Butler knew that going on the road to VCU would be a challenge in what obviously was the biggest game of the year for Virginia Commonwealth. This was the biggest game of the year in the A-10 with Butler and VCU representing the two teams in the A-10 who have achieved the highest national ranking in 2012-13. Butler came in as the #20 team while VCU is presently unranked but are clearly as good as many teams ahead of them...VCU began this game running like their house was on fire running Butler into awkward shots which weren't falling...but then again they didn't get off enough shots to have a chance in the early going. The 9 steals VCU forced in the first half helped create 12 Bulldog turnovers...the very early Butler 2-point lead was momentary and VCU's 24-point half time lead (45-21) was their high water mark in the first half. VCU won the first half as they have in many other games this year: by forcing turnovers and thus creating more offensive possessions for themselves...
Butler University v. Virginia Commonwealth...March 2, 2013...12 P.M.
In the first 12+ minutes of the second half VCU continued to maintain the margin it established in the first half and traded baskets with the Bulldogs, content with the 20-something lead...at 7:48 in the second half VCU led 69-45 which was the same margin they had established by half time. VCU double-figure scorers were Troy Daniels who led all scorers with 20 points, Juvonte Reddic, Treveon Graham and Briante Weber. The Bulldogs got double-figure points from Roosevelt Jones and Khyle Marshall, Jr.
VCU added to the lead in the last 7+ minutes of the second half; over the entire game they had more field goal attempts than Butler, shot and made more threes and shot and made more free throws. The strategy in the first half to foul early in Butler's offensive possessions worked to keep Butler from implementing their offensive strategy. VCU committed 21 personal fouls to Butler who committed 13 fouls. The final score was VCU 84 Butler 52.
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