Anyone who has ever played the arcade game Whac-A-Mole can understand the frustration of Virginia Commonwealth University’s basketball foes.

Each time you knock down one mole — in VCU’s case, containing one high scorer — another pops up.

Consider:

Point guard JeQuan Lewis, the assists leader, averages 9.9 points per game. But in the Rams’ 94-89 overtime win at the University of Richmond last Saturday, Lewis erupted for a career high 29.

Justin Tillman, known best for rebounding, averages 6.1 points. However, the Rams’ “Dr. Detroit” from the Motor City had a career-best 27 points in VCU’s win over Fordham University, treating fans to a wide array of dunks.

Mo Alie-Cox averages 9.3 points. But in the Rams’ win over North Florida, the defensive-minded center had 19 points.

Doug Brooks, another ace defender, averages 4.8 points. But in VCU’s win at St. Louis, the Floridian netted 11 points.

Clearly, sticking to a scouting report can get you in deep trouble when facing Coach Will Wade’s Rams.

Expect the unexpected.

The Jan. 16 victory over UR before a roaring full house at the Robins Center was the Rams’ eighth straight win and fifth in a row in the Atlantic-10 Conference.

The Rams prevailed at UR despite sub-par shooting from overall leading scorer Melvin Johnson. The normally reliable senior from New York City was 6-for-19 overall and 0-for-7 behind the arc.

The win over the Spiders improved VCU’s overall mark to 13-5 and road record to 4-1, with the lone loss coming at the ACC’s Georgia Tech.

VCU’s recent success has been without starting forward Jordan Burgess, who has been idled by a broken finger.

Johnson is the season’s leader with an 18.4 points norm, followed by Kory Billbury’s 12.3 points.

Johnson also leads in steals (32), three-pointers (65) and free-throw accuracy (89 percent). Tillman is tops in rebounds (5.8 average) in just 15 minutes per night.

Brooks is second with 31 steals in just 18 minutes per contest. Alie-Cox’s 29 blocked shots is a team high. 

Following a frustrating 5-5 start, in which the Rams dropped cliffhangers to five power teams, Wade’s first season is unfolding nicely.

VCU is the likely favorite in every game here on except for probably at Davidson on Jan. 29, at George Washington on Feb. 27 and at Dayton on March 5.

The Rams have proven to be very good. You just never know which one will pop up, front and center, on a given night.