University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Turn Up The Defense In Three-Game Winning Streak
02/04/2019 | Women's Basketball
RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond women's basketball team has finished the first half of Atlantic 10 play sitting 3-5 but have won three-straight, including a 62-58 home win against UMass on Sunday.
The Spiders are 6-15 overall but are one of the hottest teams in the A-10 with three-straight conference wins against Saint Joseph's (W, 46-45), La Salle (W, 74-60) and UMass (W, 62-58).
"I don't care what anyone says winning is hard," Shafer said. "Our kids are learning how to win and I just want them to enjoy the wins because they are hard to get. We have won three in a row and I want them to know it is a big deal."
Junior Jaide Hinds-Clarke (Westwood, N.J.) has stepped up her game recently leading the team with six double-doubles this season. Hinds-Clarke has posted three double-doubles in a row and is averaging 13.0 points per game with 11.3 rebounds per game during the streak.
"She is rebounding the ball better and is scoring more for us, which helps out our perimeter," Shafer said.
Graduate student Daijia Ruffin (Louisville, Ky.) has led the team in scoring during the win streak averaging 15.0 points per game, including a career-high 20 points on the road at La Salle on Jan. 26. Ruffin had only averaged 5.0 points per game during the first five A-10 conference games and has tripled that total to 15.0 points per game.
"Daijia is playing with a lot more confidence," Shafer said. "She is a strong kid and is really physical, which helps our team down the stretch."
Richmond's three leading scorers (Ruffin, Hinds-Clarke, Parson) combined to averaged 25 points per game during the first five games. In the last three games, the trio has combined to score 39 points per game helping the Spiders average 60.7 points per game.
The Spiders have completely turned it around defensively after giving up 70.4 points per game during the first five A-10 games and now are only giving up 54.3 during the win streak (16-point difference).
Freshman Molly Mraz (Erie, Pa.) has taken on the role of "stopper" guarding the other team's best perimeter player. She held Saint Joseph's leading scorer Alyssa Monaghan to 14 points off 4-for-9 shooting. Monaghan had scored 19 points or more in four-straight games. In the win against UMass, Hailey Leidel was held to seven points on 2-for-8 shooting after averaging a team-best 14 points per game.
"She does everything we ask her to do and she does it as well as she can do it," Shafer said. "Those kids can win basketball games for you and that culture that she has in her, I want more and more of it."
With eight games remaining, Richmond is tied for ninth place with UMass (3-5) and George Mason (3-5) and are one-game back of St. Bonaventure who the Spiders host on Feb. 13 at the Robins Center.
Richmond hopes to keep the momentum going this week with two roads games at Dayton (Feb. 6) and at VCU on Saturday, Feb. 9, for the final game of the Sonabank/P.O.W.E.R. Crosstown Showdown. Dayton is third in the A-10 with a 6-2 record and VCU leads the league at 8-1.
For all the latest information on the team, follow SpiderWBBall on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
- UR --
The Spiders are 6-15 overall but are one of the hottest teams in the A-10 with three-straight conference wins against Saint Joseph's (W, 46-45), La Salle (W, 74-60) and UMass (W, 62-58).
"I don't care what anyone says winning is hard," Shafer said. "Our kids are learning how to win and I just want them to enjoy the wins because they are hard to get. We have won three in a row and I want them to know it is a big deal."
Junior Jaide Hinds-Clarke (Westwood, N.J.) has stepped up her game recently leading the team with six double-doubles this season. Hinds-Clarke has posted three double-doubles in a row and is averaging 13.0 points per game with 11.3 rebounds per game during the streak.
"She is rebounding the ball better and is scoring more for us, which helps out our perimeter," Shafer said.
Graduate student Daijia Ruffin (Louisville, Ky.) has led the team in scoring during the win streak averaging 15.0 points per game, including a career-high 20 points on the road at La Salle on Jan. 26. Ruffin had only averaged 5.0 points per game during the first five A-10 conference games and has tripled that total to 15.0 points per game.
"Daijia is playing with a lot more confidence," Shafer said. "She is a strong kid and is really physical, which helps our team down the stretch."
Richmond's three leading scorers (Ruffin, Hinds-Clarke, Parson) combined to averaged 25 points per game during the first five games. In the last three games, the trio has combined to score 39 points per game helping the Spiders average 60.7 points per game.
The Spiders have completely turned it around defensively after giving up 70.4 points per game during the first five A-10 games and now are only giving up 54.3 during the win streak (16-point difference).
Freshman Molly Mraz (Erie, Pa.) has taken on the role of "stopper" guarding the other team's best perimeter player. She held Saint Joseph's leading scorer Alyssa Monaghan to 14 points off 4-for-9 shooting. Monaghan had scored 19 points or more in four-straight games. In the win against UMass, Hailey Leidel was held to seven points on 2-for-8 shooting after averaging a team-best 14 points per game.
"She does everything we ask her to do and she does it as well as she can do it," Shafer said. "Those kids can win basketball games for you and that culture that she has in her, I want more and more of it."
With eight games remaining, Richmond is tied for ninth place with UMass (3-5) and George Mason (3-5) and are one-game back of St. Bonaventure who the Spiders host on Feb. 13 at the Robins Center.
Richmond hopes to keep the momentum going this week with two roads games at Dayton (Feb. 6) and at VCU on Saturday, Feb. 9, for the final game of the Sonabank/P.O.W.E.R. Crosstown Showdown. Dayton is third in the A-10 with a 6-2 record and VCU leads the league at 8-1.
For all the latest information on the team, follow SpiderWBBall on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
- UR --
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballMonday, May 04
Wednesday, April 29
Sunday, March 15
Wednesday, March 04