Spiders Survive Tough Road Test at East Carolina, 65-64

Saturday, November 18

Greenville, NC

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

3-1

East Carolina

1-2

RICHMOND

ECU

Spiders Survive Tough Road Test at East Carolina, 65-64

11/18/2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Matt Moretti III (@Moretts13)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The University of Richmond women's basketball team (3-1) needed to battle East Carolina (1-2) for every inch on Saturday night but earned the, 65-64, victory in the end to win its third road game in as many tries this season.

The Spiders were led by an inspired Micaela Parson who poured in 15, second half, points to come away with a game high 16 on 6-9 shooting from the floor. Her step-back jumper with the Spiders trailing by one at the 1:08 mark was the eventual game winner and came with the shot clock buzzer ringing out as the ball floated through the air. The senior added in four rebounds and three assists in just 22 minutes while dealing with foul trouble.

Freshman Kailyn Fee added 14 points on 4-8 from long range and 2-2 from the free throw line while also handing out a pair of assists. She made her fourth-straight start to begin her collegiate career and now has a pair double-digit scoring efforts to boast.

Amy Duggan grabbed eight more rebounds to add to her team-high total, Jaide Hinds-Clarke hauled in seven boards and threw in eight points and Alicia Hudalla contributed seven more caroms to go with her two points.

As a team the Spiders shot 39 percent from the floor and held the Pirates to just 32 percent while forcing the opponent into 15 turnovers. Richmond matched its season-high with 47 boards to combat the cumulatively taller Pirates and battled back from multiple deficits to pick up the win. East Carolina led the game for 24:36 minutes against the Spiders' 11:40.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Pirates led Richmond by eight at the break but a Fee triple cut into that on the first possession of the third quarter. The Spiders then held ECU to just one field goal over the final 9:04 in the third, 2-16 total for the frame to take a three-point lead into the final period. Kylie Murphree canned her lone basket of the game, a three ball at the 1:20 mark, to give Richmond its first lead of the second half and Micaela added a jumper near the buzzer after ECU answered on the other end.

Micaela buried her first three-point try of the fourth to immediately push her team up six. ECU answered and Hinds-Clarke came back with a jumper inside to keep the lead at six but that was the largest lead Spiders would enjoy the rest of the way.

The Pirates chipped away and eventually took the lead, 63-61 with 3:31 to go in the game. Two possessions later Micaela drove the lane and score to knot this one at 63 with 2:25 left. Coach Shafer immediately called timeout to set up the defense. ECU added a free throw to take the lead at 1:38, which led to Micaela's step-back jumper in the closing moments.

An ECU missed jumper led to Richmond ball with just over 30 seconds to play. Parson held the ball at the top and fired up a long shot as the shot clock expired. The ball caromed off the rim and fell into the hands of an ECU play with 1.7 seconds left. The Pirates called timeout, set up a play but their shot at the buzzer fell short of its mark allowing the Spiders to secure victory.

Next up for the Spiders is the Savannah Invitational, hosted by Savannah State where the Spiders will meet Florida (Nov. 21), Savannah State (Nov. 22) and Wright State (Nov. 23) in successive days.