Photos & Game Summary: Rams Fall Short in Season Opener

Official VCU Game Summary

Score:  McNeese State 76, VCU 65
Location:  Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Attendance: 7,637 (Sellout)
Records: VCU 0-1, McNeese State 1-0

The short story: Senior guard Max Shulga poured in a team-high 22 points for VCU, but it wasn’t enough to hold off upstart McNeese State Monday in the season-opener for both clubs.

OPENING TIP

• Shulga connected on 6-of-10 three-pointers in the contest. He added four assists
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson supplied 14 points, a career-high eight assists and seven rebounds for the Black and Gold
• Redshirt freshman guard Fats Billups III buried 3-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc and finished with nine points for the Rams, while freshman forward Michael Belle contributed seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks in his collegiate debut
• Shahada Wells led the Cowboys in scoring with 23

THE DIFFERENCE

• McNeese State shot .458 (27-of-59) from the field, including .471 (8-of-17) from 3-point range
• The Cowboys turned the ball over just five times in the game
• VCU shot .306 (11-of-36) from beyond the arc
• MSU outscored VCU 36-22 in the paint and 13-6 off turnovers

NOTABLE

• Shulga’s performance was the third 20-point effort of his career
• Monday’s crowd was the Rams seventh straight sellout
• VCU blocked nine shots in the game

NEXT UP
VCU will play host to Samford on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. That game will be broadcast live on MASN and ESPN+.