University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
No. 7 GEORGE WASHINGTON
Men's Basketball Can't Catch No. 7 Colonials
02/18/2006 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2006
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - For the third time in four games against ranked opponents this season, the University of Richmond men's basketball team found itself putting a scare into the opposition. Down seven, the Spider offense worked for an open 3-pointer to possibly cut the gap to four with six minutes left.
That shot missed, so did a jumper on the next possession, and No. 7 ranked George Washington took advantage with ten straight points to pull out a 64-51 victory Saturday night before a season-best 8,182 fans in the Robins Center.
"I thought that we played extremely well, we controlled the game," Richmond first-year head coach Chris Mooney said. "We put ourselves in a position to have an opportunity to win, right up until the end of the game. I'm proud of the way we played. If a few more shots fall, we have a chance."
It was the first victory in the Robins Center for the Colonials since Dec. 22, 1979. George Washington, which has the nation's longest current winning streak at 14 games, had lost in its last five visits to the Robins Center, including each of the last four years since Richmond joined the Atlantic 10.
"One of our goals was to win in some of these buildings where we haven't won," George Washington coach Karl Hobbs said. "That was a very well played game, played well form the standpoint that both teams were trying to force their style and force their will upon each other. Fortunately for us we were able to make key baskets, key stops, and while we did not force a lot of turnovers, when we did turn them over, we converted them to baskets at the most opportune times."
George Washington's Carl Elliott scored eight points in the decisive 10-0 run, making back-to-back 3-pointers. Elliott finished with 13 points, making 3-of-4 shots from behind the arc.
"Obviously Carl Elliott hit some big shots down the stretch there," Hobbs said.
Richmond senior Jermaine Bucknor made a career-high six 3-pointers in nine attempts to score 23 points. Sophomore Oumar Sylla tied a career high with 12 points.
The short-handed Spiders (11-14, 4-8 Atlantic 10), who dress 10 players - six of who came to Richmond on scholarship - have lost six-straight games since a win over Charlotte Jan. 28. Richmond had lost to George Washington 80-55 Feb. 5 in Washington, D.C., committing 22 turnovers in that game. Saturday Richmond handled the Colonials' pressure much better, committing a season-low seven turnovers.
"To only turn the ball over seven times against GW is really quite an accomplishment," Mooney said. "Especially for us, because they pressured us on every single possession. I thought Pete (Thomas), Oumar (Sylla) and Duncan (McLean) did a great job in the backcourt and the forwards did a great job helping them out."
After trailing by 16 in the second half, Richmond cut the lead to seven with 6:48 remaining in the game after a baby-hook shot by Steenberge. The teams traded free throws, and the Spiders found themselves down 50-43 with the ball. Richmond ran its' offense and found Steenberge for an open 3-pointer, but the ball rimmed out.
"If you make a shot like that it cuts it to four," Mooney said. "How does GW respond on the road in a good atmosphere. Basketball is such a game of momentum. We had a great look, ran good offense to get him that, so as a coach I'm pleased with that. Certainly I wish he made the shot, but we had other opportunities. We just didn't quite make enough shots."
Richmond put together another defensive stop, and then Bucknor used a nice up-and-under move to get off a jump shot, but his bank attempt also rimmed out.
Elliott extended the lead to 51-43 with 3:52 left with two free throws, breaking a seven-minute stretch where the Colonials scored just two points.
Danilo Pinnock, who had 12 points, made a jumper in the paint to make it 54-43 and then Elliot drained back-to-back 3-pointers to get the lead to 60-43.
Richmond hits the road to play its fifth road game in the past seven games when the Spiders play at Temple Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Richmond then returns to Philadelphia to play at Saint Joseph's Saturday at noon before finishing the regular season with home games against Massachusetts and St. Bonaventure.
