UD hasn't beaten VCU in Richmond
By KEVIN TRESOLINI / The News Journal
02/16/2005
NEWARK -- Delaware will have to win in at least one difficult environment to improve its standing in Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball as the postseason approaches.
The first try comes tonight in Richmond, Va., where Delaware (10-15, 7-7) and Virginia Commonwealth (14-10, 10-5) tip off at 7:30.
Delaware has won three of its last four, but lost to VCU 66-57 in Newark on Jan. 19 and has not beaten the Rams in three tries at the Siegel Center, site of tonight's game.
After visiting VCU, Delaware meets Hofstra in its home finale Saturday afternoon and then closes the regular season with trips to UNC-Wilmington and Drexel next week.
"We're going to take them one game at a time and just try to play our best basketball going into the tournament," Delaware junior guard Andrew Washington said. "We'll go to VCU and just try to give it our best shot.
"We're not looking to just get one. We're looking to get a few."
The CAA Tournament runs from March 4-7 at the Richmond Coliseum. Delaware is in seventh place in the 10-team league, which would put the Hens in the Friday night play-in round of the tournament for the first time. That is a destination they would like to avoid, though doing so will be difficult.
"We've been plugging away and we feel like we've been a little bit more consistent lately," Delaware coach David Henderson said.
Sophomore center Raphael Madera, who has missed three games with a sprained ankle, returned to practice Monday and could see action tonight. Madera played a career-high 32 minutes, getting five points and a season-high eight rebounds, in the first VCU game.
Defending CAA champion VCU will be playing its fourth game in eight days, which coach Jeff Capel labeled "a big concern" on Tuesday.
The Rams won at Drexel 62-59 last Wednesday, saw their 10-game win streak against Old Dominion halted with an 82-76 nationally televised setback Saturday in Norfolk, Va., then beat George Mason 89-81 at home Monday night.
VCU shot 10-for-13 from 3-point range and 60 percent overall against George Mason. Nick George poured in a career-high 29 points.
"Hopefully, we can have the energy we know we'll need against a Delaware team that is rested, played us tough last time and is playing well right now," Capel said.
Delaware last played Saturday, a 65-55 home win against Towson. Henderson doesn't expect to find the Rams languishing tonight, speculating that "some of those guys could play five days a week" if they had to.
"They're a talented team, probably the most athletic team in the league," Henderson said. "Nick George and Michael Doles are playing as well as anybody in the league. They were a huge factor in their win over George Mason."
By KEVIN TRESOLINI / The News Journal
02/16/2005
NEWARK -- Delaware will have to win in at least one difficult environment to improve its standing in Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball as the postseason approaches.
The first try comes tonight in Richmond, Va., where Delaware (10-15, 7-7) and Virginia Commonwealth (14-10, 10-5) tip off at 7:30.
Delaware has won three of its last four, but lost to VCU 66-57 in Newark on Jan. 19 and has not beaten the Rams in three tries at the Siegel Center, site of tonight's game.
After visiting VCU, Delaware meets Hofstra in its home finale Saturday afternoon and then closes the regular season with trips to UNC-Wilmington and Drexel next week.
"We're going to take them one game at a time and just try to play our best basketball going into the tournament," Delaware junior guard Andrew Washington said. "We'll go to VCU and just try to give it our best shot.
"We're not looking to just get one. We're looking to get a few."
The CAA Tournament runs from March 4-7 at the Richmond Coliseum. Delaware is in seventh place in the 10-team league, which would put the Hens in the Friday night play-in round of the tournament for the first time. That is a destination they would like to avoid, though doing so will be difficult.
"We've been plugging away and we feel like we've been a little bit more consistent lately," Delaware coach David Henderson said.
Sophomore center Raphael Madera, who has missed three games with a sprained ankle, returned to practice Monday and could see action tonight. Madera played a career-high 32 minutes, getting five points and a season-high eight rebounds, in the first VCU game.
Defending CAA champion VCU will be playing its fourth game in eight days, which coach Jeff Capel labeled "a big concern" on Tuesday.
The Rams won at Drexel 62-59 last Wednesday, saw their 10-game win streak against Old Dominion halted with an 82-76 nationally televised setback Saturday in Norfolk, Va., then beat George Mason 89-81 at home Monday night.
VCU shot 10-for-13 from 3-point range and 60 percent overall against George Mason. Nick George poured in a career-high 29 points.
"Hopefully, we can have the energy we know we'll need against a Delaware team that is rested, played us tough last time and is playing well right now," Capel said.
Delaware last played Saturday, a 65-55 home win against Towson. Henderson doesn't expect to find the Rams languishing tonight, speculating that "some of those guys could play five days a week" if they had to.
"They're a talented team, probably the most athletic team in the league," Henderson said. "Nick George and Michael Doles are playing as well as anybody in the league. They were a huge factor in their win over George Mason."
