VCU routs Drexel 75-46

PHILADELPHIA -- Joey Rodriguez scored 16 points, hitting 6 of 10 shots and helping fuel a scorching second half as the Rams routed Drexel 75-46 in a Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball game tonight.

VCU (3-1, 10-5) outscored the Dragons 21-3 to start the second period. The Rams scored on nine of their first 12 possessions. Rodriguez had a layup and drained a pair of 3-pointers during the run.

VCU, 9 of 12 on 3-pointers for the game, extended the run to 32-6 at the 8-minute mark. The Rams hit 55.6 percent of their shots in the second half. Drexel (1-3, 5-8) shot just 20 percent in the second half - 26.2 percent for the game - and sank 12 of 24 free throws.

Rodriguez, a 5-10 sophomore guard, came in leading the CAA in 3-point percentage (47.1). He raised that to 49.3 by hitting 4 of 5. He has become a second scoring option behind Eric Maynor (23.1 points), scoring 54 points in his past three games. He's 19 for 27 from the field during that stretch, including 12 for 17 from behind the arc.

He had plenty of help last night. Larry Sanders scored 13 points and had nine rebounds. Bradford Burgess had 13 points. Maynor scored eight points - breaking a string of 30 games in double figures - but handed out eight assists.

VCU had control after using a 7-0 spurt in middle of the first half to build a 26-17 lead. Sanders had a pair of baskets, and Rodriguez knocked down a 3-pointer that bounced off the far side of the rim and dropped in.

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