Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (VCU Rams) are the basketball team that represents Virginia Commonwealth University
(VCU) in Richmond
, Virginia
. VCU currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association
. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011
where they advanced to their first ever Final Four. The Rams are coached by third-year head coach Shaka Smart
.
The Rams have appeared in ten NCAA Tournaments
. Their combined record is 10–10. The Rams also appeared in the 1978
, 1988
, 1993
, 2005
and 2008
NIT
going as far as the quarter-finals in 1988.
led by then first-year VCU Head Coach J.D. Barnett in VCU's first season in the Sun Belt
. They entered the tournament as a #12 seed in the East Region and were eliminated in the first round by #5 Iowa.
It would not be long before the Rams returned to the tournament. The following year the Rams posted a 24–5 record on their way to the Sun Belt Conference regular season and Conference Tournament Championships. The Rams entered the tournament as the #5 seed in the East region and defeated #12 Long Island before being eliminated by #4 Tennessee in overtime in the second round 56–58.
The Rams would return to the tournament in 1983. The Rams, the #5 seed in the East region, defeated #12 seed La Salle in the first round and were eliminated in the second round by #4 seed Georgia 54–56. The Rams lost their second-round game by the same margin to #4 Tennessee in 1981. The 1984 tournament held similar results for the Rams squad. They entered the tournament as a #6 seed in the East Region and defeated #11 Northeastern before being eliminated by #3 Syracuse. It should be noted that the second-round losses in the NCAA Tournament by VCU in 1981, 1983, and 1984 were to teams with first-round byes before the tournament expanded to 64 teams for the 1984–1985 season and byes were eliminated.
In the 1984–85 season the Rams once again made it to the newly expanded 1985 NCAA Tournament. The Rams entered the tournament as the #2 seed in the West region, the highest seeding they have ever received in the tournament. The Rams defeated #15 Marshall in the first round, but unfortunately their luck had not changed in the second-round and they were upset by #7 Alabama 63–59.
During his tenure, Head Coach J.D Barnett (1979–1985) led VCU and the Rams to five NCAA Tournament appearances (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985) while capturing four Sun Belt regular season conference championships (1981, 1983, 1984, 1985) and three Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championships (1980, 1981, 1985). He was 132–48 overall and 59–19 in conference play during his time at VCU.
The Rams next stint in the post-season came under Head Coach Mike Pollio in the 1988 NIT Tournament where they would reach the quarter-finals before ultimately falling to UConn 60-69. The Rams posted wins over Marshall and Southern Mississippi in the first and second rounds, respectively.
The Rams remained in the Sun Belt Conference until 1991 when they joined the Metro Athletic Conference. Their time in the Metro was short-lived and they left the conference to join the Colonial Athletic Association(CAA) for the 1995–1996 season.
. Following a 2nd place conference finish in his debut season, Capel led the Rams to a 23–8 overall record, going 14–4 in conference play and capturing the CAA regular season and conference tournament championships. The Rams were awarded the #13 seed in the East region and faced #4 Wake Forest
in the first round. VCU led for much of the second half and had a chance to win towards the end despite the Wake Forest comeback, but ultimately fell 79–78.
Jeff Capel originally joined VCU as an assistant in 2001 and at the time of his promotion to the head coaching position in 2002 was the youngest head coach in Division I NCAA basketball at 27 years old. During his time as the head coach with VCU, Capel compiled a 79-41 record. In April 2006, Capel resigned as head coach to accept the same position with the University of Oklahoma Sooners
. He was replaced by Anthony Grant
, formerly an assistant and associate head coach for several years to Billy Donovan
, including the 2006 NCAA champions
, the University of Florida Gators
.
burst onto the national scene by scoring 9 points in the final 1:55 to bury the George Mason Patriots
, finishing with 14 of his 20 points in the second half. Maynor also had 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in the victory.
The Rams entered the 2007 NCAA Tournament
as the #11 seed in the West region and upset the #6 seed Duke Blue Devils
79–77 on a game-winning bucket from just beyond the free-throw line by Eric Maynor in the final seconds of the game.
The Rams good fortune did not continue into the next round, however, where they were eliminated by the #3 seed Pittsburgh Panthers
. The Rams squad showed outstanding poise in the second-half by forcing overtime after trailing 26–41 at halftime. They would go on to lose by a score of 79–84.
The next year the Rams would win their second straight CAA regular season championship, posting a 24–8 overall record, 15–3 in conference play, but fall short in the conference tournament in a heartbreaking upset to William & Mary
in the semi-finals. The Rams missed an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament but instead received an invitation to play in the NIT. The Rams heartbreak continued as they were upset on their home court in the first round by old-time Sun Belt Conference rival, the UAB Blazers
80–77 as a late comeback fell just short.
The 2008-2009 season was another successful one for the VCU program. The Rams finished the season with a mark of 24–10 overall, going 14–4 in a hotly contested CAA and sealing the deal on a three-peat as CAA regular season champions for only the second time in CAA conference history and the second time in school history, the first coming during the Rams time in the Sun Belt Conference. The Rams would not fall short again and captured the CAA Conference Tournament Championship
for the fourth time since joining the conference capped by a 71–50 rout of rival George Mason
in the final. The 21-point margin is the largest margin of victory in a CAA Conference Tournament Championship Game. Larry Sanders set CAA Conference Tournament Championship Game records for the Rams with 20 rebounds and 7 blocks in the victory.
So once again, the Rams headed to the NCAA Tournament as a #11 seed in the East region. The Rams were eliminated by the #6 seed UCLA Bruins
in a hard-fought game 65–64.
Anthony Grant
posted an impressive 76–25 record in his three seasons as the head men's basketball coach at VCU. He was an outright dominating 52–10 versus CAA opponents, including conference tournaments, capturing three straight CAA Regular Season Conference Championships and two CAA Conference Tournament Championships. He led VCU to two NCAA Tournament berths and one NIT berth before departing the program to take over the head coaching position at the University of Alabama. Eric Maynor would go on to be drafted #20 in the 2009 NBA Draft
by the Utah Jazz
.
In his first year as the Rams head coach, Shaka Smart
posted a 27-9 record, going 11-7 in the CAA. The Rams made it to the semi-finals of the CAA conference tournament as the #5 seed, where they fell in overtime to league champions Old Dominion. The Rams earned a berth in the CBI tournament and were the first team in tournament history to sweep the CBI Finals best-of-three series as they became the 2010 College Basketball Invitational
Champions. Larry Sanders decided to forgo his senior year to enter the 2010 NBA Draft
. He was selected 15th by the Milwaukee Bucks
.
On Selection Sunday 2011, the VCU Rams
got an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
to start off the newly created 68-team field. VCU found itself as one of the last teams in the tournament and was scheduled to play in the newly formed "First Four against USC
on March 16th for a spot as the 11th seed in the tournament. The inclusion of VCU in the tournament was widely criticized by pundits and the ESPN
network in particularly Jay Bilas
and Dick Vitale
. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, dubbed by many as "The First Four", The Rams succeeded in knocking off USC by the score of 59-46. The Rams blew out Georgetown
74-56 in Chicago to reach the Round of 32 and followed this win up with a 94-76 routing of third-seeded Purdue
to advance to VCU's first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance. VCU then beat Florida State
72-71 in overtime on a last second shot by Bradford Burgess to advance to the school's first ever Elite-Eight appearance.
They upset the number one seeded Kansas Jayhawks
71-61 to reach the Final Four
for the first time ever. VCU, the Southwest Regional champions played in the National Semifinal against the Southeast Region champion Butler Bulldogs
, losing 70-62. The VCU Rams finished 6th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at the end of the season. This was the highest ranking in VCU's history and the highest ranking of any team from the CAA
. The 2011 NCAA tournament run by VCU is regarded as one of the best Cinderella runs of all time.
coached the team for the first two seasons of existence. During Dees' tenure, the team achieved winning records both seasons, but barely pulled ahead of .500, resulting in Dees being fired. The second coach, Chuck Noe
, led the team for the next six seasons.
Following Noe's departure as head coach in 1976, Dana Kirk
became the third head coach in Rams basketball history. Kirk, formerly assistant to Denny Crum
, was part of the University of Louisville
team that reached the Final Four in 1976. In Kirk's second second with the team, he led them to a 24–5 record, and a berth into the National Invitational Tournament, making it the first time the team reached any major tournament. Although the team was eliminated in the first round, the success of the program Kirk built continued into the following season. Kirk's success with the Rams resulted in him being hired as the head coach at Memphis in 1979.
Subsequently, the Rams earned an invitation to play in the Sun Belt Conference
and hired J. D. Barnett
as their head coach. Barrett, who coached the team from 1979 through 1985, immediately brought NCAA success to the team, earning berths into the NCAA Tournament five of the six seasons in his tenure, as well as being the four-time Sun Belt champions. Barnet's success eventually led to him being offered a contract to coach at Tulsa
.
Mike Pollio became the fifth coach in Rams history. The head coach from 1985 until 1989, Pollio had a rather lackluster record with the team. During his four years as coach, Pollio had two seasons with losing records, the first in Rams history. During his four years, Pollio managed to get the team into the NIT quarterfinals.
- 1,953
2. Kendrick Warren - 1,858
3. Charles Wilkins - 1,716
4. Phil Stinnie - 1,645
5. Calvin Duncan
- 1,630
6. Domonic Jones
- 1,616
7. Jesse Dark - 1,586
8. Monty Knight - 1,549
9. Nick George - 1,546
10. Gerald Henderson
- 1,542
2. Kendrick Warren - 1,049
3. Bernard Harris - 839
4. Richard Jones - 755
5. Kenny Stancell - 744
6. Mike Schlegel - 743
7. Nick George - 703
8. Tom Motley - 695
9. Phil Stinnie - 683
10. Martin Henlan - 675
- 674
2. Edmund Sherod
- 582
3. Joey Rodriguez - 580
4. Rolando Lamb - 550
5. LaMar Taylor - 527
6. Eric Maynor
- 464
7. Dave Edwards
- 430
8. Sherman Hamilton
- 417
9. Calvin Duncan
- 404
10. Kenny Harris - 352
2. Joey Rodriguez - 237
3. Edmund Sherod
- 202
4. LaMar Taylor - 193
5. Eric Maynor
- 168
6. Jesse Pellot-Rosa - 149
7. Kendrick Warren - 148
8. Tyron McCoy - 146
9. Dominic Jones - 143
10. Brandon Rozzell - 137
2. L.F. Likcholitov - 207
3. Kendrick Warren - 193
4. Larry Sanders
- 187
5. Sherron Mills
- 134
Source: http://vcuathletics.tv/mbb/history/08-RECORD%20BOOK.pdf
, located in the northwest corridor of the Monroe Park campus. University-owned, the Siegel Center broke ground for construction April 1996, and opened three years later, in May 1999. Since the 1999–00 season, the venue has been the home arena for the Rams, as well as the women's basketball team and volleyball team.
Prior to the opening of the Siegel Center, the Rams spent a majority of their history playing their home basketball games in the Richmond Coliseum
, which housed the team from 1971 until 1999. Prior to the Rams' long-term occupation of the Coliseum, the team played their home games in the now-demolished Richmond Arena
, which stood on the site of Sports Backers Stadium
.
and Old Dominion. These three teams, recently have become dominant in the Colonial Athletic Association
, collectively winning eight of the last 10 Men's Basketball Tournament
s. Since 2001, only the 2006 Men's Basketball Tournament
did not feature either VCU, GMU or ODU. Additionally, the three schools have been among the top basketball teams in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as each of them earned berths into the 2011 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament
.
Outside of their conference, the Rams have developed a crosstown rivalry with the University of Richmond
. For the past 35 years, the two schools have competed annually in the Black & Blue Classic
. The success of the two school's basketball programs was highlighted in the most recent edition of the NCAA tournament, as Richmond and VCU both reached the Sweet Sixteen and the Final Four, respectively.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
(VCU) in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. VCU currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
where they advanced to their first ever Final Four. The Rams are coached by third-year head coach Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart is an American college basketball coach, and the current head coach of the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball program...
.
History
The Rams became the first team to sweep the best of 3 championship series in the CBI post-season tournament on their way to becoming the 2010 CBI Champions. It is the first post-season tournament championship, excluding conference tournaments, in the history of the program.The Rams have appeared in ten NCAA Tournaments
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. Their combined record is 10–10. The Rams also appeared in the 1978
1978 National Invitation Tournament
The 1978 National Invitation Tournament was the 1978 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
, 1988
1988 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Colorado State 58, Boston College 57...
, 1993
1993 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - UAB 55, Providence 52...
, 2005
2005 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:...
and 2008
2008 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and Final:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 1 and 3* - Overtime game.-External links:*...
NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
going as far as the quarter-finals in 1988.
The Sun Belt Years
VCU received their first bid to the NCAA Tournament in the 1979–1980 season with a 18–12 overall record and Sun Belt Conference Tournament ChampionshipSun Belt Men's Basketball Tournament
The Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament has been played every year since the formation of the Sun Belt Conference for the 1976–77 academic year...
led by then first-year VCU Head Coach J.D. Barnett in VCU's first season in the Sun Belt
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
. They entered the tournament as a #12 seed in the East Region and were eliminated in the first round by #5 Iowa.
It would not be long before the Rams returned to the tournament. The following year the Rams posted a 24–5 record on their way to the Sun Belt Conference regular season and Conference Tournament Championships. The Rams entered the tournament as the #5 seed in the East region and defeated #12 Long Island before being eliminated by #4 Tennessee in overtime in the second round 56–58.
The Rams would return to the tournament in 1983. The Rams, the #5 seed in the East region, defeated #12 seed La Salle in the first round and were eliminated in the second round by #4 seed Georgia 54–56. The Rams lost their second-round game by the same margin to #4 Tennessee in 1981. The 1984 tournament held similar results for the Rams squad. They entered the tournament as a #6 seed in the East Region and defeated #11 Northeastern before being eliminated by #3 Syracuse. It should be noted that the second-round losses in the NCAA Tournament by VCU in 1981, 1983, and 1984 were to teams with first-round byes before the tournament expanded to 64 teams for the 1984–1985 season and byes were eliminated.
In the 1984–85 season the Rams once again made it to the newly expanded 1985 NCAA Tournament. The Rams entered the tournament as the #2 seed in the West region, the highest seeding they have ever received in the tournament. The Rams defeated #15 Marshall in the first round, but unfortunately their luck had not changed in the second-round and they were upset by #7 Alabama 63–59.
During his tenure, Head Coach J.D Barnett (1979–1985) led VCU and the Rams to five NCAA Tournament appearances (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985) while capturing four Sun Belt regular season conference championships (1981, 1983, 1984, 1985) and three Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championships (1980, 1981, 1985). He was 132–48 overall and 59–19 in conference play during his time at VCU.
The Rams next stint in the post-season came under Head Coach Mike Pollio in the 1988 NIT Tournament where they would reach the quarter-finals before ultimately falling to UConn 60-69. The Rams posted wins over Marshall and Southern Mississippi in the first and second rounds, respectively.
The Rams remained in the Sun Belt Conference until 1991 when they joined the Metro Athletic Conference. Their time in the Metro was short-lived and they left the conference to join the Colonial Athletic Association(CAA) for the 1995–1996 season.
The CAA Days
In their first season as members of the CAA, the Rams posted a 24–9 overall record, going 14–2 in conference play en route to the CAA regular season and conference tournament championships. The Rams earned the right to go dancing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1985, but fell in the first round as the #12 seed in the Southeast region to #5 Mississippi State. In 2011 the VCU Rams entered the tourney as the #11 seed play in game beat USC, beat Georgetown, and Beat Purdue taking the rams to the schools first ever sweet sixteen appearanceJeff Capel era
The VCU men's basketball team would return to prominence in the 2003–2004 season under then second-year Head Coach Jeff CapelJeff Capel III
Felton Jeff Capel III is an American former college basketball player at Duke University and was a head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Oklahoma. He is currently an assistant coach for his alma mater, Duke.-Youth:Capel is from a basketball family...
. Following a 2nd place conference finish in his debut season, Capel led the Rams to a 23–8 overall record, going 14–4 in conference play and capturing the CAA regular season and conference tournament championships. The Rams were awarded the #13 seed in the East region and faced #4 Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have...
in the first round. VCU led for much of the second half and had a chance to win towards the end despite the Wake Forest comeback, but ultimately fell 79–78.
Jeff Capel originally joined VCU as an assistant in 2001 and at the time of his promotion to the head coaching position in 2002 was the youngest head coach in Division I NCAA basketball at 27 years old. During his time as the head coach with VCU, Capel compiled a 79-41 record. In April 2006, Capel resigned as head coach to accept the same position with the University of Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball
-1908-1980:The Sooners enjoyed moderate success on the court during this era, posting only 16 losing records in their first 72 seasons. They were coached by 9 different coaches during this period, beginning with Bennie Owen , and ending with Dave Bliss in 1980...
. He was replaced by Anthony Grant
Anthony Grant
-External links:* at RollTide.com...
, formerly an assistant and associate head coach for several years to Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan
William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. is an American college basketball coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team of the University of Florida...
, including the 2006 NCAA champions
2005-06 Florida Gators men's basketball team
The 2005–06 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of basketball during the 2005–06 college basketball season. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern...
, the University of Florida Gators
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
.
Anthony Grant era
In his first year as head coach, Anthony Grant led the Rams to a school-record 28 wins. The Rams finished the season 28–7, also setting a school and CAA conference record with 16 wins in conference play. Grant, who also set a school record for most wins by a first-year head coach, was named the CAA Coach of the Year. The Rams were 16–2 in conference play and captured the CAA Regular Season Championship before capturing the CAA Conference Tournament Championship in thrilling fashion as Eric MaynorEric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
burst onto the national scene by scoring 9 points in the final 1:55 to bury the George Mason Patriots
2006-07 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team
The 2006–07 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team began their 41st season of collegiate play on November 11, 2006 at Cleveland State. They are coming off their historic 2005–2006 season where they lost to the Florida Gators in the Final Four of the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball...
, finishing with 14 of his 20 points in the second half. Maynor also had 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in the victory.
The Rams entered the 2007 NCAA Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
as the #11 seed in the West region and upset the #6 seed Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
79–77 on a game-winning bucket from just beyond the free-throw line by Eric Maynor in the final seconds of the game.
The Rams good fortune did not continue into the next round, however, where they were eliminated by the #3 seed Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
. The Rams squad showed outstanding poise in the second-half by forcing overtime after trailing 26–41 at halftime. They would go on to lose by a score of 79–84.
The next year the Rams would win their second straight CAA regular season championship, posting a 24–8 overall record, 15–3 in conference play, but fall short in the conference tournament in a heartbreaking upset to William & Mary
William & Mary Tribe men's basketball
The William & Mary Tribe men's basketball team represents The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in NCAA Division I competition. The school's team competes in the Colonial Athletic Association and play their home games in Kaplan Arena....
in the semi-finals. The Rams missed an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament but instead received an invitation to play in the NIT. The Rams heartbreak continued as they were upset on their home court in the first round by old-time Sun Belt Conference rival, the UAB Blazers
UAB Blazers men's basketball
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I men's college basketball, and have competed in Conference USA since 1995...
80–77 as a late comeback fell just short.
The 2008-2009 season was another successful one for the VCU program. The Rams finished the season with a mark of 24–10 overall, going 14–4 in a hotly contested CAA and sealing the deal on a three-peat as CAA regular season champions for only the second time in CAA conference history and the second time in school history, the first coming during the Rams time in the Sun Belt Conference. The Rams would not fall short again and captured the CAA Conference Tournament Championship
2009 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2009 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament was held from March 6–9, 2009. It was won by the VCU Rams.-Bracket and Results:-Honors:-First Round:...
for the fourth time since joining the conference capped by a 71–50 rout of rival George Mason
2008-09 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team
The 2008–09 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team began their 43rd season of collegiate play on November 15, 2008 versus the University of Vermont...
in the final. The 21-point margin is the largest margin of victory in a CAA Conference Tournament Championship Game. Larry Sanders set CAA Conference Tournament Championship Game records for the Rams with 20 rebounds and 7 blocks in the victory.
So once again, the Rams headed to the NCAA Tournament as a #11 seed in the East region. The Rams were eliminated by the #6 seed UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
in a hard-fought game 65–64.
Anthony Grant
Anthony Grant
-External links:* at RollTide.com...
posted an impressive 76–25 record in his three seasons as the head men's basketball coach at VCU. He was an outright dominating 52–10 versus CAA opponents, including conference tournaments, capturing three straight CAA Regular Season Conference Championships and two CAA Conference Tournament Championships. He led VCU to two NCAA Tournament berths and one NIT berth before departing the program to take over the head coaching position at the University of Alabama. Eric Maynor would go on to be drafted #20 in the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
Shaka Smart era
- 2009-2010 Season2009–10 VCU Rams men's basketball teamThe 2009–10 VCU Rams men's basketball team represented Virginia Commonwealth University during the 2009–10 college basketball season. This was head coach Shaka Smart's first season at VCU. The Rams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association and played their home games at Stuart C. Siegel Center...
In his first year as the Rams head coach, Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart is an American college basketball coach, and the current head coach of the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball program...
posted a 27-9 record, going 11-7 in the CAA. The Rams made it to the semi-finals of the CAA conference tournament as the #5 seed, where they fell in overtime to league champions Old Dominion. The Rams earned a berth in the CBI tournament and were the first team in tournament history to sweep the CBI Finals best-of-three series as they became the 2010 College Basketball Invitational
2010 College Basketball Invitational
The 2010 College Basketball Invitational is a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2010 National Invitation Tournament. The opening round began Tuesday,...
Champions. Larry Sanders decided to forgo his senior year to enter the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. He was selected 15th by the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
.
- 2010-2011 Season2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball teamThe 2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball team represented Virginia Commonwealth University in the Colonial Athletic Association conference during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Rams, led by second year head coach Shaka Smart, played their home games at the Stuart C. Siegel...
On Selection Sunday 2011, the VCU Rams
2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball team
The 2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball team represented Virginia Commonwealth University in the Colonial Athletic Association conference during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Rams, led by second year head coach Shaka Smart, played their home games at the Stuart C. Siegel...
got an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
to start off the newly created 68-team field. VCU found itself as one of the last teams in the tournament and was scheduled to play in the newly formed "First Four against USC
2010–11 USC Trojans men's basketball team
The 2010–11 USC Trojans men's basketball team represented the University of Southern California during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Trojans, led by second year head coach Kevin O'Neill, played their home games at the Galen Center and were members of the Pacific-10...
on March 16th for a spot as the 11th seed in the tournament. The inclusion of VCU in the tournament was widely criticized by pundits and the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
network in particularly Jay Bilas
Jay Bilas
Jay Scot Bilas is an American lawyer and basketball analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports. He is also a former college basketball player.-Playing career:...
and Dick Vitale
Dick Vitale
Richard J. "Dick" Vitale , also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well-known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games. He is known for his...
. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, dubbed by many as "The First Four", The Rams succeeded in knocking off USC by the score of 59-46. The Rams blew out Georgetown
2010–11 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University in the 2010–2011 NCAA Division I basketball season. In November, the team played in and won the Charleston Classic tournament. During the February 23 game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, senior Chris Wright...
74-56 in Chicago to reach the Round of 32 and followed this win up with a 94-76 routing of third-seeded Purdue
2010–11 Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team represented Purdue University. The head coach was Matt Painter, in his sixth season with the Boilers...
to advance to VCU's first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance. VCU then beat Florida State
2010–11 Florida State Seminoles men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Florida State Seminoles men's basketball team represented Florida State University during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Seminoles, led by 9th year head coach Leonard Hamilton, played their home games at the Donald L. Tucker Center and are members of the...
72-71 in overtime on a last second shot by Bradford Burgess to advance to the school's first ever Elite-Eight appearance.
They upset the number one seeded Kansas Jayhawks
2010–11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, which was the Jayhawks' 113th basketball season. The head coach was Bill Self, who was serving his 8th year. The team played its home games in Allen...
71-61 to reach the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
for the first time ever. VCU, the Southwest Regional champions played in the National Semifinal against the Southeast Region champion Butler Bulldogs
2010–11 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Butler University in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Brad Stevens, serving his 4th year. The Bulldogs played their home games at the Hinkle Fieldhouse, which has a capacity of approximately 10,000...
, losing 70-62. The VCU Rams finished 6th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at the end of the season. This was the highest ranking in VCU's history and the highest ranking of any team from the CAA
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
. The 2011 NCAA tournament run by VCU is regarded as one of the best Cinderella runs of all time.
Coaches
In the team's existence, the Rams have had 10 different head coaches. Benny DeesBenny Dees
Benny Dees is an up and coming DJ star. Born in Sydney, NSW Australia in 1995 he specializes in under 18's music festivals. He has played a such concerts as XOX Parties, Super Nova and soon will be performing at Breakout on the 2/12/2011 and I.D Some time during December.Benny Dees is a retired...
coached the team for the first two seasons of existence. During Dees' tenure, the team achieved winning records both seasons, but barely pulled ahead of .500, resulting in Dees being fired. The second coach, Chuck Noe
Chuck Noe
-External links:*-References:...
, led the team for the next six seasons.
Following Noe's departure as head coach in 1976, Dana Kirk
Dana Kirk (basketball)
Dana Grey Kirk was an American college basketball coach. He was the head coach for the Memphis State University men's team from 1979 to 1986. His coaching record was 158–58, including a Final Four appearance in 1985...
became the third head coach in Rams basketball history. Kirk, formerly assistant to Denny Crum
Denny Crum
Denzil E. "Denny" Crum is a former American men's college basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001, compiling a 675–295 record. He guided the Cardinals to two NCAA championships and six Final Fours...
, was part of the University of Louisville
Louisville Cardinals men's basketball
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
team that reached the Final Four in 1976. In Kirk's second second with the team, he led them to a 24–5 record, and a berth into the National Invitational Tournament, making it the first time the team reached any major tournament. Although the team was eliminated in the first round, the success of the program Kirk built continued into the following season. Kirk's success with the Rams resulted in him being hired as the head coach at Memphis in 1979.
Subsequently, the Rams earned an invitation to play in the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
and hired J. D. Barnett
J. D. Barnett
J.D. Barnett is a former head basketball coach at several Division I institutions, the most high-profile being Virginia Commonwealth University, where his most notable win consisted of a buzzer-beater NCAA Tournament win over Jim Calhoun's Northeastern Huskies...
as their head coach. Barrett, who coached the team from 1979 through 1985, immediately brought NCAA success to the team, earning berths into the NCAA Tournament five of the six seasons in his tenure, as well as being the four-time Sun Belt champions. Barnet's success eventually led to him being offered a contract to coach at Tulsa
Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball
The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane basketball team represents the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team participates in Conference USA. The men’s team is currently coached by Doug Wojcik....
.
Mike Pollio became the fifth coach in Rams history. The head coach from 1985 until 1989, Pollio had a rather lackluster record with the team. During his four years as coach, Pollio had two seasons with losing records, the first in Rams history. During his four years, Pollio managed to get the team into the NIT quarterfinals.
Players
Points
1. Eric MaynorEric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
- 1,953
2. Kendrick Warren - 1,858
3. Charles Wilkins - 1,716
4. Phil Stinnie - 1,645
5. Calvin Duncan
Calvin Duncan (basketball)
Calvin Anthony Duncan is an American pastor and retired basketball player. Duncan is pastor at the Faith & Family Church in Richmond, Virginia. He also played basketball with Oak Hill Academy and the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams...
- 1,630
6. Domonic Jones
Domonic Jones
Domonic Jones is an American expatriate professional basketball player. He plays for RBC Verviers-Pepinster in Basketball League Belgium as of the 2011–12 season. He is 6'1", 205 pounds and switches between the point guard and shooting guard positions...
- 1,616
7. Jesse Dark - 1,586
8. Monty Knight - 1,549
9. Nick George - 1,546
10. Gerald Henderson
Gerald Henderson
Jerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson, Sr. is a retired American basketball player. He was a shooting guard who had a 13-year career in the NBA from 1979 until 1992. He played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and...
- 1,542
Rebounds
1. Lorenza Watson - 1,1432. Kendrick Warren - 1,049
3. Bernard Harris - 839
4. Richard Jones - 755
5. Kenny Stancell - 744
6. Mike Schlegel - 743
7. Nick George - 703
8. Tom Motley - 695
9. Phil Stinnie - 683
10. Martin Henlan - 675
Assists
1. Eric MaynorEric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
- 674
2. Edmund Sherod
Edmund Sherod
Edmund "Ed" Sherod is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard, Sherod attended Virginia Commonwealth University during the late 1970s and early 1980s. There, he tallied a then-school record 582 assists and participated in two NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments...
- 582
3. Joey Rodriguez - 580
4. Rolando Lamb - 550
5. LaMar Taylor - 527
6. Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
- 464
7. Dave Edwards
Dave Edwards
David Monroe Edwards is a former American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.-College career:...
- 430
8. Sherman Hamilton
Sherman Hamilton
Sherman Hamilton is a retired Canadian professional basketball player. Hamilton was a longtime member of the Canadian men's national basketball team...
- 417
9. Calvin Duncan
Calvin Duncan
Calvin L. Duncan was the first black police captain in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.Duncan was born in Greenville, North Carolina. He graduated from J. P...
- 404
10. Kenny Harris - 352
Steals
1. Rolando Lamb - 2572. Joey Rodriguez - 237
3. Edmund Sherod
Edmund Sherod
Edmund "Ed" Sherod is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard, Sherod attended Virginia Commonwealth University during the late 1970s and early 1980s. There, he tallied a then-school record 582 assists and participated in two NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments...
- 202
4. LaMar Taylor - 193
5. Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
- 168
6. Jesse Pellot-Rosa - 149
7. Kendrick Warren - 148
8. Tyron McCoy - 146
9. Dominic Jones - 143
10. Brandon Rozzell - 137
Blocked Shots
1. Lorenza Watson - 3912. L.F. Likcholitov - 207
3. Kendrick Warren - 193
4. Larry Sanders
Larry Sanders (basketball)
Larry Sanders is an American basketball player drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He played power forward for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams. As a junior Sanders averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. He then declared himself eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft and was...
- 187
5. Sherron Mills
Sherron Mills
Sherron Mills is an American former basketball player from Virginia Commonwealth University. He was a 6'8" forward and was drafted 29th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He did not make an NBA roster, but played professionally in Europe.-References:...
- 134
Source: http://vcuathletics.tv/mbb/history/08-RECORD%20BOOK.pdf
Facilities
Presently, the Rams play at the Verizon Wireless Arena the Stuart C. Siegel CenterStuart C. Siegel Center
Stuart C. Siegel Center is a multi-purpose facility on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. The facility's main component is the 7,500- seat Verizon Wireless Arena. It also served as a student recreational area until the new Cary Street Gym complex was built...
, located in the northwest corridor of the Monroe Park campus. University-owned, the Siegel Center broke ground for construction April 1996, and opened three years later, in May 1999. Since the 1999–00 season, the venue has been the home arena for the Rams, as well as the women's basketball team and volleyball team.
Prior to the opening of the Siegel Center, the Rams spent a majority of their history playing their home basketball games in the Richmond Coliseum
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond Coliseum is an arena in Richmond, Virginia, where the SPHL Richmond Renegades played until the 2008-2009 season and the SIFL Richmond Raiders will play starting with the 2010 season. It is also the venue for various large concerts. The arena opened in 1971 and holds 13,500 people. A...
, which housed the team from 1971 until 1999. Prior to the Rams' long-term occupation of the Coliseum, the team played their home games in the now-demolished Richmond Arena
Richmond Arena
The Richmond Arena was a multipurpose indoor sports facility located in and owned by the city of Richmond, Virginia. It served as the site of basketball games for the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association and the University of Richmond. It also served as the site of the Southern...
, which stood on the site of Sports Backers Stadium
Sports Backers Stadium
Sports Backers Stadium is a 3,250-seat stadium in Richmond, Virginia. The facility was opened in 1999.Sports Backers Stadium is used throughout the year by various parties including the soccer and college athletics teams from Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Union...
.
Rivals
The Rams' primary rivals are George MasonGeorge Mason Patriots men's basketball
The George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represents George Mason University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I...
and Old Dominion. These three teams, recently have become dominant in the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
, collectively winning eight of the last 10 Men's Basketball Tournament
Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Tournament
The Colonia Athletic Association Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Colonial Athletic Association. The tournament has been held every year since 1983. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records...
s. Since 2001, only the 2006 Men's Basketball Tournament
2006 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2006 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament was held from March 3–6, 2006 at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. The winner of the tournament was UNC-Wilmington, who received an automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
did not feature either VCU, GMU or ODU. Additionally, the three schools have been among the top basketball teams in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as each of them earned berths into the 2011 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
.
Outside of their conference, the Rams have developed a crosstown rivalry with the University of Richmond
Richmond Spiders men's basketball
The Richmond Spiders men's basketball team represents the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia and currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference...
. For the past 35 years, the two schools have competed annually in the Black & Blue Classic
Black & Blue Classic
The Black & Blue Classic is an annual college basketball game between the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and the Richmond Spiders.-All-Time Results:VCU victories shaded in ██ gold. Richmond victories are shaded in ██ blue. - External Links :*...
. The success of the two school's basketball programs was highlighted in the most recent edition of the NCAA tournament, as Richmond and VCU both reached the Sweet Sixteen and the Final Four, respectively.
Results by season
Source: http://vcuathletics.tv/mbb/history/coaches-and-captains.pdfNCAA Tournament results
| Year | Seed | Region | Round | Opponent | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 6, 1980, and ended with the championship game on March 24 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
#12 | East | First Round | #5 Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, as a member of the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling, and... |
L 72-86 |
| 1981 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
#5 | East | First Round | #12 Long Island | W 85-69 |
| Second Round | #4 Tennessee | L 56-58 OT | |||
| 1983 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known... |
#5 | East | First Round | #12 La Salle | W 76-67 |
| Second Round | #4 Georgia Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program is the men's college basketball team representing the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1891, the team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since its inception in 1932... |
L 54-56 | |||
| 1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
#6 | East | First Round | #11 Northeastern Northeastern Huskies The Northeastern University Huskies are the athletic teams representing Northeastern University. They compete in thirteen varsity team sports: men's and women's hockey ; men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's field hockey and volleyball, swimming, and men's and women's soccer , and... |
W 70-69 |
| Second Round | #3 Syracuse Syracuse Orange men's basketball The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference... |
L 63-78 | |||
| 1985 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. This was the first year the field was expanded to 64 teams, from 53 in the previous year's tournament. It began... |
#2 | West | First Round | #15 Marshall Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball The Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team is a basketball team from Marshall University in Huntington, West VirginiaNew head coach Tom Herrion will lead the Thundering Herd starting the 2010 season.... |
W 81-65 |
| Second Round | #7 Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has a history of being among the best of the Southeastern Conference . It trails only Kentucky in basketball wins, SEC tournament titles, and SEC regular season titles in the 12-member conference. The team is coached by head coach Anthony Grant,... |
L 59-63 | |||
| 1996 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in... |
#12 | Southeast | First Round | #5 Mississippi St. Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056... |
L 51-58 |
| 2004 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,... |
#13 | East | First Round | #4 Wake Forest Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have... |
L 78-79 |
| 2007 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season... |
#11 | West | First Round | #6 Duke Duke Blue Devils men's basketball The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I... |
W 79-77 |
| Second Round | #3 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in... |
L 79-84 OT | |||
| 2009 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT.... |
#11 | East | First Round | #6 UCLA | L 64-65 |
| 2011 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.... |
#11 | First Round | #11 USC 2010–11 USC Trojans men's basketball team The 2010–11 USC Trojans men's basketball team represented the University of Southern California during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Trojans, led by second year head coach Kevin O'Neill, played their home games at the Galen Center and were members of the Pacific-10... |
W 59-46 | |
| Southwest | Second Round | #6 Georgetown 2010–11 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team The 2010–11 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University in the 2010–2011 NCAA Division I basketball season. In November, the team played in and won the Charleston Classic tournament. During the February 23 game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, senior Chris Wright... |
W 74-56 | ||
| Third Round | #3 Purdue 2010–11 Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team The 2010–11 Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team represented Purdue University. The head coach was Matt Painter, in his sixth season with the Boilers... |
W 94-76 | |||
| Sweet Sixteen | #10 Florida State 2010–11 Florida State Seminoles men's basketball team The 2010–11 Florida State Seminoles men's basketball team represented Florida State University during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Seminoles, led by 9th year head coach Leonard Hamilton, played their home games at the Donald L. Tucker Center and are members of the... |
W 72-71 OT | |||
| Elite Eight | #1 Kansas 2010–11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team The 2010–11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, which was the Jayhawks' 113th basketball season. The head coach was Bill Self, who was serving his 8th year. The team played its home games in Allen... |
W 71-61 | |||
| Final Four | #8 Butler 2010–11 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team The 2010–11 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Butler University in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Brad Stevens, serving his 4th year. The Bulldogs played their home games at the Hinkle Fieldhouse, which has a capacity of approximately 10,000... |
L 70-62 |
Players in the NBA
Source- Jesse Dark 1974 to 1975 - Drafted by the New York Knickerbockers in the 2nd round (14th pick, 32nd overall)
- Bernie Harris 1974 to 1975 - Drafted by the Buffalo Braves in the 4th round (9th pick, 63rd overall)
- Gerald HendersonGerald HendersonJerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson, Sr. is a retired American basketball player. He was a shooting guard who had a 13-year career in the NBA from 1979 until 1992. He played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and...
1980 to 1992 - Drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the 3rd round (20th pick, 64th overall) - Edmund SherodEdmund SherodEdmund "Ed" Sherod is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard, Sherod attended Virginia Commonwealth University during the late 1970s and early 1980s. There, he tallied a then-school record 582 assists and participated in two NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments...
1982 to 1983 - Drafted by the New York Knicks - Eric MaynorEric MaynorEric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
2009 to Present - Drafted by the Utah Jazz in the 1st round (20th pick, 20th overall) - Larry SandersLarry Sanders (basketball)Larry Sanders is an American basketball player drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He played power forward for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams. As a junior Sanders averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. He then declared himself eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft and was...
2010 to Present - Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1st round (15th pick, 15th overall)