University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts James Madison On Sunday
11/17/2006 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond women's basketball team will conclude its two-game home stand with the James Madison Dukes on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the Robins Center.
Richmond (1-2) just dropped its second-straight contest on Thursday night, when Sarah Williams and Johanna McKnight led the Spiders with 12 points apiece as they fell 67-54 to William and Mary (1-1) in their home opener. Freshman Nikita Thomas racked up her second-straight double-digit rebound performance, pulling down 10 boards.
Redshirt junior Christina Campion currently leads the Spiders with 14.0 ppg, while Thomas leads the team in the rebound column with 8.0 rpg. Last season, the Spiders posted a 13-17 overall mark, finishing tied for 8th in the A-10 with a 7-9 record.
The Dukes (1-0) just topped East Carolina in their season opener on Sunday. Senior Meredith Alexis led James Madison with a double-double, putting on a 30-point performance and adding 13 rebounds on the night. Senior Andrea Benvenuto and redshirt junior Jennifer Brown also contributed double-figures for the Dukes, adding 14 and 12 points, respectively.
In addition to Alexis, James Madison returns the remainder of the 2005-06 starting line-up, including three seniors and a junior, an all-upperclassmen line-up. Alexis leads the Dukes with 30 ppg, while Tamera Young and Alexis each lead on the boards with 13 rpg. Last season, the Dukes posted a 24-7 overall mark, finishing second in the CAA with a 14-4 record. James Madison also finished as the CAA Tournament runner-ups and advanced to the WNIT first round.
JMU currently holds a 52-28-2 advantage in the all-time series and has won the last four meetings between the teams, as well as the last meeting in the Robins Center.
The Spiders and the Dukes last met on November 18, 2005, when the Dukes took a 12-point (69-57) victory over the Spiders in the JMU Convocation Center in its season opener. Saona Chapman paced the Spiders with 14 points and eight assists, while current Spiders, Campion and DeUnna Hendrix also added double-figures in Richmond's efforts, adding 11 and 10 points, respectively. JMU had four Dukes in double-figures led by Alexis with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Young also recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Lesley Dickinson and Shirley McCall put in 11 points apiece in the Dukes' win.
Following Sunday's contest, the Spiders will hit the road for five-straight games, literally stopping in Richmond for just two separate nights throughout the 13-day excursion. The Spiders will first head out of the country to Cancun, Mexico for the Caribbean Classic for match-ups with Drake and Bucknell before making a trip to Notre Dame and an appearance in The Four Points By Sheraton UNO Lady Privateer Invitational in New Orleans, La.
Spiders All-Access live video and a RichmondSpiders.com internet broadcast will both be available for Sunday's game with the Dukes. Both features are free.
