University of Richmond Athletics
Men's Basketball In the Wild, Wild West
12/15/2002 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2002
Stanford Invitational Game Notes in PDF Format
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After nine days off for exams, the Richmond Spiders (3-2) are back on the court on Monday, December 16 for a 7:30 EST contest with Pepperdine in the first round of the Spider Invitational at the Maples Pavilion. The Spiders arrived in the 'Golden State' on Saturday, their first trip to California and the Bay Area since 1997. In the other contest, host Stanford entertains Montana on Monday evening.
This is the first meeting between the Spiders and the Waves. However, this is not the Spiders first meeting with a West Coast Conference member- they are 1-2 against current members of the WCC. Richmond bested St. Mary's in the Apple Invitational Tournament (hosted by Stanford) on December 6, 1985. The Spiders were previously beaten by San Francisco (12-6-97) and San Diego (12-21-93). Against the rest of the field, Richmond holds a 1-0 edge over Stanford while they have never faced Montana. Versus Pac-10 conference members, the Spiders hold a 4-3 advantage having last faced a member of the Pac-10 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament (Washington- L, 81-66) in 1998. The Spiders are 1-0 against the Big Sky Conference, having defeated Montana State, 63-48, at the Robins Center in NIT play last season.
Richmond began the 1985-86 season in remarkable fashion, reeling off a 16-1 mark in route to the only at-large NCAA invitation handed out to the Spiders in program history. After wins at Providence and at home against Wake Forest and VCU. It got even got even more exciting at the Maples Pavilion. The Spiders defeated St. Mary's in the first round of the Apple Inviational, then stunned Stanford 57-53 in the title game. That was the senior season for Johnny Newman, Greg Beckwith and John Davis, two current Richmond Hall of Famers with the third (Beckwith) to be inducted on February 8, 2003. In that first round contest versus St. Mary's, Newman poured in 38 points. Thirty-two (32) of those came in the first half at the time a Maples Pavilion one-half scoring record. Newman made 14-18 shots and left the game with seven minutes remaining.
Catch the action courtside as the 'Voice of the Spiders' Bob Black and Richmond Hall of Famer Dick Tarrant have the call, heard locally on AM910 and at www.RichmondSpiders.com.