Spiders Come From Behind, Knock Off Crosstown Rival VCU in Overtime, 77-68

Sunday, January 28

Richmond, VA

1:00 PM

University of Richmond

8-14, (3-6 A-10)

VCU

4-16, (1-7 A-10)

OT 1

Richmond

VCU

Spiders Come From Behind, Knock Off Crosstown Rival VCU in Overtime, 77-68

01/28/2018 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery Postgame Press Conference

By: Matt Moretti III (@Moretts13)

RICHMOND, Va. – Throw out the records when rivals meet. On a dreary Sunday afternoon at the Siegel Center, the University of Richmond women's basketball team (8-14, 3-6 Atlantic 10) and the VCU Rams (4-16, 1-7 A-10) played one of the classic games that define a rivalry as the Spiders erased a 14-point deficit down the stretch to knock off the Rams, 77-68, in overtime.

As she has done all year, Atlantic 10 Player of the Year candidate Micaela Parson bolstered the Spiders by leading all scorers with 23 points to go with eight rebounds, four assists and a career-high six, game-changing steals. She was efficient; 7-14 from the floor and 9-9 from the free throw line in a career-high 43 minutes spread across regulation and overtime.

Kylie Murphree told a story all her own. The senior missed nine games in the middle of this season and in her third game back had arguably the best performance of her career. She played 33 minutes, had two points, two steals and a block but most importantly, handed out a career-best 11 assists against zero turnovers. The Spiders as a team came into this matchup averaging just 11.2 assists overall. To add to that incredible performance is the fact that Murphree became the first Spider since Saona Chapman on Dec. 1, 2004 to hand out double digit helpers in a single game. That's a span of just over 13 years.

Joining Parson in double figures was the trio of Jaide Hinds-Clarke, Dee Hatcher and Kailyn Fee. Hinds-Clarke dropped in 16 points, just one shy of matching a season high, on 7-10 shooting before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Hatcher and Fee each added 13 and were the catalysts for much of the drama down the stretch, knocking down one clutch jumper after another to propel this game to overtime.

Much of the difference early in this game came when the Spiders struggled to match the Rams on the boards and at the free throw line. VCU outrebounded Richmond, 27-8 in the first half and made six more free throws on eight additional attempts. That script flipped in the second half when Richmond held the Rams without another free throw attempt until the closing seconds of overtime.

VCU was the hot team in the early going as it jumped out to an 8-2 advantage in the first before Richmond settled in and battled back to take 13-10 lead on Hatcher's first triple of the afternoon at the 4:21 mark. The Spiders then closed the quarter strong to take a 21-16 lead into the first break.

The second quarter belonged to VCU. Both sides shot over 40 percent in the quarter but the Rams were getting to the free throw line and converting. The Rams went 9-11 from the line in the quarter and held Richmond without an attempt to help comeback and take the lead. Richmond was outscored 26-13 in the quarter and trailed by eight at halftime.

The third quarter was more of the same. VCU was executing on offense and the Spiders were struggling to find a rhythm. By the 38 second mark in the quarter the Rams were ahead by 14 but a seemingly meaningless bucket by Jaide in the closing moments cut it to 12 as we turned the page to fourth quarter. That bucket proved to be the catalyst to a historic fourth quarter and beyond.

Parson used strength to clear some space and score to begin the fourth. The two sides traded baskets until Richmond came up with a stop and on the other end Fee absorbed contact on a runner in the lane and scored to make it an eight-point game with 6:13 to go. Later on Fee fed Alicia Hudalla on a backdoor cut that cut the deficit to six and forced VCU into a timeout with 5:26 to go.

The Rams quickly pushed their lead back to 10. That lead stood until the 1:56 mark when Hatcher drove inside and finished. Richmond came up with a stop and on the other end Fee let loose a three ball that found its mark to cut the VCU lead to five with 1:21 left.

VCU was unable to respond. Following a timeout the Spiders forced a turnover and Fee was fouled on a three-point try with 53 seconds to go. She made two of three tries and once again the Spiders forced a turnover. This time it was Parson with the quick hands in the lane. She took the ball coast-to-coast and fed an open Dee Hatcher in the corner who buried the game-tying three ball to complete the comeback. The Spiders forced a third turnover in as many possessions but were unable to capitalize in the closing moments, sending this one to overtime.

Richmond left no doubt in the free period. Parson made a pair of free throws and Hatcher added another layup before Fee canned back-to-back triples to build a seven-point advantage that proved too much for the Rams down the stretch. Richmond added a pair of free throws at the end to secure the nine-point victory.

With their five-game losing streak in the rearview mirror and a seven games left in the regular season, the Spiders turn their attention to the first of two matchups with UMass (10-11, 2-6). The first of which will take place on the road on Wednesday (Jan. 31). Richmond will then return home for a date with unbeaten Duquesne (17-3, 7-0) on Super Sunday (Feb. 4).