The VCU Rams won their 18th game of the 2009-10 season at the Siegel Center in Monday night’s Game 1 of the College Basketball Invitational best-of-three championship series. Before a crowd of 4,386 the Rams defeated the Saint Louis Billikens: VCU 68, St.L 56.

Junior guard Joey Rodriguez erupted for 14 straight points in a stretch of two minutes and six seconds in middle of the second half. It expanded the Rams lead from five to 13 points. It broke the Billikens’ backs.

In earning his 26th win Rams head coach Shaka Smart denied the Billikens head coach Rick Majerus his 479th win.

“They took it to us in every way possible,” said Majerus. “We didn’t match their energy or intensity.”

Rodriguez led all scorers with 22 points; he also dished for six assists. VCU’s junior forward/center Larry Sanders scored 20 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, blocked four shots and got three steals.

“When our guys have the desire and want to play the kind of defense we played tonight, it’s tough to beat us,” Smart said. “Offensively, we had our struggles, but when we have guys creating plays off the defensive end like we did tonight, it allows us to put some runs together like we were able to do tonight.”

“That whole team is very talented, especially Sanders and Rodriguez,” Majerus added.

Click here to see the box score.

“We came up short a lot this season,” said a thoughtful Sanders.

With VCU holding a one-to-nothing advantage, now the CBI series moves to Saint Louis. The next game will be played at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night; another game there will be played on Friday night, if necessary.

“It’s kind of fitting for us to finish it on the road,” said a determined Rodriguez.

For what it’s worth: One more victory and VCU’s rookie head coach will have guided his first team through a four-team field to a postseason championship. Whatever else you might call it, that’s a good measure of success.