The A10 semifinals saw both higher seeds move on to Sunday’s championship. The result gives us a virtual championship game rarity in the college game these days. Top seed VCU will face second seed George Mason for the right to cut down the nets and ‘go dancing’.
Semifinals:
VCU 62 Loyola Chicago 55
The Rams were tested in the first contest at Capital One Arena. A late 9-0 run plus a defense keeping the Ramblers minus a field goal in the last five minutes advanced Ryan Odom’s group. Max Shulga led the way for VCU with a game-high 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sheldon Edwards and Miles Rubin scored 12 each for Loyola Chicago. The Ramblers held a 43-26% edge in offensive rebounding percentage leading to a 22-9 second chance point differential. Those numbers were offset by the Ram defense holding Drew Valentine’s Ramblers to 29% shooting from the floor. In the 63 possession contest, VCU held a 98-87 edge in offensive efficiency.
Goerge Mason 74 Saint Joseph’s 64
The Patriots jumped out to a 14-0 lead they would never relinquish. Coach Tony Skinn ‘s club was proficient on both sides. They held the Hawks to 33% shooting. On the offensive end, Mason shot 51%, including 53% (9 of 17) from beyond the arc. Jalen Haynes led the Patriots with 22 points.
Woody Newton, a 6’9” senior, was another valuable contributor with an 11 point, 7 rebound, 5 blocked shots outing. Xzayver Brown of Saint Joseph’s led all scorers with 26 points. Billy Lange’s Hawks held a 20-7 edge on the offensive glass. Trailing by 14 late, Saint Joseph’s went on a 7-0 run to get the deficit to two possessions with 1:06 remaining. Mason sealed the deal scoring seven of the game’s final nine points.
Championship:
George Mason vs. VCU
VCU will be making its ninth appearance in the A10 Championship game since joining the league in 2012-13. Last year the Rams were runners-up to Duquesne, dropping a 57-51 decision in the championship game at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
For George Mason, this will be their first appearance. While the championship will go to a Virginia-based school, George Mason is hoping for a historic double. Last week Vanessa Blair-Lewis’ women’s team captured their first A10 Title. Skinn is hoping his team joins the women in making it a clean sweep. The two finalists met once in the regular season with VCU earning a 70-54 victory at home in late February.
