The Collegian
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Spiders look for signature win against Rams

The University of Richmond Spiders will attempt to win their first road game of the season across town at the Siegel Center on Saturday.

For basketball fans, the circumstances couldn’t be more intriguing. Richmond, looking for its first road win, playing just 15 minutes from home, against the conference-leading and no. 14 Virginia Commonwealth Rams. A win could give the Spiders momentum they’ve been seeking all season – but that’s easier said than done.

Both teams will be playing with confidence on Saturday, having just blown out their respective opponents earlier this week. The Spiders scored 49 first-half points and defeated Duquesne 86-55 on Wednesday. The Rams handled George Washington (16-5), winning by 24 points and maintaining an undefeated record in Atlantic 10 play.

Although the Rams, who hold a 12-game win streak, are easily the most disruptive defensive team in the conference, the Spiders are well equipped to handle them. VCU forces 10.5 steals per game, but the Spiders average fewer than 10 turnovers per game, which leads the conference. Both teams are terrible rebounding the ball, each typically losing the rebounding battle, so perhaps Richmond’s Achilles’ heal won’t be a major factor in this game.

Shooting, though, will be a major factor, as it is in most games for the Spiders. Richmond’s offense thrives when the ball is moving frequently and the players are shooting well. Richmond proved it was dangerous when shooting well when the team blew out Davidson by 26 points. The Spiders shot 57 percent in that game and made 14 3-pointers.

Defensively, Richmond will have to focus on stopping the 3-point shot and containing Treveon Graham, the Rams’ scoring leader with nearly 17 points per game. VCU is second in the conference with nine successful 3-pointers each game.

The Spiders will have the best chance of winning their first road game if they can overcome the Rams’ disruptive “havoc” defense, make their shots and contain the Rams’ 3-point shooters. Even then, VCU is nearly unstoppable at home, and I expect the team to find a way to win against the Spiders on Saturday, who simply can’t finish games away from the Robins Center.

Tip-off is at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Contact Sports editor Charlie Broaddus at charlie.broaddus@richmond.edu

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