Redshirt junior guards Marcus Evans and Issac Vann each provided 16 points as VCU ran away from crosstown rival Richmond, 81-60, Wednesday in the Lumber Liquidators Capital City Classic.
Evans scored 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting in addition to five assists and two steals. Vann poured in 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 24 minutes of action for the Rams (18-6, 9-2 A-10).
Sophomore forward Marcus Santos-Silva supplied eight points and four rebounds (two offensive) and a blocked shot.
Nathan Kayo led Richmond (10-15, 4-8 A-10) with 18 points and three rebounds.
The sequence of the game came with 6:54 left to play. Junior guard De’Riante Jenkins came up with a steal and lofted a beautiful alley-oop to Santos-Silva, who threw it down over a Richmond defender. The play ignited a 6-1 VCU run that culminated in another alley-oop, this time from Jenkins to Vann, to put the Rams up 73-50 late in the second half.
With VCU leading 12-11 with 10:07 remaining in the first half, redshirt junior guard Mike’L Simms sparked a 13-2 Black and Gold run with a layup – and Vann bookended it with a 3-pointer – to push the Rams’ lead to 25-13 with 6:25 left in the first half. The Rams led by double digits the rest of the way.