ESPN Men's Basketball

RICHMOND, Va. -- Briante Weber scored 13 points and helped lead a stifling Virginia Commonwealth defense that forced 32 turnovers in a 76-44 rout of Western Kentucky Tuesday night.

The Rams (8-3) won their fifth straight game with suffocating defense against the Hilltoppers (8-4), whose starting backcourt was injured and didn't play. Weber set the night's tone by making a steal on the opening possession and then throwing down a dunk. At halftime, VCU led 42-16.

Western Kentucky had no one score in double figures. George Fant and Kevin Kaspar led the Hilltoppers with 8 points apiece. They badly missed starting guards T.J. Price and Jamal Crook, who are also the team's top two scorers.

Virginia Commonwealth shot 42.4 percent from the floor (28 of 66) while Western Kentucky was just 15 of 42 (34.7 percent). Rob Brandenburg scored 12 points for the Hilltoppers. Treveon Graham added 11 and Juvonte Reddic 10.