Spiders Lose Heartbreaker In Fort Myers Finale

Wednesday, November 21

Fort Myers, Fla.

5:00 PM

University of Richmond

2-4

Wyoming

2-4

RICHMOND

Wyoming

11/21/2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score COACH MOONEY POSTGAME

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Grant Golden's career-high 33 points weren't enough for a short-handed Spiders team Wednesday at the Fort Myers Tip-Off Classic as Wyoming overcame a five-point deficit with two minutes remaining to edge Richmond 68-66.

"At the end of the game I felt like we needed one more stop to win the game and we didn't get it and offensively we had a few shots that went in-and-out at the end," said coach Chris Mooney.

The Spiders rotation was shortened before tip-off as freshman Matt Grace was unavailable due to an illness and shortened further when sophomore Nathan Cayo picked up his second foul just four minutes into the game. Minutes later, a tweaked groin forced sophomore Jacob Gilyard, the Spiders leading scorer, to the bench.

But the Spiders rallied around sophomore Grant Golden to build a lead of as many as 10 in the first half before taking a 35-27 advantage into the lockerroom at halftime. Golden led all scorers with 19 at intermission.

Gillyard returned to start the second half but was clearly less than 100 percent. Wyoming used an 11-0 run midway through the period to take a 52-50 lead before the Spiders responded. A jumper by Nick Sherod with 2:41 remaining capped a 7-2 Richmond run and gave the Spiders a 66-61 lead.

Wyoming replied with a three-pointer from Hunter Maldonado to cut the lead to three and back-to-back buckets from NBA prospect Justin James to retake the lead. The Spiders missed their final five shots from the field, including a 35-footer from Nick Sherod at the buzzer that bounced off the front of the rim.

Golden finished with a career-high 33 points, totaling exactly half of the Spiders output. It was the most points scored by a Richmond player in the last two seasons and eclipsed his previous high of 26 against UMass and UAB last season. "I hit a couple of baseline shots early and that just kept me really aggressive throughout the game," said Golden.

"He was terrific," said Mooney of Golden. "To hit the shots from where he did: at the rim, mid-range, from three – it's incredible. And he played really well defensively too. He had a couple of blocks and defended the rim. It's a shame we weren't able to come out with a win."