Ben Deihl | sports editor

Most sports programs preach a ‘family’ mentality. It helps bring players closer, feel more comfortable and learn about their teammates and coaches. But for Head Coach Phil Martelli Jr. and his now A10-champion Virginia Commonwealth squad, their team mentality means more. 

“When someone has a question about family, I don’t use that with these guys,” Martelli said. “It’s not a family; it’s a team, and that’s really special. Everybody in here is a part of a family. Not everybody is a part of a team.”

No. 2 VCU bested No. 4 Dayton 70-62 in the A10 Championship game at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday afternoon, capturing its second straight title in the conference’s 50th year of play. 

VCU became the first back-to-back A10 champion since Temple won three straight from 2008-10, while the Rams also captured three of the last four A10 titles. 

“It’s special, man,” VCU’s Terrence Hill Jr. said. “We had nine new guys come in this offseason. We bonded very well. But when it came to crunch time, we knew what we had to do to get to the big dance. I’m just so proud of these guys.”

The Rams never looked uncomfortable against Dayton, consistently commanding the court with exceptional off-ball movement and a full-service offensive attack. VCU hit 11 of their 24 (45.8%) 3-point attempts, a well-oiled offensive machine that was conducted by freshman Nyk Lewis. 

The A10 Rookie of the Year put up a double-double on the biggest stage he’s seen, tallying 17 points and 11 rebounds. Lewis was 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, helping the Rams pull away quick and make the Flyers work from behind. 

“I haven’t seen a freshman as good and naturally talented as Nyk,” Michael Belle said of his teammate Lewis. “He’s always the last one working out. The earliest one there. He’s just going to keep getting better.”

After building a quick 5-0 lead, the Rams were able to maintain their two-possession cushion for the majority of the first half, thanks to consistent buckets from Hill and a dominating performance in the paint by Belle. 

The Rams were able to build their lead to 10 with five minutes to go in the first half, stretching their double-digit lead to as much as 17 points in the first period. But a late offensive awakening by Amael L’Etang cut VCU’s lead to 40-25 by halftime. 

Dayton came out of halftime fresh, going on an 8-2 run in the start of the second half to trim into VCU’s comfortable lead, forcing the Rams to respond. Belle was left wide open by L’Etang on the perimeter, almost daring the big man to test his jumper for the triple. Belle buried it, ending VCU’s drought and getting the crowd back into the game.

Belle finished 2-for-4 from 3-point land, often generating open looks from the Flyers attempting to isolate both Hill and Lewis, while not allowing Belle back in the paint after his dominance in the first half. 

“[VCU has] done a great job of putting the talent in position,” Dayton Head Coach Anthony Grant said. “They play a style that’s somewhat unique, that allows their players to play with great freedom.”

Dayton struggled to deal with the size of VCU’s roster, as the Rams often fielded two big men at a time to prioritize paint control and create contested shots. Forced turnovers were also a rare occurrence for the Flyers, as they could only snag five off of the Rams, while coughing it up 11 times themselves. 

Almost every time Dayton was able to go on a run or generate momentum for itself, VCU had the answer right away to keep the Flyers at bay. Dayton trailed by 10+ points since the five-minute mark in the first half, only cutting the lead to single digits with less than three minutes to play in the second.

VCU’s elite interior defense and true-shooting capabilities proved to be the difference in the title game, giving the Rams a healthy enough lead in the first half that they could coast to their third A10 title in four years. 

Dayton had multiple chances via fouls and second-chance balls in the waning minutes of the game to shrink VCU’s lead and apply pressure, but the Flyers’ offense couldn’t put it together. Dayton went 9-for-17 from the free-throw line, converting 52.9% of its attempts while its season average sat at 75.1%.

The Rams successfully punched their ticket to the national tournament by winning the A10, now waiting for the selection committee to decide their seeding and determine who their first-round opponent will be in March Madness. 

“This [VCU] team had it,” Martelli said. “They had the connection, and they stuck up for one another and they fought for each other. Did all the things that a team is supposed to do.”

Ben Deihl can be reached at deihlb1@duq.edu