In Washington, VCU secured a 62-55 victory over Loyola Chicago during the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday. This win propels top-seeded VCU into the championship game, where they will face off against the victor of the George Mason and Saint Joseph’s semifinal clash. VCU shares the regular-season championship title with George Mason.
Max Shulga was noteworthy for VCU (27-6), contributing 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Phillip Russell also made a significant impact by scoring 10 points and hitting 3 out of 6 shots from beyond the three-point line. This triumph represents the Rams’ tenth consecutive victory.
Miles Rubin led the efforts for the Ramblers (22-11) by delivering 12 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and securing two steals. Sheldon Edwards matched this contribution by also putting up 12 points for Loyola Chicago.
The game saw VCU establish a firm control with a 14-2 run, taking a 35-23 lead in the first half. With 10 points contributed by Russell in the first half, VCU earned a lead of 36-27 at the break. VCU ensured their win by overcoming a one-point deficit with a 9-0 second-half run, seizing a 59-51 advantage with just 46 seconds remaining. Shulga added seven points in the second half to bolster the Rams’ performance.
