March 6, 2009

Steve Megargee
Rivals.com College Basketball Staff Writer

Virginia Commonwealth guard Eric Maynor has experienced the postseason from both ends of the emotional spectrum.

Two years ago, Maynor was the darling of the NCAA tournament's opening weekend after carrying VCU to a stunning victory over Duke in the first round and a near-upset of Pittsburgh in the second round.

VCU may have been even better last season, but a stunning semifinal loss to William & Mary in the Colonial Athletic Association tourney kept Maynor and the Rams out of the NCAA tournament. While VCU was losing in the first round of the NIT, Davidson's drive to a regional final helped Stephen Curry steal away Maynor's title as the nation's most dynamic mid-major performer.

"It makes you want to work even harder," Maynor said. "Just because you win one year, it doesn't mean you're going to win it again. You have to keep working."

Maynor, a potential first-round draft pick, could have turned pro after each of those seasons. He instead returned to school intent on earning his degree and getting one more taste of March Madness.

He's on track to earn his degree in May. His jersey already is in the rafters and his name is all over VCU's record book. The only thing left to accomplish is that NCAA invitation that eluded the Rams last season.

"It's crazy," Maynor said of the NCAA tournament experience. "Everybody wants to be there. Nobody wants to be in the NIT. You hear people say you just want to keep playing, but it's another feeling if you're in the NCAA tournament."

VCU won't get there unless it wins the CAA tournament this week, and the Rams enter that event as the top seed and clear favorite. VCU (21-9, 14-4 Colonial) faces either No. 8 seed Georgia State (11-19, 8-10) or No. 9 seed Delaware (13-18, 6-12) in a Saturday quarterfinal at Richmond (Va.) Coliseum, which is about two miles from VCU's campus.

This past Saturday's 69-41 victory over Georgia State, which wrapped up the top seed for VCU, underscored how much Maynor has meant to the program. Before the game, Maynor had his No. 3 jersey retired in a pre-game ceremony. Midway through the first half, he sank an 8-foot jumper to become the school's leading career scorer. Maynor now owns the VCU records for career points (1,866), assists (651) and free throws (480).

"It's tremendous when you look at everything that he's been a part of, the success he's had here and the growth he's made as a player," VCU coach Anthony Grant said. "The one thing that's always been consistent is his character and his work ethic and the way it's impacted other people.

But he didn't receive much love during the recruiting process. Maynor led Fayetteville (N.C.) Westover High School to a state runner-up finish his senior year and was named the championship game's most outstanding player, but growing up in the heart of ACC country didn't earn him any scholarship offers from major conference programs.

"Everybody always said I couldn't hit a jump shot consistently in high school," Maynor said.

If Maynor has any bitterness toward the schools that failed to pursue him, he doesn't let it show. He instead thanks former VCU coach Jeff Capel ? now at Oklahoma ? for being willing to take a chance on him.

The guy who supposedly couldn't shoot well enough to play big-time college basketball has spent the past three seasons as one of the nation's elite point guards. He ranks 11th in the nation in scoring (22.4) and is tied for 14th in assists (6.2), yet his impact goes beyond mere numbers.

Maynor's biggest strength is his ability to deliver under pressure in the final minutes of a close game. Never was that more apparent than in VCU's 2007 postseason drive.

He sank a 15-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining in a 79-77 victory over Duke that resulted in the Blue Devils' first opening-round elimination since 1996. But he already had cemented his status as a clutch performer long before then. That moment against Duke never would have taken place if Maynor hadn't reeled off nine consecutive points and made two big steals down the stretch to help VCU rally for a 65-59 victory over George Mason in the CAA championship game.

"I don't think that's something you work on," Maynor said. "That comes naturally. ? I'm not afraid to take that shot. If I miss, I'm not going to be afraid. I can take the blame for stuff like that."

He rarely has to take the blame for coming up short in those situations. Time and time again, Maynor has delivered.

Maynor scored 23 second-half points last season in an 85-76 victory over Maryland. Later in the season, he scored the final six points in regulation to rally the Rams to a 65-60 overtime triumph over Georgia State. Three weeks ago, Maynor scored or assisted on all 14 of VCU's overtime points in a 76-71 victory over James Madison.

"Ever since middle school, I knew," said Maynor's father, George Maynor. "He was determined to win, and he was a competitor. He always wanted to be in the spotlight when the game was on the line. He wanted that pressure on him. He dealt with it through middle school, high school and the college ranks. He's just ready for that moment."

The elder Maynor has a better perspective than the typical father. George Maynor played guard at East Carolina and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the fourth round in 1979, though he was more of a shooter and less of a passer than his son.

Maynor talked to his father as well as Grant before deciding to return to school for his senior season. He realized he had to improve certain aspects of his game before launching a pro career.

Maynor may have faded from the spotlight since that headline-making upset of Duke, but he's a better player now than he was that night. He's shooting at a higher percentage. He's averaging almost nine more points per game. He's making more steals. He has performed well enough to lead VCU to a regular-season conference title as the lone senior on a team that starts one freshman and two sophomores.

Maynor's steady improvement eventually should lead to a big payday. Maynor is projected as the 27th overall pick in the upcoming draft by draftexpress.com. Another draft Web site, nbadraft.net, has Maynor getting taken with the 11th overall selection.

"I'm being a better leader," Maynor said as he ticked off the ways he has improved over the past two years. "I'm shooting the outside shot better. I'm defending. I'm not taking plays off on the defensive end. I'm getting stronger."

Maynor also managed to make sure he didn't let his 2007 success get to his head.

"He hasn't changed since then," George Maynor said. "That [Duke game] was his moment. He cherished that moment for a while and left it behind. He's ready to go forward."

Maynor wants to create a whole new set of March Madness memories before closing his college career. The next few days will determine whether he gets that chance.

Steve Megargee is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at smegargee@rivals.com.