Spiders Stymie Wisconsin To Advance To Legends Classic Championship

Monday, November 25

Brooklyn, NY

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

5-0,0-0Atlantic 10

Wisconsin

4-2,0-0Big Ten

Wisconsin

Richmond

Spiders Stymie Wisconsin To Advance To Legends Classic Championship

11/25/2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score AUDIO: Coach Mooney Postgame AUDIO: Grant Golden Postgame

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Richmond led for 33 of a possible 40 minutes and answered a late second-half run to defeat Wisconsin 62-52 in the semifinals of the Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Spiders will play in the Legends Classic championship game Tuesday at 7:30 PM against either Auburn or New Mexico on ESPN2.

"You could sense our guys were ready," said coach Chris Mooney. "We've had four home games to open the season, and you could sense that our guys knew this was a great opportunity. The highlights of Richmond's program have been beating these high-major teams … and they know that."

The Badgers held a 7-6 lead at the game's first media timeout before a three-pointer from Blake Francis and a pair of layups from Grant Golden gave Richmond a 13-7 lead. After a three-pointer from Francis with 42 seconds remaining in the first half made the score 31-26 Richmond, the Spiders seemed ready to add to their lead when a Wisconsin turnover gave Richmond the ball with seven seconds left before halftime. But Wisconsin's Tyler Wahl forced a turnover and banked in a running three-pointer from just inside midcourt at the buzzer to make it 31-29 Richmond at the break.

The Badgers finally caught the Spiders midway through the second half, when a three-pointer from Nate Reuvers leveled the score at 45 with 11:15 remaining. A pair of free throws by Reuvers a minute later gave Wisconsin its first lead since the opening minute of the game.

But Richmond answered with a jumper from Nathan Cayo and a three-pointer from Nick Sherod, who entered the contest leading Division I with 5.0 three-pointers per game, to regain the lead. Following another Badgers three-pointer to tie the game at 50, Richmond scored eight straight points on an "And-1" by Golden, a layup by Cayo, and a three-pointer from Jacob Gilyard to make it 58-50 Richmond with 2:58 to play.

The Badgers never threatened down the stretch, as Richmond rolled to a 62-52 win. It's Richmond's fifth straight win to start the season, the longest season-opening win streak by the Spiders since 1985.

Blake Francis led the Spiders with a game-high 19 points, the second-straight game he's led Richmond in scoring. Francis also added a career-best six assists to lead the Spiders. Golden added 16 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds for his 12^th career double-double and second in his last three games.

As a team, Richmond forced 15 Wisconsin turnovers and held the Badgers to 34 percent shooting from the field (17-50), their lowest this season.

With its wins over Vanderbilt earlier this month and Wake Forest last season, Richmond has now won three straight games vs major-conference opponents for the first time since 2010-11 (Seton Hall, Wake Forest, and Vanderbilt).

The Spiders will play in the Legends Classic championship game Tuesday at 7:30 PM on ESPN2.