Men's Basketball Looks For Third-Straight Road Win At Marist Saturday
11/23/2007 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 23, 2007
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SCOUTING RICHMOND: The Spiders have won two-straight road games and are 3-1 playing outside of the Robins Center. Richmond continues to play close games with five of its six games decided by five points or less and in the one game decided by more than five points the Spiders were down just three to No. 3 ranked Memphis with six minutes to play. Richmond has led by at least seven in all six games this season.
SCOUTING MARIST: The Red Foxes have sandwiched two wins around a three-game losing streak in the O¡¦Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic. Marist lost to Miami by 24, Houston by six and Temple by four in overtime. The Red Foxes are shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point land and 43.6 percent from the field. Louis McCroskey leads the team in scoring (12.5 ppg).
Quotable
Dan Geriot on having five of the Spiders six games decided by five points or less: ¡§With us being young, it¡¦s building a lot of character. We¡¦ve won three of them. Three plays go our way we could be 5-1, three plays don¡¦t go our way we could be 1-5. We¡¦ve got to keep bearing down and keep winning some games.¡¨
Spiders Sign Three
Richmond head coach Chris Mooney announced the addition of three prospective student-athletes to the men¡¦s basketball program. Australian native Josh Duinker has signed an athletic grant-in-aid with the Spiders and is planning on attending the University of Richmond as a full-time student in January, 2008. Powder Springs, Ga. native Darrius Garrett and Quebec native Francis Cedric Martel have signed letters of intent and will attend the University of Richmond beginning with the Fall, 2008 semester. The incoming class was ranked 60th in the nation by Hoop Scoop Online. Duinker (pronounced Dunk-er) is a 6-foot-9, 210 pound forward from New South Wales Institute of Sport in Hornsby, Australia. He is on track to graduate high school in early December and is planning to attend the University of Richmond in January, 2008. Duinker will be immediately eligible to practice with the team. He played on the Australian National Junior Team in 2007 and was a participant in the 2007 All-Australian Camp.Garrett is a 6-8, 185-pound forward from Powder Springs, Ga. who plays at McEachem High, where he averaged 8.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game as a junior. An explosive athlete around the basket, Garrett flourishes in transition and is a strong rebounder and shot blocker. Garrett played on the same AAU team - the Worldwide Renegades - with current Richmond freshman Kevin Anderson. He will be one of three players on the 2008-09 roster from Georgia, joining Anderson and David Gonzalvez. Martel is a 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard from the Montmorency College in Laval, Quebec, where he averaged 15.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Martel is a very athletic, guard who handles the ball well and shoots a high percentage from 3-point land.
Gunning Down The Running
The Spiders did a good job of stopping up tempo teams in 2006-07, allowing the opposition to score more than 10 fast break points in just three of 30 games last year. The Spiders allowed 5.4 fast break points per game last year and have allowed 7.0 fastbreak points per game this year. Richmond has held the opposition to eight or less fastbreak points in four of five games this year. The slight increase in opponent fastbreak points can be attributed to the fact the Spiders are pushing the ball more this year, as Richmond is averaging 8.0 fastbreak points per game.
Using More Windex
fn The Spiders have made big improvements in rebounding over the last three games, grabbing 34 boards against No. 3 Memphis, pulling down 38 against Norfolk State and grabbing 33 against both East Carolina and UMBC. Richmond was out-rebounded in all but the UMBC game, but in the other three games the margin was just -3.3. While Richmond is doing a lot better on the defensive boards, the Spiders are also crashing hard on the offensive glass. Richmond is averaging 10.3 offensive rebounds per game through four games, compared to a 6.0 average on ¡§O¡¨ rebounds last season. The Spiders are averaging 30.8 rebounds per game so far this season, a dramatic increase from the 24.1 average from last season.
Tenacious D?
In Chris Mooney¡¦s first season at Richmond in 2005-06, the Spiders led the nation in fewest points allowed for most of the season, not allowing 60 points or more for the first 10 games of the year. The Spiders finished the year allowing 57.8 points per game, which ranked seventh in the country. Last season, with five freshmen seeing the bulk of the minutes, the Spiders did not have as much success defensively, giving up over 60 points in 27 of 30 games. Richmond played solid defense, making it difficult for other teams to score, but the Spiders struggled with defensive rebounding and allowed 10.8 second-chance points per game. When the Spiders put the defense and rebounding together, they are tough to score on. Richmond had South Florida stuck on 28 points with just over eight minutes to play on Dec. 5, 2006 and only allowed 46 points for the game. Richmond allowed just 42 points in the 2007-08 season opener to Maine and have held opponents to 50 points or less 13 times in 66 games under Mooney. The Spiders have held teams to 60 points or less 21 times under Mooney and allowed over 70 points just 15 times in 66 games.
Need A Full 40 få The Spiders are having trouble putting together a full 40 minutes through six games. In its first four games the Spiders were clearly a first-half team, but in the UMBC game Richmond fell behind by 10 in the first half and wound up leading by seven late in the second half. Richmond has outscored its opponents 204-194 in the first half, but is being outscored 186-162 in the second half. The Spiders are averaging 34.0 points in the first half, shooting 45.3 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from 3-point land and have turned it over 45 times. In the second half, Richmond is averaging 27.0 points, shooting 39.7 percent from the floor and 23.5 percent from 3 with 59 turnovers.
Closing The Deal
The Spiders knew they finished the 2006-07 season strong, but after the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll came out, it is even more impressive how the youthful Richmond team finished up. Over the last four games, the Spiders enjoyed double-figure leads in victories against the teams predicted to finish second (Rhode Island) and third (Saint Joseph¡¦s), and lost 63-61in the conference tourney to the team picked fourth (Fordham).
Two-Dimensional
The Spiders finished the 2006-07 season ranked 35th in the nation in two-point field goal percentage, shooting 52.6 percent from inside the arc. Richmond shot 35.0 percent from behind the arc and 45.4 percent from the field. Richmond is shooting 50.8 percent on two-point field goals this season, while they are shooting 29.0 percent from 3.
Geriot Named All-Rookie
Dan Geriot was named to the 2006-07 Atlantic 10¡¦s All Rookie Team, the second Spider in Richmond¡¦s six years in the league to earn a spot on the conference¡¦s all-rookie team, joining teammate Gaston Moliva. The Spiders have had nine Academic All-Conference selections in six years in the Atlantic 10. Geriot led the Spiders in scoring at 11.9 points per game, scoring in double-figures 19 times and scoring 16 or more points in 10 games.
Youth Being Served
The Spiders were a young team last year with five freshmen who play at least 15 minutes per game, four of whom were Richmond¡¦s top four scorers. The Spiders started four freshmen in 10 games and at least three freshmen in 25 of 30 games. The Spiders received 68.2 percent of their scoring from freshmen, the largest percent of freshmen scoring contribution in the Atlantic 10.
Deja Vu All Over Again
Head men¡¦s basketball coach Chris Mooney is entering his third year at the University of Richmond, but it does not feel like that for the 35-year old. Mooney feels like he had two ¡§first¡¨ years. The former head coach at Air Force inherited a Richmond program with no guards and only seven scholarship players in 2005-06. Mooney¡¦s second year became another first year as six freshmen filled the roster and the top four scorers were freshmen. Now comes an actual second year of rebuilding as the Spiders will have two seniors, four experienced sophomores and another large group of six freshmen.
Protecting The Ball
Richmond was first in the Atlantic 10 in fewest turnovers per game in conference games (11.1 tpg) and first in turnover margin (+4.0). The Spiders were tied for second in overall turnovers per game (12.9), just behind Temple (12.7). Richmond had single-digit turnovers in 10 games, including the four of the last five, and stayed out of the teens in 17 of 30 games. The Spiders are averaging 17.6 turnovers per game through six games this season, but had just 10 turnovers against Norfolk State on Nov. 13 and 13 against UMBC on Nov. 17. Richmond had 17 turnovers against Rice, but eight of them came on offensive fouls.
Like Player, Like Coach
fn Spider head coach Chris Mooney has shown he is not afraid to play freshmen significant minutes in his time at Richmond, although some of that was by necessity. But Mooney does know that freshmen can step right in and contribute. He pulled the rare accomplishment of starting as a freshman for Hall of Fame coach Pete Carril at Princeton, doing so on a defending Ivy League championship team that had all five starters returning. Mooney was the runner-up for Ivy League Rookie of the Year, helping the Tigers to the Ivy League title and a NCAA bid in 1990-91.
The Name Game
fn The 2007-08 Richmond roster shares a lot of names, starting with two Smiths (Conor and Kevin), two versions of McLean (Duncan)/McClain (Chris), three Chris¡¦ (Richard, McClain and head coach Chris Mooney) and four Kevin¡¦s (Anderson, Hovde, Smith and assistant coach Kevin McGeehan).
Geriot & Gonzalvez Honored
Richmond freshmen Dan Geriot and freshman David Gonzalvez each earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors last season. Gonzalvez earned the honor on Feb. 25 after scoring 21 points in the victory over Saint Joseph¡¦s. Geriot earned the honor on Dec. 24 after averaging 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in two games, including 21 pointsat Wake Forest.
Like Father, Like Son
fn Richmond sophomore Ryan Butler and his father Jeff Butler are the second father-son duo to play for the Spiders, joining Pat DiServio (1981-83) and Tony DiServio (1945-47). Jeff Butler was a star for the Spiders from 1975-77, leading the team in scoring both seasons. He averaged 14.3 points per game in 1975-76 and 16.3 points per game in 1976-77. Jeff Butler was later an assistant coach for the Spiders under Hall of Fame coach Dick Tarrant, who regularly attends games in the Robins Center. Ryan Butler grew up in the shadow of campus and starred at Douglas Freeman High three miles from campus.
Who¡¦s Playing The Four
Do not ask who is playing the power forward or small forward position for Richmond because the Spider coaching staff does not assign that specific a role for a player. Head coach Chris Mooney and his staff want ¡§everyone to do everything¡¨ and that can lead to lineups that do not follow the traditional point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center mix.
The Young And The Restless
Richmond coach Jeff Gaylord is 29, and strength & conditioning coach Jason DeMayo is 28.
Walk This Way
fn Walk-ons continue to play a prominent role in the Richmond men¡¦s basketball program. Sophomore Kevin Hovde became the second walk-on that Mooney has elevated to scholarship player, joining graduated senior Peter Thomas, who started every game over the past two years and is now the director of basketball operations at Eastern Kentucky. Hovde played in all 30 games last year with six starts. He scored a career-high 24 points against VMI. Richmond junior walk-on Duncan McLean has played in 44 of the 62 games in his two years at Richmond. He averaged 13.3 minutes per game as a freshman, including a career-high 28 minutes in his first collegiate game. Last year McLean saw his playing time fall off a bit, but he still saw action in 14 games and hit two clutch free throws in the closing minutes of the season-opening win over East Carolina. Fellow junior walk-on Mark McGonigal will miss this season due to a knee injury, but he played in 15 games last year, including 10 of the last 14 he was in uniform for. Chris McClain is the fourth player on the current roster that came to Richmond as a walk-on.
Remembering Dan Woolley
The University of Richmond community was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Daniel ¡§Dan¡¨ Woolley `05, a former manager of the men¡¦s basketball team. The thoughts of many at the University of Richmond community are with Dan¡¦s family and friends during this difficult time. Dan was such a remarkable, inspiring and encouraging person to be around. Although short in stature, Dan stood tall as an integral part of the men¡¦s basketball program. He served as team manager from 2002-05 and was an inspiration for the University of Richmond community. To honor Dan¡¦s memory, the University of Richmond¡¦s Department of Athletics through the Spider Club has set up The Dan Woolley Educational Fund.