VCU Falls to Richmond as Spiders Extend Streak to 14

RICHMOND, VA – On Sunday, the VCU women’s basketball team fell to crosstown rival Richmond Spiders, 68-55. The Spiders secured their 14th consecutive victory with the win and clinched the Atlantic 10 regular-season title. Maggie Doogan led the Spiders with a dominant 33-point performance, while Mary-Anna Asare paced the Rams with 16 points. Richmond shot an efficient 54% from the field (25-46), while VCU finished at 39% (21-53).

The Rams started strong in the first quarter, jumping out to an early lead after a three-pointer by Mary-Anna Asare put them ahead 8-4 with 5:59 remaining. Richmond responded, taking its first lead at 9-8 on a layup by Faith Alston with 3:59 left. Asare answered with another three-pointer to reclaim the lead for VCU, 11-9. However, the Spiders countered with a three from Anna Camden, giving them a 16-13 advantage with 1:50 left. In the final seconds, a layup by Doogan tied the game at 18 heading into the second quarter.

VCU struck first in the second quarter, as Asare’s jumper gave the Rams a 20-18 edge. A layup by Zoli Khalil extended the Rams’ lead to 25-20 with 7:27 to play. Richmond answered with a 6-0 run, capped by a Doogan layup, to pull ahead 26-25. VCU briefly regained the lead on a Valentina Ojeda three-pointer (28-26), but the Spiders responded with an 8-0 surge, highlighted by another Doogan basket, to take a 34-28 advantage. The Rams managed to close the gap before halftime, trailing just 35-34 at the break.

Richmond controlled the third quarter, fueled by Doogan’s 10 points in the period. The Rams struggled offensively, scoring only nine points in the quarter. A layup by Addie Budnik capped a 7-0 run, giving the Spiders a 50-41 lead with 3:16 remaining. Asare ended the drought with a jumper, but VCU entered the fourth quarter trailing 50-43.

In the final period, Ojeda’s layup trimmed the Spiders' lead to 55-49, but Richmond responded with a decisive 13-0 run, punctuated by a pair of Doogan free throws, to seize their largest lead of the game at 68-49 with 1:45 left. VCU closed the game with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a Khalil three-pointer, but the Spiders held on for the 68-55 victory.

The Rams (12-16, 6-10 A-10) will return to action on Wednesday, February 26, when they face Loyola Chicago. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Rams Extend Win Streak, Hold Top Spot in A-10 Standings

Richmond, VA – The VCU Rams extended their winning streak to six games on Saturday afternoon, defeating the George Mason Patriots 70-54 in front of a sellout crowd. With the victory, the Rams remain atop the Atlantic 10 standings. Max Shulga led VCU with 22 points, while Darius Maddox and K.D. Johnson paced the Patriots with 12 points each.

The first half was a defensive battle, with both teams struggling from the field. The Rams shot just 24% (6-of-25), while the Patriots fared slightly better at 28% (8-of-28). George Mason grabbed an early lead, with Jalen Haynes’ layup putting them ahead 7-2 at the 15:55 mark—their largest advantage of the half.

VCU claimed its first lead when Shulga knocked down two free throws to put the Rams ahead 17-15 with 5:10 remaining. However, the Patriots quickly responded as Maddox drilled a three-pointer to reclaim an 18-17 advantage. Moments later, Joe Bamisile electrified the crowd with a thunderous dunk, giving the Rams a 19-18 edge with 4:14 left. The Patriots held a slim 24-23 lead at halftime.

The second half belonged to VCU. Luke Bamgboye opened the scoring with a dunk to put the Rams back on top, 25-24. After a Jalen Haynes jumper briefly put George Mason ahead 29-27, the Rams took control. A dominant 15-0 run, capped by a Jack Clark three-pointer, pushed VCU’s lead to 42-29 with 14:08 remaining. The Patriots never recovered.

Christian Fermin’s dunk in the final minute gave the Rams their largest lead at 69-49, sealing the victory. VCU (22-5, 12-2 A-10) will now turn its attention to a crosstown rivalry matchup against the Richmond Spiders on Tuesday, February 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Saint Louis Rallies to Stun VCU in 59-56 Comeback Victory

Richmond, VA – The VCU Rams suffered a heartbreaking 59-56 loss to the Saint Louis Billikens on Thursday afternoon, surrendering a 16-point lead in the third quarter. Despite dominating the boards with a 41-33 rebounding advantage—led by Mykel Parham’s 16 rebounds—VCU struggled with costly turnovers (16) and inefficient shooting (32.7% from the field), allowing Saint Louis to stay within striking distance.

The Rams were led by Grace Hutson and Mary-Anna Asare, who each scored 17 points. However, they could not close the game as the Billikens capitalized on their late-game momentum. Brooklyn Gray led Saint Louis with 14 points, including the game-sealing free throws in the final moments.

VCU opened the game on an 8-0 run, fueled by a pair of three-pointers from Grace Hutson. A layup by Hutson extended the Rams' lead to 15-8 with 4:03 left in the first quarter. Mary-Anna Asare later connected from beyond the arc, giving VCU its largest lead of the quarter at 20-10 with 1:45 remaining. The Rams finished the period ahead 22-14 and maintained control in the second quarter, heading into halftime with a 33-24 advantage.

The Rams carried their momentum into the second half, stretching their lead to 40-24 with 7:58 left in the third quarter—their largest of the game. However, their offense stalled, as Valentina Ojeda’s three-pointer at 4:02 was their last field goal of the quarter. Saint Louis took full advantage, ending the period on a 10-0 run, capped by Shun’Teria Anumele’s buzzer-beating three-pointer, cutting the deficit to 46-43.

The Billikens continued their surge in the fourth quarter. After a pair of free throws from Mykel Parham briefly extended VCU’s lead, Saint Louis responded with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a layup from Hannah Wallace to give the Billikens a 49-48 lead with 6:01 remaining. VCU regained control momentarily as Jennifer Ezeh hit free throws and a layup, putting the Rams ahead 55-52 with 1:53 left.

Saint Louis answered quickly. Brooklyn Gray’s layup cut the deficit to one, and Tierra Simon’s basket with 32 seconds remaining gave the Billikens a 57-55 lead. Gray then sank two clutch free throws to secure the 59-56 victory for Saint Louis. With the loss, VCU falls to 10-15 overall and 4-9 in A-10 play. The Rams will look to bounce back as they head to New York to face Fordham on Sunday, February 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.