MAYNOR, VCU TURN UP HEAT ON SOUTH DAKOTA STATE, 72-56
11-19-08
Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Senior Eric Maynor (Raeford, N.C.) pumped in 17 of his game-high 29 points in the second half to power Virginia Commonwealth University past South Dakota State, 72-56, Wednesday at the Alltel Pavilion.

The Rams (2-0), playing their second of two regional Cancun Challenge games, led by just seven, at 52-45 with 8:47 remaining before Maynor took over. With eight points, Maynor fueled a decisive 19-5 run over the next four minutes to push VCU to a 71-49 lead with 4:20 showing on the clock.

Maynor connected on 11-of-19 field goals and narrowly missed his career-high for points. The 6-3 senior scored 30 points at Bradley Dec. 22, 2007.

“I think I’m getting spoiled a little bit, but I expect that,” VCU Head Coach Anthony Grant said of Maynor. “To me, that was a classic Eric Maynor moment there where he just took the game over. The guys on our team kind of rely and depend on that.”

Sophomore Larry Sanders (Fort Pierce, Fla.) scored nine points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked seven shots for the Rams, while junior Kirill Pishchalnikov (Maykop, Russia) added six points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

“I thought for our basketball team, we played in spurts tonight,” Grant said. “And one of the things that we continue to talk about is our guys understanding how to play with a purpose and the importance of details and maintaining focus. There were spots in the first half … where we coasted a little bit and they took advantage of that.”

Garrett Callahan scored 21 points to lead the Jackrabbits (1-2). Teammate Clint Sargent knocked down 5-of-9 3-pointers on the way to 20 points. SDSU hit 9-of-20 treys in the game but was just 8-of-35 from everywhere else.

The Rams stormed to a 25-9 lead in the opening minutes, only to see South Dakota State close the gap with a 10-0 run behind two Sargent 3-pointers. VCU’s lead would fluctuate between 6-11 points for the remainder of the half. The Rams led, 38-30 at the break.

The second half opened much the same way the first ended, with the two teams trading salvos until Maynor grabbed control of the contest.

VCU returns to the floor on Saturday, Nov. 22 when it heads to Kingston, R.I. to meet the University of Rhode Island at 7 p.m. at the Ryan Center.