VCU Keeps on Going

Virginia Commonwealth University shouldn’t have made the NCAA tournament. An ugly 23-11 record, along with a 49 RPI rank and 85th ranked strength of schedule isn’t impressive enough to warrant an at-large bid to the biggest tournament in college basketball. Hell it hardly warrants a one seed in the NIT. But it didn’t matter, everybody knew the Rams would lose to USC in the First Four and it would be over.

But they didn’t.

But then everybody knew they’d lose to Georgetown and it would be over.

But they didn’t.

And then everybody and their grandmas knew they’d lose to Purdue.

But they didn’t.

Certainly they’ll lose to Florida State.

And they didn’t.

But then it really didn’t matter because EVERYBODY knew they’d lose to Kansas. They’d finish their magical run in the Elite 8 and live as a wonderful story in the history of college basketball. The Morris twins were simply too big for the Rams who had to be too physically, mentally and emotionally spent to win another game.

Instead? The Rams cut down the nets in San Antonio and start booking their flights to Houston after a 71-61 victory of the Jayhawks.

Yes, you read that right. The Virginia Commonwealth Rams will be in the Final 4.


In what has to be the most Cinderella of all runs to the Final 4 (narrowly beating George Mason in 2006 and Butler last year), the Rams have shocked powerhouse after powerhouse to clinch an opportunity to play for a National Championship.

The Rams were given the best possible bulletin board material every game. NOBODY thought they could win. Analysts continued to pick them to lose, thinking the slipper had to fall off sooner or later. But the slipper is the difference between the analysts and the Rams. To the Rams, there is no Cinderella story or glass slipper. They believe they should be winning these games. It doesn’t matter that they’re considered a mid-major. It doesn’t matter that they have made only one Sweet 16 appearance or gotten respect nationally.

It doesn’t matter because the Rams know they can play.

A team that lives and dies with the three-point shot, VCU is able to shoot from all five positions and spread the floor every possession. If the Rams lived by the shot, the Jayhawks certainly died by it. Shooting only 2-21 from behind the arc, the Jayhawks simply didn’t make the shots to win an exhibition game, let alone an Elite 8 game.

The Rams have won each of their games by an average of 12 points. 12! That’s incredible! It would be amazing for the Rams to have a lead of 12 at any time, let alone winning by that much. But led by 33-year-old Shaka Smart, who certainly will be leaving for a much bigger paycheck after the tournament, the Rams have instilled a belief in their locker room that they can beat anybody, any day.

On Selection Sunday, between the countless “experts” telling the Rams how much they didn’t deserve to be in the tournament, senior guard Joey Rodriguez tweeted “Ready to shock the world”. And right now, that’s exactly what the Rams are doing, shocking the world.

NCAA Tournament Opening Night - UNC Asheville, Clemson Advance

It really didn't feel like opening night but technically it was. Two 16 seeds battled for the right to take on Pittsburgh while two 12 seeds squared off to see who would face West Virginia.

In the first game of the night, UNC-Asheville beat Arkansas-Little Rock in OT 81-77. UNCA won despite leading for only 51 seconds in regulation. The game was exciting for their players but the celebrations will be short lived as they now have to take on top seeded Pittsburgh on Thursday. A 16 seed has never beaten a 1 seed. I sense they will have the lead for exactly 0 seconds in that one.

The second game of the tournament featured 12 seeds Clemson and UAB in a game that was never really close. After trailing 4-5 2:18 in, Clemson went on a 13-0 run and didn't lead by less than 8 after that en route to a 70-52 win. It was Clemson's first win in the tourney since 1997. Clemson now faces 5 seed West Virginia in the first game on Thursday. 12v5 is always a tricky match-up. In 19 of the past 21 years at least one 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed. Add to that the fact that Ken Pomeroy's rankings, a notoriously good tournament predictor, has WVU ranked 21 and Clemson 24 and we might be in for an early upset.

Tomorrow night 16 seeds University of Texas-San Antonio and Alabama St. play at 6:30pm with the winner to face overall 1 seed Ohio State on Friday and then at 9pm 11 seeds VCU and USC play to see who will face 6th seed Georgetown. Since we all love to gamble, Pomeroy has UTSA ranked 219 and Alabama St. ranked 295 while he has USC at 44 and VCU 84.

There were also 7 NIT games but no one really cares about the NIT. Watching the NIT is like rooting for your team in the Consolation bracket during fantasy football playoffs. That being said, I will be rooting for Bethune-Cookman to beat Virginia Tech tomorrow night because Tech sucks and it's hilarious that the selection committee keeps leaving them out of the big dance.