Sunday, March 17, 2024

Duquesne's Defense Smothers Rams

Final Score:
Duquesne 57, VCU 51.
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Updated Records: (#6) Duquesne 24-11. (#5) VCU 22-13. 

In a nutshell: Hot-shooting Duquesne ran up an 18-point lead in the first half. It landed like a sucker-punch to the jaw. The Dukes sank seven of 14 three-pointers attempted in the opening stanza. 

Battling the Dukes' dogged defense VCU spent the rest of the game working to incrementally recover from that daunting deficit. Late in the second half action, the determined Rams closed the gap to one point, 49-to-48, but their spirited comeback fell short.

Coming off the Rams' bench, Bamisile contributed 20 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished for two assists and blocked three shots. But he went zero-for-eight from beyond the arc . 

Jackson scored 11 points, pulled down five rebounds and made two steals. Kuany with six points and three blocks). Lawal scored four points and corralled nine rebounds. However, the Duke's smothering defense held Shulga to five points (1-for-5 in treys) and Bairstow to just three points. 

NOTES: (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • VCU went just 5-of-24 (21 percent) from 3-point range, while Duquesne shot 8-of-25. Duquesne had a 41-32 advantage in rebounds. 
  • The Dukes went 7-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half and shot 42.9 percent to build a 36-22 halftime lead.
  • VCU’s defense held Duquesne scoreless for an 8:32 second-half stretch. After Duquesne built its lead back to 49-41 with 4:35 remaining, the Rams made another run -- VCU used a 7-0 burst to get within one point. 
  • Then, down 51-48, the Rams missed shots on back-to-back possessions and the Dukes pulled away with a 6-0 run. 
  • Shulga and Bamisile were named to the All-Atlantic 10 Championship Team. 

NEXT UP: A first round NIT game with Villanova (18-15) Wed., Mar. 20, in Philadelphia. Tipoff at 9 p.m. TV: ESPN2.

-- 30 --

Saturday, March 16, 2024

A-10 Semifinal: Hawks Fall to Rams

Final Score:
VCU 66, St. Joe’s 60
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Up-to-date records: #5 VCU 22-12, #9 St. Joe’s 21-13

In a Nutshell: Too much Shulga!

Nineteen of Shulga's game-high 25 points came in the second half. The sharpshooting A-10 Conference's first-team guard had himself quite a game. 

Shulga connected on 10 of his 11 attempts from the field. While he was at it, he hit three of his four shots from 3-point distance. He also grabbed four rebounds and dished for three assists. And, on defense, he made three steals. Truth be told, Shulga delivered a postseason conference tournament semifinal performance that Rams fans will surely talk about for a long time.

Other Rams who responded well to the challenge to beat a good St. Joe's team were: Jackson with 12 points and eight boards; Bairstow with 13 points and two boards; Lawal with seven points and six boards.

In all, it was a well played game by both teams. The ref's allowed a lot of contact, which is in keeping with tradition in postseason play. Which is OK by me. Let 'em play! 

The Rams led the score for 27:42. The Hawks led for 5:12. The score was tied 12 times. 

NOTES (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • The Rams built a 21-12 lead in the first half with 4:24 to go on a Shulga stepback jumper. The Hawks rallied with a 13-2 run and took a 25-23 lead into the half.
  • VCU opened the second half on a 10-4 run and a Jackson layup gave the Rams a 33-29 lead with 16:35 left in the contest.
  • The score was tied 55-55 with 3:43 remaining before a Bamisile jumper and layups from Bairstow and Jackson pushed VCU ahead 61-57 with 1:35 left.
  • The Hawks cut the lead to 61-60 on the next possession but Joe Bamisile answered with a baseline dunk to pushed the lead to 63-60 with 42 seconds left. 
  • The Rams got a defensive stop on the other end and sealed the game at the free throw line. 
  • There were eight ties and three lead changes in the second half, but VCU never trailed in the final 12:38 of game action.
  • VCU shot 51 percent (29-of-57) from the field while the Hawks shot 44 percent (24-of-55).
  • VCU forced 14 St. Joe’s turnovers while committing just eight, leading 13-8 in points off turnovers.
  • The Rams’ efficient scoring came by way of outscoring the Hawks 42-26 in points in the paint.
  • St. Joe’s was led by Erik Reynolds who scored 18 points.
  • VCU has now reached the A-10 Championship game in eight of 11 seasons in the league since joining in 2012-13. The Rams are 8-0 all-time in A-10 Semifinal contests.
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: The Rams are now aiming to capture back-to-back A-10 tournament championships and go dancing, again. Tomorrow's tilt will pit (#5) VCU (22-12) against (#6) Duquesne (23-11). Tipoff at 1 pm. TV: CBS.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

A-10 Tournament: Rams Overwhelm the Minutemen

Final score:
VCU 73, UMass 59.
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Current records: (#5) VCU 21-12. (#4) UMass 20-11.

In a nutshell: VCU beat a pretty good team today. This season UMass has earned the reputation of being a physically tough team, especially in its rebounding. But today, during its quarterfinal matchup with the VCU Rams, the Minutemen weren't the tougher, more determined team on the court. And, the Rams won the battle of the boards, 37-to-26.

In my view, I have to doubt that UMass showed up fully prepared for how kickass good VCU's rebounding execution would turn out to be. Furthermore, the non-stop intensity of the Rams' half court defense throughout the contest had to have been somewhat surprising, too.

After the Rams ran roughshod (42-to-25) over the Minutemen in the first stanza, in the second half, every time UMass began to rally, VCU stiff-armed the gap-closing momentum. 

Following two games in two days, Coach Ryan Odom's team may really appreciate tomorrow's day off from playing. Or, maybe they feel so good about themselves, right now, the Rams would be happy to play St. Joe's Hawks tonight.

From the Rams' scorebook: Jackson 17 pts., 4 rebounds, 5 assists. Bamisile 18 pts., 1 rebound, 1 assist. Bairstow 9 pts., 4 rebounds, 2 assists. Lawal 7 pts., 6 rebounds. Belle 7 pts., 6 rebounds. Fermin 7 pts., 3 rebounds.

VCU's bench outscored the UMass bench by a whopping 34-to-4. In addition to the significant contributions of bench players, Bamisile and Lawal, Belle's energetic play was also a big plus.

NO
TES: (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • VCU shot 50 percent (22-of-44) from the field and 23-of-30 from the free throw line. The Rams held the Minutemen to just 35 percent (19-of-54) shooting from the floor and 29 percent (7-of-24) from deep. 
  • VCU led 20-16 with 7:45 left in the first half before going on a 18-5 run capped off by a Lawal dunk. The Rams took a 42-25 lead into the break. The Rams held the Minutemen to 7-of-28 shooting in the first half, including 1-of-9 from three. 
  • UMass was 14-of-19 from the free throw line. 
  • VCU had a 15-7 advantage in points off turnovers, efficiently capitalizing on just nine Minutemen turnovers. 
  • The Rams had their lead cut to 65-59 with 4:24 left in the game before clamping down on defense. VCU ended the game on an 8-0 scoring run sparked by a Bamisile layup to end the game. 
  • UMass outscored VCU 19-8 to begin the second half behind Diggins’ scoring outburst to cut the Ram’s lead to 54-47 with 9:46 remaining. 
  • UMass would only get as close as six points for the remainder of the game.
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: On Saturday afternoon (#5) VCU will face (#9) St. Joe's in a semifinal game. Tipoff at 1 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. The Hawks earned their semifinal appearance by upsetting (#1) Richmond. 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

A-10 Tournament: VCU Prevails in Battle of the Rams

Final score:
VCU 69, Fordham 62.
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Current records: VCU 20-12, Fordham 13-20.

In a nutshell: It was a tight game most of the way. Both Rams teams gave it their all. Fordham's largest lead was five points, early in the second half. VCU's largest lead was seven points, at the end of the contest. The score was tied 11 times. VCU won the game, for the most part, by outplaying Fordham in the last four minutes. 

In this case, "outplaying" means VCU's entire effort. The offense. The half-court defense. The overall rebounding. The free-throw shooting when it counted most. And, as the seconds ticked down, the coaching that kept VCU focused and executing, with plenty of hustle and enough confidence to get the job done. 

From the VCU scorebook: Shulga's stats: 14 pts., 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Lawal's stats: 13 pts. and 6 rebounds. Jackson's stats: 10 pts., 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Bairstow's stats: 9 pts., 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Kuany's stats: 9 pts., 2 rebounds. 

As Fordham played and won an overtime game yesterday, in fairness, fatigue may have been a factor in those last four crucial minutes. VCU enjoyed a bye past yesterday's first round action. Fordham's Rose led all scorers with 19 pts.

By the way, at VCU's expense the refs were consistently awful. Sometimes that happens. And, that's all I choose to say about that aspect of what was a pretty good game, anyway. 

NOTES 
(Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • VCU went 17-of-23 from the free throw line in the second half, while Fordham was just 7-of-10.
  • VCU’s defense held Fordham without a field goal for the final 6:26 of game action and allowed just six points. 
  • The Black and Gold scored 15 points at the free throw line during that stretch despite not hitting a field goal for the final 8:41.
  • VCU tried to pull away in the first half, taking a 31-24 lead on a pair of Lawal free throws with 4:53 left in the half. Fordham responded with a 14-3 run to lead 38-34 with 49 seconds left, but a Joe Bamisile 3-pointer got VCU within 38-37 at the break.
  • VCU trailed 54-50 with 9:35 remaining, but retook the lead with 4:44 left and never trailed again.

NEXT UP: Tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon, (#5) VCU (20-12) will face (#4) UMass (20-10). Tipoff at approximately 2 p.m. TV: USA Network. 

-- 30 --

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Where's the MAGA Kryptonite?

On Feb. 6, 2024, a D.C. Circuit Court's three-judge panel ruled unanimously that Trump does not have a blank check for immunity. Maybe those three judges still agree with those of us who believe that nobody has ever had such an anti-rule-of-law thing in the USA. Of course, since he lost (again), Trump appealed (again).

However, on Feb. 28, 2024, instead of stating the obvious -- that the appellate court panel's ruling was spot on, so there's no need to hear the case again -- the Supreme Court announced the date it had selected to begin to hear pro-and-con oral arguments on Trump's immunity claim issue.

Coast-to-coast, wishful thinking Democrats and anti-Trumplicans of every stripe groaned. Looking back on that sad day, it seems too many of us had jumped to the conclusion that the D.C. appellate court's ruling was tantamount to MAGA Kryptonite.

Phooey!

Thus, on April 22, the Supremes will have to sit and listen to Trump's legal team explain why the hell the Insurrectionist in Chief should never have to face the music spawned by 91 felonies. At least why he should definitely not have his free speech stifled by having to take time away from his political circus road show, to endure trials for having done stuff that is only alleged to be criminal by non-believers.

Ha! That's it. Trump's last resort defense will be that if He, the Second Coming does it, in this Christian nation it simply cannot be criminal.

Where's that damn MAGA Kryptonite?

-- 30 --

Saturday, March 09, 2024

VCU's Spirited Effort Falls Short in Dayton

Final Score:
Dayton 91, VCU 86 (OT)
Location: UD Arena
Current Records: Dayton 24-6, 14-4 in A-10. VCU 19-12, 11-7 A-10.

In a nutshell: 
By the 10:08 mark of the first half, VCU had jumped out to a shocking 17-point lead. In all, the Rams led for over 37 minutes of the contest. Thus, some VCU fans will surely think the Rams should have won this game to cap off the regular season. Yet, in spite of what was a spirited effort, this time VCU just couldn't finish the deal against the AP Poll's No. 25th ranked team.

While Zeb Jackson scored a career-high 26 points, VCU was unable to stave off Dayton's late rally in regulation time. Then, in the five-minute overtime period, with their confidence soaring, the Flyers pulled away; 
Elvis scored 10 of his 15 points in OT. 

So it was that the always tough Dayton Flyers, coached by Anthony Grant, finished the season undefeated on their home court (15-0). And, that's how VCU finished off the regular season with its third consecutive loss, to fall to fifth place in the conference standings.

NOTES
 
(Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • Jackson knocked down 10-of-22 attempts from the field, including a career-best 6-of-14 from 3-point range. He also supplied five rebounds and three assists. Shulga added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Rams.
  • Bamisile and Bairstow also poured in 13 points each for the Rams. Bairstow made three steals.
  • Back-to-back buckets by Dayton’s Cheeks and Brea tied the game at 70-70 with 1:35 left in regulation. Although both teams had a pair of looks in the final 90 seconds, neither could convert.
  • Jackson canned a 3-pointer from the wing to give VCU an 80-77 lead with 1:21 remaining in overtime, but Dayton’s Elvis answered with back-to-back triples over a dizzying 26-second sequence to put the Flyers in front 83-80 with 43 seconds left.
  • VCU misfired on a 3-pointer on its next trip and four straight free throws extended the Flyers lead to 87-80 with 15 seconds on the clock. VCU staged one last-ditch effort when 3-pointers by Jackson and Shulga cut the deficit to 88-86 with four seconds left, but the Rams could get no closer.
  • Dayton was led by Holmes, who recorded 23 points and 10 rebounds, as well as Santos, who chipped in 21 points and eight boards. 
  • Dayton shot 54 percent (30-of-56) from the field in the game, including 55 percent (12-of-22) from 3-point range.
  • The Flyers made 25 trips to the free throw line and connected on 19 of those free throws. VCU was sent to the line six times in the game, converting on 4-of-6.
  • VCU leads the all-time series with Dayton 18-10.
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: The Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. awaits. It will be held March 12-17. After a first-round bye, VCU will play the winner of the #12 vs. #13 game on Wed., Mar.13. Tipoff will be at approximately 2 p.m. The game will be televised on the USA network.

Friday, March 08, 2024

About 'Goodnight Irene'

 

When I was growing up my grandmother use to enjoy recounting a story about my affection for The Weavers recording of the song in the video above. Their version of "Goodnight Irene" became popular when I was two years old. So I may have first heard it on the radio.

According to my grandmother, the scene that follows played out in a restaurant she and my grandfather frequented. It had a big, lit up jukebox that fascinated me. It seems I was crazy about "Goodnight Irene" and would play it over and over.

As the song played, she said I would sway with the music and hug the jukebox. A three-year-old's dance, of a sort, I suppose. 

Apparently, I also liked the feel of the sound's vibrations. But I don't remember that part. However, I do remember that place's jukebox, itself. It was mostly green. I also vaguely remember pretending it was a rocker ship and I was driving it.

"Goodnight Irene" was the first of several popular songs I fell in love with, as a kid. This flashback is one of my earliest memories about anything.

As a small child I lived in a big old stucco house with my maternal grandparents, who were both fine musicians ... but they had regular day jobs. My grandmother was a nurse and an excellent pianist. My grandfather was a professional barbershop quartet bass, as well as a backup singer for recording sessions, mostly done in D.C. By day, he was an architect/draftsman for the C&O Railway. 


My exposure to their music and that of their friends who came over to party and rehearse, standing around the piano, left quite a mark on me. 
In particular, in that same time -- early 1950s -- I was a fan of the doowop style, maybe because it sounded something like the harmony of the barbershop quartet style. 

Of course, ever since then -- 70-some years ago -- whenever I hear that recording of "Goodnight Irene," it always takes me back to my rocket ship driving era.

-- 30 --

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

About Rachel Maddow's 'Ultra'

About "Ultra":

Listening to this series of nine excellent podcasts can be encouraging. That's because Rachel Maddow's "Ultra" tells us that we, the people, have faced the threat fascism poses to our way of life before. Moreover, our democracy dealt with the threat and survived. But, of course, the threat is back...

From the Ultra web page: "Sitting members of Congress aiding and abetting a plot to overthrow the government. Insurrectionists criminally charged with plotting to end American democracy for good..."

This well-researched, timely series documents a piece of history that well-informed good citizens need to know about and understand. And, get this: the parallels to what the power-hungry Trumplicans are trying to do to the USA today are chilling.

Maddow's nine "Ultra" podcast episodes also provide some background to help a listener better understand the hatred of President Franklin D. Roosevelt by extremists on the right during the Depression era and WWII years. Radical priest/radio commentator Charles E. Coughlin (widely known as Father Coughlin) and the Nazi-supporting American First movement/cult provided some of the leadership for anti-liberal/anti-FDR thinking in the USA.

By the way, there's a straight line leading from that America First movement directly to today's American First supporters of Trump. Back in the 1940s that group's activities provided a model for today's hate-driven MAGA cultists who -- in plain sight -- are pursuing an agenda to establish a cruel American autocracy.

For more background info here's a link to a NPR story about Maddow's "Ultra" podcast series. From my standpoint, "Ultra" is quite well produced and reasonably entertaining. It's about some crazy damn history that unfolded only 70-some-to-80-some years ago.

In those mid-century hard times, fortunately America's society was up to confronting the threat posed to its institutions by homegrown fascism. Click here to listen to "Ultra" and learn.

-- 30 --


Dukes Outplay Rams, 69-to-59

Final Score:
Duquesne 69, VCU 59.
Location: Siegel Center.
Records: Duquesne 19-11, 9-8 in A-10. VCU 19-11, 11-6 A-10.

In a nutshell: Although 
Bamisile led VCU with 18 points and three boards, Duquesne made sure it wasn't enough. In the closing minutes, the Dukes won the game pulling away from the Rams. Grant paced the visitors' effort with a hot hand, scoring with 26 points.

Due to a back injury, Shulga, VCU’s leading scorer, did not play. Unfortunately, in what was the Rams last home game of the regular season, Shulga's teammates were just not able to close ranks to make up for his sorely missed presence. Two exceptions to that observation were Jackson and Lawal. 

Jackson scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Lawal added 11 points and five boards coming off the bench. Overall, he played with the same aggressiveness and growing confidence we've seen from him in recent games

Clearly, Shulga's steadiness late in the contest was missed; to add to the Rams' woes, during the game Billips twisted an ankle. Going forward the status of both players is uncertain. 

As this game served as VCU’s annual Senior Day, prior to the contest four graduates -- Bairstow, Jackson, Kuany and Shulga -- were honored on the court in the traditional way. 

NOTES: (
Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • Duquesne put together a 31-27 halftime lead. Then VCU took a 41-38 lead on a thunderous fast break dunk by Bairstow at the 15:38 mark of the second half, but that proved to be the Rams’ last hurrah. 
  • Duquesne promptly responded with a 15-2 run, punctuated by a dunk by Drame, to take a 53-44 lead with 9:45 remaining. The Rams could get no closer than a six-point difference the rest of the way.
  • Duquesne shot 48 percent (13-of-27) from the field in the second half. That included 6-of-13 from 3-point range.
  • The Dukes built a 33-to-31 rebounding advantage and knocked down 11-of-12 free throw attempts. VCU made good on nine of its 14 shots from the  charity stripe.
  • VCU’s bench outscored Duquesne's bench, 34-to-20.
  • VCU leads in the all-time series with Duquesne 8-3.

NEXT UP:
 O
n Fri., Mar. 8, VCU will visit Dayton for its regular season's last game. Tipoff at 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2.

Sunday, March 03, 2024

Hot-Shooting Richmond Outscores VCU

Final Score:
Richmond 79, VCU 76
Location: The Robins Center
Records: Richmond 22-7, 14-2 in A-10. VCU 19-10, 11-5 A-10. 


In a nutshell: It wasn't that VCU played all that bad. It was that Richmond played better and prevailed. 

More specifically, in spite of their commendable effort on defense, when it counted most, the Rams simply couldn't stop two Spiders sharpshooting guards, Jordan King (27 pts.) and Delonnie Hunt (16 pts.), from scoring. 

All five of the Spiders starters scored in double figures. The Rams also had five players score in double figures. Both teams grabbed 30 rebounds. VCU committed 10 turnovers, Richmond committed 11 turnovers. VCU blocked three shots, UR blocked four.

However, in the second half, shooting from the field, the visitors hit 57.1 percent. But the home team made good on 66.7 percent of its shots. Several of those Spiders baskets were made with the shooters being closely guarded. During one amazing spell of the second stanza, Richmond connected on 13 consecutive shots from the field.  

In two matchups during the 2023-24 season, since both teams won their home game, it appears the crosstown rivalry is alive and well.

NOTES: (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)

  • Over the final 2:59 of the first half, King scored 10 points, including a go-ahead, step-back jumper, to spur Richmond to an 11-2 run and a 32-29 halftime lead. 
  • Out of the break, Max Shulga hit a 3-pointer at the 13:32 mark of the second half to cap a 15-5 burst by VCU. Shulga led the Rams scoring with 19 points. He knocked down 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and converted all seven of his free throws. He also supplied four rebounds and two assists. 
  • Sean Bairstow added 13 points, five assists and three rebounds for the Rams. Tobi Lawal and Zeb Jackson also chipped in 13 each for VCU. Jackson provided six rebounds and four assists, while Lawal hauled in five boards. 
  • King drilled a pair of 3-pointers to spark a 12-0 Richmond run midway through the second half that pushed the Spiders in front 52-47 with 10:43 left. King added a third triple, a contested fadeaway from the right wing, as the shot clock expired, to extend Richmond’s advantage to 57-50 at the 9:24 mark.
  • Back-to-back steals and buckets by Jackson and Lawal capped a 9-2 VCU blitz that pulled the Rams within 65-63 with 4:47 remaining. The teams traded a pair of buckets before Isaiah Bigelow provided the Spiders with a 70-65 cushion with a 3-pointer from the wing with 3:58 on the clock. 
  • The Rams drew within three once more, but could not get over the hump. A dunk by Dji Bailey and four free throws in the final minute kept VCU at bay.
  • The Spiders shot 67 percent (16-of-24) overall from the field in the second period, including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc. 
  • The Rams shot 46 percent (26-of-56) from the field in the game, including 42 percent (10-of-24) from long range.
  • VCU now leads the all-time series with Richmond by a 60-to-33 margin.
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will host Duquesne on Tues., Mar. 5. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. at the Siegel Center. That last home game of the regular season will serve as the Rams’ Senior Day; it will be televised by MASN and ESPN+. 

Friday, March 01, 2024

Winning 270 Electors is the Answer

We've all grown accustomed to hearing politicians on the stump making rather exaggerated claims. Routinely, such assertions are about various threats to our security and way of life the speechmaker wants us to believe are dangerous and growing. Naturally, the threats are blamed on the policies of their corrupt opponents in the other political party.

For many politicians, without such tiresome hyperbole they would have little or nothing to say. Which is certainly part of why so many people try to ignore campaigning candidates. 

However, it's not an exaggeration to say Donald Trump intends to continue running roughshod over democracy, itself, and the rule of law in the USA. Therefore, those of us who do follow politics know that Trump has been making no secret of his plotting to become America's first dictator -- an unbridled ketchup-slinger who answers to no one. NO ONE.  

Moreover, believing that a court might put the total kibosh on Trump's bandwagon to recapture the White House, has, at best, been a lot of wishful thinking. At least it has in my view. In spite of what MSNBC's regular pundits and selected experts have been singing together in close harmony, I think that's been true all along. 

Furthermore, I have little doubt that MSNBC's ratings, and thus it revenues, have benefitted from promulgating that partisan take on the Court's likely decision concerning if and when to take up the issue of Trump's immunity appeal.  

So, here's the truth as I now see it to be: The scary aforementioned threats being posed to our democracy and the rule of law are as real as it gets. Plus, the only good answers to those looming threats can be found by winning a landslide of elections, national and statewide, to be conducted on November 5th. 

While the series of trials Trump is facing -- eventually, maybe someday -- could still play a role in the outcomes of some elections, from here on betting on the Supreme Court to issue decisions that appear to directly boost any particular candidates is a bad bet. Not this year. The highest court in the land appears ready to let all of Trump's legal troubles be settled at some time after the election, probably after the next inauguration day. 

If that's true, a majority of the justices are apparently buying it that after all the crazy stuff we've seen since Trump's famous escalator ride in 2015, should the voters opt to return such a gangster to the White House, then so be it. This, from a Supreme Court unashamed of its key role in attempting to foster a fascist regime.

Likewise, if Trump's coattails are long enough and the sycophant Trumplicans capture control of the Senate and the House, then OK -- the voters of the United States of America will be getting what they want: a full blown autocracy. 

For Democrats and anti-Trumpists of all stripes in 2024, winning the election is THE answer that matters ... and that's no exaggeration. 

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

VCU Coasts to Win over Rhode Island

Final Score: VCU 88, Rhode Island 67
Location: Siegel Center
Current Records: VCU 19-9, 11-4 in A-10. Rhode Island 11-17, 5-10 in A-10.

In a nutshell: VCU's first-year head coach,
Ryan Odom, had his team ready to play tonight. His Rams outhustled Rhode Island's Rams from the get-go, played good defense, and led all the way. The home team's largest lead was 29 points. It's fair to say the visiting Rams were never really in this game. 

This late in the regular season, playing at home, that is exactly what one of the top teams in its conference is supposed to do to a struggling team with a losing record. 

VCU's offense depended on its regular top producers to put good stats in the scorebook and they did their jobs: Bamisile 24 pts., four rebounds. Shulga 20 pts., five rebounds. Bairstow 16 pts., four rebounds. Jackson 11 pts., six rebounds, five assists. Lawal nine pts., eight rebounds.

NOTES: (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)

  • Bamisile scored seven points in a two-minute stretch midway through the first half as VCU built a 21-5 lead with 11:05 remaining in the period. The lead would swell to as many as 21, at 38-17 with 2:34 left following back-to-back treys from Shulga and Bamisile. 
  • Rhode Island shot just 28 percent (7-of-25) in the first half, including 2-of-12 from three as the Rams took a 42-21 lead into the locker room at the break. 
  • VCU shot 48 percent (30-of-62) from the field in the game.
  • VCU owned a 37-30 rebounding advantage and turned Rhody over 15 times.
  • VCU owned a 15-5 edge in points off turnovers, as well as a 36-26 scoring margin in the paint.
  • VCU has evened the all-time series between the two schools at 11-11. The Rams have won four straight in the series.
  • Shulga, who connected on 6-of-8 free throw attempts, raised his season total to 119, and he needs just seven more to crack VCU’s single-season top-10 list.
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will visit crosstown rival Richmond on Sat., March 2. Tipoff at 6 p.m. at the Robins Center. The game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network.

Yes, McConnell Paved the Road to Hell

McConnell's legacy?

On top of killing off Affirmative Action and some other nefarious moves, when Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked Obama's appointment of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, in 2016, McConnell set the bar for dirty tricks by giving us three justices from Trump, instead of just two. 

Executing that unprecedented move McConnell willfully prevented Garland from even getting a hearing, much less a confirmation vote.

Looking back on it, that episode did much to poison the ability of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to collaborate on finding solutions since then.

Moreover, with the Supreme Court's stunning announcement that it now plans to hear oral arguments on Trump's absurd immunity appeal case, during the week of April 22nd, the Court has captured the spotlight. Naturally, with that somewhat unexpected gut punch, I have to wonder what manner of skullduggery is still brewing.  

Of course, Trumplicans must be delighted with today's decision by the Supremes to help delay what is widely seen as the wannabe dictator's most important trial. Tonight, those who fear the wrath of Trump are feeling that fear intensify. 

And, McConnell's prominent role in the scary scheme to grab power we're living through stands out ... he paved the road to hell.

*

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Hawks Overwhelmed by Rams' 52-point Second Half

Final score:
VCU 73, St. Joe's 69
Location: Siegel Center
Current Records: VCU 18-9, 10-4 in A-10. St. Joe's 17-11, 7-8 in A-10. 

In a nutshell: When VCU's players went into their locker room at the conclusion of the first half, they were down by six points. The St. Joe's Hawks had allowed the home team to score only 21 points, so the Rams surely knew that in the second half they had to fix whatever the hell was wrong with their attitude on offense. That, or they would continue to stink up the court in front of a homecoming sellout crowd. 

We can only guess at what was said during the break, or maybe not said, but it worked like a charm. Exiting the locker room the lazy or fraidycat spell that had gripped the Rams and made them hesitate before setting a timely pick, making a bold pass, looking aggressively to take a shot, in rhythm, disappeared -- poof!

Accordingly, in the second stanza VCU lit up the scoreboard with 52 points. In the doing the Rams looked like a different team. And, it must be mentioned that the Hawks didn't back off one little bit. The result was the most entertaining half of hoops I've seen this season at the Siegel Center. 

The Rams surge was led by Tobi Lewal's enthusiastic play at both ends of the floor. His stats include: 16 points (a career high) and 10 rebounds. With his dramatic, high-flying dunks and his looming presence on defense, Lewal has become a fan favorite.  

NOTES (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)

● Lawal notched his fourth double-double of the season. Joe Bamisile also contributed 16 second-half points and seven rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting for the Rams. He connected on 4-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc. 
● Senior guard Max Shulga supplied 12 points while dishing out five assists and grabbing six rebounds for the Rams. Graduate wing Sean Bairstow  chipped in nine points and six assists to the VCU effort.
● Erik Reynolds, who hit six second-half 3-pointers, and Xzayvier Brown led Saint Joseph’s with 21 points each.
● VCU opened the half on a 11-0 run over the first three minutes to lead 32-27, capped off by a Shulga dunk on a fast break. The Rams continued their charge in the second, leading by as many as 10 with 3:29 remaining. The Hawks cut the VCU lead to two points on two occasions in the second, only to see the Rams respond with a Bamisile three and then Lawal dunk. On the Rams’ penultimate possession, Bamisile hit a 10-foot fadeaway jumper as the shot clock expired to give VCU a 71-66 lead with 15 seconds on the clock.
● The Rams shot 72 percent (18-of-25) from the field in the second half, including 58 percent (7-of-12) from long distance.
● The first half was a near polar opposite of the second. The two teams combined to shoot 25 percent (14-of-57), including 4-of-24 from 3-point range.
● Saint Joseph’s went on a 14-2 run to open up a 18-9 lead at the 7:12 mark of the first as the Rams suffered a stretch of eight missed field goals.
● VCU matched the Hawks in scoring through the final five minutes of the half to go into the intermission down six, 27-21.
● The Rams owned a 39-32 advantage on the glass. VCU’s bench outscored Saint Joe’s 39-10.
● VCU improved to 6-0 all-time at the Siegel Center against Saint Joseph’s. 
● Shulga needs just nine points to reach 1,000 for his career.

BOX SCORE

NEXT UP:

VCU will host Rhode Island on Wed., Feb. 28. Tipoff at 6:30 p.m. at the Siegel Center. That match-up will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Minutemen Stomp Rams in Amherst

Final Score
: UMass 74, VCU 52
Location: Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass.
Current records: UMass 17-9, 8-6 in A-10. VCU 17-9, 9-4 in A-10. 

In a nutshell: Throughout VCU's second game of its mid-February road trip, the Rams were slow to react on defense and flat on offense. VCU won that previous matchup at St. Louis, but in the doing the Rams had allowed the Billikens to score 85 points. Unfortunately, that slack defense carried over to this tilt at UMass. That, while the zone defense of the Minutemen stifled the Rams offense -- VCU misfired on its first 14 shots from the field. 

With five games now remaining on the Rams regular season schedule, losing to the Minutemen dealt a serious blow to the hopes of bracketology watchers. Looking ahead to the seeding of the A-10 tournament, staying within the conference's top four in the standings is now a top priority. Fortunately, VCU's next game will be at home. 

NOTES:
 (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
  • Coming off the bench, Joe Bamisile scored 13 points, corralled four rebounds and knocked down 5-of-6 attempts at the free throw line for the Rams. 
  • Max Shulga supplied 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the 3-point line for VCU. He added five rebounds and a steal. 
  • Sean Bairstow chipped in eight rebounds and six assists to the VCU effort, while Tobi Lawal contributed six points and seven boards. 
  • VCU started cold and was unable to recover. UMass built a 17-2 lead to open the contest and took a 38-26 advantage into the locker room at halftime. 
  • Bairstow found junior forward Roosevelt Wheeler for a dunk off a pick-and-roll to trim UMass’ lead to 48-38 with 14:00 remaining. But the Minutemen promptly responded with a 7-0 burst, punctuated by a Jayden Ndjigue 3-pointer at the 12:01 mark. The Rams never seriously threatened again. 
  • VCU shot just 30 percent (17-of-56) from the field in the contest, including 25 percent (7-of-28) in the first half. 
  • Josh Cohen led all scorers with 20 points for UMass, while Matt Cross turned in an 18-point, 12-rebound effort for the Minutemen. UMass shot 48 percent (28-of-59) from the field in the game and owned a 41-33 rebounding advantage. The Minutemen held a 23-3 margin in points off turnovers and 16-9 on second-chance opportunities. 
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will host St. Joe’s on Sun., Feb. 25 at the Siegel Center. Tipoff at 
4 p.m. That tilt will be seen nationally on the CBS Sports Network.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Defense Takes the Night Off; Rams 95, Billikens 85

Final Score:
VCU 95, St. Louis 85
Location: Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. 
Current Records: VCU 17-8, 9-3 in A-10. St. Louis 9-16, 2-10 in A-10.

In the Nutshell: VCU seized control early and 
led for 31 of the contest's 40 minutes. The Rams' whopping 39-24 rebounding advantage was a key to their victory. 

VCU's noteworthy confidence shooting from the charity stripe continued, as the Rams sank 87 percent of their shots (27 good on 31 attempts).  

On the Rams side of the stat sheet, consistent Max Shulga provided 26 points. Shulga added six rebounds and three assists. Zeb Jackson scored nine points, pulled down two rebounds and dished for three assists. Kuany Kuany added seven points and three boards. Coming off the bench, Joe Bamisile scored 27 points and grabbed three boards; he sank five treys on nine attempts. 

NOTES (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)

  • Shulga buried a pair of clutch 3-pointers down the stretch. Overall, he connected on 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and converted 10-of-11 from the free throw line. 
  • Bamisile knocked down 7-of-13 attempts from the field, including 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc.  
  • Sean Bairstow chipped in 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Rams. Tobi Lawal added five points, 10 rebounds, two steals and one impressive block.
  • Sincere Parker led all scorers with 30 points for the Billikens. 
  • Saint Louis pieced together a number of second-half rallies. The Billikens pulled within 85-80 with 2:50 remaining, but Shulga canned a step-back 3-pointer from the wing with 2:14 left to give VCU an eight-point margin. On the Rams’ ensuing possession, Shulga connected again from deep to supply the Rams with a 91-82 lead with less than a minute to play. Shulga added four free throws in the waning moments to cement the VCU victory.
  • In rebounding, VCU had a 14-8 advantage on the offensive glass. The Rams converted those offensive boards into 19 second-chance points.
  • VCU shot 49 percent (29-of-57) from the field, including 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half. The Rams made good on 27-of-31 free throws in the contest. 
  • VCU’s 95 points are its most since it beat North Carolina A&T 95-69 on Dec. 9, 2020. 
  • The Rams bench outscored Saint Louis’ bench, 35-11. 
  • In two games against Saint Louis this season, Bamisile has burned the Billikens for 56 points. 
  • VCU improved to a 16-5 all-time record against Saint Louis and has won five straight games in the series. 
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will continue its road swing on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at UMass at 7 p.m. That contest will air on CBS Sports Network.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Fear-Driven Ketchup

Ha! I pity the fool who thinks he's going to buffalo D.A. Fani Willis in a courtroom. Now I am so-o looking forward to watching the live broadcasts of her prosecution of Trump, et al.

Meanwhile, I sure hope she weathers this storm. To avoid overplaying her hand, maybe tomorrow she should shift gears into being smooth and confident. Or, maybe her instincts are good and she should just trust them.

You can bet that while Trump, 77, was gobbling down his first course of greasy cheeseburgers a la deluxe, he was studying Fani's live performance, testifying on the stand. 

As you read these words, Trump is probably watching a tape of Fani, dealing! Which means down at Mar-a-Lago the fear-driven ketchup has hit the wall.
Politico (6-28-22): “There was ketchup dripping down the wall and a shattered porcelain plate on the floor,” Hutchinson testified, noting that aides nearby conveyed the president was “extremely angry” at the Barr interview. She told the committee that she then grabbed a towel and started wiping the ketchup off the wall alongside a presidential valet.
If Fani Willis doesn't get removed from the Trump case in Fulton County, Georgia, to me, she looks like she could become the dragon slayer who saves America from the monster MAGA-ism has become.

Friday, February 09, 2024

VCU defense withstands Dayton rally; just barely

Final score:
VCU 49, Dayton 47.
Location: Siegel Center (sellout)
Current records: VCU 16-8, 8-3 in A-10. Dayton 19-4, 9-2 in A-10.

In a nutshell: With conference rival Dayton in town, the Rams were facing a tough challenge: could they keep the Flyers star, DaRon Holmes, from controlling the game? Coach Ryan Odom had the Rams double-team Holmes whenever he got the ball within 12 feet of the rim. They surrounded him, they shoved him and they fouled him. The refs let 'em play and the Rams needed that factor.

Holmes went 5-for-13 from the charity stripe. Although he scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, it was hardly the game Coach Anthony Grant needed from his likely A-10 player of the year power forward.

Except for the first few minutes VCU led the entire way. With his confidence out of joint, the Rams had to expect -- maybe even want -- for Holmes to take the last shot. He did. It was an 8-foot runner from the wing. Like most of his foul shots had, it clanged off the rim. VCU's hard earned two-point lead held up.

The Rams defense provided just enough swagger to beat the Number 18 team in the nation (AP Poll). The Rams held Dayton without a field goal for the last 4:45 of the game.

All nine Rams who played scored. Jason Nelson's 11 points set the pace. VCU's bench outscored Dayton's, 23-to-eight. The Rams won the battle of the boards, 37-to-32.

If you like an all-out brawl of a defensive game, this one was a treat. De-fense!

NOTES (Information provided by Chris Kowalczyk, VCU Assistant A.D.)
 
  • Jason Nelson knocked down 3-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc in the first half – including one as the shot clock expired -- to help lead the Rams to a 25-22 lead at the break. Senior guard Zeb Jackson scored nine points and added six rebounds and graduate transfer Sean Bairstow added six points and eight rebounds for the Rams. 
  • Sophomore forward Tobi Lawal gave the Rams a 49-42 lead with six minutes remaining on a put back. VCU did not score for the final six minutes of the game, but the Rams held Dayton to 1-of-5 shooting and forced three turnovers down the stretch to hold on for the victory. 
  • The Rams were able to hold Dayton to 36 percent shooting (17-of-47) from the field for the game, including 4-of-17 from 3-point range. The Flyers entered the night as one of the nation’s top 3-point shooting teams.
  • The Flyers connected on just eight second-half field goals.
  • Senior guard Zeb Jackson had a personal 7-0 run early in the second half to spark the Rams as they pushed their lead to as much as 42-34 with 13:44 remaining.
  • The victory is VCU’s first over a ranked foe since the Rams defeated 25th-ranked Davidson on Jan. 26, 2022.
  • Dayton misfired on 9-of-18 attempts from the free throw line.
  • Nate Santos led all Dayton scorers with 19.
BOX SCORE

NEXT UP: VCU will travel to face Saint Louis for the Rams second match-up of the season with the Billikens on Friday, Feb. 16. Tipoff at 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2.