VCU Leverages Strong Backcourt in Matchup Against BYU
Virginia Commonwealth is likely best remembered for its unexpected Final Four appearance in 2011.
The No. 11 Rams aim to begin another deep NCAA Tournament run when they face sixth-seeded BYU in the East Region’s first round on Thursday.
VCU (28-6) has reached the NCAA Tournament three times in five years but hasn’t advanced past the first round since 2016. The Rams boast their best record in 13 years, coming off victories in both the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles.
Although the Atlantic 10 doesn’t offer the same level of competition as the Big 12, VCU head coach Ryan Odom acknowledged that BYU (24-9) has encountered tougher opponents.
“Playing in that conference, we’re not up against that caliber every night,” Odom stated on KSL.com. “It’s not a knock on our conference, but that’s just how it is. The physicality, night after night, and facing various styles of play is challenging. They compete against ranked teams regularly and have performed at a very high level.”
VCU’s backcourt is the driving force of the team. Their leading scorers are guards Max Shulga and Joe Bamisile, who each average 15.1 points per game, along with Phillip Russell (10.6) and Zeb Jackson (10.4). The Rams score 77.1 points per game, backed by a defense that limits opponents to just 62.4 points.
The Cougars had a strong debut season in the competitive Big 12, finishing third and reaching the tournament semifinals before falling to No. 2 Houston. The loss ended a nine-game winning streak that included victories over Arizona, Arizona State, and Iowa State.
For the second consecutive year, BYU is a No. 6 seed, though it marks Kevin Young’s first season as head coach. Young succeeded Mark Pope, who left for Kentucky after taking the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament twice in four seasons.
Young is confident his team is ready for the challenge of March Madness after competing in the Big 12.
“We’ve faced some of the best teams in the country,” Young told KSL.com. “The advantage of playing in the Big 12 is that we’re up against top-tier teams every night. We feel battle-tested and have a wealth of experiences and momentum that we can rely on.”
BYU is led by junior forward Richie Saunders, who averages 16.0 points per game. Egor Demin (10.3 points) is the only other Cougar in double figures, but the team also has six players who average at least 7.1 points.
