University of Richmond Athletics
Men's Basketball Looks For 12th-Straight Win Over Duquesne
02/11/2009 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2009
| LISTEN | GAMETRACKER 
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond men's basketball team looks for its 12th-straight win over Duquesne on Wednesday night in the Robins Center at 7 p.m.
After knocking off No. 9 Xavier to win for the third time in the last four games, Duquesne needs one win to clinch its second-straight winning season. The Dukes are 6-4 on the road with two of the losses coming to Top-10 teams Duke and Pittsburgh, and the other two coming in overtime to Saint Joseph's and Saint Louis.
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Quick Hitters
Tonight's game is Dymond's Night in honor of Tuckahoe Middle School student Dymond Carle who suffers from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Dymond and her family will have courtside seats and she will be honored during the game. Last spring the Spider men's basketball team played in a charity basketball game at Tuckahoe Middle against the school's teachers. The event raised $3,000 for Richmond chapter of the Arthritis Foundation...Richmond's two guards, Gonzalvez and Kevin Anderson, are the only teammates ranked in the top-9 in scoring in the A-10 with Gonzalvez sixth at 16.8 and Anderson ninth at 14.5...Richmond has at least five steals in 55 of the last 57 games and at least eight steals in 12 of the last 17 games...the Spiders have had four players in double-figures in five of the last nine games...Richmond has made 30 or more field goals in seven of the 22 games this season...Richmond has led by double-figures in its last six victories, leading by at least 22 in four of those wins...sophomore Justin Harper is averaging 17.1 points per game if he averages at least 29 minutes and 13.5 if he plays at least 25 minutes...the Spiders held Rice (Jan. 3) and George Washington (Jan. 10) to under 50 points, marking the first time a Richmond team held back-to-back opponents to under 50 points since doing so on Jan. 6th and 9th, 1951 vs. Furman (29) and Maryland (48)...the Spiders had their streak of scoring 70 points in seven-consecutive games snapped in the 60-48 win over George Washington on Jan. 10. That was the longest such streak since the 1993-94 season...in his fourth season of Atlantic 10 play, Richmond head coach Chris Mooney has wins over 12 of the Spiders' 13 conference opponents with the exception Xavier...the Spiders have shot over 50 percent from the field in six games this season...Richmond is 11-2 when it shoots a higher field goal percentage than its opponent...Richmond has made at least seven three-pointers in 13 of the 23 games this season...the Spiders have led by at least six points in 45 of the last 55 games...the Spiders have trailed at the half in only eight of 22 games this season and have been in no worse than a one-possession game at the half in 44 of the last 55 games...Richmond has led by at least 20 points in six games this season...Richmond had a 13-game stretch from Nov. 30 until Jan. 21 when they left Virginia just twice, one of which was a visit less than a mile over the border to George Washington.
Turning The Defense Up
The Spiders allowed 70.6 points per game through the first 10 games, allowing over 75 points in four games. Without center Dan Geriot, who is out for the entire season with a torn ACL, the Spiders were re-adjusting to playing their match-up zone with a group of inexperienced underclassmen. After allowing 86 points in a seven-point loss to nationally-ranked Wake Forest on Dec. 19, the Spiders have turned up the defensive pressure. In the last 13 games Richmond has held the opposition to 66.7 points per game.
Spiders Pile Up A-10 Honors
Richmond freshman Kevin Anderson was named the 2007-08 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the conference's All-Rookie Team, while Dan Geriot was named Third-Team All-Atlantic 10. Geriot was one of two sophomores to earn Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors last season and current sophomore Justin Harper became just the second sophomore to earn Player of the Week honors this season after scoring 28 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a win over URI on Jan. 21. Anderson was named A-10 Rookie of the Week six of the last eight weeks of the 2007-08 season. Only four players in Atlantic 10 history have earned conference Rookie of the Week honors more than Anderson's six awards. Anderson gives the Spiders All-Rookie selections in the previous two seasons, joining 2007 All-Rookie selection Geriot.
Las Aranas In Espana
The Spiders, or Las Aranas, as they are known in Spanish, had a very productive trip to Spain in August. Sporting specially-made European-style uniforms that said Las Aranas on the front, Richmond finished the trip 2-2, including a 95-94 overtime loss in which the Spiders overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to force OT. Richmond showed that it can score points, even without center Dan Geriot, as the Spiders averaged 91.3 points per game in the four contests. Eight of the 11 players in uniform on the trip scored in double-figures at least once. Sophomore Kevin Anderson, the 2008 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, averaged 23.7 points per game on the trip with a pair of 30-point games. Anderson scored 35 points in the overtime loss to Caja Rioja and had 30 points in the 91-77 win over Illescas Toledo. Junior Justin Harper averaged 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over the first two games before rolling his ankle in the opening minutes of the trip's third game. Redshirt freshman Conor Smith showed his long-range shooting ability making 15 three-pointers over the first three games of the trip and averaging 11.8 points per game. Conor Smith had a 21-point effort on seven three-pointers and an 18-point night on six treys. Redshirt freshman Josh Duinker, an Australian who joined the team in January, averaged 11.0 points and 6.0 boards per game, narrowly missing a double-double in the second game with 11-points and nine rebounds. Duinker showed that he can score inside and outside, making a pair of three-pointers in the win over Illescas Toledo to close the trip. Sophomore Kevin Smith averaged 10.0 points per game and 6.3 rebounds, while senior David Gonzalvez came off an injury prior to the trip to average 9.5 points, including 19 points in the trip finale. Not only was the trip beneficial to the Spiders on the court, but off the court it served as 12 days of bonding for the players and coaches. "This trip was terrific, not just because of how well our guys played, but because of what they got to experience," Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said. Said Anderson, "I think we've been bonding great this year, as we bond off the court, we bond on the court."
Guarded Optimism
Richmond has the best scoring guard combination in the Atlantic 10 with junior guard David Gonzalvez sixth in the league at 16.8 points per game and sophomore Kevin Anderson ninth at 14.5 ppg. Richmond is the only team in the Atlantic 10 to have two players in the top-9 in the conference in scoring. Anderson has scored in double-figures in 31 of the last 33 games and Gonzalvez has scored in double-figures in 22 of the last 24 games. Gonzalvez and Anderson are both in the top 10 in the conference in field goal percentage with Gonzalvez sixth (.492) and Anderson 10th (.454).
The Truth About Harper
Sophomore Reggie Brown had 31 on Jan. 5, 2002 against La Salle. The last Spider to have at least 28 points and nine rebounds in the Robins Center was Greg Stevenson. Stevenson had 38 points and 11 rebounds on Jan. 12, 2001 against McNeese State.
Causing Turnover
Last year, the Spiders were third in the A-10 in turnovers forced, causing 16.6 turnovers per game and forcing the opposition into 20 or more turnovers seven times. The Spiders are forcing 15.4 turnovers per game through 23 games this season, which is fourth in the A-10. Richmond has forced 17 or more turnovers nine times.
A Game Of Percentages
The Spiders are tied for third in the Atlantic 10 and 35th in the nation in field goal percentage at 47.0 percent, but do not get the impression Richmond is shooting a higher percentage than its opponents every time out. In Richmond's 11 victories, the Spiders have had the advantage in shooting percentage, but in 10 of the 12 losses Richmond's opponent has shot better from the field. The problem has not been that the Spiders are not shooting well in the losses, just twice have the Spiders shot less than 40 percent in a setback and they are shooting 43.7 percent in the 12 losses. The problem has been that Richmond's defense has allowed the opponents to shoot 47.6 percent in its losses, while having held the opposition to 40.0 percent in wins.
Stealing The Show
Last season the Spiders had 257 steals - just five short of the school record - led by Kevin Anderson's 55 steals, which ranked 10th on the all-time single-season list. Richmond was second in the Atlantic 10 in steals and 45th in the nation in steals at 8.3 per contest. The Spiders had double-digits steals in 10 games last season and are back at it this season, with double-digit steals in five games, including a season-high 12 vs. nationally-ranked Wake Forest. Richmond is averaging 7.8 steals per game through 23 contests this season, which is second in the A-10. The Spiders have at least eight steals in 12 of the last 16 games and at least five steals in 55 of the last 57 games. Anderson leads the team and is eighth in the A-10 at 1.57 per game. David Gonzalvez is second on the team at 1.35 steals per game and Kevin Smith is third at 1.30.
A-10-tion
The Atlantic 10 has 109 non-conference wins this season, second to only last season's non-conference total of 130. A-10 teams have amassed 15 wins over BCS conference teams thus far, the most of any non-BCS league and good for fourth nationally. According to RealTime RPI, the Atlantic 10 ranks fourth among Division I conferences in Strength of Schedule.
Gunning Down The Running
The Spiders have made a habit of preventing teams from pushing the tempo during Chris Mooney's tenure. In 2006-07, Richmond allowed the opposition to score more than 10 fast break points in just three of 30 games. The Spiders allowed 5.4 fast break points per game in 2006-07 and cut that down to 4.6 fast break points per game last winter. Richmond has held the opposition to eight or less fast break points in 46 of the last 54 games, dating back to the start of the 2007-08 season. In 23 games this season, Richmond has allowed just 104 fast break points for a 4.52 per game average. The Spiders had 16 fast break points to Syracuse's eight on Nov. 18 in the Carrier Dome and held Wake Forest to four fast break points. "Controlling the transition game is key," head coach Chris Mooney says. "If you can stop a team from getting transition baskets you have a chance to guard them throughout the night."
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. In 2006-07, with five freshmen seeing the bulk of the minutes, the Spiders did not have as much success defensively, but last season, the more mature Spiders were fourth in the A-10 in fewest points allowed at 66.0 per game. Richmond held 16 teams to 65 points or less and did not allow over 66 points in regulation in nine of the last 12 games. After a slow start on the defensive end this season, Richmond has held four of its last six opponents to 62 points or less. In early January, Richmond held back-to-back opponents (Rice and George Washington) to under 50 points for the first time since the 1950-51. The Spiders have held opponents to 50 points or less 17 times in 110 games under Mooney and have held teams to 60 points or less 34 times. Richmond has allowed over 70 points just 29 times in Mooney's four seasons and has allowed 80 or more points nine times.
Rising Stock
The Spiders are beginning to catch the eye of media across the country. ESPN's Andy Katz had Richmond first on his list for "Job Well Done" for the 2007-08 season. Katz had the Spiders heading a list that also included Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami (Fla.), Cincinnati, Pitt, Kentucky, Davidson, Cornell and Memphis. Richmond was tabbed the Rising Stock team of the week by the Dallas Morning News in its Sunday College Basketball section and the Providence Journal picked Chris Mooney as its choice for A-10 Coach of the Year.
A-10 Gets 8 In Postseason
The Atlantic 10, which has had at least four teams in the NCAA Tournament on five occasions since 1996, put eight of its teams in postseason play last season, including the Spiders. Three teams made the NCAA Tournament, four teams made the NIT and Richmond played in the CBI. That was the most postseason teams for the A-10 since 2004, when Richmond was one of four A-10 teams in the Big Dance and No. 1 ranked Saint Joseph's and Xavier advanced to the Elite 8. Last season Xavier gave the A-10 its 11th Elite 8 appearance and the conference had as many as three teams ranked in the same week. The non-conference winning percentage of .649 (122-66) was the fourth-highest winning percentage ever.
Spiders' Web Reaching NBA
While the Spiders do not have a former player on any NBA rosters, three Richmond former standouts are working the sidelines in the NBA. Kevin Eastman is an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, earning a ring with the 2008 World Champions. Standout guard Ken Atkinson, a member of the 1988 Sweet 16 team, is in his first year as an assistant coach for Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks. Former guard Curtis Blair, who scored 18 points in the 1991 NCAA Tournament win over Syracuse, is in his first year as a referee in the NBA.
Spiders Sign Two
Richmond men's basketball head coach Chris Mooney announced the signing of Greg Robbins (Wynnewood, Pa.) and Darien Brothers (Richmond, Va.) to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, the first day of the fall signing period. Robbins is a 6-foot-4 All-State guard at Lower Merion High School, who is rated as the No. 88 player in the class of 2009 by The Basketball Times and The Hoop Scoop. Brothers is a 6-foot-3 all-conference guard for Richmond's Benedictine High School, who helped the Cadets to a 28-7 record and state championship. "We are very excited about our recruiting class this year," Chris Mooney said. "The two student-athletes are outstanding players and great kids. We look forward to welcoming them to the Richmond family."
Like Father, Like Son
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.
