VCU Beats Drexler in CAA Goes Back to NCAA Tournament

RICHMOND, Va. — Troy Daniels is such a good shooter, Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart has said he thinks every shot the junior takes is going in. Lucky for the Rams, they did when it counted Monday night.

Daniels made four free throws in the final 19 seconds Monday night, allowing the Rams to hold on after blowing a big lead and beat top-seeded Drexel 59-56 in the championship of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.

A year after making a stunning run to the Final Four as an at-large selection — one of the last teams chosen for the field of 68 — VCU is heading back to the NCAA tournament with an automatic bid.

As his teammates struggled down the stretch, Daniels managed to step up and knocked down the pivotal free throws.

“It’s something that a shooter has in his mind,” Daniels said. “You learn to block stuff out when you miss shots and when other people miss shots. It’s not contagious to any shooter I know.”

For much of the night, the Rams looked like they wouldn’t need any heroics. They led by 16 at halftime thanks to their smothering, ball-hawking defense, but the Dragons slowly climbed back.

Daniels bailed them out, making a pair from the line with 18.9 seconds left to give them a 57-53 lead, and then following a 3-pointer by Drexel’s Chris Fouch with two more with 11.9 ticks left.

When Frantz Massenat’s 3-point try was off the mark at the either end, the Rams were one their way back to the NCAA tournament.

VCU Beats Drexler in CAA Goes Back to NCAA Tournament

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