing 3 out of 4. The big difference between them and us is they're nastier. The fans, the team and the administration just don't like UR. Read their board. They expect to win. Not hope to win. In many ways they know UR is everything they're not so they beat our brains in in sports and love it. I would too. "Fat cats from Henrico, we'll show em who runs Richmond." It's time the elitist attitude of the administration spills over to the athletic department so we can do what's needed to become athleticly elite, at least in our own damn town. Fvcu.

 

[GKiller]

I used the Super Bowl comment somewhat out of hyperbole, but it has seemed to kind of apply for them this season. A lot of their fans have been down on their team and Odom (even though they're still decent), seeing an at-large as out of reach and not being optimistic about being able to make a run to the auto in the A-10 tourney.

So for some of them, this game was a big opportunity to play spoiler against the hated Spiders in the absence of many other goals thought to be reachable.

fwiw your comment read like more of a joke.

Also, Ferrum said "treating it like their super bowl EVERY year"....do u find that accurate? I don't.

This year it still doesn't apply. It's closer sure bc we were undefeated in A10. but when u r the bully and kick someone's ass year after year it's never the Super Bowl. Also vcu is still near top of A10, they've lost close games and all vcu fans I know (I only know a few) r confident in their A10 tourney prospects. U might know a lot more vcuers and/or have better pulse on their fan sentiment idk.

Anyway, almost all of the factors in this game annually make it more likely we'd play this game as OUR Super Bowl yet here we r accusing them of it being their Super Bowl. Again I don't think we do either, maybe we should, or at the very least treat as seriously as they do.

Not trying to be critical. Just honest & I guess I see as a weird lack of self awareness.

 

[GKiller]

Maybe Super Bowl is that VCU looks at the thrill of beating us knowing the odds are skewed heavily in their favor based about 19 years of games. However, with them holding a 25-8 mark over CM, to me it's more like a Las Vegas Bowl for their fans. Who wouldn't double up on those odds at a craps table? My goodness, there is no spinning it any other way even though some try. That's a 24 pct win rate for us during 19 years.

We absolutely need to turn the tide on this, should play as aggressively as possible, & run up up the score when VCU comes to the RC next game.

Yeah they r more likely to view as a 2nd tier bowl that is fun to play bc they almost always win and go in expecting to no matter what.

 

[urmite]

fwiw your comment read like more of a joke.

Also, Ferrum said "treating it like their super bowl EVERY year"....do u find that accurate? I don't.

This year it still doesn't apply. It's closer sure bc we were undefeated in A10. but when u r the bully and kick someone's ass year after year it's never the Super Bowl. Also vcu is still near top of A10, they've lost close games and all vcu fans I know (I only know a few) r confident in their A10 tourney prospects. U might know a lot more vcuers and/or have better pulse on their fan sentiment idk.

Anyway, almost all of the factors in this game annually make it more likely we'd play this game as OUR Super Bowl yet here we r accusing them of it being their Super Bowl. Again I don't think we do either, maybe we should, or at the very least treat as seriously as they do.

Not trying to be critical. Just honest & I guess I see as a weird lack of self awareness.

They didn’t even storm the court...

 

[SFspidur]

I certainly don't agree it's their Super Bowl every year.

My perspective was just from a brief visit to their forums ahead of the game. The general sentiment seemed to be pretty down on postseason chances and several posters seem to suggest taking us down was their best chance for a high point this season.

 

[whampas]

Fvcu. Go Fordham.