Parson Sisters Put on a Show, Hinds-Clarke Sets Career Mark, Wake Forest Escapes 85-81

Wednesday, November 15

Robins Center

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

2-1

Wake Forest

2-1

Wake Forest

Richmond

Parson Sisters Put on a Show, Hinds-Clarke Sets Career Mark, Wake Forest Escapes 85-81

11/15/2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Matt Moretti III (@Moretts13)

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond women's basketball team (2-1) gave ACC foe Wake Forest (2-1) everything it could handle on Wednesday evening in front of a raucous Robins Center crowd. The Spiders erased a 13-point, fourth quarter deficit to tie the score in the final minute but a few bounces just didn't fall their way and Wake Forest escaped, 85-81.

The Richmond effort was led by senior guard Micaela Parson who scored a game and season-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in her final home opener. Her sister Alex, also found her way to double-figures for the third straight game by dropping in a new career-best (for the third straight game), 18 points on 7-11 from the floor and 4-6 from long range. The Parson sisters have both scored in double figures in each of the Spiders' three games and have combined to average 33.67 points per game so far.

Not to be forgotten was a breakout effort by Jaide Hinds-Clarke who scored a career-best 17 points on 8-14 from the floor in just 20 minutes of action. She also added three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in a stat stuffing effort. Kailyn Fee was the only other Spider to approach double figures with eight in 13 minutes.

Richmond scored 85 points against Columbia over the weekend, the first time this program reached the 80-point plateau since Nov. 29, 2015 opposite Marquette. When was the last time this team scored 80 in back-to-back games you ask? We have to go back to Dec. 28, 2013 at Davidson (87) and Jan. 2, 2014 vs. Saint Joseph's (80).

The Spiders have scored at a prolific rate early on this season and the first quarter of this game was no different. The home side dropped 27 first quarter points but trailed by as many as nine with 5:33 to play. At which point Alex Parson went on a personal 8-0 run with a pair of three balls and a steal and lay-in that brought her team within one. Alex and her classmate Kailyn Fee each added triples down the stretch in the quarter to push the Spiders ahead by four, 27-23, after one.

Wake Forest began the second quarter on a 12-0 run to take an eight-point lead with 5:52 to play in the frame but this time it was the elder Parson, Micaela, that had something to say about that. She scored the next 14 Richmond points but the Demon Deacons had answers throughout. Amy Duggan tossed in a fade away jumper as the second quarter buzzer rang out to bring the Spiders within five, 48-43, at the break.

The Parson sisters combined for 29 points in that first half while the rest of the team combined for just 14 points. The difference was made on the boards where Wake Forest held a 28-14 advantage, 14-6 on the offensive end. Both sides shot north of 45 percent in the first half.

Karleigh Wike began the second half with her lone field goal of the game but Wake Forest was up to the task of trading baskets with the Spiders. Because of that the Demon Deacons were able to build a lead of 13 into the final minute of the frame. Fee added a jumper in the lane to make it 11 before the buzzer.

Then came the fourth quarter. Wake Forest canned its first field goal try of the quarter to push that lead back to 13 but this Spider offense wasn't ready to go away. Micaela immediately drove down the floor and scored and away we went. The Parson sisters scored the next seven Richmond points to cut the deficit to just four with 7:15 to play. A Fee triple made it a two-point game a few possessions later but Wake Forest immediately drove that deficit back to eight points with 4:15 to play. Hinds-Clarke converted inside, Alex Parson drove and scored on a second chance created by Hinds-Clarke and Jaide scored again off a beautiful dish inside from Micaela to make it a two-point game with 2:37 to go.

With the arena on its feet, Richmond went into its press and on a long pass; Kylie Murphree stepped in front for a steal. She took a dribble or two and found a streaking Micaela who laid it up and in for the tie game. Timeout Wake Forest.

Richmond has multiple opportunities to take the lead on its next possession but it wasn't to be. Wake Forest came up with a stop and re-took the lead with the 16-second mark. Fee found a good look on the other end to take the lead with time winding down but the rim was unkind. Wake Forest made free throws to secure the victory.

Richmond will be back on the floor on Saturday at East Carolina looking to avenge a loss in the Robins Center last season. The next home date with be Dec. 1 opposite Quinnipiac.