Spiders Roll in 90-65 Win Over UMass

Wednesday, February 28

Robins Center

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

10-19 (8-9)

UMass

11-19 (4-13)

UMASS

Richmond

02/28/2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score COACH MOONEY POSTGAME

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond men's basketball team rounded out its home schedule on a high note on Wednesday night.

Grant Golden tied his career-high with 26 points and rounded out the double-double with 11 rebounds to lead the Spiders to a 90-65 win over UMass at Robins Stadium. Nick Sherod added 19 points, while Jacob Gilyard and De'Monte Buckingham each scored 13.

"I thought our energy was really good tonight," head coach Chris Mooney said after the win. "We started the game well, and that really paid off. Twenty-seven assists to six turnovers is an incredible ratio, and I'm very happy with the win."

Gilyard logged four steals to reach 81 on the year, becoming the first freshman with 80 steals in a season in Division I play since Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State). He also assisted on six field goals, breaking the Richmond freshman assists record with 119.

The Spiders jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead sparked by six points from Golden before the Minutemen could get on the board. UMass battled back to pull within one, but a 3-pointer from Gilyard extended the Spider lead to 19-15.

Each time the Spiders would look to pull away, UMass fought its way back into the game. The two teams continued to trade baskets through the remainder of the half, but Richmond made six of its final eight shots to take a 40-32 lead into the break.

The Spiders extended their lead to 20 less than five minutes into the second half behind three free throws and three made field goals. Sherod scored on a jumper to give the Spiders a 22-point lead and followed that with a 3-pointer to stop a UMass comeback.

Richmond would not let up, taking a 29-point lead with seven minutes to play following back-to-back 3-pointers from Joe Kirby and Sherod. UMass would battle back to make it a 23-point game with just over three minutes to play, but the damage had been done, as the Spiders rolled to a 90-65 win.

The Spiders shot 66.7-percent from behind the arc in the second half while outscoring the Minutemen 25 to 10 in points off of turnovers through 40 minutes of play.

"UMass is one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league and the country," Mooney added. "I thought our defense really picked up in the first half and for most of the second half. We made things difficult, we scrambled well and we came up with loose balls to turn those into points. Our defensive energy was very good throughout."

The Spiders have now won five straight games over UMass, the second-longest active win streak against an Atlantic 10 opponent. Richmond has posted at least eight A-10 wins for the ninth time in Mooney's 13 seasons.

The Spiders will now head to George Mason on Saturday to wrap up regular-season play. Game time in Fairfax is set for 7 p.m.