Like cats, Virginia Commonwealth University basketball has a knack of landing on its feet.

The Rams have a proven track record of overcoming awkward predicaments without breaking stride or losing winning momentum.

Earlier this week, Rams Coach Will Wade announced he was leaving for a more lucrative job at Louisiana State University of the Southeastern Conference. His new, six-year contract at LSU reportedly is worth $12 million.

In two seasons at VCU, Coach Wade’s Rams were 51-20 with two NCAA Tournament appearances. His salary with the Rams was about $1.4 million per year.

Former VCU assistant coach and current Rice University head coach Mike Rhoades will replace Coach Wade.

This marks the fourth time since 2006 that VCU has lost a coach to a bigger-name school with more money. Each time, the Rams showed their resilience.

When Jeff Capel III left for the University of Oklahoma, Anthony Grant stepped right in and guided the Rams to their most glorious win ever — an NCAA Tournament upset of Duke University.

When Coach Grant left for the University of Alabama, Shaka Smart took over and, in short order, the Rams were in the 2011 NCAA Final Four, whipping the likes of the University of Kansas and Florida State University en route to the NCAA semifinals.

Coach Smart took off for the University of Texas, only to see Coach Wade keep up the Rams’ pace without missing a beat. The Rams were 25-11 and 26-9 with Coach Wade on the sidelines, leaving VCU fans to ask, “Shaka who?”

This is no overnight success story. VCU has won at least 24 games each of the last 11 seasons. It has been to seven straight NCAA Tournaments. Only three schools have longer streaks.

During this run, there have been obstacles aplenty, all of which turned out to be temporary at most. In addition to withstanding the parade of coaches, consider this:

In becoming a perennial powerhouse, VCU has overcome the loss of two NBA first-round draft choices — Eric Maynor in 2009 and Larry Sanders in 2010.

The team has sustained success despite losing four star seniors — Jamie Sheen, Joey Rodriguez, Ed Nixon, Brandon Rozzell — from the 2011 Final Four entry, and losing brilliant 3-point shooters Troy Daniels in 2014 and Melvin Johnson in 2016.

The Rams have continued to roll despite losing its greatest defensive guard ever — Briante Weber in 2015 — and two more of the programs’ all-time scorers — Bradford Burgess in 2012 and Treveon Graham in 2015.

The wins have kept coming in bunches, and so have the fans by the thousands. VCU is working on a 99-game sellout streak at the always rocking Siegel Center.

VCU Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin in a prepared statement said, “We have a world-class practice facility, a sold-out arena every night and a fan base than ranks with the best in all of college basketball.

“VCU basketball is bigger than one person. We remain committed to ensuring VCU has a Top 25 program nationally.”

Coach Rhoades, 44, served five years under Shaka Smart at VCU during a period when the Rams went 137-46 with the 2011 trip to the NCAA Final Four. He was named head coach at Rice on March 26, 2014.

Coach Rhoades’ Owls went 12-20 in each of his first two seasons in Houston before improving to 23-12 this season.

Prior to coming to VCU, Coach Rhoades posted a 197-76 record in 10 seasons at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland with six Old Dominion Athletic Conference titles.

As a player, Coach Rhoades led Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania to the NCAA Division III title in 1994 and was named National Player of the Year.

Coach Wade was an assistant at VCU under Coach Smart before leaving to coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Coach Rhoades will have holes to fill. Departing seniors include All-Atlantic 10 guard JeQuan Lewis, intimidating shot blocker Mo Alie-Cox and defensive-minded, four-year regulars Jordan Burgess and Doug Brooks.

With a coaching switch, there is always concern incoming recruits might have a change of heart. When Coach Smart announced he was leaving VCU, all three of his recruits headed elsewhere.

It didn’t matter as Coach Wade plugged the gaps with equally talented newcomers and rolled on.

According to ESPN, Coach Wade had lined up the nation’s 21st best recruiting class of 2017. Coach Rhoades will have to “re-recruit” them or round up new talent himself, which is doable. VCU has become an extremely attractive coaching job and a preferred landing spot for much sought-after high school talent and transfer players.

Four Rams alumni are now in the NBA — Sanders, Daniels, Graham and Weber. The Siegel Center is wallpapered in banners. Rams fans, bleeding black and gold, seem determined to travel to the ends of the earth to cheer for their team.

For many reasons, VCU basketball has become dominant, and that isn’t likely to change. Cats, they say, have nine lives. Rams, too.