University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
#13 Florida
Richmond Downs No. 13 Ranked Florida
12/19/2009 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2009
SUNRISE, Fla. - Senior David Gonzalvez scored 16 points, including a key three-pointer with 1:34 left as Richmond defeated No. 13 ranked Florida in front of 13,258 fans at the BankAtlantic Center.
Junior Kevin Anderson had 14 points, grabbing a steal with six seconds left and making four free throws to secure the victory.
"I don't think anyone is shocked or overzealous about this win," Gonzalvez said.
Richmond (8-3) defeated a Top-20 ranked opponent for the third-straight season and has won two-straight and three of its last five games against ranked teams dating back to the 2007-08 season. The Spiders took down No. 16 Dayton in 2007-08 and No. 17 Xavier last season, both in the Robins Center. Richmond's last neutral court victory over a ranked opponent came in the 1991 NCAA Tournament over No. 7 ranked Syracuse.
This was Richmond's third win this season over a team from a BCS conference, joining victories over Missouri and Mississippi State to win the South Padre Island Invitational. The Spiders improved to 2-1 against the SEC and have now defeated seven teams from BCS conferences in Chris Mooney's five seasons at Richmond.
"We feel we are just as athletic and just as good as them and so when you can stop at halftime and recognize that, I just think you breath a little bit more confidence," Mooney said. "The game was well within our grasp."
The Spiders completed a brutal six-game stretch with a 4-2 record, including victories over Mississippi State, Missouri, Old Dominion (winners over No. 11 Georgetown Saturday) and No. 13 Florida. Richmond's two losses during that stretch came at city-rival VCU and at South Carolina, games that the Spiders led by nine points before falling on the road.
Richmond trailed by 13 with just over a minute left in the first half, but Gonzalvez made a three-pointer and junior Dan Geriot made a jumper with 14 seconds left in the half to cut the gap to eight (32-24) at the break
The Spiders then opened the second half with 12-straight points to take a 36-33 lead and their run would reach 27-5 as Richmond took a 46-37 lead with 10:59 to play.
Florida, the 2006 and 2007 National Champions, fought back to take a 49-48 lead with 2:33 to play, but as in wins over Missouri and Mississippi State, the Spiders weathered the comeback and regained the lead on a Gonzalvez's long three-pointer from the left wing.
Gonzalvez's three-pointer, coming off a screen from Ryan Butler, put the Spiders up 52-49 with 1:34 left.
"My coaches and teammates were all saying to keep being aggressive, 'you're going to make the next one.' When your teammates are telling you that and you're getting that kind of support from your crew, you have all the confidence in the world taking the next shot," Gonzalvez said. "So when Butler set me that screen, I had no doubt in my mind that it was going up and when you take a shot with confidence like that, you are going to make one.
"I did, and it counted big, right," he said to laughter from the media in the interview room.
Florida's Erving Walker made 1-of-2 free throws with 25 seconds left to cut the gap to 52-50. On Florida's next possession, the Gators missed a three-pointer, grabbed the offensive rebound, missed a layup, grabbed the offensive rebound, but then Anderson snuck in an stole the ball.
Anderson was fouled and made both free throws to push the lead to 54-50. Walker canned a three-pointer with less than a second remaining and Anderson made two more free throws to seal the win.
Gonzalvez was named the game's MVP after scoring 16 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out three assists and grabbing one steal. Junior Dan Geriot had nine points, five rebounds and four assists, while senior Ryan Butler had seven points. Junior Justin Harper tied a career high with nine rebounds.
Richmond returns home for just the second time since Nov. 24, when the Spiders host UNC-Greensboro in a Businessmen's Special noon tip-off.
