VCU Rams: 26-8, 14-4 in the Atlantic 10
Head coach: Will Wade (2nd season)
Players to watch: JeQuan Lewis (14.7 PPG, 4.6 APG); Justin Tillman (12.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG); Mo Alie-Cox (9.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG)
Season recap: Although a loss Dayton in its penultimate regular-season game cost VCU a chance at the regular-season title, the Rams enter the tournament as a legitimate threat to make some noise in March. VCU may be six years removed from their magical run to the Final Four, but the Rams have shown the ability to hang with some of the best in the nation this season. VCU is 9-6 against RPI top-100 teams, with three of those wins coming against RPI top-50 teams. The Rams also played No. 9 Baylor close at home before fading in an eight-point loss earlier in the season, and fell in overtime to Georgia Tech. Since their loss to the Yellow Jackets in the first week of December, VCU has lost just five times.
The Rams are led by senior first-team All-Atlantic 10 guard JeQuan Lewis, one of the team’s premier offensive threats, especially from downtown. Lewis set a school record with nine 3-pointers in a game earlier in the season and is shooting 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. Lewis’ strong play is complemented by that of forwards Justin Tillman and Mo Alie-Cox. Alie-Cox has now been named to the All-Atlantic 10 defensive team three straight years and this season, the senior averaged 2.1 blocks per game—good for third in the conference—and set a career high with 27 steals.
As a team, VCU had the second-best scoring offense in the Atlantic 10 at 72.5 points per game, but the Rams ranked uncharacteristically low in scoring defense, surrendering 65.8 points per game to finish in the bottom half of the conference.
How they make a run: Lewis knocks down a slew of triples and the Rams get back to former head coach Shaka Smart's pressure defense to keep opposing offenses in check. Alie-Cox and Tillman dominate in the paint, and VCU springs a couple upsets on its way to a deep run in March.
How they falter: Alie-Cox and Tillman aren’t able to stop teams with bigger, more talented frontcourts as Lewis and the rest of the guards are unable to control the tempo.
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