VCU incomes what can be valuable close-game enjoy with Atlantic 10 match coming near

On multiple occasions, going returned to remaining season, VCU educate Mike Rhoades has noted that he loves near video games.
The Rams, all through their 10-game win streak, haven’t had many of the ones battles. Their average victory margin during the streak has been 15.Five points.
But VCU’s past two video games were tight — a 6-factor triumph over Saint Louis and a 3-point win over Richmond within the past week.
“Now don’t get me wrong, we all love 20-pointers,” Rhoades said final Tuesday, after the Saint Louis recreation. “But I love near games because it well-knownshows the character of you, and it reveals the person of the training group of workers.”
Rhoades said after the Richmond win on Saturday that he concept it was super that the Rams needed to grind out their closing wins. “This time of yr, you’re in March, you acquire to find a way to win,” he stated.
March way match play, and with the Atlantic 10 event just a week and a 1/2 away, close-game enjoy should prove valuable for the Rams.
“It’s massive. Because any revel in of near games allows you,” Rhoades said Monday. “But whilst you win them, too, it also offers you confidence.”
VCU (23-6, 14-2 A-10) has a danger to clinch its first outright normal-season A-10 identify with a win at George Mason (16-13, 10-6) on Tuesday night. The school’s first season inside the league turned into 2012-13, and it shared the identify in 2015-sixteen.
During this season, 12 VCU video games have ended with a margin of 6 points or fewer, consisting of nine wins. The team had eleven such video games closing season and gained six.
On Saturday at Richmond, sophomore ahead Marcus Santos-Silva stated VCU has come a long way.
“Now we’re capable of recognise the way to cope with adversity in the course of the sport,” Santos-Silva stated. “Instead of last yr we would whinge and stuff whilst we lose leads. This 12 months we’re like, ‘All proper, we’ll be high-quality.’ ”
Late-recreation scenarios for near video games get interest in exercise. VCU also will run via a number of the ones situations on recreation days.
The Rams have a look at a ramification of situations. It can be a 1-factor deficit with 2 seconds left and the crew desiring to transport the period of the courtroom. It might be 1 2nd left with an inbounds play under the basket and a 3-pointer needed. It’s as plenty protection as offense, too.

“What are we going to do in that state of affairs? Here’s the time and score. Just eventualities, masses of various eventualities,” Rhoades said.
After the Saint Louis game, Rhoades stated he didn’t suppose the Rams grew enough from near games remaining yr. When they face those situations this year, they’ve been greater effective.
In addition to the games in opposition to Saint Louis and Richmond, VCU additionally pulled out a 1-point win at Dayton ultimate month in advance in its win streak. Those close victories have helped give the Rams the risk to lock up the regular-season title on Tuesday.
The opportunity is fuel for their fireplace, Rhoades said.
“We want to be clearly aggressive with our method,” Rhoades said. “There’s no pressure on seeking to pass after some thing you really want. Just pass do it.”