University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
WILLIAM & MARY
Oliver, Spiders Trump Tribe By Twenty
11/15/2011 | Women's Basketball
Five Spiders scored in double figures as Richmond cruised past rival William & Mary, 77-57, Monday night at the Robins Center.
The game was Richmond's first with five players in double figures since a season-opening win over Kennesaw State Nov. 14, 2008.
Richmond improved to 2-0 while the Tribe fell to 1-1.
Abby Oliver scored a game-high and season-best 19 points and is only nine points shy of becoming the 18th member of the 1,000th point club. Oliver went 8-for-15 from the field, 3-of-5 from long range and had two assists. The team-high 19 tallies was Oliver's most point production since Feb. 23 against La Salle when she poured in 20 points. It was Oliver's second double-figures performance in as many games, and has 46 career-double figure contests.
Freshman guard Miah Register rung in 12 points, as did Genevieve Okoro. Register ended her impressive line with seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Okoro added seven boards, two assists and two steals.
Rachael Bilney followed her standout performance at Navy with another memorable night, pouring in 11 points, off 4-of-6 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from long range. Bilney also pulled down six boards.
Bilney had the Spiders' first six points as Richmond quickly went ahead 10-2 and never looked back.
William & Mary cut the deficit to 12-11 but the Spiders pieced together a 19-9 run over the next eight minutes to push ahead 31-20. Richmond went into the break with a 35-24 advantage.
Just as though it seemed the Tribe might make a run after scoring the second-half's first five points, Richmond responded with the game's next seven tallies to put the game back at a comfortable advantage, 43-31 with 16:39 left. The Tribe would get no closer then the 12-point deficit.
Richmond won its fourth in a row over William & Mary and improved to 88-22 in the historic series. Shafer improved to 4-1 against his alma mater.
The Spiders' tallied a game-high 14 steals and outrebounded the Tribe, 41-30. Richmond also sunk a season-high 34 field goals and shot 48.6 percent from the field.
Richmond remains at home as it hosts Boston University Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
