University of Richmond
FORDHAM
Spiders Edged By Fordham, 58-55
01/06/2007 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2007
Box Score |
Quotes |
Notes |
Photos 
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond led by nine points with 11:24 to play in its Atlantic 10 opener, but Fordham junior Marcus Stout led a comeback, capped by his lay-up with 2.4 seconds left to help the veteran Rams overcome the youthful Spiders 58-55 Saturday in the Robins Center.
Stout hit a hanging lay-up with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the Rams (8-6, 1-1 Atlantic 10) a 57-55 lead. Richmond tried a baseball pass the length of the court and it was stolen by Michael Binns. Binns would make one of two free throws with 1.2 seconds left.
Richmond shot 50 percent from the field (21-of-42) and 40 percent from 3-point land (6-of-15), along with winning the rebounding battle 29-21.
"We played a heck of a game," Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said. "I thought we competed. We were very good, good enough to win the game. Everything that we're asking our guys to do, they are doing. It just shows you how hard it is to win in college basketball. It seems right now that we have to be fairly perfect to win."
Stout led Fordham with 21 points, while Bryant Dunston had 14 and Brenton Butler had 11.
"Stout really took over the game," Mooney said. "It's a little bit different with us, we are out there still trying to figure things out, overcome mistakes and trying to figure out college basketball and they go to a guy who's a 2,000-point scorer. There certainly is an advantage to experience and having good, experienced players."
Richmond freshman Dan Geriot led the Spiders with 16 points, making 6-of-9 free throws, including 2-of-3 shots from behind the arc.
Senior Gaston Moliva, making his season debut after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot in preseason practice, just missed a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds, which was one short of his career high. He made all four shots he took from the field.
Freshman Brian Morris made two 3-pointers and dished out four assists.
The Spiders trailed by five at the half, but two lay-ups by Butler and a bucket by Moliva gave Richmond a 30-29 lead four minutes into the half. A 3-pointer by Butler, lay-up by Moliva and 3-pointer by Geriot gave Richmond a nine-point lead with 11:24 to play.
Fordham cut the lead to three on two occasions, but an old-fashioned three-point play by Drew Crank gave Richmond a 47-41 lead with 7:39 left. The Rams answered with a 9-2 run to take a 50-49 lead with 4:02 left, but Richmond did not cave.
Lay-ups by Geriot and Moliva put the Spiders up 55-53 with 1:23 remaining, but Geriot would pick up his fifth foul trying to take a charge and Stout made both free throws to tie the game. Richmond was unable to score on its next possession and Fordham ran the clock down, before Stout penetrated and made his hanging lay-up with 2.4 seconds left.
"We hung in there and made some plays, stepped up the defense and really pulled out a gutsy game in the end," Whittenburg said.
The Spiders (4-10, 0-1) hit the road to take on St. Bonaventure on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Olean, N.Y. The Bonnies are 1-0 in Atlantic 10 play after a win over Saint Louis on Wednesday night.
