VCU Strikes Bowling Green 72-61

By:LaMonte Thomas

Headline Photo Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network

Veteran’s Day at 7:00 PM in the Siegel Center was electric as Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball went to battle against the Bowling Green Falcons. There was a moment of silence for the veterans after the anthem, and select VCU honorary veterans were given a warm cheer from the sold out arena. The Rams came into the game 2-0 with wins over Hampton and Gardner-Webb, while the Falcons fell to 1-2 with a four point loss to St. John  and a blowout win over Tiffin. “We are an Army” declared VCU Head Coach Mike Rhoades and Guard De’Riante Jenkins after they defended home court from invasion.

VCU trailed 8-10 after the first media timeout, though they connected on two three-pointers from Corey Douglas and De’Riante Jenkins. Both teams came out of the break with their fatigues on as the remainder of the first half was very physical. A combined 26 fouls were called on both teams (BGSU- 15, VCU-11), putting each of them in the double bonus. The Rams’ defense would be the difference as they forced Bowling Green into 15 first half turnovers, which led to 15 VCU points. The Ram “army” was deep with soldiers in the first as they got 24 points from the bench; eight from freshman Vince Williams, senior Michael Gilmore chipped in with five, and eight points came from the redshirt junior Marcus Evans, who has comeback from a torn achilles as a leader for this team. The bench’s 24 points led to a 42-28 VCU lead at halftime, with the reserves nearly outscoring the Falcons’ entire team. 

Bowling Green’s big man Demajeo Wiggins got off to a slow start. The 6’10, 240-pound senior managed only one field goal in the first half and picked up two fouls. After a six-point performance for the half, he found his rhythm and added 12 points and 10 rebounds in the second half. By then the damage was done, as VCU’s largest lead reached 17 before Bowling Green’s Dylan Frye nailed his third 3-pointer before the buzzer, cutting the lead to 14.

The second half was all VCU defense. “The army” backed BGSU into retreat scoring 15 more points from 12 additional turnovers, totaling 27 for the game. VCU led the Falcons by as much as 25 before they fought back with buckets from Demajeo Wiggins, sophomore guard Justin Turner and sophomore forward Daeqwon Plowden. The final score of the contest was VCU 72- Bowling Green- 61.