University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Basketball Heads To Wake Forest
12/29/2006 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond women's basketball team is heading to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face ACC foe Wake Forest on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. for the second meeting with the Demon Deacons in two years. Saturday will mark the first of two straight meetings with an ACC opponent for the Spiders.
Richmond (4-9) enters the game following two-straight losses, including Thursday's one-point loss (67-66) to Marshall in overtime off a trey at the buzzer. Katie Holzer finished the overtime thriller with 14 points and seven rebounds, delivering her fifth double-digit performance of the season and tying her career-high. Danielle Bell followed closely behind with a career-high 13 points and Christina Campion rounded out the Spiders in double-figures chipping in 10 points for her eighth double-digit performance of the season and the 45th of her career.
Campion (10.9 ppg) leads the team in scoring as the lone Spider averaging double-digits, while Sarah Williams (8.4 ppg) and Holzer (7.6 ppg) round out the Spiders' balanced attack. Nikita Thomas (6.0 rpg) leads the team on the boards after pulling double-digit rebounds in four different games.
Wake Forest is coming off its first loss in eight games as it dropped a ten-point decision (57-47) to James Madison on Dec. 21. Corinne Groves recorded a double-double in the Demon Deacon's efforts chipping in 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Melissa Washington also put in 11 points on the night. Yolanda Lavender rounded out the Demon Deacons in double-digits with 10 points. The Demon Deacons are 8-3 on the season and 6-2 at home thus far with three players averaging double figures.
Lavender (17.5 ppg) leads the team, while Alex Tchangoue (12.0 ppg) and Groves, who averages a double-double (11.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg) follow to balance Wake Forest's offense. The Demon Deacons return two starters from last year's squad that posted a 12-16 overall mark, finishing 10th in the ACC with a 3-11 record.
The Demon Deacons currently own a 4-3 advantage in the series, and with a win, the Spiders could bring the series to a knot. The teams last met on Dec. 28, 2005, when four Spiders reached double-digits to top Wake Forest, 65-57. Kelly Roche led the Spiders with 12 points, while Araceli Gil followed with 11 points, Mirna Mazic added 10 points and Saona Chapman recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to help Richmond to the win. The Demon Deacons were paced by Liz Strunk who led all scorers with 16 points and Cotelia Bond-Young who followed with 15 points.
While the Spiders and the Demon Deacons played just last year, this year's contest could take a whole new turn. The Spiders only return two players that saw action in last years contest, while the Demon Deacons only return five. Additionally, there is not a single player that reached double-figures in last year's contest that will return to the court this year.
Following Saturday's contest with the Demon Deacons, the Spiders will head back to the Robins Center to round out non-conference action with Virginia on Wed. at 7:00 p.m. Live coverage for Saturday's game will be available at RichmondSpiders.com.
