BEFORE THE BALL DROPS…

I mentioned in my notes from the Wofford game how Shaka Smart and Bradford Burgess talked about getting Brad 12 or more shots a game. That conversation came prior to VCU’s contest with UAB. Well, in the three games since, Burgess has taken 14, 11 and 14 shots and averaged 14.3 points per game, including 26 at UAB and 24 tonight against New Hampshire.

“[Coach] has definitely been pressing me to get more aggressive in the offense,” Burgess said following the New Hampshire win. “I’m definitely trying to assert myself more, but it’s about the team, it’s not about me. I’m always trying to find the guys shots and get guys open looks and making the play. It’s great when coach tells you to shoot the ball. You don’t want him to tell you not to shoot the ball. It’s just something that can help me and can help our team.”

With all of the offensive options that VCU has available, it’s not uncommon for Burgess to defer sometimes. Smart sees Burgess as a match-up nightmare for opposing teams and wants to maximize his opportunities.

“Sometimes I do get that way, but I’m trying to change,” Burgess said. “I guess it’s something you’ll see me do more.”

VCU is 5-2 this season when Burgess attempts at least 10 field goals.

WE’RE GOING STREAKING!
VCU has won a Siegel Center record 17 straight at home. The school record for consecutive home wins is 25, set between 1969-72 at Franklin Street Gym. Here’s a look at the Rams’ current streak, which ranks in the top 10 nationally. VCU’s last loss at the Siegel Center was on Jan. 4, 2010, a 62-57 defeat at the hands of Northeastern. The Rams are 145-23 all-time on the corner of Broad and Harrison.

2009-10
01/09/10: Delaware (77-64)
01/20/10: William & Mary (81-59)
01/27/10: Towson (112-53)
01/30/10: Georgia State (78-62)
02/06/10: Old Dominion (70-58)
02/16/10: Drexel (73-54)
02/20/10: Akron (70-53)
02/24/10: James Madison (76-62)
03/22/10: College of Charleston (93-86)
03/24/10: Boston (88-75)
03/29/10: Saint Louis (68-56)

2010-11
11/12/10: UNC Greensboro (101-86)
12/04/10: William & Mary (59-55)
12/08/10: VMI (86-80)
12/18/10: Tulane (70-67)
12/29/10: Wofford (75-66)
12/30/10: New Hampshire (78-65)

William & Mary has dropped two games to VCU during the streak. The average margin of victory during the streak has been 14.1 points per game.

FUN WITH NUMBERS
Joey Rodriguez ripped four steals Thursday to move into third place on VCU’s career list with 197…Rodriguez handed out eight assists and did not commit a turnover against the Wildcats… VCU’s first 48 points came from Burgess, Brandon Rozzell and Jamie Skeen. That trio finished with 65 of the Rams’ 78 points… Burgess (24) and Rozzell (23) each topped 20 points in the game, the second time at least two Rams have done that this season. Rozzell, Rodriguez and Skeen all topped the 20-point barrier in VCU’s 101-86 win over UNC Greensboro earlier this season.

HOLIDAYS ON THE HARDWOOD LIVE BLOG (DAY 2)

Holidays on the Hardwood Day 2

RAM-BLINGS

Before we dust off the Caddy for tonight’s New Hampshire-VCU game, I though I’d add a few more thoughts on last night’s Wofford win.

• Shaka Smart wants to get Brad Burgess more involved. For whatever reason, Burgess seems to defer to his teammates, but Smart told his junior forward before the UAB game that he wanted to get him at least 12 shots a night. Burgess has taken 14 and 11 shots in the last two games, respectively.
• I thought Joey Rodriguez looked a little gun shy in the first half and passed up a couple of shots he’d normally take. Rodriguez shot .292 in his previous six games, so you can see how confidence could be an issue. However, there was one point in the first where Joey caught a ball on the right wing about 25 feet from the basket and rather than jack up a long three, the senior guard faked, took two dribbles in and drilled a 3-pointer. From that point forward Rodriguez seemed to relax and finished 4-of-5 on the night.
• For all the balance the Rams have, Rodriguez seems to be their ‘X’ Factor. When he plays well, VCU plays well. Rodriguez is 5-of-31 from the floor in VCU losses this season.
• Juvonte Reddic is a really exciting prospect. Athletically, he’s really gifted and has soft hands and nice touch around the basket. He snared a wide pass from Darius Theus at one point in the second half and swooped up towards the basket for a layup all in one motion last night. He’s HAS to get bigger, however.
• Do not overlook this Wofford victory as just another win. I realize that the name Wofford means as much to the casual fan as Winnebago, but that is a very good team that could spring an upset or two in March. They’ve got four senior starters, including the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year in Noah Dahlman. Wofford’s six other losses are to Minnesota, Clemson, Georgetown, Air Force (in OT), Xavier (in triple OT) and South Carolina. They also beat George Mason, the preseason No. 2 pick in the CAA.
• The first thing Shaka Smart noted in last night’s press conference was Jamie Skeen’s defensive effort on Dahlman. Skeen only took six shots and scored seven points, but he held Dahlman, who averages 19 a game and dumped 37 on Elon and 33 on Xavier, to just 13 points.

SOUL-SEARCHING HELPS RAMS PAST WOFFORD

Shaka Smart tried to get away from basketball for a couple of days to enjoy the holidays. He spent some time with his wife, Maya, time which is precious in the middle of basketball season. They caught a couple of movies, but it was hard for Smart to keep the coach in him at bay. Every once in a while he found his mind wandering, and he’d shake his head and kick himself.

The feeling was much the same for Joey Rodriguez. Following VCU’s jarring, 68-65, loss at UAB on Dec. 21, in which the Rams watched a nine-point lead disintegrate with two minutes to go, Rodriguez and his father, Joe, drove eight hours from Birmingham, Ala. to family’s home in Merritt Park, Fla. In the dark of the night, they talked, and talked, and then talked some more, and tried to hammer out solutions to the younger Rodriguez’s recent struggles.

“It was bad,” Joey Rodriguez said of the loss. “Lot of people frustrated, some tears in the locker room. It hurt a lot. We want to win. It’s not like we’re going out there trying to lose. We thought we played so well. For the first 30-35 minutes, that was our best game of the year on both ends of the floor. Just letting it slip away like that really hurt. It was probably one of the worst losses I’ve had here.” READ MORE…

HOLIDAYS ON THE HARDWOOD BLOG – DAY 1

I’m a noob and haven’t figured out to embed the blog here, so click this link to read the live blog!

CELL PHONE TOUCHDOWN DANCES

Greetings. I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and I hope to see you all at VCU’s Holidays on the Hardwood Wednesday and Thursday.

It’ll be nice to get back to playing basketball. The best thing to do after a loss to just get back on the floor and play. I’d imagine the players and coaches have had plenty (also read: too much) time to think about the UAB loss. Wednesday’s game with Wofford can’t come fast enough.

How tough was that 68-65 loss to UAB? I can’t remember the last time I spiked my cell phone after a basketball game. Picked it up, jammed it into the couch as hard as I could in disgust. I don’t recommend this with a Blackberry, iPhone or Android. If you have an ancient Samsung flip phone with a huge crack in the front, then you’re in the clear. Feel free to add the Ickey Shuffle or Electric Slide afterward.

In six years at VCU, I don’t remember being angrier after a loss than I was after that game. Completely incensed is the only way I can describe it. To add insult to injury, I forgot that with three or four minutes to go in the game, I told my wife I’d go to WalMart with her. At the time, the Rams had a nine-point lead or so. No problem. You think you’re mad after blowing a nine-point lead in two minutes, try negotiating a New Jersey WalMart during the holidays. All of the sudden, basketball seemed like the least of my worries.

Note: I just got done watching Spaceballs for the 1,389th time. Never gets old. Mel Brooks is a genius.

Spaceballs! The links!

• Passing the Sniff Test (CAAHoops.com).
• People Who Enjoyed Their 15 Minutes of Fame in 2010 (Time).
• The 15 Biggest High-Five Fails in Sports (Bleacher Report).

D.J. HALEY: A LIFE LESS ORDINARY

D.J. Haley dips his head slightly to make sure he clears the door frame. With temperatures in the Richmond area dropping into the 20′s and 30′s, the Southern California native has tucked his seven-foot, 247-lb frame into a pair of grey VCU Basketball sweatpants and blue Chicago Cubs hooded pullover. He completes the outfit with a pair of bulky, black-rimmed eyeglasses, adding a touch of a Clark Kent to his casual basketballer chic.

It’s tough for Haley not to stand out. He’s a bit of an arresting image, this seven-foot giant. His demeanor is reserved, and Haley is unfailingly polite and earnest. But not five minutes into the interview, he says, only half-joking, that he’d like to go into space one day. A seven-footer in space? It’s never happened, but it’s obvious after talking to Haley for a few minutes that that you can’t underestimate the 18-year-old freshman. It seems that Haley isn’t your typical Division I banger in the low blocks.

“He doesn’t mind being different,” says VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart. “That’s what’s really good about him. He has an inner belief and a confidence, which I think is terrific. READ MORE…

READING IS FUN-DAMENTAL

Great little tidbit out of Oklahoma City for the holidays. Recently, Eric Maynor (he’s kind of a big deal around these parts) teamed up with Royal Ivey (yes, that’s really his name) to participate in the NBA’s Read to Achieve program. NBA.com is shifty and won’t let me embed the video, but feel free to watch it here.

HOLIDAY BONUS: Maynor plays basketball too.

FLOWERY THOUGHTS FROM THE GARDEN STATE

Greetings from New Jersey, home of Bruce Springsteen, horrendous traffic and my in-laws. It’s also the most poorly nicknamed state in the Union. I mean, The Garden State? Like, when, 1692? The closest thing to a garden in this state is The Garden State Parkway. If by “garden”, they mean urban sprawl, then, yes. I’m not hating. I lived here for four years and liked most of it, but Garden State, it’s certainly not.

Anyway, after spending my Monday on I-95, I’m eager get some links up on this here site. Let’s talk about Saturday’s Men’s Basketball game. In the first half, it looked like the Rams were going to run roughshod on Tulane, only to need some timely buckets to hold on for a 70-67 victory. I could talk all day about that stuff, but I’m going to leave that for somebody else.

• Enough was enough in VCU’s Victory (Richmond Times-Dispatch).
• Rams flip script and pull out win (Richmond Times-Dispatch).
• Monday Sankalpa: Lead, Follow Or Get Out of the Way… (CAAHoops.com).
• Hey look, highlights!
  

RANDOM THOUGHTS
First and foremost, a win is a win. Let’s not forget that. However, I’m sure many fans would agree that we’d like to see more out of this VCU team. It’s one thing to have one subpar performance, but Saturday, the Rams had to hold off Tulane in the closing minutes. It was the fifth straight game where VCU couldn’t put together a complete performance. I don’t know what’s missing right now, but the Rams haven’t been able to put it all together for a couple of weeks.

Rebounding is a major concern. VCU allowed 16 offensive rebounds on Saturday, many of which resulted in easy buckets for the Green Wave. Tulane scored 52 of its 67 points in the paint. That number really jumps off the page. VCU’s halfcourt defense was actually pretty good, but rebounding wiped out much of that good work.

Juvonte Reddic has shown some really good things the last two games. In a combined 29 minutes, Reddic has knocked down 5-of-6 shots and grabbed seven rebounds. He’s looked every bit as agile and athletic as we imagined. He also looks pretty raw offensively. However, there was one point on Saturday where Joey Rodriguez grabbed a rebound, looked up and fired an outlet pass to a streaking Reddic. It was shades of Rodriguez to Larry Sanders. That combination was particularly effective for the Rams last year. I’d like to see more of that action, which will hopefully get VCU’s transition game going.

 

I GOT YA NOTEBOOK RIGHT HERE

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
When the VCU Women’s Basketball team hosts Longwood Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena, Head Coach Beth Cunningham isn’t entirely sure what the Rams will see.

On Dec. 6, the Lancers replaced Head Coach Kristin Caruso with Men’s Assistant Bill Reinson. In the 12 days since, Longwood has played just one game, a 74-70 win over Wright State on Dec. 11. In the meantime, Reinson will likely have had ample practice time to take inventory of his team and decide if changes are necessary.

“A lot of the tapes and DVD’s we’re watching are prior to him having an opportunity to coach them,” Cunningham said. “Obviously, we’re very familiar with their personnel. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some things tomorrow that we haven’t seen on tape. We’ve just got to make sure that our kids are ready for whatever is thrown at them.” READ MORE.

FRIDAY LINKS 

• Now you can listen to VCU radio broadcasts on your phone. Take that, loud subway talk on phone guy!
• Next year, these guys are going to have to up the ante by having Lucy pull the ball out of the way just in time. Really cool video.
• The VCU Men’s Basketball team takes on Tulane tomorrow at 2 p.m. Here’s VCU Assistant Will Wade breaking down the Green Wave.