WILL WADE MEDIA MINUTES (FEB. 13)
February 14, 2017
Men's Basketball Saint Joseph's Hawks, Will Wade Leave a comment
ABOUT THAT COMEBACK…
January 6, 2016
Men's Basketball, VCU Athletics Jordan Burgess, Saint Joseph's Hawks Leave a comment
Didn’t get enough of VCU’s comeback win at Saint Joseph’s Tuesday night in Philly? Here’s a few more highlights of the Rams’ rally for their biggest win of the season. VCU trailed by 13 with 4:57 remaining, but never quit, and has now won five straight as a result.
Also, here’s both Will Wade’s and Melvin Johnson’s postgame radio interviews, so you can hear about it directly from them.
Bonus: I haven’t posted this Jordan Burgess interview anywhere, so, here you go, a little chat with No. 20.
VIDEO: RAMS WING HAWKS 89-74, WIN EIGHTH STRAIGHT
January 11, 2015
Men's Basketball Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's Hawks, Shaka Smart Leave a comment
HIGHLIGHTS
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SHAKA SMART
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PHIL MARTELLI
IMPERFECT 150TH WIN A TEACHABLE MOMENT FOR SMART
January 10, 2015
Men's Basketball Saint Joseph's Hawks, Shaka Smart Leave a comment
RICHMOND, Va. – Shaka Smart won his 150th game Saturday afternoon. But you may want to hold off on ordering a congratulatory sheet cake with his grinning mug on it. Reading between the lines, it doesn’t sound like this manufactured milestone means much to him.
“Nothing. It says I’ve coached a lot of games,” the sixth-year VCU coach said. “It seems like I just coached my first game. It goes fast, and you learn not to take anything for granted. But I’m appreciative of our guys that we have on our team. I’m appreciative of the guys that I’ve coached on former teams. They’ve won the games. I’ve not scored a basket here or gotten a rebound. Obviously we’ve got a lot of goals in front of us and that’s what we’re focused on.”
That last part is key here. One of the main reasons Smart has won 150 games – and lost just 49 – is because he has a clear idea about what his and his team’s goals are, and a self-congratulatory victory lap in early January ain’t it.
VCU thumped defending Atlantic 10 Conference champion Saint Joseph’s for most of Saturday’s contest at the Verizon Wireless Arena. The final score, 89-74, doesn’t tell you that VCU led by 27 with 12 minutes to go or that no Rams starter needed to play more than 23 minutes. Melvin Johnson shot the lights out (7-of-8) and finished with 20 points, while Treveon Graham was, well, Treveon Graham. He added 19 economic points.
Most people wouldn’t think twice if Smart wanted to pat the team on the back and chalk up an eighth straight victory; heck, maybe even take the squad out for ice cream sandwiches. The Rams (13-3, 3-0 A-10) entered Saturday’s game ranked 20th in the country and are one of three teams unbeaten in league play.
Those people don’t know Shaka Smart very well.
VIDEO: VCU BEATS SAINT JOSEPH’S
March 16, 2013
Men's Basketball A-10 Tournament, Atlantic 10 Tournament, Saint Joseph's Hawks Leave a comment
RAMS’ YOUTH, BENCH HELP DELIVER A-10 QUARTERFINAL WIN
March 15, 2013
Men's Basketball A-10 Tournament, Atlantic 10 Tournament, Briante Weber, Darius Theus, Justin Tuoyo, Melvin Johnson, Rolando Lamb, Saint Joseph's Hawks, Shaka Smart, Troy Daniels. 2 Comments

Freshman Melvin Johnson (12 points) was one of several of VCU’s young reserves who were key Thursday.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – There was freshman Justin Tuoyo, all alone on the right wing. He’d barely played the last month and had missed 12 of his previous 14 three-pointers this season. From behind my position, a Saint Joseph’s fan, who had apparently done some advance scouting, shouted, “He can’t shoot a three, let him shoot it.”
Tuoyo promptly sized up the three and canned it.
Instead of hesitating or letting nerves overcome him on a big stage, the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals, Tuoyo stuck to the aggressive, attacking principles that Rams’ Coach Shaka Smart preaches.
At the time the bucket didn’t seem terribly significant. It gave the Rams a 64-47 lead with 8:11 remaining. But Saint Joseph’s, namely Carl Jones (29 points) and Langston Galloway (25 points), wouldn’t quit and managed to whittle the final margin to 82-79.
After the game, Smart was quick to remind Tuoyo of that bucket.
“I told him in the locker room after the game, I know it’s just one shot, but I don’t know if you noticed, but we won by three, and you hit a three,” Smart said. “So we needed every basket, and I think overall, just the contribution that he made in 14 minutes says a lot about his future.”
VCU-SAINT JOSEPH’S HALFTIME NOTES/RAPID REAX
March 15, 2013
Men's Basketball A-10 Tournament, Atlantic 10 Tournament, Saint Joseph's Hawks, Spike Lee Leave a comment
Score: VCU 33, Saint Joe’s 23
Of note: With Spike Lee courtside rooting for the Rams, VCU stormed out of the gate to a 14-6 lead on the strength of 6-of-9 shooting and six Saint Joseph’s turnovers. The Hawks actually turned the ball over six times in seven possessions at one point.
Early foul trouble was an issue for the Rams. Treveon Graham picked up his second foul at the 11:45 mark of the half and Juvonte Reddic picked up his second a short time later. In their absence, the Rams got important minutes from senior walk-on David Hinton (3) and freshman Justin Tuoyo (4). Although neither player scored, they played sound defensively and kept Saint Joseph’s out of the lane.
Freshman Melvin Johnson, a Bronx native, continued his late-season surge, scoring eight first-half points in front of more than 50 friends and family. Senior Darius Theus led the Rams with nine points in the first, including a high-arching floater off the glass to beat the first half horn.
Although Saint Joseph’s had a 12-5 advantage in fouls, the Hawks were just 8-of-15 at the line. Carl Jones was the only Hawk to score the last nine minutes of the half and had eight points in all.
VCU shot 48 percent (14-of-29) in the first half, while Saint Joe’s shot 37 percent (7-of-19).
SIZING UP VCU’S POTENTIAL A-10 QUARTERFINAL OPPONENTS
March 13, 2013
Men's Basketball A-10 Tournament, Atlantic 10 Tournament, Chris Mack, Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's Hawks, Semaj Christon, Xavier Musketeers Leave a comment
No. 7 Xavier Musketeers (17-13, 9-7)
Coach: Chris Mack (fourth season)
RPI/KenPom: 78/80
A-10 Tournament Championships: 4 (1998, 2002, 2004, 2006)
All time vs. VCU: series tied 2-2
This season: VCU 75, Xavier 71 (Feb. 23 – Cincinnati, Ohio)
Player to watch: Semaj Christon, Fr., Guard (15.4 ppg, 4.7 apg)
The rundown: Should the Rams draw the Musketeers in Friday’s quarterfinals, Christon would likely play a critical role in the outcome of the game. The last time these two teams met, the A-10 Rookie of the Year committed 10 turnovers against VCU’s Havoc full-court press. Yes, 10.
The first meeting between these two was a tale of two halves. Xavier shot an incredible 74 percent (14-of-19) in the first half and took a 39-26 lead into the lockerroom. The Musketeers extended their margin to as much as 17 points with 18:57 left before the Rams started knocking down shots and the press began wearing Xavier down. In all, VCU turned Xavier over 22 times in the game, which the Rams converted into 23 points.
VIDEO: VCU OUTLASTS SAINT JOSEPH’S IN OT
January 18, 2013
Men's Basketball Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's Hawks, Shaka Smart 4 Comments
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REDDIC TO THEUS MAKES SPORTSCENTER TOP 10
SHAKA SMART PRESSER
PHIL MARTELLI PRESSER