Spiders shoot season-best, but fall to No. 12 Hoyas, 65-64

Normally, a basketball player going eight-for-nine from the free-throw line is a positive contribution to her team. But Wednesday evening, junior Abby Oliver hit one free throw too many.

With Richmond down 65-63 against No. 12 Georgetown with three seconds left in the game, Oliver needed to miss her last of three free throws to give her team a chance to rebound the ball and try for a game-tying shot.

She made the shot, which all but secured a 65-64 victory for Georgetown.

The Spiders made a season-high 10 3-point shots. Senior Brittani Shells was the game's leading scorer, with 26 points, while Oliver added a season-best 22 points. As a team, Richmond shot a season-best 56 percent.

In a game that featured eight lead changes and seven ties, Georgetown had to rally from a 59-53 deficit — the largest lead of the night for either team — with 6:40 to go.

With 16 seconds left in the game, Georgetown's Monica McNutt made one of two free throws to put the Hoyas up 64-61. Following a Shells miss and a Georgetown rebound, McNutt again only converted one free throw following a foul, giving the Hoyas a 65-61 lead.

McNutt then fouled Oliver, setting up Richmond's final three free throws of the game.

The Spiders will look to bounce back from the loss with a 2 p.m. match-up against VCU Sunday at the Robins Center.

Contact staff writer Jimmy Young at jimmy.young@richmond.edu