Doogan’s 31 points lead Richmond past Temple

The University of Richmond women’s basketball team defeated Temple University, 72-57, at the Robins Center on Tuesday, Nov 18. The win moved Richmond to 4-1 on the season and featured a 31-point performance from senior forward Maggie Doogan.

The Spiders handed the Owls their first loss against an Atlantic 10 opponent this season, holding Temple to its lowest scoring output to date. Richmond held Temple to 28 percent shooting from the three and 30.6 percent from the field. The Spiders, despite the Owls’ defensive push and pace, maintained a 42.4% FG percentage and 37.5 percent shooting threes.

Richmond opened the game with strong perimeter shooting. The Spiders made four three-pointers in the first quarter, including two from senior guard Rachel Ullstrom, and built an early double-digit lead. Temple responded through offensive rebounding, using second-chance scoring to keep within reach.

Temple continued to narrow the margin during the second quarter, converting a series of mid-range jumpers, reducing Richmond’s lead to 30-25 entering halftime. Head coach Aaron Roussell said Temple’s physicality and rebounding were expected challenges.

“They hit the boards really well, and they put a lot of pressure on that,” Roussell said. “Those were the two areas we knew would define the game.”

Temple’s strongest push came early in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 36-35. The Spiders briefly struggled with missed layups and turnovers before shifting the pace.

Doogan guided Richmond through the swing. She scored multiple 3-pointers, added an interior scoring stretch, and assisted on drives to extend Richmond’s lead by the end of the quarter. 

“We talked in film today about slowing down in those moments,” Doogan said. “We wanted to protect our home court.”

The fourth quarter featured Richmond’s most balanced stretch of the game. Graduate forward Tierra Simon opened the frame with a mid-range jumper, and the Spiders produced consecutive defensive stops while maintaining control of the defensive glass. A late 3-pointer from junior guard Ally Sweeney and a layup from Ullstrom pushed the margin to 14. 

Roussell said the depth shown in the final period aligned with the competitive identity Richmond aims to develop.

“Our perimeter defense was a question going into the season,” Roussell said. “What Alicia [Newell] and Rayne [Wright] showed tonight was really promising. Sam [Dewey] and Skylah [Travis] gave us important minutes as well.”

In the fourth quarter, Doogan’s scoring efficiency and composure under pressure stabilized Richmond’s possessions, culminating in a 31-point, 14-rebound, nine-assist performance. Her consistency during Temple’s strongest runs reflected both her growth as a senior leader and her recent milestone as the ninth player in program history to record more than 1,500 career points.

This game marked Doogan’s 14th career double-double and third of the season, as well as her 25th career 20-point game. 

Roussell said he expected Doogan to play a significant role but did not anticipate the level of impact she ultimately delivered. 

“I said, as long as Maggie Doogan doesn’t get in foul trouble, we’ll be all right,” Roussell said. “I didn’t know that she would have one of the most impressive performances I’ve seen from her, which is saying a lot.”

Richmond will continue its non-conference schedule on Sunday with increased clarity about its rotation and late-game execution. Roussell said that while the team is still developing, the performance reflected characteristics he hopes will define the group moving forward.

“There’s a toughness component to our team right now, defensively and with rebounding,” Roussell said. “If this becomes our identity, I really like where this squad can go.”

Richmond will host the United States Naval Academy on Sunday, Nov. 30th, at 2 p.m. in the Robins Center for Taylor Swift Night and Camper Reunion.

Contact sports writer Farah Šertović at farah.sertovic@richmond.edu