• Friday night at the Siegel Center had everything a Ram could hope for. The Black & Gold celebrated their 50^th year as an NCAA basketball program along with their 100^th consecutive sellout inside the Stu. In addition to all of that, VCU began their 2017-18 season against Grambling State and drowned the Tigers with buckets after buckets.

The Fro Did WHAT?!

Justin Tillman got the Black & Gold party started with an offensive board that turned into a fadeaway And-1 basket. Jonathan Williams continued with VCU’s offensive fury from three while Khris Lane channeled his inner Freight Train at the rim.

The senior Fro continued to amaze the Ram crowd. Tillman ignited a surge of cheers after connecting on an open three ball and kept the Rams hungry defensively. HAVOC began to feast on Grambling State with the press and zone defense causing numerous turnovers from the visitors.

#AllTheBuckets

VCU cruised to the lead on a 16-2 scoring run lasting just over 6 minutes. Lane and Tillman lead the charge offensively while HAVOC kept causing the Tigers headaches. Axel Mpoyo was able to cool VCU off with baskets however Grambling State had a lot of ground to make up.

De’Riante Jenkins made matters worse with a coast to coast finish that reignited the Rams on offense. Agent Zero was part of the gold rush from three with VCU connecting on 8 three-pointers in the first half.

Tillman & Williams got the season started right with 10 points each in the first half of play. VCU outrebounded the Tigers 26-17 and caused 6 turnovers. A 50-30 advantage for the Rams as VCU headed into the locker room.

More Is A Good Thing

More of the same was showcased in the 2^nd half. Tillman and Williams once again started VCU’s offense as the buckets just kept pouring. Issac Vann amazed everyone in attendance with a thunderous one-handed jam that was heard well beyond Broad Street.

Khris Lane brought more noise to the rim with a two-handed dunk that increased VCU’s lead. Turnovers became Grambling State’s issue once again on offense along with a scoreless drought lasting nearly 5 minutes. During that stretch, the Rams went on a 9-0 scoring run that increased their lead over the Tigers to 30+ points.

Threes For Everybody!

The green light was nearly broken from downtown as the Rams kept connecting from the three-point spot. Malik Crowfield made a 4 point play out of a corner three ball while Sean Mobley and Vann added additional three-point buckets.

HAVOC kept the pressure on Grambling State and the Tigers could not come up with an answer. The Rams held control of the second half on both sides of the basketball to the delight of the Rams in the stands. GSU had 11 turnovers and was held to 15% shooting from three (2-of-13).

It Has Just Begun

Grambling State mustered up a 7-0 scoring run late in the second half. The deficit was too great as VCU cruised to the finish line with a 94-65 victory at the Siegel Center.

VCU connected on 15 three-pointers against the Tigers. The Rams shot 45% from the field and 41% behind the arc. Rebounding was all VCU with 47 total rebounds on the night. Justin Tillman led the Rams with a double-double performance of 14 points and 10 rebounds during 17 minutes of action.

De’Riante Jenkins and Jonathan Williams also finished the game with 14 points each. Khris Lane had 11 points and 5 rebounds while Malik Crowfield added an additional 10 points against the Tigers. The Rams dished out 17 team assists.

VCU Men’s Basketball returns to action at the Siegel Center versus North Florida. Tip-off is set for a 7 PM start on Monday, November 13^th.

Mark Turner

Mark graduated from VCU in 2014 with a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. He started as a fan of the Black & Gold in the stands his freshman year. Mark was known as "Kazie" for his charismatic fandom with the VCU's student organization the Rowdy Rams. While at VCU he gained experience in sports media with WVCW on a sports radio show called Rowdy Radio. Following graduation, Mark continued crafting his social media skills with the Richmond Kickers while also handling VCU coverage. He is a true fan of the Rams and vocally passionate on and off camera. After the final whistle, you can probably find him at local RVA bar or brewery enjoying a drink and conversation.