RICHMOND, Va. — With the outcome still in the balance, Virginia Commonwealth University’s sold-out crowd of 7,637 turned its fury on Rashaan Holloway.
UMass’ sophomore center was outbattling VCU senior big man Mo Alie-Cox, a fan-favorite, and Rams fans didn’t like it. They yelled at the referees and Holloway every time he made a play.
“I loved it that they didn’t like me. That’s what’s supposed to happen. When they boo you, that means they have a reason to boo you,” Holloway said. “I like hearing it. If not, I’m not good.”
The VCU fans didn’t have occasion to boo too many other UMass players. The rest of the roster had a rough day in the 81-64 loss that wasted the best game of Holloway’s career. His 22 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocked shots were all career highs.
“It was frustrating because he gave us great paint presence,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg said.
Holloway’s game was the best in his growing sequence of strong efforts. The 6-foot-11, 310-pound New Jersey native looked at his own inconsistent play to open the season and wasn’t satisfied. He’s talked in the offseason about becoming a dominant player and hadn’t yet delivered any regularity.
“We needed a better paint presence. I committed to always working harder and giving my teammates my full effort,” he said. “Obviously we still need work. I feel like eventually we’ll get there. I’m trying to lead by example.”
Since Dec. 17, he’s averaging 16.0 points and 7.3 rebounds. The VCU players were impressed.