University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Duquesne
Freshman Duo Leads Spiders Past Duquesne; Richmond Advances To Face Temple Saturday
03/07/2008 | Women's Basketball
March 7, 2008
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Freshman Brittani Shells scored 19 points, including the game-winning jumper, to lift the Spiders over Duquesne, 58-56, in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Championships. Classmate Crystal Goring recorded her third career double-double putting in 16 points and pulling down 12 boards for the Spiders. Eighth-seeded Richmond moves on to face first-seeded Temple Saturday, March 8 at 12 p.m. ET.
The game went back and forth just as expected by Richmond coaches with 10 lead changes. The score was tied for the seventh time in regulation with 51 seconds left at 56-56 off a good three-pointer from Duquesne's Kristi Little.
With possession back in the Spiders' hands, head coach Michael Shafer was able to call a 30-second timeout to set up an inbounds play. Brittani Shells got open off a pick to get the inbounded ball, made a crossover move to the left, pulled up for a jumper just above the free-throw line for a good two points to give Richmond a two-point cushion with just 30 seconds left in regulation.
"When she hit that last shot, I knew we needed to do something," freshman Brittani Shells said. "I've practiced that shot a lot; coach likes to put us in that situation so I felt comfortable with the play."
The Dukes had a full shot clock to work with on their next possession but Richmond was able to play solid defense forcing Little to take a three-pointer from far range that hit off the rim into the hands of Richmond's Johanna McKnight who dribbled down the court to run down the clock down to zero.
"Duquesne probably did the best job scouting our team and knowing how our kids play and what we run," head coach Michael Shafer said. "They play incredibly hard; they match up with us very well."
Richmond led by four, 25-21, at the end of the first half. The Spiders led by as many as 10 in the second half, but the Dukes kept working to close the gap on Richmond's lead.
Crystal Goring scored four of the Spiders' last eight points. The freshman owned the paint all game, pulling down rebound after rebound for 12 total, seven on the offensive side and five defensive boards.
Shells played over 32 straight minutes before being subbed out in the second half. The freshman ended playing all of four minutes in the game. Shells was named to the Atlantic 10 Rookie Team earlier this week.
The Dukes (15-15) had three players earn double-figures in their final game of 2008. Jocelyn Chandler led the way with 18 points, while Samantha Pollino added 14 and Kristi Little recorded 12 points of her own.
Both teams shot under 40% from the floor. From the three-point line, both the Spiders and the Dukes shot 62.9%, making nine-of-thirteen attempts.
The Spiders (14-16) will now face off against top seed Temple Saturday March 8 at 12 p.m. ET. Earlier in the season, Richmond led the Owls after the first half of play but could not hang on as Temple went away with the 47-40 victory. This will the first time Richmond has reached the quarterfinals at the A-10 Championships since 2006 in Shafer's first year as the Spiders' head coach.
"Temple is a great team, we did a good job holding them to only 47 points earlier in the season," assistant coach Chris Carroll commented. "Our kids have to step up tomorrow and be able to bounce back quickly from today's game."
