The Collegian
Friday, March 29, 2024

Richmond vs St. Bonaventure first-half analysis

First-half score: Richmond - 31, Saint Bonaventure - 36

Analysis: Richmond's offense looked ugly early on in its first half without both Derrick Williams and Cedrick Lindsay, as it trails the Bonnies, 36-31, at the half. Kendall Anthony, who leads all scorers with 12 points, was the only Spider to make a field goal in the first eight minutes. Terry Allen hit consecutive 3-pointers midway through the half to give Richmond a brief 11-10 lead. Richmond didn't have an answer for the Bonnies inside game as they scored 26 paints in the paint, including their first eight made field goals. A big (no pun intended) reason why the Bonnies were so successful down low was Youssou Ndoye, a 7-foot junior from Dakar, Senegal, who had 10 of the Bonnies first 14 points. Despite Richmond's early struggles, Richmond trailed by just two with eight minutes left in the half. The Bonnies, however, went on a 16-4 run and extended its lead to 30-16. Trey Davis and ShawnDre Jones hit consecutive 3-pointers with under four minutes in the half to cut the Bonnies lead to 34-26. ShawnDre Jones hit his second 3-pointer at the end of the half to cut the Bonnies lead to 36-31. Three-point shooting carried the Spiders offense in the first 20 minutes, as Richmond was 5-10 from deep.

What to look for in the second half: The offense looked shaky at times in first half, which is understandable given the losses of Williams and Lindsay. It's going to take time for the offense to get used to playing without its seniors. With that being said, the Spiders will need to find some offensive rhythm in the second half to pull out a win. Kendall Anthony is the obvious person to look to, but it's going to take more than just him to get the offense going. Terry Allen, Alonzo Nelson-Ododa and Trey Davis will be crucial in taking some of the load of Anthony. In all fairness, the offense looked its best in the half's final five or six minutes. More concerning than Richmond's lack of offensive creativity was its inability to defend the paint. The Bonnies forwards were able to get any shot they wanted in the first half. Richmond's forwards need to get more physical with Bonnies in the second half. Richmond can't get outscored 26-4 in the paint again in the second half, and expect to comeback.

Follow us on twitter or like us on facebook for updates in the second half.

Contact staff writer Jack Nicholson at jack.nicholson@richmond.edu

Follow him on twitter at @Jack_Nicholson

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