VCU - keys to the game

[SpiderTrap]

I think this is a big game for both teams because no matter what bracket predictions you look at - both VCU and UR right now are fighting for one of those last spots in the tourney. I know there is still a whole month of the season after this - but there are limited opportunities for a resume building win, and this would be one for both teams.

Keys for UR - the obvious, limit turnovers and offensive rebounds for VCU. I don't expect to win the rebound margin tonight, but we need to keep VCU under 10 offensive rebounds. We need more of the Dayton 2nd half Sherod for the entire game vs. VCU, especially where he posts up his man and gets near the bucket or gets fouled. We will also need a spark I think off the bench - whether its Wojcik hitting some threes or Burton providing some energy, we need something off the bench because VCU is the deeper team and will try to wear us out.

It will be interesting to watch the Silva and Golden matchup. Silva is physical and is a double double machine for VCU. He has the ability to go off and get 20 points and 10+ rebounds. I think him and Golden are about equal when Golden shows up and plays to his potential. I think UR needs to win this matchup to have a shot tonight.
Another player to watch is on the VCU side - Marcus Evans. Last year he was their best player and an all A10 POY of the year candidate to start this year. He has shown flashes of that ability this year - but has been wildy inconsistent for VCU. If he shows up and plays like the Evans of last year - UR has got some problems. If he plays like has been this year - Gilyard has the edge and could potentially lead us to a win. Overall - i think Evans and Gilyard are pretty even when both are on, but Evans has been MIA lately. So if that trend continues - adavantage to UR.

 

[Eight Legger]

VCU only has one guy averaging more than 4 rebounds a game – Santos-Silva. We have three. Cayo is a big key for me tonight, because he can get rebounds, score inside and draw fouls. If he is doing all three, we will win.

VCU also is not a good shooting team (43% on the season to our 47%). We have three guys who have made more threes than anyone on their team, even though Blake isn't playing tonight. Their only three-point shooter who really concerns me is Hyland, and he's a freshman. Keep him in check and I just don't see many ways that they beat us. I don't care if Santos-Silva gets 20+, their outside shooting is far worse than ours and they don't have the interior height to dominate us on the boards as they often have in the past. I really like our odds.

 

[gospidersgo]

I don't care if Santos-Silva gets 20+

Agreed. He has been their most consistent player and we struggle with good bigs so it won't be a surprise or a big deal for him to get 20 and 10.

Also I'm seeing he is a 56% free throw shooter. Please, please send him to the line and let him try to beat us there. Especially when Grant goes out ahead of the TV timeouts - Matt Grace, you have 5 fouls to use, don't be stingy with them.

I really think this is a winnable game. Get this one and we are probably currently in on most bracket projections. Lose and our path to making it starts being very difficult. Go Spiders!

 

[SpiderTrap]

VCU gets about 10 offensive rebounds a night. I agree - they are not as dominant as years past in attacking the boards, but you can bet that Rhodes and especially Brunt will be telling their players - crash the boards, as everyone knows rebounding is our main weakness.
I agree they don't shoot the ball well from deep, but that is not a concern for me as our 3 point defense has been very good (minus the Dayton game). But we are still not very good at stopping dribble drives and this is where Evans can get dangerous, along with some other guys on their team.
I agree - I like our matchup this year than the last 2 years, even without Francis in the lineup and I do think this is a game we can win. Right now Vegas doesn't think so as I think the line is about 7-7.5 favorite to VCU.

 

[SpiderK]

So I hear we are +8.5 dogs. Wish we had Blake for his ball handling. That’s the only thing that scares me. We are iffy bringing the ball up in a press. I think Nick can dominate this game, and I don’t think Grant will fear Silva like he did Toppin.

 

[Eight Legger]

Maybe I am irrationally confident, but not only would I say this is a game we could win, I honestly believe it is a game we absolutely SHOULD win and will. Could they beat us? Of course. But I love this matchup for us, and I will be disappointed if we don't win.

I'll also say that their defense is nothing like Shaka's used to be, so that doesn't really worry me either. Yeah, they will pressure us and probably get a turnover or two here or there that other teams wouldn't, but in general this is not the helter-skelter look that they used to play, so I don't really have any concerns there either.

 

[gcarter52]

I agree with everyone's analysis, you all are spot on!! I don't want to see us fouling just to be fouling but guys like Matt and Sal need to contest every inside shot, making it very difficult for their to score. We need to let them know that we are there!!! The Vegas line can and will be our motivational factor to lead us to success tonight. I believe in Spider Ball!!! We win by 7, 81-74.

 

[GKiller]

Maybe I am irrationally confident, but not only would I say this is a game we could win, I honestly believe it is a game we absolutely SHOULD win and will. Could they beat us? Of course. But I love this matchup for us, and I will be disappointed if we don't win.

I'll also say that their defense is nothing like Shaka's used to be, so that doesn't really worry me either. Yeah, they will pressure us and probably get a turnover or two here or there that other teams wouldn't, but in general this is not the helter-skelter look that they used to play, so I don't really have any concerns there either.

Agreed. Now I expect a VCU fan would laugh at that but so be it. why wouldn't they...they can have anyone on sideline, they just look at ours with Mooney and know they gonna take our lunch money again. 6-18.

But we have the players, & I like the matchups. They just carry monkey on their back, vcu always beats us in big games, and with two 15-5 teams this is big...but we all know its much bigger for us due to rest of league schedule.

The key is can Mooney instill that extra confidence, toughness, the resolve. The fed up I'm tired of losing to our city rivals consistently attitude. I think the players have it but you need that extra coming from your coach and that part is highly questionable.

 

[spider23]

I'll also say that their defense is nothing like Shaka's used to be, so that doesn't really worry me either. Yeah, they will pressure us and probably get a turnover or two here or there that other teams wouldn't, but in general this is not the helter-skelter look that they used to play,

Briante is not walking through that door, and if he is he cut off his ankle bracelet.

 

[SpiderK]

Briante is not walking through that door, and if he is he cut off his ankle bracelet.

Did he return your iPhone?

 

[Spider B]

The GG MSS matchup should be a good one. This is a much better matchup for GG than Obi is. MSS and GG are on par athletically. Grant should do fine against Silva. Need Burton and Cayo going after rebounds all night and make RPI play a half court game. I don’t think they can win by outshooting us. They are also turnover prone (especially Evans).

 

[spiderwriter]

Live ball turnovers killed us against Dayton, and will kill us tonight if we suffer them. Agree that Cayo is a key to the game. Put Gus up there too...we need a solid second ballhandler because you can bet they will do everything they can to get it out of Gilyard's hands when they press. Minimize turnovers, make 3s, and avoid a Bones Hyland coming out party, and Spiders can win.

 

[CH_Spider]

#BeatRPI

 

[whampas]

Stay out of the corners, bring ball to middle of the floor and we'll be fine.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

Scoar Moar Points than them.

 

[Eight Legger]

Live ball turnovers killed us against Dayton, and will kill us tonight if we suffer them. Agree that Cayo is a key to the game. Put Gus up there too...we need a solid second ballhandler because you can bet they will do everything they can to get it out of Gilyard's hands when they press. Minimize turnovers, make 3s, and avoid a Bones Hyland coming out party, and Spiders can win.

I think Hyland already had his coming-out party. Tonight is going to be his going-back-in party. Look at what we did to Daly and Fatts. More of the same tonight for this kid.

 

[ur2K]

Same as the previous 6-18. Don't allow live ball turnovers, minimize runs, hit threes, rebound competently and we should be able to be close enough in the end to make it a game.

 

[SpiderTrap]

UR - limit turnovers - not so good - we had 15. Main reason - we only had one ballhandler in Gilyard and they wore him down. He committed 5 turnovers.
Offensive rebounding - not bad, only gave up 12 and 4 of them were on 1 play in the first half.

Grant played well vs Silva, so the positive goes to the Spiders there.
Evans played solid for VCU, nothing special - but Gilyard was not able to take advantage - advantage here went to VCU.
Bench - I didn't expect our bench to outscore or outplay VCU, that will likely never happen. But we needed someone on the UR bench to give a spark - we got nothing really out of Sal, Jake or Burton. Counter that with the bench of VCU who stepped up and had the big game - scoring 36 points - that was the difference.

Much has been questioned on why Burton didn't play more - I think the answer is simple. Mooney didn't trust his ball handling. In this game with VCU - ball handling is priority #1. So if he brings Burton in - he must come in for Cayo. Problem is - Cayo was playing pretty well. Gave us his normal night - 7 rebounds, 13 points, 7-8 from FT. In other games - he could come in for Goose, but Mooney preferred to have him or Wojcik in the game to help Gilyard. Meanwhile - Gilyard played all 40 minutes as we had no way of taking him out for even a second.

 

[urfan1]

Gilyard had several TO's early -- they schemed him well -- hat's off to the rams

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

Gilyard had several TO's early -- they schemed him well -- hat's off to the rams

He also had some really nice assists to Golden.

 

[SpiderTrap]

Gilyard didn't play terrible last night. But in a big game like that, especially when we are down Francis - we needed him to score about 16-18 points, get about 5 assists (he did that) - have 2 or less turnovers, and probably get about 3 steals (he did that). Problem is that he only got 10 points, and had 5 turnovers.

So its not like he played terrible. But give credit to the Rams - their defense caused a lot of it and is the main reason he was limited last night.