I don’t really miss doing game notes. In principle, I enjoy most of what goes into notes. Researching stats and trends, seeing how players stack up historically, etc. But they’re a lot of work. By the time you get halfway through basketball season, you just want to set them on fire. It’s tough not to like all this information, however. Here’s some good stuff from the VCU-William & Mary game notes, most of it courtesy of Scott Day.

  • William & Mary Head Coach Tony Shaver and VCU Assistant Mike Rhoades go back a ways. Shaver presided over the program at Hamden-Sydney for 17 years, crossing paths with then Randolph-Macon lead man Rhoades 11 times. Rhoades was 6-5 in those 11 meetings with Shaver.
  • Joey Rodriguez needs two 3-point field goals to move past Chris Brower (175) for third on the Rams’ career list. Rodriguez is also three steals away from passing Edmund Sherod (202) for second in school history.
  • In five career games, Bradford Burgess has never scored more than nine points against William & Mary. Burgess is averaging 6.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in those five games.
  • Rodriguez and Brandon Rozzell are 14-of-31 each from 3-point range against the Tribe in their careers.
  • Rodriguez scored just five points in his first three career games against the Tribe. In five meetings since, Rodriguez has averaged 12.8 points and 4.8 assists.
  • Ed Nixon is shooting .530 (18-of-34) in his career against William & Mary.
  • VCU is 35-12 all-time against William & Mary. The Rams dropped the first meeting, 55-54, at the Richmond Coliseum on Nov. 25, 1977. VCU then proceeded to win the next 15 games in the series, a span of more than 19 years. The Rams also put together a 12-game win streak from 2003-2008.

THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE
VCU is 0-3 this year when allowing between 70-79 points. However, the Rams are 3-0 this year when their opponent scores 80 or more.

DIFFERENCE-MAKERS
VCU is…

  • 9-1 when leading at halftime this year
  • 5-0 when scoring 80 or more
  • 8-1 when shooting 45 percent or better
  • 4-1 when outrebounding opponents
  • 11-1 when leading with 5:00 left
  • 5-0 after a loss