University of Richmond
Nc Wilmington
Spiders Squeak By UNC Wilmington 73-70
01/31/2001 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2001
University of Richmond, Va. - Richmond forward Greg Stevenson (Fayetteville, N.C./71st) scored 19 points, 11 in the first half, to lead the Spiders to a 73-70 win over UNC Wilmington Wednesday night at the Robins Center. The win completed a season sweep by the Spiders.
Richmond, who went 6-for-6 from the floor to start the contest, led by as many as six on two occasions in the first half. An 8-0 UNC Wilmington run capped off by a Marcus Green tip in at the 8:05 mark gave the Seahawks their first lead of the half (26-24). The visitors closed out the first half with another sprint, a 5-0 run, to balloon its lead to eight at the break, 42-34.
UNC Wilmington stretched its advantage to 11 early in the second half after a Ed Burnettte three-pointer with 19:23 remaining. Richmond forward Rick Houston's (Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett) three-pointer closed out a 14-3 Spiders run and tied the game at 48-48 with 13:00 to play. The Seahawks, though, would not go away as an Ed Williams layup at the 9:23 mark pushed their advantage back to six. Richmond guard Jeff Myers (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) steal and subsequent jumper cut the lead to one, 58-57, with 7:50 to play. Fifty seconds later, Houston's trey in front of the Richmond bench would give the Spiders a lead they would not relinquish. UNCW's Barron Thelmon layup with 13 seconds remaining would pull the Seahawks to within one, 71-70. Thelmon, fouled on the play, would fail to convert the free throw as Richmond hung on for the three-point victory, 73-70.
Thelmon paced the Seahawks with 14 points. Brett Blizzard and Marcus Green added 12 points a piece. Stevenson was the lone Spider to score in double figures. The game marked the fifth straight contest for the Spiders decided by four points or less. Richmond improves to 14-5, 6-3 while UNC Wilmington 11-9, 4-5.
Richmond returns to action on Saturday, February 3, traveling to William & Mary. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
