2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball team
The 2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball team represented Virginia Commonwealth University in the Colonial Athletic Association conference during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Rams, led by second year head coach Shaka Smart, played their home games at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. They finished the season 28–12, 12–6 in CAA play and lost in the championship game of the 2011 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament to Old Dominion. They received an at-large bid in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament where they played in the new First Four round, defeating Southern California. They defeated Georgetown and Purdue in the second and third rounds, respectively, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The defeated Florida State to advance to the Elite Eight where they defeated Kansas. They advanced to the school's first ever Final Four, being just the third 11 seed in Tournament history to advance to the Final Four, where they were defeated by Butler. The VCU Rams finished 6th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at the end of the season.[1] This was the highest ranking in VCU's history and the highest ranking of any team from the CAA.[2] The 2011 NCAA tournament run by VCU is regarded as one of the best Cinderella runs of all time.[3] To date, they are the only men's Division I basketball team whose NCAA tournament journey ran from The First Four to the Final Four. They are also the only team in the tournament to win five games, and not qualify for the national championship game.
2010–11 VCU Rams men's basketball | |
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NCAA Tournament, Final Four | |
Conference | Colonial Athletic Association |
Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 6 |
2010–11 record | 28–12 (12–6 CAA) |
Head coach |
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Assistant coaches | |
Home arena | Stuart C. Siegel Center |
2010–11 CAA men's basketball standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
George Mason | 16 | – | 2 | .889 | 27 | – | 7 | .794 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Old Dominion † | 14 | – | 4 | .778 | 27 | – | 7 | .794 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hofstra | 14 | – | 4 | .778 | 21 | – | 12 | .636 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
VCU | 12 | – | 6 | .667 | 28 | – | 12 | .700 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Drexel | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 21 | – | 10 | .677 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Madison | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 21 | – | 12 | .636 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Delaware | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 14 | – | 17 | .452 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UNCW | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 13 | – | 18 | .419 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia State | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 12 | – | 19 | .387 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northeastern | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 11 | – | 20 | .355 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
William & Mary | 4 | – | 14 | .222 | 10 | – | 22 | .313 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Towson | 0 | – | 18 | .000 | 4 | – | 26 | .133 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† 2011 CAA Tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll |
Roster
Number | Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown |
5 | Juvonte Reddic | Forward | 6–9 | 225 | Freshman | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
10 | Darius Theus | Guard | 6–3 | 190 | Sophomore | Portsmouth, Virginia |
12 | Joey Rodriguez | Guard | 5–10 | 175 | Senior | Merritt Island, Florida |
20 | Bradford Burgess | Guard | 6–6 | 225 | Junior | Midlothian, Virginia |
21 | Jamie Skeen | Forward | 6–9 | 240 | Senior | Charlotte, North Carolina |
23 | Rob Brandenberg | Guard | 6–2 | 170 | Freshman | Gahanna, Ohio |
24 | Heath Houston | Forward | 6–8 | 240 | Freshman | Powder Springs, Georgia (Hillgrove High School) |
25 | Reco McCarter | Guard | 6–7 | 180 | Freshman | Goldsboro, North Carolina |
30 | Troy Daniels | Guard | 6–4 | 195 | Sophomore | Roanoke, Virginia |
31 | Toby Veal | Forward | 6–8 | 235 | Junior | Savannah, Georgia |
32 | Brandon Rozzell | Guard | 6–2 | 185 | Senior | Richmond, Virginia |
33 | D. J. Haley | Center | 7–0 | 250 | Freshman | Palmdale, California |
34 | David Hinton | Forward | 6–9 | 235 | Sophomore | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
50 | Ed Nixon | Guard | 6–4 | 210 | Senior | St. Petersburg, Florida |
2010–11 team recruits
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
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Juvonte Reddic C |
Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Quality Education Academy | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | Mar 22, 2010 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:![]() ![]() | ||||||
Rob Brandenberg SG |
Gahanna, Ohio | Lincoln High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Aug 30, 2009 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:![]() ![]() | ||||||
D. J. Haley C |
Palmdale, California | Palmdale High School | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | May 4, 2010 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:![]() ![]() | ||||||
Reco McCarter SF |
Goldsboro, North Carolina | Wayne Country Day School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Sep 29, 2009 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:![]() ![]() | ||||||
Heath Houston PF |
Powder Springs, Georgia | Hillgrove High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Jun 28, 2010 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:![]() ![]() | ||||||
Toby Veal SF |
Savannah, Georgia | Northwest Florida State College | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Jan 17, 2010 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:![]() ![]() | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: | ||||||
Sources:
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Season
Preseason
VCU was predicted to finish third in the Colonial Athletic Association preseason polls, which was released October 19, 2010 in Arlington, Virginia.[4] Senior guard Joey Rodriguez was selected to the preseason Atlantic 10 Conference first team.
Schedule
Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exhibition | |||||||||||
Nov. 4, 2010* 7:30 pm |
Virginia Union | W 71–56 | 10 – Tied | 8 – Skeen | 5 – Theus | Stuart C. Siegel Center (6,645) Richmond, Virginia | |||||
Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
Nov. 12, 2010* 7:30 pm |
UNC Greensboro | W 101–86 | 1–0 |
23 – Rozzell | 7 – Skeen | 17 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,094) Richmond, VA | ||||
Nov. 15, 2010* 9:30 pm |
vs. Winthrop NIT Season Tip-Off first round |
W 67–54 | 2–0 |
15 – Rodriguez | 8 – Skeen | 8 – Rodriguez | LJVM Coliseum (1,276) Winston-Salem, NC | ||||
Nov. 16, 2010* 7:00 pm |
at Wake Forest NIT Season Tip-Off Quarterfinals |
W 90–69 | 3–0 |
25 – Burgess | 8 – Burgess | 6 – Rodriguez | LJVM Coliseum (8,119) Winston-Salem, NC | ||||
Nov. 24, 2010* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
vs. No. 24 Tennessee NIT Season Tip-Off Semifinals |
L 72–77 | 3–1 |
23 – Rozzell | 14 – Skeen | 4 – Rozzell | Madison Square Garden (10,912) New York, NY | ||||
Nov. 26, 2010* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
vs. UCLA NIT Season Tip-Off 3rd place game |
W 89–85 | 4–1 |
23 – Skeen | 9 – Skeen | 5 – Rodriguez | Madison Square Garden (10,292) New York, NY | ||||
Dec. 1, 2010* 7:00 pm |
at South Florida | L 59–60 OT | 4–2 |
16 – Skeen | 13 – Burgess | 3 – Rozzell | USF Sun Dome (2,921) Tampa, FL | ||||
Dec. 4, 2010 12:00 pm |
William & Mary | W 59–55 | 5–2 (1–0) |
13 – Rodriguez | 7 – Skeen | 3 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (6,482) Richmond, VA | ||||
Dec. 8, 2010* 7:30 pm |
VMI | W 86–80 | 6–2 |
19 – Skeen | 10 – Veal | 6 – Theus | Stuart C. Siegel Center (6,023) Richmond, VA | ||||
Dec. 11, 2010* 7:00 pm |
at Richmond Capital City Classic |
L 60–72 | 6–3 |
14 – Skeen | 10 – Skeen | 3 – Rodriguez | Robins Center (8,906) Richmond, VA | ||||
Dec. 18, 2010* 2:00 pm |
Tulane | W 70–67 | 7–3 |
15 – Skeen | 6 – Skeen | 5 – Theus | Stuart C. Siegel Center (5,734) Richmond, VA | ||||
Dec. 21, 2010* 8:00 pm |
at UAB | L 65–68 | 7–4 |
26 – Burgess | 10 – Skeen | 4 – Theus | Bartow Arena (4,344) Birmingham, AL | ||||
Dec. 29, 2010* 7:00 pm |
Wofford Holidays on the Hardwood Classic |
W 75–66 | 8–4 |
18 – Rozzell | 8 – Skeen | 4 – Theus | Stuart C. Siegel Center (5,799) Richmond, VA | ||||
Dec. 30, 2010* 7:30 pm |
New Hampshire Holidays on the Hardwood Classic |
W 78–65 | 9–4 |
24 – Burgess | 8 – Burgess | 8 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (5,590) Richmond, VA | ||||
Conference regular season | |||||||||||
Jan. 3, 2011 7:00 pm |
at Georgia State | L 66–76 | 9–5 (1–1) |
16 – Skeen | 4 – Skeen | 3 – Theus | GSU Sports Arena (852) Atlanta, GA | ||||
Jan. 5, 2011 7:00 pm |
Drexel | W 52–48 | 10–5 (2–1) |
11 – Burgess | 8 – Burgess | 5 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (6,313) Richmond, VA | ||||
Jan. 8, 2011 7:00 pm |
at UNC Wilmington | W 82–64 | 11–5 (3–1) |
22 – Rozzell | 8 – Burgess | 6 – Rodriguez | Trask Coliseum (5,126) Wilmington, NC | ||||
Jan. 12, 2011 7:00 pm |
at William & Mary | W 70–52 | 12–5 (4–1) |
22 – Brandenberg | 12 – Skeen | 6 – Theus | Kaplan Arena (2,245) Williamsburg, VA | ||||
Jan. 15, 2011 12:00 pm |
Northeastern | W 73–64 | 13–5 (5–1) |
26 – Burgess | 9 – Burgess | 7 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (6,042) Richmond, VA | ||||
Jan. 19, 2011 7:30 pm |
Georgia State | W 71–54 | 14–5 (6–1) |
23 – Brandenberg | 7 – Skeen | 6 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (6,531) Richmond, VA | ||||
Jan. 22, 2011 4:00 pm |
at Old Dominion ODU rivalry |
W 59–50 | 15–5 (7–1) |
15 – Burgess | 10 – Skeen | 5 – Skeen | Ted Constant Convocation Center (8,457) Norfolk, VA | ||||
Jan. 24, 2011 7:00 pm |
at Towson | W 80–76 | 16–5 (8–1) |
28 – Rodriguez | 5 – Burgess | 5 – Nixon | Towson Center (1,365) Towson, MD | ||||
Jan. 27, 2011 7:00 pm |
Hofstra | W 82–67 | 17–5 (9–1) |
18 – Skeen | 14 – Burgess | 6 – Nixon | Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,208) Richmond, VA | ||||
Jan. 29, 2011 7:30 pm |
UNC Wilmington | W 79–70 | 18–5 (10–1) |
25 – Rodriguez | 8 – Burgess | 7 – Theus | Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,552) Richmond, VA | ||||
Feb. 2, 2011 7:00 pm |
at Northeastern | L 80–91 | 18–6 (10–2) |
18 – Rodriguez | 9 – Skeen | 5 – Nixon | Matthews Arena (1,095) Boston, MA | ||||
Feb. 5, 2011 2:00 pm |
at James Madison | W 70–66 | 19–6 (11–2) |
22 – Burgess | 7 – Nixon | 5 – Rodriguez | JMU Convocation Center (4,989) Harrisonburg, VA | ||||
Feb. 9, 2011 7:00 pm |
at Delaware | W 84–74 2OT | 20–6 (12–2) |
32 – Skeen | 11 – Skeen | 3 – Nixon | Bob Carpenter Center (2,471) Newark, DE | ||||
Feb. 12, 2011 7:00 pm |
Old Dominion ODU rivalry |
L 59–70 | 20–7 (12–3) |
15 – Rozzell | 7 – Skeen | 4 – Rozzell | Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,552) Richmond, VA | ||||
Feb. 15, 2011 7:00 pm, ESPNU |
George Mason George Mason rivalry |
L 51–71 | 20–8 (12–4) |
12 – Brandenberg | 8 – Rodriguez | 3 – Skeen | Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,552) Richmond, VA | ||||
Feb. 18, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
at Wichita State ESPN BracketBusters |
W 68–67 | 21–8 |
17 – Burgess | 12 – Skeen | 11 – Rodriguez | Charles Koch Arena (10,506) Wichita, KS | ||||
Feb. 23, 2011 7:00 pm |
at Drexel | L 60–64 | 21–9 (12–5) |
17 – Skeen | 7 – Burgess | 3 – Burgess | Daskalakis Athletic Center (2,073) Philadelphia, PA | ||||
Feb. 26, 2011 12:00 pm |
James Madison | L 69–72 | 21–10 (12–6) |
20 – Skeen | 8 – Nixon | 10 – Rodriguez | Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,552) Richmond, VA | ||||
CAA Tournament | |||||||||||
Mar. 5, 2011 2:30 pm, CSN |
(4) | vs. (5) Drexel Quarterfinals |
W 62–60 | 22–10 |
24 – Skeen | 8 – Skeen | 5 – Rodriguez | Richmond Coliseum (7,814) Richmond, VA | |||
Mar. 6, 2011 12:00 pm, CSN |
(4) | vs. (1) No. 25 George Mason Semifinals |
W 79–63 | 23–10 |
21 – Skeen | 13 – Burgess | 5 – Nixon | Richmond Coliseum (8,962) Richmond, VA | |||
Mar. 7, 2011 7:00 pm, ESPN |
(4) | vs. (2) Old Dominion Championship Game |
L 65–70 | 23–11 |
19 – Burgess | 8 – Burgess | 7 – Rodriguez | Richmond Coliseum (11,200) Richmond, VA | |||
NCAA Tournament | |||||||||||
Mar. 16, 2011* 9:00 pm, truTV |
(11 SW) | vs. (11 SW) USC First Four |
W 59–46 | 24–11 |
16 – Skeen | 10 – Burgess | 5 – Rodriguez | University of Dayton Arena (10,192) Dayton, OH | |||
Mar. 18, 2011* 9:50 pm, TNT |
(11 SW) | vs. (6 SW) Georgetown Second Round |
W 74–56 | 25–11 |
26 – Rozzell | 8 – Burgess | 7 – Rodriguez | United Center (17,369) Chicago, IL | |||
Mar. 20, 2011* 7:10 pm, TBS |
(11 SW) | vs. (3 SW) No. 13 Purdue Third Round |
W 94–76 | 26–11 |
23 – Burgess | 8 – Burgess | 11 – Rodriguez | United Center (18,146) Chicago, IL | |||
Mar. 25, 2011* 9:57 pm, TBS |
(11 SW) | vs. (10 SW) Florida State Sweet Sixteen |
W 72–71 OT | 27–11 |
26 – Burgess | 8 – D | 10 – Rodriguez | Alamodome (14,566) San Antonio, TX | |||
Mar. 27, 2011* 2:20 pm, CBS |
(11 SW) | vs. (1 SW) No. 2 Kansas Elite Eight |
W 71–61 | 28–11 |
26 – Skeen | 10 – Skeen | 5 – Rodriguez | Alamodome (14,738) San Antonio, TX | |||
Apr. 2, 2011* 6:09 pm, CBS |
(11 SW) | vs. (8 SE) Butler Final Four |
L 62–70 | 28–12 |
27 – Skeen | 9 – Burgess | 8 – Rodriguez | Reliant Stadium (75,421) Houston, TX | |||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |
Honors
Senior forward Jamie Skeen was named the Southwest Regional Most Outstanding Player. Skeen was also named to 2nd team All- Colonial Athletic Association. Senior guard Joey Rodriguez was named to 3rd team All- Colonial Athletic Association.[5]
References
- "NCAA College Basketball Polls, College Basketball Rankings, NCAA Basketball Polls – ESPN". Espn.go.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- "VCU Athletics". VCU Athletics. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- "NCAA Tournament Final Four: Is VCU the Greatest Cinderella Story of All Time?". Bleacher Report. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205014102
- "HOFSTRA'S JENKINS REPEATS AS CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR".