It's Burgess in starring role for VCU in win over ODU

Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart hoped this was the way it eventually would be this season: Bradford Burgess playing the role of Batman, surrounded by multiple Robins.

After struggling with his shooting throughout the season, Burgess has come around in the nick of time.

The 6-foot-6 senior guard poured in 24 points, including a 3-pointer with 48 seconds left that forged a tie with Old Dominion.

Sidekicks Darius Theus and Briante Weber, both from Hampton Roads, took the Rams home with the last seven points as VCU swept its archrival 68-64 in another war before a sellout crowd Saturday at the Constant Center.

The victory was a big step in several ways. It kept the Rams (22-5, 13-2) tied for first in the Colonial Athletic Association going into Tuesday's showdown at George Mason.

It also pushed ODU (16-11, 11-4) two games behind with three conference games to play, and all but locked up one of the top four seeds for VCU and a bye in the first round of the CAA tournament.

VCU has been able to win 11 consecutive and 19 of 21 games with other players taking turns in the scoring role. Burgess, the lone senior and only player with major experience from last year's Final Four run, emerged from his shooting slump Wednesday against Towson (8 of 15, six 3-pointers).

He was 6 of 12 with five of VCU's 10 3-pointers against ODU. He also made 7 of 8 free throws, including 3 of 4 after the Monarchs were hit with two technical fouls.

"I knew coming into the year it was going to be an adjustment for Brad," Smart said. "He's never really had to be the main guy, the Batman if you want to say. He's always had guys around him who were phenomenal players he could kind of play off.

"I think he's done a great job of leading us all year. We would fall apart if he wasn't in the game."

Neither team had produced a regular-season sweep since the 2003-04 season. That trend was on the verge of continuing after ODU overcame a massive drought (0 for 18) to start the second half and took a three-point lead with 1:06 remaining.

With the crowd bellowing, Burgess nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game.

"The two previous 3s I had before that I thought were good," Burgess said. "One was short and one was long. I just kept saying in my head the next one's in."

Theus (14 points) is from Portsmouth and had several family members wearing his No. 10 jersey in the crowd. He had been on the bench for much of the stretch run with four fouls.

Known more as a driver than a perimeter shooter, the junior guard made his first impact with a 3-pointer late in the shot clock with 2:02 left.

After Burgess' trey, VCU's Juvonte Reddic picked off Kent Bazemore's pass. That started a fast break that ended in a three-point play after Theus was fouled on a layup with 30 seconds left.

ODU missed on its possession. Theus was fouled with 17 seconds left and made both free throws to give VCU a five-point pad.

Trian Iliadis' 3-pointer gave the Monarchs hope with 7 seconds left. Weber, a freshman from Chesapeake who sat in the ODU student section with a VCU shirt on last year, put away the game with two free throws with 6.1 seconds left.

"(Bradford) told me, 'Bri, you're home, so take us home,' " Weber said. "I was like, 'I got you, bro.' "