Richmond ready for JMU in second round of WNIT

After going through three losing seasons, the University of Richmond women's basketball team is back in the postseason.

Richmond used a run in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament to get into the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Richmond received a bye during the opening round and will host James Madison University on Sunday.

"We are ready to go out and ready to play," sophomore Brittani Shells said. "I feel like we have been off for too long, like as if we are about to start a new season."

The Spiders have not played since a 59-54 loss in the A-10 title game on March 9 against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The 13 days is the longest break between games this year for the Spiders.

"We scrimmaged on Wednesday and [Friday] to get the rust off as best we can," Richmond coach Michael Shafer said. "But it's hard to simulate game situations."

In 2003 and 2004, the Spiders made back-to-back trips to the WNIT. They reached the quarterfinals in 2003 and the semifinals in 2004. Duplicating that type of success will be a challenge this year.

"I feel like our basketball team has the heart and the character to make a big run," Shafer said. "But at the same time, I also understand that there are a lot of good teams in this tournament. There are a lot of teams that are really thinking that they might have been in the NCAA Tournament."

After the 2003 and 2004 appearances in the WNIT, the Spiders made it to the NCAA Tournament the following year. Shells said she felt this year's the team could repeat that success next year.

"Depending on how it plays out, the team that's coming back next year will want more. When I say more, that means winning the A-10 championship, going to the NCAA tournament and making a run there."

Beating JMU has been a historically tough task for the Spiders. In the all-time series, JMU holds a 28-53 record, including a 62-58 win in the Robins Center in 2006 -- the last time these two teams met.

In the A-10 final, the Spiders struggled against Charlotte's full-court pressure. While Shafer has addressed that issue in practice, he said he still expected the Dukes to press his team.

"In a tournament situation, it's lose or go home," he said. "Sometimes in desperation mode, you press and it may not be even your cup of tea. It may not be what you're used to, but you press to try and make a run. You have to be prepared for pressure, regardless, because the team you are playing doesn't want to go home."

Richmond had to wait until Friday to find out who it's opponent would be. JMU won 61-59 against American University on Wednesday during the opening round of the WNIT. Shafer has been preparing his team for both opponents since the brackets were released on Monday.

Playing the game in the Robins Center will provide a little extra motivation for the team.

"As far as the seniors go, they don't want their last game to be home," Shells said. "I don't think any of us do."

Contact staff writer Andrew Prezioso at andrew.prezioso@richmond.edu