Bones Hyland will lead VCU Basketball to an upset win over Oregon Ducks

Not Getting Rattled

One factor that would go a long way towards helping VCU mitigate that experience gap is getting off to a hot start. The Rams need to come out of the opening tip as if fired out of a cannon in terms of their energy and focus, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

If the Ducks are able to break through and go on a run with some tough shots and/or consecutive threes, and that’s very likely to happen at some point in the game, the Rams can’t revert to sitting back on their heels and playing merely not to lose.

They must remember their identity and what it is that makes them a dangerous team, if a young one, in the first place: their pure tenacity and willingness to hit the floor more than their opponents.

The Rams are 9th in the country in opponent turnover percentage and 23rd in opponent field-goal %. They’ll have to maintain the swagger that led to those numbers even if they get punched in the mouth — no, especially if they get punched in the mouth — by the Ducks on Saturday. The Rams do have some offensive firepower of their own, but simply not enough to keep up if they allow the game to become a shootout.