University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders And Wildcats Aim For Fiesta Bowl Crown
12/30/2004 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2004
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RICHMOND (5-4) vs. ARIZONA (9-2)
McKale Center - 8:30 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports Arizona
Radio: Spider Sports Network (Sportsradio 910 in Richmond)
Internet: www.RichmondSpiders.com
TUCSON, Ariz. - The Richmond men's basketball team returns to the championship game of a regular-season tournament for the third straight year when the Spiders face 14th-ranked Arizona at 8:30 p.m. (EST) tonight in the Fiesta Bowl Classic at the McKale Center.
The Spiders advanced to the final with an exciting 69-68 victory against Butler on Tuesday night. Freshman Courtney Nelson drove and reversed the game-winning lay-up with just three seconds remaining to capture victory. Arizona blitzed Eastern Washington 79-45 in Tuesday's late game.
Tonight's title contest will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Arizona. Bob Black and Greg Beckwith begin their pre-game festivities on the Spider Sports Network at 8 p.m.
STORYLINES
*Richmond is 5-5 all-time against the Pac-10. The Spiders only game against Arizona came on Dec. 28, 1994 when the Wildcats drubbed the visitors 95-68 in the Fiesta Bowl Classic semifinal.
*Head coach Jerry Wainwright served as a court coach at the USA Basketball trials for the World Championship for Young Men event where the Americans won the golf medal. Arizona's Mustafa Shakur and Hassan Adams played on that squad.
*The Spiders are playing in the championship game of a regular-season tournament for the third straight year under Jerry Wainwright. Richmond reached the Spider Invitational final in December 2002 and the Guardians Classic title game in November 2003.
*For the second time this season, Richmond eclipsed 60 percent from the field when they shot 64.3 (27-for-42) against Butler. The Spiders shot 60.8 percent on Nov. 26 against Elon. Richmond's percentage against Butler is its highest since March 7, 2002 when the Spiders reached the identical mark (27-for-42/64.3) against St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
*Richmond is now 3-3 in one-point games under Jerry Wainwright.
*Phoenix native Jamaal Scott has led the Spiders in assists in each of the past two games. Scott is averaging 4.3 apg in the past three contests.
