VCU notes

Rams want to focus on Western Michigan

Virginia Commonwealth's players are trying not to look ahead to 17th-ranked Oklahoma's visit Saturday to the Siegel Center.

The Rams (1-0) are trying to focus on tonight's game at Western Michigan (0-1), even though it seems everybody around them wants to talk about Oklahoma and former VCU coach Jeff Capel.

"My parents talk about it, but I don't really listen to them," VCU junior point guard Joey Rodriguez said. "We're thinking about Kalamazoo, Mich., and going to play Western Michigan. One game at a time."

Sophomore guard Jay Gavin said everybody he knows in his hometown of Seat Pleasant, Md., wants tickets to see Oklahoma.

"And I'm like, 'I have four tickets. A lot of y'all are going to have to buy some tickets in advance or do something else,'" he said. "Like I tell them, that talk can wait until after the 18th. We focus as a team on the next task, which is Western Michigan. It's not an easy place to play."

As of yesterday, 18 NBA scouts had requested credentials to see VCU-Oklahoma. The game will feature two potential NBA draft picks after this season: VCU junior forward Larry Sanders and Oklahoma sophomore guard Willie Warren.

Oklahoma also has a highly touted recruiting class that features two freshmen who were McDonald's All-Americans last season: 6-9, 296-pound Keith "Tiny" Gallon, and guard Tommy Mason-Griffin. Gallon played at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.

Gavin honors his mother after scoring

Gavin points to the sky after making a basket. That's in tribute to his mother, who died this past summer.

"I told Coach [Shaka] Smart when I first came back that this season is a dedication to her," said Gavin, who sat out last year after transferring from Marist. "When I was a freshman at Marist, she was my biggest fan, the loudest person in the stands.

"Every time I'd make a basket, she'd point to me screaming and I'd be pointing to her. Her presence is still here with me, so I have to show her respect. I have to show her love because I'm doing it for her every time I step on the floor."

Fast pace leads to lots of substitutions

Smart substituted frequently during the Rams' 77-51 win over Bethune-Cookman. He'd like to play "nine guys or more" as the Rams constantly press.

"I think some of the players don't necessarily want that," he said. "They might want to play a lot longer. The way I want to play, and we're certainly not all the way there yet, you just can't play six, seven, eight minutes at a time, unless you're Superman."

OU game on TV

VCU was informed this week that MASN will televise the Oklahoma game.

VCU is scheduled to appear on TV (ESPN2, ESPNU, CSN) at least nine other times: at William and Mary on Dec. 5; vs. Northeastern on Jan. 4; at Hofstra on Jan. 12; at Northeastern on Jan. 23; vs. Old Dominion on Feb. 6; at George Mason on Feb. 9; at James Madison on Feb. 13; vs. Drexel on Feb. 16; and at Old Dominion on Feb. 27. - Tim Pearrell