Making a point at point

Maynor's successor at VCU will try to be himself Virginia UNION AT VCU Exhibition basketball Tonight: 7:30 Radio: 107.3 (WWBT), 7 O f the many things Virginia Commonwealth's Joey Rodriguez is as a basketball player - hustler, heady, emotional, feisty on defense, terrific 3-point shooter - there is one thing he is not: Eric Maynor. "I'm totally different," he said. Rodriguez will focus on being himself as he succeeds one of VCU's all-time great players. Maynor was a do-it-all force who carried the Rams to two NCAA appearances in three seasons, an upset of Duke and a 76-25 record. He's now in the NBA with the Utah Jazz. Rodriguez, a 5-10 junior, takes over as the Rams' point guard. He embraces all that entails. "I can't wait," Rodriguez said. "I talk to family and friends back home [in Florida], and I'm like, 'I'm finally playing point guard.' They know how excited I am. Everybody does." Under new coach Shaka Smart, the new-look Rams get their first public screening tonight when they take on Division II neighbor Virginia Union in an exhibition game at 7:30 at the Siegel Center. VCU opens its season next Friday with a home game against Bethune Cookman. "Now it's our turn," Rodrguez said. "Everybody who came here to play a bigger role, it's their chance now." Rodriguez was a well-regarded pass-first, shoot-second point guard in high school. With Maynor entrenched at the point, Rodriguez was a two-year starter at shooting guard. He led the Colonial Athletic Association in 3-point field goal percentage (41.6) last season while averaging 9.4 points. "I want Joey to continue doing the things he's done well in two years here," Smart said. "He's made a lot of shots. He's made some big defensive plays. He's made critical plays that contribute to winning, even if it's little things. You can see those little things turn into big things." One big thing Smart wants from Rodriguez and others is to assume the leadership void Maynor left. "Last year, if something would go wrong, Eric would come up and go, 'Don't worry about it. I'm right here. You're fine.' I'd be like, 'All right, cool,' " Rodriguez said. "Now I'm the guy coming up to people if they do something wrong saying, 'It's all right. You're going to be fine.' "It's been hard at times because sometimes I don't realize what I'm saying. I'm such an emotional guy. Sometimes I might come at somebody the wrong way, but they know I just want to win. I'm getting better at that, how to handle things like that and talking to people." Rodriguez intended to transfer to Rollins College near his home in Florida after coach Anthony Grant was lured away by Alabama after last season. Rodriguez said he was "bummed out" that Grant was leaving along with assistant coach Tony Pujol, with whom Rodriguez was close. He had a change of heart after realizing the opportunity he had at VCU. "Glad I'm back," Rodriguez said. "I missed my teammates a lot. "We've got a chip on our shoulder. We've got everybody coming back [from a 24-10 team except Eric]. . . . We think we're definitely talented enough to win this conference. People probably think we're going to fall off, but that's why we're playing: to prove to people we can do it, too." Notes - Virginia Union has been picked to finish first in the Eastern Division of the CIAA. The Panthers return the Byerson brothers, Brandon (12.7 points) and Braxton (13.8), from a team that finished 21-7. Coach Willard Coker has nine newcomers. He also has 10 freshmen and sophomores on the roster. Contact Tim Pearrell at (804) 649-6965 or tpearrell@timesdispatch.com **** PHOTO: VCU's Joey Rodriguez led the CAA in 3-point field goal percentage (41.6) last season.