| Game Preview: Virginia Commonwealth | Date: Nov. 19, 1999 |
| Site: ALLTEL Pavilion, Richmond, VA | Records: U of L: 0-0, VCU: 0-0 |
| The Cardinals open up their 1999-2000 season after a twelve-point victory in its first exhibition game. The Cards have won each of their last five opening games, and take on former Metro Conference opponent Virginia Commonwealth. VCU will be celebrating the opening of its brand new ALLTEL Pavilion, as the Cards face the Rams in what is a payback game due to VCU not being invited to join C-USA. |
Reece Gaines will become only the 12th player to start as a freshman for Coach Denny Crum. The Cards won the last meeting between the two teams, and it appears that it may be awhile before they ever meet again. A victory would be key for the Cards, as they are certain to face stiff competition next week in the Great Alaska Shootout. |
| Game Summary: Virginia Commonwealth | Score: VCU 79, Louisville 74 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: T. Williams (23) VCU: B. Jones (19) |
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| What a terrible way for U of L to open its season. Not only do the Cards open up with a loss for the first time in six seasons, but the devastation of a repeat performance from last year's NCAA Tournament loss to Creighton is just maddening. With a 54-35 lead with just over eighteen minutes to play, the Cards lost all their composure and concentration before losing the game 79-74. VCU guard Bo Jones scored all of his 19 points in the second half, as the Cards were able to muster only nine field goals in the second half. |
| There were some bright spots for the Cardinals, however. Tony Williams scored a game-high 23 points, including a career-high seven three pointers and 11 rebounds. And although he only shot 5-19 from the field, Nate Johnson did dish out seven assists and pull down nine rebounds. Another statistical bright spot for U of L was the 12 points and 14 rebounds from center Dion Edward. |
| But the fact remains the Cardinals squandered a huge lead and an excellent opportunity to collect a win. A combination of poor guard play and a total breakdown on the offensive end let the Rams outscore the Cards by 23 in the second period. What is so shocking is how the memories of the loss to Creighton didn't seem to sink in; yet again, the Cards lacked the mental toughness to play a full 40-minute game, and simply were not able to get the job done. The Cards are no doubt a talented team, though their backcourt play needs to improve. Reece Gaines and Rashad Brooks are getting their first taste of action on the Division I level, so you expect that it will take some time before they get fully acclimated to the college environment. In the meantime, players like Marques Maybin and even Nate Johnson need to step up and not just shoulder the load from the scoring end, but also need to provide the on-court leadership when the Cards face adversity. |
| A 25-10 run by VCU cut the lead to 64-61 with 7:45 left; the Rams finally tied the game 1:29 later. Nate Johnson scored to give the Cards a 72-70 lead with 4:49 left, but the Cards got only one more field goal the rest of the way. VCU took the lead at the 2:50 mark, the Cards pulled even, then the Rams took the lead for good with a three-pointer by Bo Jones with only 57 seconds left. |
