Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC--The three-pointers rained down on Winthrop Monday night in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Winston-Salem as VCU defeated the Eagles 67-54 and advance to the regional finals against Wake Forest.  Winthrop will meet Hampton, a 63-56 loser to the Demon Deacons, in the 9:30 nightcap.

VCU connected on 11 of 24 three-pointers, including four of seven by point guard Joey Rodriquez, to snap any hope of an upset by Winthrop.  The Eagles trailed by only four at halftime, 29-25, after making a 16-4 run in the final 5:40 of the half.  VCU had taken a 25-9 lead after outscoring Winthrop 14-0 during a six-minute stretch.

Sophomore Gideon Gamble had the best scoring game of his collegiate career, leading the Eagles with 20 points on 7 of 12 shooting, including 4 of 7 from behind the arc.  George Valentine and Andre Jones had nine each for Winthrop.  As a team, the Eagles connected on just 35.6 percent from the floor (21-59) and went 5 of 15 from long distance.

VCU, which is coming off a 27-9 season, hit 50 percent overall from the floor (26-52).  In addition to 15 points by Rodriquez, two other Rams reached double digits with Bradford Burgess adding 12 and Brandon Rozzell, 10.  

Winthrop won the battle of the boards over the bigger Rams team, 34-31, with Valentine leading the way with a game-high 9.

The Eagles are now 1-2 in NIT Season Tip-Off games after splitting a pair of contests in 2006 in Charlotte, winning over Iona and falling to North Carolina.  Winthrop is now assured of playing two more NIT games on the road next Monday and Tuesday at a site to be determined.