VCU's Smart Coaches Team To Second Tournament Win | People

Brandon Rozzell led four players in double figures and VCU made 12 3-pointers to stun Georgetown with a 74-56 win that showed any remaining doubters the Rams do, indeed, belong in the NCAA tournament.

"The guys did a phenomonal job of playing with great confidence," said VCU coach Shaka Smart, an Oregon native, "and going out and believing in each other on the offensive end."

Rozzell tied his career high with six 3-pointers and finished with 26 points, while Joey Rodriguez had 17 points and seven assists. Bradford Burgess and Jamie Skeen added 12 each.

It is the first time the 11th-seeded Rams (25-11) have won more than one game in the NCAA tournament, and they'll now play third-seeded Purdue on Sunday in the Southwest Region. The Boilermakers beat St. Peter's 65-43 earlier Friday.

"I'm really proud of what we did in the NCAA Tournament," Smart said. "We've got two games under our belt in the NCAA Tournament, but we're not done."

Smart's high school coach, Kevin Bavery, who now coaches for Middleton, said earlier this week that he exchanged emails with Smart after his win the First Four round of the tournament. Bavery wrote to Smart that he would see him in Chicago on Sunday after they beat Georgetown. It turns out the confidence he had in his former player turned coach was justified.

Read more about Smart's path to the NCAA Tournament.