University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Temple
Women's Basketball Falls at Temple, 69-63
02/03/2002 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2002
PHILADELPHIA - The University of Richmond women's basketball team was defeated Sunday afternoon at Temple, 69-63. The Spiders and Owls statistically played an even game, with the exception coming at the free throw line, which helped propel Temple to the victory. Richmond got double-doubles from both junior center Ebony Tanner (Garner, N.C,/Ravenscroft) and freshman forward Kate Flavin (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) in the loss.
The Spiders got off to a fast start, hitting their first five field goal attempts as they took an 11-2 lead just over three minutes into the contest. However, over the next seven minutes, Temple would go on an 18-4 run to go up, 20-15, at the 11:04 mark. Richmond would play a sloppy second half of the first stanza, but Temple did as well as the two teams finished with 11 and 10 turnovers, respectively. After scoring 11 points in the first 3:08, the Spiders only scored 18 points in the final 16:52 as they trailed 34-29 at the break. Tanner led the way with seven points and six rebounds while Temple's Athena Christoforakis paced the Owls with 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Owls would begin the second half by extending their lead to 44-31 at the 15:15 mark as they went on a 10-2 run out of the locker room. Richmond would come back though as a few minutes later they scored seven straight to draw within five, 45-40 at 12:37, but Temple guard Natalie Isaac would then bury a three-pointer to raise the lead back to eight points. Richmond would not go away though as three minutes later the Spiders reeled off 12 straight points, capped by a runner in the lane by senior point guard Michele Koclanes (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial), that gave Richmond a 57-56 lead with 5:33 to play. That would be the Spiders' only lead of the second half though as Temple went on a 7-0 run to put the game away as they went on to win, 69-63.
Tanner led the Spiders with 15 points and 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Flavin also finished with a double-double, her third of the season, with 10 points and 10 boards. Rounding out the Spider double-digit scorers were sophomore guard Amber Goppert (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) and Koclanes, scoring 14 and 11, respectively. The Spiders made two more field goals than the Owls did in the game and outshot them, 48.2% to 43.1%, but Temple went to the free throw line 20 times, connecting on 17, as Richmond only went 5-of-8 from the line. For Temple, Christoforakis finished with game-highs of 24 points and 17 rebounds.
The loss drops Richmond to 10-13, 4-6 in the Atlantic 10 while Temple improves to 12-8, 7-2. The Spiders return home for two Atlantic 10 western division games next week as they face La Salle on Thursday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. and then George Washington on Sunday, February 10 at 4:00 p.m.
