Whether fans in Richmond consider it annoying or not, VCU has this knack of building great teams, losing their head coaches, and then finding incredible replacements. Notable leaders like Anthony Grant, Shaka Smart, and Will Wade have passed through in recent decades though Phil Martelli Jr. is hoping to leave his mark just as strongly, now entering his second season at the helm.
Year one truly went according to plan for a Rams team that won 28 games, tied for the A-10 regular season crown, and then took care of business in the A-10 Tournament. What’s far more impressive is VCU’s before in the Big Dance, upsetting 6-seed North Carolina for the program’s first Tourney win in exactly a decade.
Talent has returned
There were many new faces on last season’s team and yet that crew came together and emerged as one of the best mid-majors in the country. Star guard Terrence Hill found a new home in the offseason, but a lot of the talent from last year is actually back again. Add in a few new faces and VCU has a really special roster that could have people really excited down the line.
Suffice to say the expectations are sky high heading into Martelli’s second season leading this program, and that’s saying something when you consider VCU’s recent history. Breaking through with a Tourney win was an unexpected and impressive start, but if the chips fall in the right place, this VCU team might just have the talent and potential for an even deeper run through March.
Projected Starters
Guard – Brandon Jennings (Junior)
He was already part of VCU’s backcourt before Martelli’s arrival, but Jennings took a big step forward last season as a sophomore. In his first year as a starter, he averaged 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. There’ll be an even bigger role in Hill’s absence and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another big step from Jennings, who shined with limited chances beyond the arc.
Guard – Nyk Lewis (Sophomore)
Last year’s A-10 Rookie of the Year, Lewis was a Top 75 prospect from Washington DC who really excelled given his opportunities. He was a full-time starter even as a true freshman, putting up 8.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game across important minutes for the Rams. Expect even more moving forward, as Lewis continues to develop as a great shooter and playmaker.
Guard – Blake Harper (Junior)
As a freshman, Harper was named MEAC Player of the Year while starring at Howard. The DC native put up nearly 20 points per game, but obviously couldn’t match that production with Creighton last season at 7.7 points and 3.6 rebounds a night. Now he gives the Rams another scoring threat and playmaker with power conference experience. We’re not expecting 20 points a night, but a former Big East starter really supplies the talent in this lineup.
Guard/Forward – Michael Belle (Senior)
Much of the work from Belle has come off the bench, though we’re currently penciling him into a more significant role in his fourth year at VCU. A 6-7 forward from London, who attended school in France, he started a few games as a freshman but is coming off his best season, averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds last year. He’s a versatile athlete and underrated rebounder and shot blocker for his size.
Forward – Lazar Djokovic (Senior)
Another important returning player, Djokovic is the top returning scorer from last season’s team. A 6-10 big man from Serbia, he had solid work at Xavier and Charleston before landing with the Rams last offseason, leading to a junior year with 13.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Heading into year four, he’s clearly a player to watch both on this team and in this conference, especially as his game continues to grow and evolve beyond a typical big.
Key Reserves
Guard – Sammy Jackson (Freshman)
Jackson is the most notable of VCU’s freshman additions and he’s a Top 100 prospect out of Philadelphia. He reclassified and enrolled early in college but seems ready to make his mark sooner rather than later. Jackson has that great combination of athleticism and physicality, with the ability to impact play in a number of ways on both ends of the court.
Guard – Ahmad Nowell (Junior)
We could see much more out of Nowell in his second year with VCU. A guard out of Philadelphia, he was a highly regarded recruit who was a bench piece with UConn before joining Martelli and this squad last season. Nowell averaged just 4.5 points and 1.2 rebounds as a bench option here but is a tough and physical backcourt piece who should be much more than just a backup player as a junior.
Forward – Collin Ross (Freshman)
Another monumental piece of an impressive freshman class, Ross is a 6-10 forward who’s also a Top 100 prospect and is another massive victory for the VCU staff. His size, length, and fluidity have all been lauded alongside his ability to affect the game around the basket on both offense and defense, though we’ll see what kind of role he can carve out right off the bat in this experienced frontcourt.
Forward – Torey Alston (Junior)
It was impressive work for Alston these last two seasons largely as a starter at Middle Tennessee and he’s now looking to find his footing with the Rams. A 6-8 forward from North Carolina, his sophomore season was very productive with the Blue Raiders at 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He’s still developing his game and is a fantastic addition who just might earn that starting role this year.
Guard – Tyrell Ward (Senior)
VCU will be even better if things keep coming together for Ward, a former Top 30 prospect for whom things just didn’t work out at LSU. He was back on the court with these Rams last season, averaging 5.7 points and 2.2 rebounds off the bench, with better numbers as the season progressed. His long-range shooting wasn’t fantastic last year but that part of his game could be what earns him even more minutes.
Guard – Nyle Ralph-Beyer (Junior)
An underrated addition from the transfer portal, Ralph-Beyer heads VCU’s ways after a pair of seasons with great results at Sacred Heart. Ralph-Beyer developed into the best pure shooter in the MAAC, averaging 14.2 points and 3.8 rebounds last season while making a league-best 44% of his 3-pointers. He’s a phenomenal sharp shooter and a really important bench weapon who’ll get plenty of opportunities as an upperclassman.
Schedule Outlook
After the season opener at home against Little Rock, the first real test for VCU comes at Memphis on November 7th, but that’s far from the only challenge away from Richmond. Less than two weeks later, the Rams are on the road against a feisty Santa Clara squad, though that’s just a taste of their upcoming holiday.
VCU will spend late November at the Maui Invitational and have a real shot to prove that they belong in some of these national conversations. They’ll matchup with Providence then face either Arizona or Colorado State before a third game in three days right after that. A pair of wins in that event in some order would be massive for this team at the very least.
December’s nonconference slate isn’t as tough, though there’s still a pair of intriguing neutral-site games on the docket. On December 12th, the Rams head to Orlando, playing Florida Atlantic as part of the Hall of Fame Series. Exactly one week later it’s off to Huntsville and a shot at Mississippi State from the SEC.
There’s always excitement when VCU matches up against conference rivals like Dayton and Richmond, though many will expect that the Rams can win this league outright this season. They also get two looks at a tough Saint Louis team, with both games coming in February, before eventually ending the year with the final regular season game against Dayton on March 5th.
Season Outlook
People who aren’t fans of VCU or well-informed on the A-10 likely expect to see the Rams in a position to win the conference, but let’s not stop there. Martelli and company made it really clear with that upset win over North Carolina that just participating in the Big Dance isn’t enough. They did lose a few important pieces from that team, but VCU absolutely has the talent to repeat that magic and be even better in 2027.
In the backcourt, Jennings and Lewis are both back in the fold and should each have expanded roles this season. Replacing someone like Hill is no easy task and they’ll both be given the opportunities to showcase their skills in replacing that production. We could very easily see emergence from someone like Nowell or Ward, giving VCU plenty of depth and potential with this guard room.
The conversations in the frontcourt certainly begin with Djokovic, who should be the top scorer and star for this team moving forward. His first season with the Rams showed what he’s capable of doing and his second season could be a massive step beyond that. There are certainly questions about who’s starting or getting major minutes, but there are some great options between Alston, Belle, and Ward and it’s a surplus of riches rarely seen at a mid-major these days.
You probably won’t see VCU nationally ranked, unless they have an insane performance at the Maui Invitational, but this is a squad everyone should keep their eyes on as the season progresses. If the Rams stay healthy and get production up and down the lineup, then this is a deep and talented team that is absolutely one of the best mid-majors in the country and a real threat to do damage when the calendar flips to March.
Add us as a preferred source on Google