WASHINGTON – Miles Rubin scored 10 second-half points, attempting to rally the Ramblers to a win in the A-10 semifinals. Loyola Chicago came up short and fell to top-seeded VCU, 62-55. Rubin finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Chicago native recorded one block, bringing his season total to 77. It breaks the single-season block record Rubin set last year.
 
Loyola holds a 22-11 overall record.
 
"That was a high-level atmosphere and game today," said head coach Drew Valentine. "The urgency from both teams and fans in the last 10 minutes was great. Credit to VCU for the great year they've had and the plays they made down the stretch. I told my guys in the locker room that I am proud of them. I don't know what opportunities we will have, but we're a postseason team, and we proved that the last half of conference season."
 
How It Happened
Jayden Dawson got the game going with a big opening three for the Ramblers who hung on to a lead in the opening minutes with help from Miles Rubin. Joe Bamisile drained a three for VCU's first lead of the day at 16:33. Jalen DeLoach tied it 7-all with a put-back dunk, while Sheldon Edwards Jr. and Des Watson went for five straight points to battle back for a 12-11 edge by 12:35.
 
Kymany Houinsou made back to back second chance layups to keep it tied 16-16 just under the eight-minute mark, but Max Shulga's three on the next trip down court gave VCU its lead back. Watson tied it once more time for the half with a three at 5:50, 21-21, but the Rams went on a 14-2 run over the next four minutes. Phillip Russell pushed the lead to double-digits with a three from the top of the arc, 35-23. The Ramblers tallied a couple late buckets, but VCU took a 36-27 lead into the break.
 
Rubin came alive in the second scoring 10 of his 12 points. His first two was off an alley-oop feed for the first basket of the half. Jalen Quinn drove in for two straight layups a couple minutes later to cut the lead down to six. Both the Ramblers and Rams faced scoreless stretches, but Edwards Jr. hit a transition three near the midway mark to snap the stretch.
 
Two Rubin hook shots followed in the middle of the paint, and two minutes later the sophomore center had two more consecutive put-backs to tie the game 49-49 by the 7:03 mark. Loyola took the lead at 5:05 after Houinsou battled for an offensive board and second-chance layup. VCU quickly regained the lead and built it back to eight with 46 seconds remaining. Free throws from Edwards Jr. and Dawson down the stretch kept the Ramblers in the mix, but the Rams came away with the win, 62-55.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Rubin and Edwards Jr. led Loyola with 12 points each. Rubin added eight rebounds, five on the offensive glass.
- Rubin had one block, bringing his season total to 77. He broke the single-season block record for the second consecutive year.
- Edwards Jr. added four boards and one assist.
- Houinsou and DeLoach added eight rebounds each, tying Rubin's team-high.
- Loyola won the rebounding battle, 48-38. The Ramblers grabbed a season-high 22 offensive boards and scored 17 points off the effort.