SHULER SHOOTS RAMS PAST TRIBE, 90-68
1-29-07
Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Junior guard Jamal Shuler (Jacksonville, N.C./Jacksonville) led the Rams with a career-high 24 points, including 19 in the second half, as Virginia Commonwealth University topped the College of William & Mary 90-68 Monday night in Colonial Athletic Association action at the Alltel Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.

VCU won its 10th straight game to improve to 19-3 overall and 11-0 in the CAA, matching the best start in the history of the conference.

William & Mary (11-10, 4-7) scored the initial five points of the contest to take an early 5-0 lead in the first 1:55 but VCU used an 8-0 run to claim an 8-5 advantage at the 16:29 mark.  After the Tribe cut the Rams’ lead to one at 10-9 with 15:11 remaining, VCU used a 15-4 spurt to pull ahead by 12 points at 25-13 with 10:09 to go before the break. 

The Rams would hold a double-digit lead for the majority of the first half as VCU connected on 7 of 14 three-point opportunities, led by senior guard B.A. Walker’s (Onancock, Va./Nandua) four treys.  William & Mary pulled within nine points on a three point field goal by junior forward Laimis Kisielius (Vilnius, Lithuania/Miller School) with 55 seconds remaining in the period but Shuler would follow with a 24-foot jumper as time expired to give VCU a 47-35 halftime lead.

VCU remained in control as the Rams started the second half on a 25-13 run to extend their lead to 24 points at 72-48 on a layup by junior forward Wil Fameni (Duoala, Cameroon/Amelia Academy) with 8:29 to go.  William & Mary would only get to within 19 points the remainder of the game as VCU shot 56.7% from the field in the second half.

Walker scored 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting (6 of 8 from behind the arc), while Maynor added 15 points and seven assists for the Rams.  Fameni chipped in 14 points and four rebounds.

Kisielius paced William & Mary with 22 points and three assists, while senior guard Adam Payton (Burlington, N.J./The Lawrenceville School) added 12 points.

Anthony Grant became the first coach in VCU history to record 19 wins in his rookie season. J.D. Barnett and Jeff Capel each recorded 18 victories in their first season.

VCU returns to CAA action on Wednesday, Jan. 31, with a 7 p.m. contest at Hofstra. The game will be streamed live on the internet.