Game Thread: VCU @ St. Bonaventure (Saturday 1/12/13)

[xu95]

VCU

vs

St. Bonaventure

Records: VCU (13-3, 1-0 A 10) / St. Bonaventure (7-7, 0-1 A 10)
Game time: 4PM EST
TV: CBS 6 Richmond, Comcast SportsNet MidAtlantic, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Time Warner SportsChannel Buffalo
Radio: VCU 107.3 FM / St. Bonaventure 95.7 WPIG and WHDL 1450 am
Website: VCU / St. Bonaventure

[vcurams05]

Looking forward to our first A-10 road showdown with what appears to be a tough road venue. Go Rams, bring the heat!

[DistrictBaller]

Yeah this is kind of scary. I've heard all sorts of stories about how tough it is to play up there. Bona is on a 4-game skid and hasn't looked good while in it either. This is probably the best home game they've had in a while and it sounds like the dorms are being opened early and it may be a near capacity crowd. They'll be amped and wanting to turn their season around in a big way.

We'll have to be extremely sharp, poised, and focused on the task at hand. This is a game we can lose. On paper, we should win this going away with the defense that the Bonnies have played (or not played I should say) this year so far. I am really wary of the A-10 road factor though.

That's a veteran Bonnies squad up there. It should be a good test for us. We honestly didn't test ourselves on the road at all. The only true road games were at Winthrop (6-8, 3-8 against D1 competition), ODU (2-14), and ETSU (3-13). We crushed all those teams but they also suck badly.

St. Bonaventure is easily the best team we've faced on the road this year. I hope we pass this test because it's an important first one going into the conference schedule.

[Bona84]

The Bonnies have not played this poorly since Schmidt's first year when the cupboard was bare. Hopeful for a good game, but it could be a bloodbath.

[vcurams05]

To me this game is huge to build conference momentum. This is the 2nd of 3 tests in our early schedule with the third being St. Joe's on Thursday. If we find a way we follow these three up with Duquesne, UR, Rhody, Fordham and Charlotte. This is a scary one though.

[antboy]

VCU is probably good enough to win this one. But if you're going to see the foul problems in any game, this will probably be it. The whole foul so much the refs can't call everything will likely not be true in Olean, where they usually get one of the better homecourt advantages in the league.

May not be enough, but I'd guess your defenders end up in some serious foul trouble. Does VCU try to dial it back a bit on the road? I assume they do, and that would likely help them in this game. I'm hoping I get a chance to see this one, because I'm really curious how much VCU will be penalized in road games for their style, could indicate a lot about how likely they are to finish at the top of the league when they also have to play SLU on the road.

[DistrictBaller]

We do a good job adjusting to how the refs call the game. They just typically call it tighter on the road. In our arena and atmosphere the refs can get caught up in our pace and style of play.

[res]

No need to worry about the refs, DB. antboy and several other of our Charlotte friends are still apparently traumatized by a game that IIRC took place in 1897, or thereabouts. It's been a long, long time since Olean has been a particularly tough place to play. There's still a home court advantage, of course, but I wouldn't rank it any higher than average in the A10.

[TUOwl06]

SBU's performance against GWU was probably the most head scratching result from opening night. Olean can be a very tough place to play. I expect VCU will have a their hands full, relatively speaking.

Are the students back?

[res]

Classes start on Monday. The dorms will be open for those who want to return early. We'll have to wait and see how many avail themselves of the opportunity.

[DistrictBaller]

Shaka thoughts on the game at his Coaches Show last night:

[antboy]

Originally Posted by res

No need to worry about the refs, DB. antboy and several other of our Charlotte friends are still apparently traumatized by a game that IIRC took place in 1897, or thereabouts. It's been a long, long time since Olean has been a particularly tough place to play. There's still a home court advantage, of course, but I wouldn't rank it any higher than average in the A10.

Ha, I don't know about traumatized. It was 2 years ago, i.e. the last time Charlotte played there, so it's the last Charlotte game I remember in Olean and it was a doozy. But I imagine some other fans on here would support the idea that the Bonnies have a better than average home court advantage, given how often people talk about dreading their teams playing there even in the last few years.

[jjjacks17]

Okay Shaka, I know it may seem like we only lost one player form last years team but we actually lost two starters and three players if you even want to count Jake House. Just pointing that out. I understand that he wasn't coaching here before so he might not know much about the Bonnies other than Nicholson but De'Quan Cook was a very important part of last years team as well.

[res]

Originally Posted by antboy

Ha, I don't know about traumatized.

You should be. You guys got hosed.

[DistrictBaller]

Originally Posted by jjjacks17

Okay Shaka, I know it may seem like we only lost one player form last years team but we actually lost two starters and three players if you even want to count Jake House. Just pointing that out. I understand that he wasn't coaching here before so he might not know much about the Bonnies other than Nicholson but De'Quan Cook was a very important part of last years team as well.

I'm sure he appreciates you clarifying that for him.