George Washington came out firing against second-place VCU on Wednesday night, building a double-digit lead early and taking a slim advantage into halftime. But the Rams responded with a dominant second half, shooting over 63% from the field after the break to pull away for an 80-72 victory at the Smith Center.
Second-Half Surge Powers VCU
VCU (20-5, 10-2 A-10) leaned on its experience and shot-making to turn the tide after halftime. Graduate forward Jack Clark led the charge, finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while hitting 4-of-7 from deep. Zeb Jackson provided a major boost off the bench with 15 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and 6-of-7 at the free-throw line.
Joe Bamisile added 14 points and five rebounds, while Phillip Russell chipped in 11 points and four assists. The Rams torched GW in the second half, knocking down 7-of-12 from three-point range and 14-of-22 overall from the field.
Hot Start for the Revolutionaries
GW (16-9, 5-7 A-10) set the tone early, racing out to a 21-10 lead in the first nine minutes behind strong shooting and tough defense. The Revolutionaries shot 48% in the opening half while holding VCU below 42%, and they carried a 36-35 edge into the break.
Sophomore Trey Autry was electric, scoring 23 points, including a game-high five three-pointers, with 18 of those points coming in the second half. Rafael Castro also delivered a strong performance, scoring 20 points on just eight shots while adding four assists and three steals.
Turning Point
GW held a 46-43 lead early in the second half before VCU took over. Clark drilled a three at the 16:07 mark to ignite a 24-9 Rams run, flipping the game in their favor. Another Clark triple with 11:08 left pushed the margin to 58-51, and the Rams never trailed again.
Even after GW fought back to within four points with just over two minutes remaining, VCU kept its composure. The Rams shot an impressive 87.5% from the free-throw line (14-of-16) to seal the win, including key late free throws from Jackson.
Key Stats & Notes
- VCU shot 63.6% in the second half, including 58.3% (7-of-12) from three.
- The Rams outrebounded GW 35-25.
- The Revolutionaries shot 48% in the first half but just 37% in the second.
- VCU has now won 10 of its last 11 games and improved to 19-4 all-time against GW.
- Bamisile made his return to the Smith Center, where he starred for GW in the 2021-22 season.
What’s Next
VCU will return home to face UMass on Feb. 19, while GW looks to bounce back in a tough road matchup at Davidson on Saturday.
