RICHMOND, Va. – VCU opened up an 18-point lead inside the opening six minutes of the contest as the Rams topped the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team, 90-63, on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 17) at the Siegel Center. The Rams shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from three-point range, while forcing 13 Huskie turnovers.

Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Tulsa) finished with a team-high 16 points while Zarique Nutter (Newark, N.J./Clarendon College) added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. 

"These last two games against Gonzaga and VCU are two tough games," said NIU head coach Rashon Burno. "But I wanted more effort, I wanted more execution. This is accountability on us as a staff and as a program. Right now, we are not a good ballclub because we can't seem to execute for long stretches at a time. We have a couple of times, but we have to get better and perform better, especially under the big lights."

VCU jumped out to a quick start, leading 9-2 in the early going. After a floater by David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC), the Huskies were within five, but back-to-back triples by David Shriver gave VCU a 17-6 lead just over four minutes into the contest. The trifectas ignited a 13-0 run for VCU as the hosts took a 24-6 lead with 14:26 left in the opening half. 

NIU and VCU then traded baskets for the next eight minutes as the Rams led 35-18. The hosts then used a 10-1 spurt to take a 45-19 advantage with just under two minutes to play before the intermission. 

VCU took a 49-26 lead into halftime. Nutter led NIU with eight first half points, Coit added seven. Shriver had 11 points to pace VCU. 

In the second half, NIU slowed VCU from the field, holding the Rams to just 46.4 percent (13-of-28) from the field after the intermission, including 1-of-6 from three (16.7 percent), but VCU went to the free-throw line 17 times in the second half, converting 14 of those opportunities. 

Darweshi Hunter (Cincinnati, Ohio/Weber State) scored nine points in the second half for NIU. 

Four players scored in double figures for VCU, led by 22 points from Jamir Watkins. Jalen DeLoach added 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds, Shriver finished with 14 and Adrian Baldwin Jr. chipped in 10 points. 

NIU will make its long-awaited return home on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 20, when its host UAlbany at 1 p.m. Tuesday's contest is Pup Club Christmas Day, with a pregame kids zone with Santa. Fans can receive a free kids ticket (under 13) with the purchase of each adult ticket at the box office on the day of the game.