RTD Wieters,Nationals Editor: Mike Szvetitz (804) 649-6456 agreeto contract [email protected] Catcher spent first eight seasons of SPORTS • career in Baltimore. Page C4 SECTION C • RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22,22, 2017 • RICHMOND.COM RICHMOND.COM VCU seniors will play game of century Seven consecutive VCU se- Rams class could nior classes have reached the reach 100 wins 100-win mark. The group of VCU senior Mo Alie-Cox, JeQuan Lewis, Doug Alie-Cox (12) against Saint Louis Brooks, Jordan Burgess and says getting SAINTLOUIS AT VCU Torey Burston can make it to 100 wins BY TIM PEARRELL Today: 7 p.m. TV: WRLH-DT2 eight by beating Saint Louis (9- tonight would Richmond Times-Dispatch Radio: WRNL (910), 18, 4-10) tonight in an Atlantic be evidence WRXL-HD2 (98.5) 10 game at the Siegel Center. of the Rams’ VCU senior forward Mo VCU is 22-5, 12-2 and tied “winning Alie-Cox said he hadn’t was part of the 2012-13 senior for first with Dayton in the culture.” thought much about being class that won more games A-10. The Rams went 25-11, part of 100 wins until Darius (111) than any in Rams history. 26-10 and 26-9 in the three Theus brought it up a few Briante Weber mentioned previous seasons. weeks ago. it to Alie-Cox on Monday. We- “Getting to 100 is a big ac- Theus, now VCU’s director of ber’s 2014-15 senior class won complishment,” Alie-Cox said. JAMES H. WALLACE/TIMES-DISPATCH student-athlete development, 108 games. RAMS, Page C2 84 76 TECH71, CLEMSON70 Saturday: at College, 4 p.m. Freshman buoys UR Tech gets Buckingham makes key contributions in 3-point battle with Davidson

BY JOHN O’CONNOR needed Richmond Times-Dispatch

De’Monte Bucking- ham needed to be car- win over ried off the Robins Center court by team- mates the last time Rich- Clemson mond played, a Friday loss to VCU. Buckingham Allen drills clutch strained a calf muscle and couldn’t walk for a 3-pointer as Hokies few minutes. continue hot streak Tuesday night at the same arena, Buckingham BY MIKE BARBER helped carry the Spiders Richmond Times-Dispatch in a 3-point palooza. There were 22 3-point- BLACKSBURG — After his ers (52 attempts) in Rich- 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left mond’s 84-76 win over lifted Virginia Tech to a 71-70 Davidson, which had 14 win over Clemson, senior of them. Buckingham did guard Seth Allen said, “We a bit of everything, in- were just playing.” cluding hit 3s. Playing, and winning. Buckingham, a After Allen missed a layup 6-foot-4 freshman from on a designed play out of a Henrico High, scored timeout, the Hokies didn’t 10 points, had five as- have another timeout to set sists, five rebounds and up his game winner. So coach four steals. He also took Buzz Williams shouted out to a charge. Several of those run an inbounds play they had contributions came dur- used earlier in the game. ing the most pivotal mo- Allen broke off the low block ments, and that wasn’t to catch the inbounds pass out- all Buckingham supplied. side the 3-point arc, using a “He makes so many high screen from Zach LeDay intangible plays that re- to get open and hit Tech’s 12th ally equal winning,” said 3-pointer of the night. UR coach Chris Mooney. “It’s something we’ve been The Wildcats took a HOKIES, Page C3 65-60 lead with 9:10 left. Richmond (16-11, 10-5 A-10) held Davidson (14- 12, 7-8 A-10) to 2 points in a seven-minute stretch soon thereafter. The Spi- ders went on an 11-0 run to retake command, with Buckingham dishing a lob assist to T. J. Cline (18 points, eight assists) and collecting one of his steals. “We kind of emptied our tank,” said David- son coach Bob McKillop, speaking of the Wildcats’ rally from a 12-point def- SPIDERS, Page C3 DANIEL SANGJIB MIN/TIMES-DISPATCH

Richmond’s De’Monte Buckingham made a first-half steal as Davidson’s Jack Gibbs trailed the play. MATT GENTRY/THE ROANOKE TIMES NEXTGAME Buckingham, a freshman, chalked up 10 points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals. Virginia Tech’s Seth Allen Saturday: Richmond at shoots the winning basket over View photo highlights from Richmond’s Atlantic 10 victory against Davidson at Richmond.com. Fordham, 2:30 p.m., NBCSN Clemson’s Marcquise Reed. Allen connected with just 3.8 seconds left in the game. VCU baseball liked Fuente facing familiar fact opener, not others Tech coach knows receivers and offensive rebuilding team is linemen. Rams had shutout “You’ve got to mold nature of the beast it to fit where you’re at,” against Seminoles, said Fuente, who won BY MIKE BARBER VIRGINIA TECH ACC coach of the year then lost next two Richmond Times-Dispatch VS.WESTVIRGINIA in his debut season with BY TIM PEARRELL VCUAT Season opener the Hokies. “You have to BLACKSBURG — Richmond Times-Dispatch CHARLESTON SOUTHERN The Sept. 2: Time TBD be honest with yourself challenge of replacing six and see where you’re at. Baseball Where: FedEx Field The VCU baseball team offensive starters — in- You’ve got to kind of start Friday: 6 p.m. got a map during its sea- cluding a record-setting closer to square one.” son-opening series at No. the season progresses. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS quarterback and record- this before. In 2011, while Fuente had great suc- 2 Florida State. Pitchers Sean Thomp- Virginia Tech coach Justin setting wide receivers — the co-offensive coordina- cess with his rebuild at Coach Shawn Stiffler son, Matt Jamer and Sam Fuente dealt with the might seem daunting. tor at TCU, Fuente had to TCU. would like the Rams to Donko combined on a challenge of replacing But football coach Jus- rework a unit that lost star A year after going 13-0 more closely follow the one-hitter as the Rams productive starters while tin Fuente of Virginia Tech quarterback Andy Dalton with Dalton behind center, route of the first game as BASEBALL, Page C2 he was at Texas Christian. has had offseasons like along with most of its top FUENTE, Page C2