Senior guard Max Shulga scored a team-high 18 points, including a late go-ahead three-pointer, and VCU held Davidson to just two field goals the final 9:19 on the way to a 63-58 win Saturday night.
Shulga connected on 5-of-9 attempts from the field on the contest, including 4-of-8 from three-point range. He added five rebounds and a pair of assists.
Sophomore forward Tobi Lawal supplied 13 points – including five critical free throws down the stretch – and six rebounds off the bench for the Black and Gold (13-7, 5-2 A-10).
Senior guard Zeb Jackson returned after missing the past two games with back spasms and added nine points and two steals for VCU, while senior guard Joe Bamisile chipped in eight points
Davidson’s Connor Kochera led all players with 19 points.
VCU trailed by nine, at 49-40, with 9:19 remaining following a 3-pointer by the Wildcats’ Bobby Durkin. But the Rams responded with a 17-4 run, aided by a Shulga trey at the 6:16 mark that gave VCU a 52-51 lead, on the way to a 57-53 advantage with 1:10 remaining.
Lawal, who entered the game as a 53-percent free throw shooter, knocked down 7-of-8 from the charity stripe in the game, including six straight as VCU mounted its comeback.
VCU hit 10-of-10 free throws in the final 2:39 to keep Davidson (12-8, 2-5 A-10) at bay.