In a meet where records were broken and races were won by inches, the University of Richmond women's swim and dive team lost to Villanova Friday. Despite community support, the Spiders fell to the Villanova Wildcats, 162-134.
After missing 28 of their 36 shots in the first half, the University of Richmond women's basketball team came together in the second half to overcome a 16-point deficit and beat the Xavier Musketeers 73-63 in overtime. Led by strong efforts from senior Rachael Bilney, and juniors, Kristina King and Becca Wann, the Spiders closed out the second half on a 20-4 run, sending the game into an extra period. The Spiders' shooting struggles were felt especially by their senior leader, Bilney, who missed every shot she took in the first half, including all five 3-pointers.
When the final buzzer sounded in the Robins Center Thursday night at the Black & Blue Classic, students poured onto the court to celebrate with the Spiders, who had just won the title of best basketball team in Richmond by triumphing 86-74 in overtime over Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU fans had already begun to file out of the stadium with 30 seconds left in the game, reluctantly relinquishing the bragging rights they had earned last year with the Rams' victory on their home court. Throughout the game, Richmond and VCU fans took turns standing and yelling for their teams with volumes seldom heard in the Robins Center. The sold-out arena was a sea of red with significant patches of yellow-clad VCU fans who numbered an estimated 2,000. When the score became tied in the second half, Richmond began a chorus of the traditional cheers, "We are U-R." This was quickly matched by Rams fans chanting, "V-C-U." Darien Brothers saved the Spiders with a three-pointer with just 1.5 seconds left to force the game into overtime.
Contact photographer Nabila Khouri at nabila.khouri@richmond.edu
Senior Darien Brothers wasn't even supposed to take the shot during Richmond's final possession of regulation, he said. His teammates, coach and Spider fans everywhere are sure glad he did, though.
Final Score: University of Richmond- 86, Virginia Commonwealth University- 74 What Happened: Richmond played its best game of the season, and it needed to for this game.
First-half score: University of Richmond- 32, Virginia Commonwealth University- 29 Important Stats: UR's Deion Taylor (7 pts, 4 reb), Alonzo Nelson-Ododa (3-3, 6 pts), UR shooting 52.4%, VCU's Melvin Johson (4-4, 9 pts), Juvonte Reddic (7 pts, 3 reb, 3 fouls) Analysis: Neither team has really been able to get into an offensive rhythm, but that's favoring the Spiders right now.
Storylines: 1) Black and Blue goes Atlantic-10: For the first time since Richmond left the CAA conference following the 2000-01 season, this rivalry game will be played with conference standings on the line.
This season, the tennis teams are out for blood in the Atlantic 10 Championships, senior Alexandra Smyth said. The men's team finished the VCU 4 x 1 with a 4-1 win over James Madison University.
The Spiders raced on the Hokies' track at the Virginia Tech Invitational this weekend, finishing with a four by four women's relay best time in the A-10 and marking the beginning of the men's team's last competitive season at the University of Richmond. "For all of us, this is the most important indoor season of our lives because what we do here and now is how the team will be remembered," sophomore Matthew Groff said. Most of the members of the men's and women's track and field teams run cross-country in the fall, Groff said.
After losing a meet to Rutgers and defeating Central Connecticut State University on Jan. 18, the Spiders swimming and diving team came out on top the next day against Fordham (161-124) and La Salle (180-110). "I feel like we went in disappointed that we weren't able to come out on top against Rutgers on Friday night, ready to improve in our race strategies and hungry to race the girls we knew we'd see again," junior swimmer Mali Kobelja said.
Nearly 1,000 local elementary school children cheered on the University of Richmond women's basketball team in its Atlantic-10 conference game against the St.
Senior Darien Brothers led the Spiders in scoring to a victory against Charlotte and tied a school record of eight three-pointers on Saturday evening. Brothers made a comeback and improved his shooting averages from the previous two games.
Final Score: University of Richmond- 81, University of North Carolina at Charlotte- 61 What Happened: Charlotte's 15-2 record, including 3-0 in the A-10, coming into the game had no effect on Darien Brothers and the Spiders.
First-half score: University of Richmond- 38, University of North Carolina at Charlotte- 28 Important Stats: UR's Darien Brothers (6-10, 20 pts), Charlotte's DeMario Mayfield (7-10 FT, 11 pts), Charlotte bench outscoring Richmond bench, 19-7. Analysis: After struggling in Richmond's last two games (shooting 2-13 against La Salle and 3-11 against Butler), both losses, Darien Brothers came out on fire, scoring the Spiders first 17 points.
The University of Richmond's women's basketball team triumphed over St. Bonaventure, 51-46, Wednesday night. Senior Ryann Dannelly recorded the first double-double of her career.
For the second consecutive spring semester, Richmond's football team is bringing in a transfer quarterback from the University of Virginia. Michael Rocco has followed in Michael Strauss's footsteps, going from a Cavalier to a Spider. "We were friends at UVA," Strauss said of Rocco.
Bobby Ukrop, one of Richmond's largest donors during the past several years, has resigned from the university's Board of Trustees, as first reported by Richmond BizSense. Ukrop, who graduated from UR in 1969, had served on the board for 13 nonconsecutive years before stepping down at the board meeting on Dec.
The Board of Trustees met today at the University of Richmond for its regularly scheduled meeting.
The University of Richmond board members were greeted Thursday on the third floor of the Tyler Haynes Commons by wraps, pasta salad, chips, brownies and about 50 students holding signs in support of reinstating the men's track and field and soccer programs. The Board of Trustees members, who made the decision in September to cut the two programs in favor of adding a men's lacrosse team, will meet again tomorrow, where board member Bobby Ukrop will present a case for the teams' reinstatement, said soccer alumnus Bret Myers. Track members originally decided to stage Thursday's protest when a source, who does not want his or her name shared, told the runners where and when the luncheon was taking place, said Kyle Ragan, a senior on the track team. Matthew Groff, a sophomore track member, thought the demonstration went better than expected, he said. "We didn't know how many people were going to come out," he said.
