# 2023–24 VCU Rams men's basketball team

The 2023–24 VCU Rams men's basketball team represented Virginia Commonwealth University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Rams, led by first-year head coach Ryan Odom, played their home games at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Virginia as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

## Previous season

The Rams finished the 2022–23 season 27–8, 15–3 in A-10 play to win the regular season championship. They defeated Davidson, Saint Louis, and Dayton to win the A-10 tournament championship, their first since 2015. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 12 seed in the West region. There they lost to Saint Mary's in the first round. VCU guard, Ace Baldwin Jr., was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year.
On March 29, 2023, head coach Mike Rhoades left the school to take the head coaching position at Penn State. That same day, the school named Utah State head coach Ryan Odom the team's new coach. On April 8, Odom announced former VCU player, Darius Theus as an assistant coach to his staff.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Jamir Watkins | 0 | F | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 210 | RS Sophomore | Trenton, New Jersey | Transferred to Florida State |
| Ace Baldwin Jr. | 1 | G | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 190 | Junior | Baltimore, Maryland | Transferred to Penn State |
| Jalen DeLoach | 4 | F | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 215 | Junior | Savannah, Georgia | Transferred to Georgia |
| Arnold Henderson VI | 15 | G | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 180 | Senior | Mechanicsville, Virginia | Graduated |
| Jarren McAllister | 21 | G | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 205 | RS Junior | Wake Forest, North Carolina | Transferred to TBD |
| Jayden Nunn | 23 | F | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 190 | Junior | Flint, Michigan | Transferred to Baylor |
| Nick Kern Jr. | 24 | F | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 190 | Junior | St. Louis, Missouri | Transferred to Penn State |
| Brandon Johns Jr. | 30 | F | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 240 | Graduate | Lansing, Michigan | Graduated |
| Josh Banks | 33 | G | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 175 | Junior | Charlotte, North Carolina | Transferred to UNC Asheville |
| David Shriver | 35 | F | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 220 | RS Senior | Philippi, West Virginia | Graduated |

### Incoming transfers

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| Sean Bairstow | 7 | G | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 205 | Graduate | Brisbane, Australia | Transferred from Utah State |
| Joe Bamisile | 22 | G | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 195 | Senior | Richmond, Virginia | Transferred from Oklahoma |
| Jason Nelson | 1 | G | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 175 | RS Sophomore | Richmond, Virginia | Transferred from Richmond |
| Max Shulga | 11 | G | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 197 | Senior | Kyiv, Ukraine | Transferred from Utah State |
| Roosevelt Wheeler | 4 | F/C | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | 240 | Junior | Richmond, Virginia | Transferred from Louisville |

### 2023 recruits

No players have officially committed to VCU.

## Roster

    As of April 23, 2023

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| October 28, 2023* 7:00 p.m. | | Mars Hill | W 110–50 | | 21 – Nelson | 8 – Belle | 10 – Jackson | Siegel Center (5,017) Richmond, VA |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | McNeese | L 65–76 | 0–1 | 22 – Shulga | 7 – Jackson | 8 – Jackson | Siegel Center (7,637) Richmond, VA |
| November 10, 2023* 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Samford | W 75–65 | 1–1 | 17 – Shulga | 10 – Fermin | 7 – Jackson | Siegel Center (7,114) Richmond, VA |
| November 15, 2023* 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Radford | W 73–50 | 2–1 | 19 – Nelson | 10 – Lawal | 5 – Jackson | Siegel Center (7,045) Richmond, VA |
| November 18, 2023* 2:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Seattle | W 60–56 | 3–1 | 20 – Jackson | 9 – Fermin | 7 – Shulga | Siegel Center (6,421) Richmond, VA |
| November 23, 2023* 5:30 p.m., ESPN2 | | vs. Iowa State ESPN Events Invitational quarterfinals | L 64–68 | 3–2 | 17 – Shulga | 5 – Jackson | 8 – Shulga | State Farm Field House Bay Lake, FL |
| November 24, 2023* 8:00 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU | | vs. Boise State ESPN Events Invitational consolation 2nd round | L 61–65 | 3–3 | 24 – Shulga | 9 – Lawal | 3 – Tied | State Farm Field House (2,579) Bay Lake, FL |
| November 26, 2023* 10:30 a.m., ESPNU | | vs. Penn State ESPN Events Invitational 7th place game | W 86–74 | 4–3 | 22 – Jackson | 9 – Belle | 6 – Jackson | State Farm Field House Bay Lake, FL |
| December 1, 2023* 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Norfolk State | L 60–63 | 4–4 | 15 – Jackson | 11 – Belle | 3 – Tied | Siegel Center Richmond, VA |
| December 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPNU | | Memphis | L 80–85 $^{OT}$ | 4–5 | 14 – Shulga | 8 – Tied | 5 – Shulga | Siegel Center (7,637) Richmond, VA |
| December 10, 2023* 2:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Alcorn State | W 86–58 | 5–5 | 18 – Jackson | 10 – Lawal | 7 – Jackson | Siegel Center (6,389) Richmond, VA |
| December 16, 2023* 2:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Temple | W 87–78 | 6–5 | 19 – Jackson | 7 – Lawal | 7 – Jackson | Siegel Center (7,189) Richmond, VA |
| December 22, 2023* 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Maryland Eastern Shore | W 75–51 | 7–5 | 14 – Shulga | 7 – Lawal | 7 – Nelson | Siegel Center (7,098) Richmond, VA |
| December 30, 2023* 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Gardner–Webb | W 87–73 | 8–5 | 22 – Bairstow | 10 – Lawal | 5 – Tied | Siegel Center (7,188) Richmond, VA |
| Atlantic 10 regular season |||||||||
| January 3, 2024 9:00 p.m., CBSSN | | St. Bonaventure | L 78–89 | 8–6 (0–1) | 15 – Fermin | 9 – Fermin | 6 – Bairstow | Siegel Center (6,348) Richmond, VA |
| January 6, 2024 4:00 p.m., USA | | George Washington | L 82–84 | 8–7 (0–2) | 20 – Shulga | 14 – Fermin | 4 – Shulga | Siegel Center (7,207) Richmond, VA |
| January 9, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at George Mason Rivalry | W 54–50 | 9–7 (1–2) | 13 – Shulga | 8 – Bairstow | 3 – Shulga | EagleBank Arena (4,000) Fairfax, VA |
| January 13, 2024 12:30 p.m., USA | | at La Salle | W 71–65 | 10–7 (2–2) | 14 – Bairstow | 10 – Lawal | 12 – Bairstow | Tom Gola Arena (1,647) Philadelphia, PA |
| January 19, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | Saint Louis | W 85–61 | 11–7 (3–2) | 29 – Bamisile | 5 – Tied | 6 – Bairstow | Siegel Center (7,637) Richmond, VA |
| January 23, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN | | Loyola Chicago | W 74–67 | 12–7 (4–2) | 25 – Bamisile | 9 – Fermin | 6 – Bairstow | Siegel Center (7,204) Richmond, VA |
| January 27, 2024 8:00 p.m., CBSSN | | at Davidson | W 63–58 | 13–7 (5–2) | 18 – Shulga | 6 – Lawal | 4 – Bairstow | John M. Belk Arena (3,861) Davidson, NC |
| January 30, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN | | at St. Bonaventure | L 62–67 | 13–8 (5–3) | 25 – Shulga | 6 – Jackson | 3 – Tied | Reilly Center (3,901) Olean, NY |
| February 3, 2024 4:00 p.m., ESPNU | | Richmond Capital City Classic | W 63–52 | 14–8 (6–3) | 15 – Tied | 8 – Lawal | 6 – Jackson | Siegel Center (7,637) Richmond, VA |
| February 6, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Fordham | W 75–60 | 15–8 (7–3) | 13 – Shulga | 10 – Shulga | 7 – Shulga | Rose Hill Gymnasium (1,627) Bronx, NY |
| February 9, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | No. 18 Dayton | W 49–47 | 16–8 (8–3) | 11 – Nelson | 8 – Bairstow | 5 – Shulga | Siegel Center (7,637) Richmond, VA |
| February 16, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | at Saint Louis | W 95–85 | 17–8 (9–3) | 27 – Bamisile | 10 – Lawal | 5 – Bairstow | Chaifetz Arena (5,382) St. Louis, MO |
| February 20, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN | | at UMass | L 52–74 | 17–9 (9–4) | 13 – Bamisile | 8 – Bairstow | 6 – Bairstow | Mullins Center (4,313) Amherst, MA |
| February 25, 2024 4:00 p.m., CBSSN | | Saint Joseph's | W 73–69 | 18–9 (10–4) | 16 – Tied | 10 – Lawal | 6 – Bairstow | Siegel Center (7,637) Richmond, VA |
| February 28, 2024 6:30 p.m., CBSSN | | Rhode Island | W 88–67 | 19–9 (11–4) | 24 – Bamisile | 8 – Lawal | 5 – Jackson | Siegel Center (7,107) Richmond, VA |
| March 2, 2024 6:00 p.m., CBSSN | | at Richmond Capital City Classic | L 76–79 | 19–10 (11–5) | 19 – Shulga | 6 – Jackson | 5 – Bairstow | Robins Center (7,201) Richmond, VA |
| March 5, 2024 7:00 p.m., MASN/ESPN+ | | Duquesne | L 59–69 | 19–11 (11–6) | 18 – Bamisile | 5 – Tied | 5 – Nelson | Siegel Center (7,044) Richmond, VA |
| March 8, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | at No. 25 Dayton | L 86–91 $^{OT}$ | 19–12 (11–7) | 26 – Jackson | 6 – Shulga | 5 – Shulga | UD Arena (13,407) Dayton, OH |
| A-10 tournament |||||||||
| March 13, 2024 2:00 p.m., USA | (5) | vs. (12) Fordham Second Round | W 69–62 | 20–12 | 14 – Shulga | 7 – Shulga | 4 – Shulga | Barclays Center (7,725) Brooklyn, NY |
| March 14, 2024 2:00 p.m., USA | (5) | vs. (4) UMass Quarterfinals | W 73–59 | 21–12 | 18 – Bamisile | 6 – Tied | 7 – Shulga | Barclays Center (6,817) Brooklyn, NY |
| March 16, 2024 1:00 p.m., CBSSN | (5) | vs. (9) Saint Joseph's Semifinals | W 66–60 | 22–12 | 25 – Shulga | 8 – Jackson | 3 – Shulga | Barclays Center Brooklyn, NY |
| March 17, 2024 1:00 p.m., CBS | (5) | vs. (6) Duquesne Championship | L 51–57 | 22–13 | 20 – Bamisile | 9 – Lawal | 2 – Tied | Barclays Center Brooklyn, NY |
| NIT |||||||||
| March 20, 2024* 9:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | at (1) Villanova First Round - Villanova Bracket | W 70–61 | 23–13 | 17 – Bamisile | 10 – Lawal | 6 – Shulga | Finneran Pavilion (1,763) Villanova, PA |
| March 24, 2024* 7:30 p.m., ESPNU | | at South Florida Second Round - Villanova Bracket | W 70–65 | 24–13 | 14 – Jackson | 6 – Bairstow | 4 – Bairstow | Yuengling Center (6,398) Tampa, FL |
| March 27, 2024* 9:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | at (2) Utah Quarterfinals - Villanova Bracket | L 54–74 | 24–14 | 13 – Bairstow | 9 – Fermin | 2 – Bamisile | Jon M. Huntsman Center (6,008) Salt Lake City, UT |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||
Source: