NASSAU, The Bahamas (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive struggles and a decisive advantage at the free-throw line, the VCU Rams pulled away in the second half to defeat the South Florida Bulls 78 to 66 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday at Imperial Arena.

A sparse, neutral-site crowd of 446 watched as the Rams methodically built their lead, overcoming a poor shooting afternoon from the field by capitalizing on frequent trips to the foul line. VCU attempted 32 free throws, making 23, while South Florida managed only 20 attempts, converting 12.

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with VCU taking a narrow 36 to 33 lead into the break. The Bulls kept pace by dominating the paint, scoring 48 points inside throughout the game compared to VCU’s 34. However, South Florida’s offense was plagued by inefficiency, particularly from beyond the arc where they made just two of 14 attempts.

The game turned decisively in the second half as VCU’s offense found a more consistent rhythm, outscoring South Florida 42 to 33. The Rams’ ability to generate points from the free-throw line and from three-point range, where they hit seven shots, proved to be the difference. South Florida scored 66 points from 74 possessions for an offensive rating of 88.6, while VCU was more efficient, posting 78 points from 75 possessions for a 103.7 offensive rating.

VCU was led by a dominant performance from Lazar Djokovic. The 6-foot-10 sophomore from Gornji Milanovac, Serbia, scored a game-high 20 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out two assists in 30 minutes of action. He was instrumental in stretching the floor and drawing fouls.

He was complemented by a strong backcourt showing from Terrence Hill. The Portland, Oregon, native came off the bench to provide 15 points in just 17 minutes, helping to spark the Rams’ second-half surge. Barry Evans, a 6-foot-8 forward from Baltimore, recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, controlling the glass for VCU. Nyk Lewis also chipped in 11 points and five rebounds.

For South Florida, the standout was Izaiyah Nelson. The 6-foot-10 big man from Marietta, Georgia, posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, adding three assists and two blocks in 32 minutes. His presence inside was a primary reason for the Bulls’ significant paint-point advantage.

Support for Nelson came from Josh Omojafo, who logged 36 minutes and contributed 14 points and four rebounds. CJ Brown, also from Marietta, Georgia, facilitated the offense with 11 points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. Daimion Collins added six points and four rebounds off the bench.

Defensively, both teams were active, with South Florida recording seven steals and five blocks to VCU’s five steals and six blocks. The Bulls also forced 11 VCU turnovers while committing nine of their own.

With the loss, South Florida’s record evens at 3-3. The Bulls will have a quick turnaround, facing Vanderbilt on Thursday. VCU improves to 4-2 and will next play on Dec. 5 against Samford.