RAMS USE 15-2 SECOND-HALF RUN TO DEFEAT SEAHAWKS 55-46
VCU advances to CAA Championship Game for second straight year
3-6-05
boxscore
RICHMOND, Va. - The second-seeded Virginia Commonwealth Rams used a 15-2 run in the second half to claim a 55-46 win over third-seeded UNC Wilmington in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament at the Richmond Coliseum.
The Rams (19-11) trailed 38-33 with eight minutes left in the contest. VCU put together a 15-2 run, keyed by five points by junior forward Nick George (Manchester, England) (pictured) and four from sophomore guard B.A. Walker (Onancock, Va./Nandua), to take a 48-40 lead with 2:30 remaining. VCU was 7-8 from the free throw line in the final 1:30 to secure the 55-46 victory. George was 4-4 from the line during that stretch. George scored nine of VCU's final 20 points in the game.
The Seahawks (19-10) jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead before a 14-4 spurt by the Rams gave VCU a 14-9 lead with 11:45 left in the period. The Rams held a 21-17 advantage at the four-minute mark, but UNCW scored the final four points of the half to make it 21-21 at intermission.
UNCW pushed its lead to 33-28 with 14 minutes left before senior forward Michael Doles (Richmond, Va./Meadowbrook) hit a pair of free throws and junior guard Alexander Harper (Columbia, S.C./Keenan) nailed a three-pointer to knot the score at 33-33. Mitch Laue made a layup and a free throw and Aaron Coombs converted an offensive rebound into a bucket to give the Seahawks a 38-33 advantage.
George led the Rams with 13 points. Doles added 11 for VCU. Sophomore guard Jesse Pellot-Rosa (Richmond, Va./George Wythe) had seven points and nine boards for the Rams. Harper contributed eight points and eight rebounds for VCU.
T.J. Carter paced the Seahawks with 14 points and six rebounds. Coombs finished with 12 points for UNCW. John Goldsberry, a first-team all-CAA selection, was held to six points.
The Rams will meet top-seeded Old Dominion in the CAA title game on Monday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Richmond Coliseum. The winner will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
