Spiders Fall to William & Mary, 64-78

Wednesday, November 29

Robins Center

3:00 PM

University of Richmond

5-4

William & Mary

6-1

William & Mary

Richmond

11/29/2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Matt Moretti III (@Moretts13)

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond women's basketball team (5-4) ran into a hot shooting William & Mary (6-1) in the Robins Center on Wednesday afternoon and despite a late comeback effort, ultimately fell short, 78-64.

Micaela Parson did her part with 21 points, six rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block in 33 minutes of action. Kailyn Fee joined her in double figures with 11 points bolstered by 3-10 from deep and Amy Duggan went for seven points and seven rebounds. As a team the Spiders shot 37.9 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Tribe, 45-35 while collecting nine steals.

The first half of this game was really a tale of two quarters. The Spiders came out of the gates firing away and playing good defense. Micaela scored five of the first eight Richmond points and Fee added a deep triple for good measure to make it an early 8-4 advantage. From there the Spiders continued to move the ball on offense to put up 18 points in the first while the defense held the Tribe to just 23.5 percent shooting and 10 points.

The second quarter was a different story. After going 0-6 from long range in the first, the Tribe caught fire and went 5-8 from deep while shooting 52.9 percent overall to score 25 points. The Spiders did their best to keep pace. Micaela scored six more points to give her 11 in the first half and was one of eight to put points on the board but Richmond trailed at the break, 35-32.

Both teams attempted the same number of shots (34) and Richmond made one more (14-13) but the difference came at the three-point line where the Tribe held a 5-2 edge as well as a 4-2 advantage as the free throw line. Turnovers also plagued the home side in the second quarter, sacrificing five versus two in the first.

The Spider offense really struggled to get going in the second half. William & Mary built a six-point lead by the five minute mark in the third quarter but a Micaela Parson triple stopped the drought. A Richmond free throw made it a two-point game with 4:18 to go in the frame but that was as close as the score would be the rest of the way.

The Spiders consistently chipped away and trailed by just five entering the fourth quarter. Micaela scored the first points of the fourth quarter but William & Mary answered with a 7-0 run to take its largest lead to that point, 56-46, with 8:09 to play. By the 4:21 mark the lead had grown to 17 and despite its best efforts Richmond was unable to come all the way back.

The Spiders will remain at home and welcome a Sweet 16 team from a season ago in Quinnipiac on Friday night. Tip time from the Robins Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.