VCU Proves Critics Wrong

Questionable as an at-large pick, Virginia Commonwealth is showing it belonged in the NCAA tournament after all.

Brandon Rozzell hit six 3-pointers and finished with 26 points, and the 11th-seeded Rams upset another big-name opponent, this time beating sixth-seeded Georgetown 74-56 in the second round of the Southwest Regional on Friday night.

Surprise winners over Southern California in the first round after struggling late in the season, VCU is sticking around after upsetting another team from a power conference.

VCU hit 12 3-pointers with Rozzell making 6 of 10 while tying a career high. Joey Rodriguez added 17 points and seven assists. Bradford Burgess added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Jamie Skeen scored 12.

The key for VCU to playing its best is head coach Shaka Smart.  

Smart, who will be 34 in April, wants to succeed his own way.  He is one of the youngest head coaches in the country, and he took over the VCU program when it was at its height.

VCU is 50-19 under Coach Smart  Yet he knows there will be criticism unless they win the league title or gets an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament each and every year.

Smart is not just the name of the VCU coach.  It also describes his approach to his work.  Smart may be the breakout coach of this year's tourney, and will be a hot commodity for other jobs.

But first,  VCU will play Purdue, which got 19 points from E'Twaun Moore and 16 points and 16 rebounds from JaJuan Johnson in an easy win over St. Peter's.

It will be a tough task indeed for Smart and his VCU Rams.