On multiple occasions, going back to final season, VCU train Mike Rhoades has mentioned that he loves close games. The Rams, for the duration of their 10-game win streak, haven’t had a lot of the one’s battles. Their average victory margin at some point of the streak has been 15.Five factors. But VCU’s beyond two video games had been tight — a 6-point conquer Saint Louis and a three-point win over Richmond in the past week. “Now don’t get me wrong, all of us love 20-tips,” Rhoades stated closing Tuesday, after the Saint Louis sport. “But I love near games as it reveals the man or woman of you, and it well-known shows the individual of the education team of workers,” Rhoades said after the Richmond win on Saturday that he thought it turned into super that the Rams had to grind out their last wins. “This time of yr, you’re in March, to procure to discover a manner to win,” he said. March means match play, and with the Atlantic 10 occasion only a week and a 1/2 away, close-game revel in should prove valuable for the Rams. “It’s big. Because any experience of close games helps you,” Rhoades stated Monday. “But while you win them, too, it also gives you self assurance.” VCU (23-6, 14-2 A-10) has a hazard to clinch its first outright everyday-season A-10 title with a win at George Mason (sixteen-13, 10-6) on Tuesday night.
The school’s first season inside the league became 2012-thirteen, and it shared the identity in 2015-sixteen. During this season, 12 VCU games have ended with a margin of 6 points or fewer, including nine wins. The group had eleven such video games a remaining season and won six. On Saturday at Richmond, sophomore ahead Marcus Santos-Silva said VCU had come a protracted way. “Now we’re capable of recognizing a way to manage adversity for the duration of the sport,” Santos-Silva stated. “Instead of closing 12 months we’d complain and stuff when we lose leads. This yr we’re like, ‘All proper, we’ll be great.’ ” Late-recreation scenarios for near games get attention in exercise. VCU will also run via a number of the one’s conditions on game days. The Rams examine a selection of instances. It might be a 1-point deficit with 2 seconds left and the team needing to transport the length of the courtroom. It might be 1 second left with inbounds play under the basket, and a 3-pointer wanted. It’s as a whole lot protection as an offense, too. “What are we going to do in that state of affairs? Here are the time and score. Just situations, masses of various scenarios,” Rhoades stated.
After theSaint Louis game, Rhoades stated he didn’t assume the Rams grew sufficient from near video games closing year. When they face the one’s conditions this 12 months, they’ve been extra productive. In addition to the video games in opposition to Saint Louis and Richmond, VCU additionally pulled out a 1-point win at Dayton remaining month in advance in its win streak. Those near victories have helped supply the Rams the hazard to fasten up the everyday-season identify on Tuesday. The opportunity is fuel for his or her hearth, Rhoades stated. “We need to be truly competitive with our technique,” Rhoades said. “There’s no stress on seeking to pass after some thing you really need. Just pass do it.”
