#16 RHODE ISLAND PULLS AWAY FROM SPIDERS IN SECOND HALF

Tuesday, February 13

Kingston, RI

8:30 PM

University of Richmond

9-16, 7-6 A-10

Rhode Island

21-3, 13-0 A-10

Richmond

Rhode Island

#16 RHODE ISLAND PULLS AWAY FROM SPIDERS IN SECOND HALF

02/13/2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

KINGSTON, RI -- Nick Sherod needed just nine shots to produce a game-high 21 points and Grant Golden added 16 points and seven rebounds but it wasn't enough to prevent 16^th-ranked Rhode Island from winning its 16^th straight game, tied for the longest active winning streak in the nation.

The teams traded baskets early, and the game was tied at 15 midway through the first half. But the Rams used a 17-7 run to take a 10-point lead with just under four minutes to intermission. Richmond responded with a pair of buckets by Grant Golden, including a breakaway dunk after a feed from De'Monte Buckingham, and a Khwan Fore layup to narrow the lead to six at halftime.

After an old-fashioned three-point play by Golden to start the second half cut the Rams lead to three it appeared that the Spiders were primed to make a serious run at becoming the first team to win on the Rams home court in nearly a year. Richmond stayed within striking distance until Rhode Island hit back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead to 11 with 13:43 remaining.

The Spiders were never able to close the gap to single digits again, ultimately falling 85-67 and giving Rams their 16^th straight win on their home court.

"The points off turnovers, that's the biggest number for me. That number was just too much," Coach Chris Mooney said after the game, referring to the 28 points the Rams scored off of 19 Spiders turnovers. "In a game like this we would need to play almost perfectly to win up here."

Sherod topped the 20-point mark for the fourth time in his last six games and became the first Spider to score at least 21 points on nine or fewer shots since De'Monte Buckingham against Saint Louis last March. Buckingham played 24 minutes for the Spiders Tuesday, his first action since severe leg cramps forced him from the VCU game on February 7.

Grant Golden led the team with seven rebounds and eclipsed the 15-point mark for the sixth straight road game. Jacob Gilyard recorded four steals to increase his season total to 72 and moving him into third place on the Spiders all-time single-season steals list.

The Spiders will play three of their five remaining regular-season games at home, starting Saturday against Saint Louis. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 PM and the game can be seen on NBC Sports Washington Plus.