 MEN'S BASKETBALL
WINS CAA OPENER AT AMERICAN
Box score
1-03-01
Jan. 3 - Virginia Commonwealth built a
10-point halftime cushion and staved off
a furious second-half charge to earn a
62-58 victory over American University in
the Rams' Colonial Athletic Association
men's basketball opener Wednesday night
at AU's Bender Arena. VCU shot a sizzling
63.6% (7-11) from three-point range in
the first half to take a 35-25 advantage
at the break, but the Eagles outscored
the Rams 17-4 to begin the second period
as American enjoyed a 42-39 lead with
11:53 left to play. The game was tied
nine different times before a pair of
free throws by sophomore Konstantin
Nesterov (St. Petersburg, Russia/St.
Petersburg State) put VCU ahead 57-56
with 2:06 remaining. Nesterov then canned
a three-point field goal on the Rams'
next possesion to extend the lead to four
points, and senior LaMar Taylor
(Richmond, Va./John Marshall) hit a
clutch jumper with 26 seconds on the
clock to put the game away.
Nesterov scored all 10 of his points in
the second half for the Rams, who
improved to 8-6 overall with the win.
Senior Bo Jones (Richmond, Va./Huguenot)
led VCU with 16 points, 11 of which came
in the first period, while senior L.F.
Likcholitov (St. Petersburg, Russia/SPS
Tech. Univ.) added 11 points on
five-of-five shooting on the evening.
Taylor also contributed seven assists in
the victory, and the Rams committed just
nine turnovers in its successful CAA
season debut. Junior Patrick Doctor led
American (5-8, 1-2 CAA) with 22 points,
while freshman Jernavis Draughn compiled
10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds off
the bench.VCU will next face East
Carolina (9-4, 2-1 CAA) Saturday
afternoon in the ALLTEL Pavilion at the
Stuart C. Siegel Center. Game time is 4
p.m.3
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