RICHMOND, VA—ODU sophomore guards Aaron Bacote and Keenan Palmore each scored 13 points, but VCU (8-2) rallied to outscore the Monarchs 28-6 down the stretch in the second half for a 69-48 non-conference win in the Siegel Center Sunday afternoon. ODU falls to 4-5 on the season.
The Monarchs trailed 34-31 at half, but a three-point basket by Aaron Bacote with 12:53 left in the game put the Monarchs up, 41-40. VCU’s JeQuann Lewis came back to hit a jumper to give the Rams the lead for good at 42-41 with 12:22 remaining. Juvonte Reddic then scored for a 44-41 lead as VCU rolled off 13 straight points for a 53-41 lead before the Monarchs would score on two Aaron Bacote free throws with 6:38 left.
In the first half, ODU led by as much as eight, 16-8 with 13:35 remaining after a Bacote layup. The Monarchs shot .469 (15-32) from the field thanks to eight points from Palmore and six points each from red-shirt juniors Richard Ross and Dimitri Batten, and freshman forward Denzell Taylor. ODU only trailed the Rams 21-19 in rebounding at the break.
The Monarchs finished the game shooting .375 (21-56) from the field and VCU shot .375 (27-32), but the Rams outrebounded ODU, 50-35, scoring 30 second chance points. The Monarchs also committed 21 turnovers to VCU’s 14.
Besides Bacote and Palmore’s 13 point efforts, red-shirt junior forward Richard Ross scored eight points with nine rebounds and blocked four shots. Palmore and Taylor each had two steals, while Palmore led ODU with three assists.
VCU was led by Juvonte Reddic with 24 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Treveon Graham added 13 points with five assists.
The Monarchs break for exams and return to action next Saturday in Atlanta, GA. against another former CAA rival, Georgia State.