University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts UC-Santa Barbara On Monday
12/03/2006 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - After finishing second at the Four Points By Sheraton UNO Lady Privateer Invitational this past weekend and being on the road for the last five games, the Richmond women's basketball team is now preparing to host its first of four-straight home games as it welcomes UC-Santa Barbara to the Robins Center on Monday night. Tip off with the Gauchos is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The Spiders (3-6) just finished tournament action in New Orleans, La. with a 1-1 mark after edging by Appalachian State, 63-62, before dropping to Southeastern Louisiana, 71-59, in the Championship game at the Human Performance Center. Christina Campion, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, led the Spiders' efforts against the Lady Lions with a game-high 18 points as Richmond concluded its second tournament with a split 1-1 mark.
Campion (12.3 ppg) leads the team in scoring as the lone Spider averaging double-digits, while Nikita Thomas (6.0 rpg) leads the team on the boards. The Spiders have only played two of its nine games at home, earning all three of their wins on the road. Last season, the Spiders posted a 13-17 overall mark, finishing tied for 8th in the A-10 with a 7-9 record.
The Gauchos (1-5) just suffered their fifth consecutive loss on Saturday as top-ranked reigning national champion Maryland rolled to a 105-44 victory at the Comcast Center in front of 8,069 fans. For UC-Santa Barbara, the 61-point defeat marked the sixth-largest margin of defeat on record for Santa Barbara serving as its worst loss since Feb. 12, 1987. The Gauchos were led by Jenna Green with 17 points.
Two Gauchos average double-digits, led by Jessica Wilson (16.3 ppg) and Green (15.8 ppg), while Whitney Warren (9.6 ppg) and LaShay Fears (9.5 ppg) round out the Gauchos balanced attack. The Gauchos return three starters from last year's squad that posted a 16-14 overall mark, finishing as the Big West Co-Champions with an 10-4 record and advancing to the WNIT first round. Last season marked the first of 10 years that the Gauchos did not win the Big West Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
The Spiders own a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series after winning both the first (in 1989) and last meetings (last November) between the two teams. The teams are split 1-1 at neutral sites but have never played each other in the Robins Center.
Richmond and UC-Santa Barbara last met on Nov. 23, 2005 in Santa Barbara, Calif. where Saona Chapman led the Spiders to a six-point (61-55) victory over the Gauchos, putting in a game-high 21 points in the see-saw battle in which the lead changed 17 times and the Spiders rallied back from an eight-point deficit to take the victory. Mirna Mazic also contributed to the Spiders' win with a double-double, adding 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Campion was just one point shy of recording a double-double as she scored nine points and pulled 12 boards. Green and Erin O'Bryan led the Gauchos with 14 and 12 points, respectively. The Spiders dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Gauchos, 50-34.
Following Monday's contest with the Gauchos, the Spiders will continue their four-game home stand with VCU, hosting the Rams on Wed. at 7:00 p.m. in the Robins Center.
Live coverage of both Monday's and Wednesday's games will be available at RichmondSpiders.com.
