RAMS RALLY TO BEAT PITTSBURGH IN OT, 76-73 box score 12-17-00 RICHMOND, Va. - Senior Bo Jones (Richmond, Va./Huguenot) scored 17 second-half points to rally Virginia Commonwealth from a 14-point deficit and earn a 76-73 overtime victory over Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon at the ALLTEL Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. The Rams trailed the Panthers 52-38 with 13:44 remaining in regulation before Jones and freshman Domonic Jones (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) sparked a 20-6 VCU run which ted the contest at 58-58 with 3:16 left to play. The Rams took their first lead since the game's opening stages when senior L.F. Likcholitov (St. Petersburg, Russia/St. Petersburg Tech. Univ.) made a layup with 2:27 remaining to push the Rams ahead 60-59. Pittsburgh fought back and took a 64-62 advantage at the one-minute mark on a three-point basket from Donatas Zavackas. The Panthers led 66-64 in the closing seconds of regulation before a Bo Jones jumper with 12 seconds on the clock sent the game into overtime. In the extra period, consecutive baskets by Domonic Jones and Likcholitov gave the Rams a 71-67 lead with two minutes left to play, and freshman Johnnie Story (Hampton, Va./Hampton) sealed the win with a jumper with 38 seconds left which put VCU up 75-72. The Rams (6-3) posted their fourth win in the last five games and improved its season record to 5-1 in games played at the ALLTEL Pavilion. Bo Jones led all scorers with 23 points, including a nine-of-10 performance at the free-throw line, while Domonic Jones added 15 points, 13 of which came in the second half. VCU also got a strong outing in the middle from Likcholitov, who compiled 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in the win. "We were more comfortable on offense in the second half," said VCU head coach Mack McCarthy. "Domonic going one-on-one was a key, but not allowing them open shots was the real key in the second half." Pittsburgh, which lost for just the second time in eight games this season, led by as many as 16 points (33-17) in the first half and took a 35-25 advantage into intermission. Senior Isaac Hawkins led the Panthers with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while classmate Ricardo Greer amassed 20 points and 10 boards in defeat. VCU will next participate in the San Juan Shootout, an eight-team tournament which will be held from December 20-22. The Rams will face Evansville (4-4) in Wednesday's opening round, with tip-off set for 11 a.m. Eastern time. VCU will not play at home until January 6, when the Rams take on East Carolina in a Colonial Athletic Association showdown at 4 p.m