Bre Cavanaugh scored 22 points and Mary Goulding 19 to lead Fordham to a 62-47 victory over VCU on Sunday to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Buddy Hield has taken over for Oklahoma down the stretch. He has 22 points in the second half, including four 3s. Oklahoma trying to salt this one away, up 77-71 with 3:40 to play.
I believe VCU's Mo Alie-Cox just broke the net here in OKC with that slam.
Mo Alie-Cox just threw down a thunderous tomahawk jam. VCU now down just 59-56. What a second half so far for the Rams.
With 4:25 left in the half, Buddy Hield picked up his second foul and went to the bench. But instead of VCU cutting into the lead, Oklahoma, behind guards Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins, went on a 12-4 run to take a 44-31 edge into halftime. That could prove to be the key of this game.
Buddy Hield is now on the bench with two fouls. Can VCU make a run before half?
VCU has nailed seven shots in a row. Rams catching fire at the right time, have cut Oklahoma's lead to five.
VCU completely discombobulated. Only offense comprising wild drives to the rim hoping to draw a foul. At the other end, Oklahoma getting open looks. Sooners in command, up 21-7 early.
VCU band leader Ryan Kopacsi, who stripped down from his suit into a Superman tank during the Rams' tournament opener, vowed he will be removing clothes again during a first-half timeout in the Oklahoma game.
Second-seeded Oklahoma will be without reserve center Akolda Manyang on Sunday against No. 10 seed VCU. Manyang flew home to Minnesota on Sunday morning after a death in the family. He had two points, three rebounds and two blocks in the Sooners' tournament opening win over Cal State Bakersfield.
In its tournament opener, Oklahoma struggled to contain Egyptian big man Aly Ahmed of Cal State Bakersfield. Sunday, the Sooners will have to face another Egyptian big in VCU's Ahmed Hamdy-Mohamed. Both players are from Alexandria, Egypt. And though Ahmed has been more prolific, Hamdy-Mohamed has scored in every game but one for the Rams this season.
Gary Payton II has taken over for Oregon State. Payton's alley-oop slam followed by a thunderous breakaway dunk has given Oregon State a 51-49 lead over VCU. Beavers are on a 14-2 run.
VCU has been cold from 3 all game, making just 1 of 11 from downtown. But the Rams have feasted on Oregon State inside with 31 points in the paint. VCU remains in control up 45-37.
VCU leads the nation in steals, but has been unable to rattle Oregon State point guard Gary Payton II, who has yet to turn the ball over and has scored a team-high 7 points. Payton II, however, hasn't gotten much help despite getting his teammates open shots, as the Beavers collectively are shooting just 37 percent from the field. VCU leads at the half, 36-28.
Oregon State guard Gary Payton II received some pre-tournament advice from his hall of fame father. "He just told me to play my game, don't let everything outside the court get to me. It's going to be a little crazy, because our program hasn't been here in awhile." Behind Payton II, the Beavers will face VCU today in their first NCAA Tournament game in 26 years.
California, LSU, Marquette, Michigan, Notre Dame, VCU and Wichita State will join host Chaminade in the 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational field.
Ex-Minnesota AD Norwood Teague was the subject of gender discrimination complaints dating to 2012 and spanning two university athletic departments, according to a Minneapolis Star Tribune report.
Shaka Smart took VCU to new heights, winning more NCAA tournament games in six seasons than all other coaches in program history combined.
“Smart's a guy that has turned down a bunch of jobs since he took VCU to the Final Four," Jeff Goodman said. "But this is one that according to my sources he's had his eye on for a long time. He's got about 10 jobs that I think he would jump for and this is the first one that's opened up.”
VCU took down No. 24 Davidson in the A-10 semis. The Rams made a season-high 25 free throws today, going 83.3 percent from the line. Davidson's Tyler Kalinoski led all players with 19 points.
VCU G JeQuan Lewis has four personal fouls this afternoon, one of three Rams with four. He's watching most of the final minutes from the bench as VCU has a big lead on Davidson. Box score
VCU used a 29-7 run to take control in the first half of their A-10 semifinal game against Davidson. Treveon Graham leads the Rams with 10 points.
These probable tourney teams need wins to stay out of trouble:
Weekend Predictions: Count on these picks
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordham | 13-3 | - | 25-9 |
| VCU | 13-3 | - | 24-10 |
| Duquesne | 11-5 | 2 | 19-13 |
| Dayton | 10-6 | 3 | 17-14 |
| Davidson | 10-6 | 3 | 17-15 |
| Saint Louis | 9-7 | 4 | 15-16 |
| George Mason | 8-8 | 5 | 16-14 |
| Massachusetts | 7-9 | 6 | 16-16 |
| Saint Joseph's | 7-9 | 6 | 12-19 |
| George Washington | 7-9 | 6 | 10-20 |
| Richmond | 6-10 | 7 | 9-21 |
| St. Bonaventure | 5-11 | 8 | 8-22 |
| Rhode Island | 3-13 | 10 | 8-21 |
| La Salle | 3-13 | 10 | 6-25 |
