Spiders Knock Off Virginia on the Road

Sunday, November 28

Charlottesville, VA

4 p.m.

University of Richmond

3-3,0-0Atlantic 10

Virginia

1-6,0-0ACC

Richmond

Virginia

Photo by: Keith Lucas

11/28/2021 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Richmond women's basketball team knocked off in-state foe Virginia, 74-65, Sunday afternoon on the road to close out the Cavalier Classic. It was Richmond's first win over UVA since 2007 and first win over a Power 5 opponent since 2014.

Three Spiders scored in double-digits, led by Addie Budnik with 20 points, to help Richmond improve to 3-3 on the year while Virginia dropped to 1-6.

"This is a really great win for our kids and our program. We probably played our most complete game of the season and had so many different players step up in big-time spots throughout the game," said head coach Aaron Roussell. "I felt like we controlled a lot of the game but when things got dicey at the end, the kids on the floor and the ones on the bench executed and willed this team to victory. It was a fun win to be a part of, and I am so thrilled that our players got to experience this together today."

Virginia drilled a quick three to open the game, but Richmond responded with a triple of its own from Addie Budnik just seconds later. Kate Klimkiewicz then hit a pair of free throws to give the Spiders the lead, and later took a steal all the way in for a layup to push the lead to 9-3 at 6:35 in the first quarter. Virginia evened things up at 13-all, but another Budnik trey gave the lead back to Richmond, and the Spiders led 18-16 at the end of the opening period thanks to a pair of free throws from Claire Holt.

The Cavaliers hit a pair of baskets in the opening minute of the second quarter to take the lead, but Aniyah Carpenter snatched the lead back with a triple that made it 26-24 with 5:27 to go in the period. Klimkiewicz's third steal of the game set Grace Townsend up for a 3-pointer to push Richmond's lead to 31-26 with 3:51 remaining, and a triple from Emma Squires in the closing minute sent the Spiders into halftime with a 38-10 lead.

The third frame opened up in back-and-forth fashion until back-to-back Spider baskets including Squires' second 3-pointer of the day pushed Richmond's lead to double-digits at 47-36 midway through the period. Klimkiewicz drilled a three to make it 50-40, and the Spiders led 52-44 heading into the fourth.

A fast start for Richmond in the fourth forced an early UVA timeout at 7:57 with the Spiders ahead 58-46, their largest lead of the day. The Cavaliers chipped away at their deficit, coming as close as two points with 4:23 to go, but that's as close as they would get as Richmond took advantage of free throws down the stretch along with a 3-pointer from Kylee Lewandowski in the final minute to give the Spiders an eight-point cushion. Richmond closed things out with a trio of free throws.

Notables

The Spiders shot 52 percent from the field compared to Virginia's 38 percent, including hitting 9-for-21 from beyond the arc.
Richmond forced 20 turnovers and scored 19 points off of those turnovers.
Addie Budnik paced all scorers in the game with her second 20-point game of the season and fourth of her career on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. She has now scored in double-digits in five consecutive games. Budnik added five rebounds, three assists, and a block in the game.
Grace Townsend dished out a career-high nine assists alongside a career-high 19 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field.
Kate Klimkiewicz posted a season-high 17 points and swiped four passes to tie a season-high.

The Spiders return home to the Robins Center Wednesday, Dec. 1 to host UMES. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

-- UR --