University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Dayton
Koclanes Jumper Lifts Richmond Women's Basketball Past Dayton, 89-87
02/22/2002 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2002
DAYTON, OHIO - The University of Richmond women's basketball team built a lead as large as 21 points before pulling the game out in the final seconds at Dayton Friday night, 89-87. Senior point guard Michele Koclanes (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) hit an off-balance jumper in the lane with just over five seconds to play to lift the Spiders to the victory. Sophomore guard Amber Goppert (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) led five Spiders in double-figures with a game-high 20 points.
The Spiders began the game with hot shooting as they built a 23-13 lead at the 11:54 mark on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. Defensive pressure helped maintain the lead as Richmond held Dayton scoreless from 8:30 to 6:30 and improved its lead to 11, 36-25. The largest the lead got was the 19-point advantage the visitors held at the half as Koclanes beat the buzzer to give Richmond the 53-34 halftime advantage. Goppert led the Spiders with 16 points on 7-of-10 from the floor while freshman forward Kate Flavin (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) scored 11 (5-of-6). Junior forward Krystn Gull (Asheville, N.C./Erwin) chipped in with three three-pointers as the Spiders shot 62.2% in the first half (23-of-37).
The second half was a complete reversal of the first half. After scoring the first two points of the second half, Richmond was outscored 32-13 by the 9:23 mark as the Flyers tied the contest, 66-66. Richmond would continue to hold a slim lead over the next five minutes, as there were also three ties in the span, before Dayton took its first lead in over 30 minutes, 76-73 at 5:19. The teams traded baskets over the next four minutes before Flyers guard Chrissy Donovan nailed a three-pointer, Dayton's eighth of the half, to give the Flyers, who shot 65.4% in the second half, an 87-83 lead with 58 seconds to play. Richmond responded four seconds later to cut the deficit to two. On the ensuing inbounds play, Flavin stole the inbounds pass and fed junior forward Cammy Desmond (Midlothian, Va,./James River) who scored to tie the game, 87-87, with 49 seconds to play. After a Dayton miss, Richmond held the ball for the final shot. Koclanes dribbled the ball at the top of the key as the time ran off the clock and made her move down the right side of the lane, stepped back, and buried a fade-away jumper with just over five seconds to play. Dayton's halfcourt attempt for the win was partially blocked as the Spiders pulled off the key road victory.
Koclanes, the nation's active career assists leader and holder of the 22nd most career assists in NCAA history, finished the game with 14 assists, tying the school record which she set last game versus St. Bonaventure. She also had 16 points, which places her 7th on the school's all-time scoring list (1,182 points) and gives her a double-double for the eighth time this season. Flavin also finished with a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds), her fourth of the season. In addition to Goppert's 20, Desmond finished 6-of-6 off the bench to contribute 13 points and Gull finished with 12 to round out the double-figure scorers.
The win improves Richmond to 13-15, 7-8 in the Atlantic 10 as it ties Dayton (10-16, 7-8) in the western division standings. The Spiders will play their final regular season game Sunday at Xavier at 2:00 p.m. A Richmond victory, coupled with a Duquesne loss at Dayton, would give Richmond the second seed, and a first round bye, in next weekend's Atlantic 10 conference tournament.
