Torey Alston’s Double-Double Leads VCU to 82-72 Win Over Little Rock

RICHMOND, Va. — Torey Alston came off the bench to score 17 points and grab 12 rebounds, helping power VCU past Little Rock 82-72 on Monday as the Rams began the season with a win.

The matchup inside the Siegel Center saw VCU take the lead for good with just 1.01 remaining in the first half. Alston spearheaded that initial push by scoring 11 of his points before the intermission, staking the Rams to a 37-33 advantage at the break. From there, the hosts gradually widened the gap, utilizing a decisive 7-0 run in the second half to build a commanding 14-point cushion at 64-50 with 9.39 left on the clock.

Lazar Djokovic and Nyk Lewis each contributed 15 points for the Rams. Djokovic shot 4 for 10 from the field, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, while converting 6 of 10 free throws. Lewis matched that 15-point total by going 5 for 11 from the floor, draining 1 for 4 from deep, and sinking all 4 of his attempts from the charity stripe while adding five assists and three steals.

Little Rock absorbed the defeat despite a stellar performance from Jah’likai King, who led all scorers with 27 points to go with two steals. Papa Amadou Kante chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds for the Trojans, and Aaron Clark finished with 11 points. Despite King’s offensive output, VCU maintained control after seizing the lead late in the first half and never trailed again.

Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend schedule, both squads return to action on Saturday. VCU hits the road to face Memphis, while Little Rock returns home to host SE Louisiana.