University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Dayton
Women's Basketball Falls to Dayton, 91-84
01/17/2002 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 17, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond women's basketball team dug an early first half hole that it couldn't quite get out of as the Spiders fell to the Dayton Flyers, 91-84, at the Robins Center Thursday night. Five Spiders scored in double-digits as Richmond fell behind by as many as 17 points in the first half before they mounted a comeback that fell just short.
Dayton took the lead from the opening tip as it held a 9-7 advantage just over three minutes into the contest. The Spiders then went almost six minutes without a field goal as the Flyers scored 13 unanswered to take a 22-7 lead at 10:28. The deficit grew to as much as 17 in the first half as the Flyers made 7-of-14 three-pointers. However, Richmond would hang around and end the half on a 9-2 spurt to close within nine at the intermission, 45-36. Junior forward Krystn Gull (Asheville, N.C./Erwin) had eight points at the break as did sophomore center Stephanie Murray (Nepean, Ontario, Canada/St. Pius X) off the bench. Dayton junior guard Chrissy Donovan lead all scorers with 16 points in a half that saw the visitors outrebound the Spiders 30-18.
Richmond would continue to chip away at the lead in the second half as junior center Ebony Tanner (Garner, N.C./Ravenscroft) and freshman forward Kate Flavin (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, thanks in large part to the ball distribution of senior point guard Michele Koclanes (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) who had eight assists and zero turnovers in the second half. The Spiders would twice draw within two points (5:28 and 5:02), but a deep three-pointer by Dayton junior guard Sarah Allen with the shot clock winding down put the Flyers up by seven, 85-78, with 4:01 to play. Richmond wasn't done though, as sophomore guard Amber Goppert (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) drove the lane with under a minute left and dished the ball to Flavin who's lay-up cut the deficit to 87-84. Richmond would then get a steal off their full-court pressure, but miss a three that would have tied it. The Flyers would make their free throws down the stretch (19-of-21 for the game) on their way to the 91-84 victory.
Koclanes finished the game with her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 assists, with only 2 turnovers, as the Spiders as a whole had 22 assists and only 12 turnovers. Dayton also finished with 22 assists, but had 27 miscues as well. In addition to Koclanes, starters Tanner (15 points), Flavin (11), and Gull (10) finished in double-digits while Murray had 10 off the bench in a game that saw Richmond shoot 43.2% from the floor, as Dayton shot 52.5%. Dayton's Donovan had a game-high 23 points and junior center Heather Haselman had 10 points and a career-best 15 rebounds as the Flyers held a plus-18 advantage on the boards.
The loss drops Richmond to 7-11, 1-4 in the Atlantic 10. Dayton improves to 6-10, 3-2 in the league. The Spiders return to action Sunday, January 20, at 2:00 p.m. as they entertain Xavier, who went to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season. It will be the first meeting ever between the two Atlantic 10 schools.
