University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Basketball Looks For Second-Straight Road Win At La Salle
01/25/2007 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Looking to earn its second-straight A-10 road win, the Richmond women's basketball team is heading to Philadelphia, Pa. for a Friday night contest with La Salle. Tip-off with the Explorers is set for 7:00 p.m. in Tom Gola Arena.
SCOUTING THE SPIDERS: Richmond (8-12, 2-3 in A-10) just dropped its second-straight A-10 game with a three-point (72-69) overtime loss to St. Bonaventure on Sunday in the Robins Center, despite holding a 12-point lead over halfway through the second half. Freshman Katie Holzer recorded a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and Christina Campion chipped in 14 points to lead the Spiders' efforts in their third overtime game of the season. Nikita Thomas, who the Spiders were without in the final five minutes of regulation and overtime, fouled out with 11 points and seven rebounds and teammate Johanna McKnight also chipped in 10 points for her fourth consecutive double-digit performance.
Campion (11.0 ppg) currently leads the team in scoring as the lone Spider averaging double-digits, while Sarah Williams (7.6 ppg) round out the Spiders' balanced attack that averages 58.8 ppg. Thomas (6.0 rpg) leads the team on the boards after pulling double-digit rebounds in five different games.
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS: La Salle (15-5, 3-2) just suffered its first loss in three games and its second in the conference as it dropped by just two points at UMass on Mon. night. In a reversal of its last game, the Explorers were defeated with last second foul shots, as a Minutewoman converted a pair of free throws with 2.1 seconds left to lift them to victory over La Salle. Carlene Hightower led the Explorers with 12 points, while Crista Ricketts added 10 points, seven boards and a career-high four blocks. Melanie Gibbons grabbed 11 boards and chipped in four points in the loss.
Hightower leads the team in scoring (18.2 ppg), while Ricketts also averages double-digits (17.4 ppg) and leads the team on the boards (8.4 rpg). The team, which has already surpassed last year's 11 wins after opening the year with seven-straight victories, averages 65.6 ppg, shooting .438 from the field. The Explorers return three starters from last year's squad that posted an 11-17 overall mark, concluding A-10 play tied with the Spiders for an 8th place finish with a 7-9 record.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES: This will be the 14th meeting between the teams, with the Spiders owning a 7-6 edge over the Explorers. The Explorers won the first three meetings between the teams before the Spiders claimed their first win in 2002 (Jan. 25). Although Richmond is only 2-5 on La Salle's territory, the Spiders claimed a win in their last meeting at Tom Gola Arena. The teams met twice last year, playing to a split 1-1 mark.
THE LAST MEETING: The teams last met on March 3, 2006 in first round action of the A-10 Championships where the Spiders defeated La Salle 60-53. La Salle, which out-rebounded Richmond 40-36, jumped off to an 8-0 lead in the first two minutes of play, but was unable to hold on for the victory. Richmond senior Ania Grabias posted a double-double with a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Araceli Gil scored 13 points. Mirna Mazic chipped in nine points and nine rebounds, and Saona Chapman and Williams each added eight points in the Spiders' victory.
Three Explorers recorded double-digits, including Ricketts, who paced La Salle with 15 points and Davineia Payne recording a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and Hightower recording a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
NEXT UP: Following Friday's contest with the Explorers, the Spiders continue north to the Bronx, N.Y. to face the Fordham Rams on Sunday afternoon. Tip off with the Rams is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Live coverage for all of the Spiders' contests will be available at RichmondSpiders.com.
