VCU took care of business in the A-10 Tournament on Friday, getting 20 points from Terrence Hill and 14 from Michael Belle in a 71-66 win over Duquesne in a quarterfinals matchup.
The Rams (25-7), a trendy pick for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, would, of course, love to erase all doubt with a tournament championship.
This one was tough, as most games are in March.
VCU led by 10 at the break, but Duquesne (18-15) pulled within 55-53 on a Jimmie Williams three-pointer with 6:52 left, and it would stay tight the rest of the way.
The Dukes trimmed VCU’s advantage to 66-64 on a Williams layup with 37 seconds left, but Hill drew a foul and hit a free throw, and Belle grabbed a steal on Duquesne’s ensuing possession, allowing freshman guard Nyk Lewis to knock down a pair of free throws to help seal the win.
The Rams will face Saint Joseph’s (22-10) in Saturday’s semifinals at 3:30 p.m.
That game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.
VCU won the teams’ lone regular-season matchup, 79-72, on Jan.19 in Richmond.
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Chris Graham
