PITTSBURGH -- Behind a 23-3 first-half run and stifling defense, VCU raced out to a 23-point halftime lead over Saint Joseph's and cruised to a 77-64 win in the Atlantic 10 semifinals.
Terrence Hill Jr. again led the Rams with 18 points off the bench and Jadrian Tracey added 15 more, while the Rams' defense limited the Hawks to just 21 first-half points and 27 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes.
"The defensive effort in the first half was high, high, high level," said Rams head coach Phil Martelli Jr. "We expect that out of ourselves, we expect that of each other and we got it tonight."
"I think what really got us going was on the defensive side," added Tracey. "Gerring hands on balls, being in the gaps, helping one another out and just flying around."
Highlights from @VCU_Hoops 77-64 win over St. Joe's that puts the Rams in the @A10MBB championship for the third time in the past four years.
— Lane Casadonte (@LaneCtvsports) March 15, 2026
You can watch VCU vs. Dayton Sunday at 1pm exclusively on @CBS6 for a guaranteed spot in @MarchMadnessMBB pic.twitter.com/B5bjAOGh99
VCU recorded 7 steals and had 12 points off turnovers. The Hawks hit just 2 of their 12 three-point attempts in the first half and never recovered.
Lazar Djokovic added 13 points, helping the Rams to a 26-point lead during the game. Austin Willford led St. Joe's with 17 points, but it's VCU advancing to face Dayton in Sunday's championship game.
"No disrespect to any other program, but these are the two flagship teams of the Atlantic 10," Martelli said. "You expect to see Dayton or VCU in the championship game every year."
The Rams swept the season series with the Flyers, most recently winning a week ago Friday in Dayton. The Flyers got to the title game by outlasting top-seeded St. Louis in the other semifinal.
"They (Dayton) had a bad week and lost a couple of games in January. Otherwise, they would have been right there tied for first place or winning the conference outright," Martelli added. "We know what they have."
You can watch VCU take on Dayton for this year's A-10 championship on CBS 6 Sunday at 1 p.m.
CBS 6 provides Central Virginia with the most experienced local TV sports coverage in town. Count on Lane Casadonte and Sean Robertson for the most in-depth local sports coverage.
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