University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
East Carolina
Richmond Overpowers East Carolina, 99-75
02/18/2001 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2001
RICHMOND, Va. - Sophomore point guard Michele Koclanes (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) delivered a season and game-high 23 points and the University of Richmond women's basketball team shot a blistering 57.9 percent from the field for the game to post a 99-75 victory over East Carolina in Colonial Athletic Association action today at the Robins Center.
Joining Koclanes in double figures for the Spiders (14-11, 8-5 CAA) were junior forward Tasha Swaby (Satellite Beach, Fla./Satellite), while freshman guard Amber Goppert (Constable, N.Y./Franklin Academy) added 11 points in her first collegiate start. Richmond's point output marked the third time this season that the team has eclipsed the 90-point plateau. The Spiders are 3-0 on the campaign when scoring 90 or more points. In addition, Richmond's 99 points are the most against a conference opponent in regular season play since January 28, 2000, when the Spiders recorded a 115-93 home victory over American.
Senior forward Tamilla Murray and sophomore forward Tali Robich paced East Carolina (12-11, 7-5 CAA) with 18 points each. Freshman guard Alisha Bishop had 12 points.
The Spiders dominated from the start, taking a 2-1 lead with 19:23 remaining in the opening half following a Constantakis layup and never looked back. Leading 6-5 with 18:14 left in the first half, Richmond staged a 17-5 scoring spurt and opened its lead to 13 points at 23-10 at the 10:53 mark. Koclanes supplied six points in the surge, while Goppert and Swaby produced four points each. The Spiders led by double figures the remainder of the contest. Owning a 40-27 advantage at the 2:49 mark, Richmond closed the first half with a 11-4 run and took a 20-point lead (51-31) into intermission. In the initial 20 minutes, the Spiders shot a scorching 57.9 percent from the field, including a 50 percent clip from three-point territory and forced East Carolina into 12 turnovers.
The Lady Pirates scored the first four points of the second half and eventually pared the lead to 13 points at 70-57 with 9:16 left to go, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the way. Richmond answered, outscoring East Carolina, 16-7 over the next 5:59 and ballooned its lead to 86-64 with 3:17 on the clock.
The Spiders controlled the backboards, out-rebounding East Carolina, 41-31 for the game. Richmond, which entered the game leading the conference in three-point field goals made per game (6.4), took the ball to the basket throughout the contest, going 30-of-38 (78.9 percent) from the foul line.
Richmond resumes conference action on Thursday, February 22, visiting cross-town rival Virginia Commonwealth University at 7 p.m.
