Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Coal Region Canary
Coal Region CanaryCoal Region Canary

Local Sports

Mahanoy City Native Mike Rhoades Leads VCU Back to NCAA Tournament

VCU to face Saint Mary’s on Friday

Mahanoy City native Mike Rhoades has once again going dancing.

Rhoades is head coach of the men’s basketball team at Virginia Commonwealth University. On Sunday, his VCU Rams defeated Dayton, 68-56, to win the Atlantic 10 postseason tournament and punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament that starts this week.

Check out this video of an absolutely pumped Rhoades celebrating the big win over the Flyers, ensuring his team would be heading back to the tournament again:

VCU earned a 12th seed in the tournament and will face 5-seeded Saint Mary’s College.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147

VCU vs. Saint Mary’s – NCAA Tournament

Rhoades’ Rams have won 9 straight games heading into the tournament. VCU finished the 2022-23 season with an impressive 27-7 record but clearly needed to win the A-10 tournament on Sunday to get into the Big Dance this week.

The Rams have one of the best defensive teams in the country, ranked 24th overall in points allowed per game.

Many experts believe this game against Saint Mary’s, the runner-up in the regular season of the West Coast Conference to Gonzaga, is ripe for an upset. The last time the Gaels took the floor, they were obliterated by Gonzaga. But Saint Mary’s did finish the season with an almost equally impressive 26-7 record.

VCU vs. Saint Mary’s tips off on Friday at 2 p.m. on TBS.

Mike Rhoades at the NCAA Tournament

This year’s appearance in the NCAA tournament will be Rhoades’ third since taking over at VCU for the 2017-18 season.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147

VCU failed to make the tournament that season but Rhoades led the Rams to the tournament the following year. That season ended with a first-round loss to Central Florida.

The Rams made it back to the tournament in 2021 but were unable to play. The 10th-seeded VCU had to forfeit the game due to “COVID-19 protocols” and Oregon advanced to the next round by default.

Rhoades has had an impressive run at VCU, compiling a 128-60 overall record as head coach. He earned A-10 Coach of the Year in 2018-19.

Subscribe to Coal Region Canary

Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!
Loading

News Tips?

Let us know of news happening in your area. Use our NEWS TIPS ENTRY FORM
Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Local News

Several Schuylkill County residents say they recently found bizarre printed messages inside packages of items purchased at local grocery stores. The Canary spoke with...

Local Weather

How much are we really going to get? Some say it's still too soon to tell.

PA News

Flights arriving in the cover of night to NEPA.

Local Weather

Slightly more snow expected for Schuylkill County.

Coronavirus in Pennsylvania

Hamburg Area School District may be joining Tamaqua Area in defying the indoor mask mandate announced by the administration of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf...

Local News

Back on March 10, a call came in to the Schuylkill County 9-1-1 dispatch center. Crews with Minersville’s Goodwill Fire Co. and EMS needed...