Richmond Knocks Off Saint Louis as Three Spiders Score 20

Wednesday, January 30

Saint Louis, Mo.

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

Saint Louis

Richmond

Saint Louis

Richmond Knocks Off Saint Louis as Three Spiders Score 20

01/30/2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score AUDIO: Coach Mooney Post Game AUDIO: Jacob Gilyard Post Game

St. Louis, Mo. – Playing in his native Missouri in front of a group of more than 30 friends and family, Jacob Gilyard scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Spiders over Saint Louis at Chaifetz Arena Wednesday night.

The Billikens, picked first in the A-10 preseason poll, entered Wednesday allowing just 63 points per game, the 15^th-best rate in Division I. But Richmond poured in 84 points, the most allowed by the Billikens in more than a calendar year (86 vs George Mason on Jan. 13, 2018), and shot 58 percent from the field, the best for any A-10 team against Saint Louis since Feb. 28, 2015 (George Mason, 61 percent).

The Spiders used an 11-3 run midway through the first half to build an eight-point lead halfway through the first period. Both teams continued to score at a rapid clip, as the Billikens narrowed the Spider lead to four right before halftime. But a deep three-pointer by Gilyard at the first-half buzzer gave Richmond a 47-40 lead at intermission.

Saint Louis roared out of its locker room, scoring the first seven points of the second half to tie the game at 47. Gilyard and Wojcik combined for 10 straight Richmond points to give the Spiders a bit of breathing room, pushing their lead to 61-54 with 11:28 remaining. But Saint Louis again responded, scoring six straight to pull within one and drawing even with Richmond at 65 with just over seven minutes remaining.

Again, the Spiders answered the call. Richmond scored 11 straight points to push its lead to 11 at 78-67 with two-and-a-half minutes to go.

Needing quick baskets, the Billikens switched to a full-court press and capitalized on several Richmond turnovers to cut the lead to 81-77 with 41 seconds remaining.

After Jacob Gilyard was fouled and made a pair of free throws, the Billikens scored four straight to make it 82-81 with 18 seconds remaining. When Gilyard missed the front-end of a one-on-one with 15 seconds left, Saint Louis' Javon Bess, who scored a game-high 31 points, grabbed the ball and raced up court. He drove hard into the lane but his shot was blocked by Richmond's Jake Wojcik.

Gilyard grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He calmly made a pair of free throws to make the score 84-81 with four seconds left. Bess' half-court heave landed out of bounds with 1.2 seconds on the clock.

After a timeout, the Billikens were able to intercept Cayo's inbounds pass at midcourt, but Bess' desperation three clanged off the front of the rim and over the backboard, giving Richmond the win.

The Spiders are now 4-2 in their last six games vs Saint Louis and have won twice in their past three trips to Chaifetz Arena.

In addition to Gilyard, Grant Golden (23) and Cayo (21) also reached the 20-point mark. It was the second time this season three Spiders scored at least 20 and first since Richmond's win at South Alabama on December 29.

Senior Julius Johnson exited the game with a lower leg injury with just over two minutes remaining in the first half and did not return.

The Spiders will start a three-game homestand Saturday at 6 PM against La Salle at the Robins Center. The game will be broadcast on MASN and ESPN Plus.