VCU Dominates St. Bonaventure, Advances to Atlantic 10 Semifinals

WASHINGTON — VCU kicked off its Atlantic 10 Tournament campaign with a decisive 76-59 victory over St. Bonaventure in the quarterfinals on March 14, 2025. The Rams showcased their depth and resilience as they advanced to the semifinals at Capital One Arena.

Leading the charge for VCU were Jack Clark and Zeb Jackson, contributing 17 and 14 points, respectively. Despite struggling with a shooting percentage of just 41% in the first half, VCU’s strong rebounding performance proved pivotal, as they outrebounded St. Bonaventure by four, with a total of 16 offensive boards.

“We got 10 in the first half and finished with 16. That’s a good day for us,” said VCU head coach Ryan Odom.

Freshman guard Brandon Jennings made a significant impact, scoring a career-high 12 points while hitting all three of his attempts from three-point range. His defensive prowess included three blocks, one of which was a highlight-reel rejection of a shot by a Bonnies player.

“It was big,” Clark remarked about Jennings’ contributions. “His effort to block shots and also get steals set the tone for us.”

Jennings expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play such a vital role in the game. “It feels great just to be able to produce on the floor as a freshman. I’m just blessed and glad to do it with the teammates I have beside me,” he said.

Joe Bamisile also added 13 points for VCU. Meanwhile, Max Shulga, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, scored just two points but distributed 11 assists and grabbed six rebounds without committing any turnovers.

“Max did a great job today,” Clark said. “You can’t ask for a better job if he’s not scoring.”

In contrast, Melvin Council Jr. and Chance Moore led St. Bonaventure with 19 points each. The Bonnies struggled throughout the contest, finishing with a shooting percentage of just 36% and sinking only four of 19 attempts from beyond the arc.

“Every time we missed, they went down and made us pay for it,” said Bonnies head coach Mark Schmidt. “There’s a reason why they were co-champs.”

VCU maintained control throughout the game, leading for all but 27 seconds. The VCU bench outperformed St. Bonaventure’s bench 30-5, showcasing the Rams’ depth and versatility.

With this victory, VCU improved its overall record to 26-6 and will face its next opponent in the semifinals Saturday at 1 p.m.