Jack Jones Classic
Score: VCU 76, Colorado State 68
Location: Henderson, Nev. (Lee's Family Forum)
Records: VCU 9-2, Colorado State 5-5
 
The short story: Joe Bamisile poured in a game-high 25 points and Max Shulga racked up a double-double as VCU pulled away late from Colorado State Saturday night.
 
OPENING TIP

• Bamisile connected on 8-of-16 attempts from the floor, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, on the way to his fifth 20-point effort of the year. He also corralled nine rebounds, including five offensive boards
• Shulga recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Black and Gold. He finished 7-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc
• Redshirt sophomore guard Fats Billups III provided a boost off the bench for VCU with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while graduate forward Jack Clark added six points and six rebounds
• Nique Clifford led Colorado State with 12 points and 10 rebounds 

THE DIFFERENCE

• CSU took a 61-60 lead on a Keshawn Williams bucket with 6:53 on the clock, but Bamisile converted at the rim on a VCU possession that included two offensive rebounds, for a 62-61 edge at the 6:15 mark. VCU would not trail again, and Bamisile hit a pair of 3-pointers in the waning moments to help extend the Black and Gold lead to 73-63 with 1:41 remaining
• Shulga and Clark hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spearhead an 8-2 VCU burst to open the second half, which extended the Black and Gold's one-point halftime lead to a 41-34 margin
• Colorado State used a 10-0 run to take a 48-45 lead with 12:36 left, but Billups buried a three from the left corner and Shulga drove for a score to give VCU a 50-48 advantage with 11:54 left
• VCU committed a season-low nine turnovers in the game and outrebounded CSU 32-30
• The Black and Gold knocked down 11-of-30 (37 percent) 3-pointers and turned Colorado State over 15 times

NOTABLE

• VCU has won a season-high five straight games
• Saturday's game featured nine ties and nine lead changes
• Shulga's double-double was the seventh of his collegiate career 

NEXT UP
VCU will head to Albuquerque, N.M. to face New Mexico at The Pit on Wednesday,
Dec. 18 at 9 p.m. (EST). That contest will stream live on the Mountain West Network.