Nelson stars in win vs UNI as Spiders receive 2022 championship rings

Friday, November 11

Robins Center

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

2-0,0-0Atlantic 10

Northern Iowa

1-1,0-0MVC

Team	1	2	F
UNI	29	26	55
Richmond	32	36	68

Nelson stars in win vs UNI as Spiders receive 2022 championship rings

11/11/2022 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Nelson, Mooney postgame Quick Highlights

RICHMOND, Va. – The pregame ceremony featured the last great Spiders point guard. The game itself might have been a coming out party for the next one.

On the same night his friend and mentor Jacob Gilyard returned along with members of Richmond basketball's class of 2022, redshirt freshman Jason Nelson scored a game-high 21 points to lead Richmond over Northern Iowa before a rowdy crowd of 6,814 at the Robins Center.

Fans in their seats before the game saw the Spiders receive their 2022 Atlantic 10 Championship rings and witnessed the unveiling of the team's 2022 A-10 Championship and 2022 NCAA Tournament banners. Gilyard and fellow class of 2022 members Nick Sherod, Jordan Gaitley, and Sullivan Kulju each received loud ovations as they were introduced.

"I thought it was a tremendous atmosphere for a non-conference game," said Spiders coach Chris Mooney. "The energy and enthusiasm in the building were tremendous and I'm really appreciative of that."

Once the ball tipped, all eyes turned to a member of UR's Class of 2026 – one who controlled the game in just his second career start. Nelson's 21 points were seven more than any other Spider and the most by a Richmond freshman in a November game since November 25, 2017, when Grant Golden scored 24 vs Georgetown.

"He's a very good player and he's obviously been itching to play," said Mooney. "His team didn't play his senior year in high school and he redshirted last year, and I think you can see that. You can see that he really wants to be out there."

Time and time again, Nelson found his way to the basket. And once he got there, he displayed a variety of finishes: left-handed floaters, right-handed reverses, layups through contact, and more.

"If I see that attacking is working, then I'm going to keep doing it. If I see my shot is falling, then I'm going to keep shooting it," said Nelson.

No one seemed happier for Nelson than Gilyard, who watched the second-half from a courtside seat but rarely stayed in the chair, frequently rising to his feet to cheer for the Nelson and the Spiders.

"He texts me everyday about film, about what I need to get better at, what I'm missing, what could help the team out," said Nelson of Gilyard. "He's a big brother to me. All last year he helped me out and he's helping me out still."

Nelson's effort helped the Spiders to their third 2-0 start in the last four seasons as Richmond won its ninth straight non-conference home game.

Neither team could establish much of a cushion in the first half, as the Spiders and Panthers stayed within five points of each other for the entire opening period. Richmond led 32-29 at the break despite shooting just 37 percent from the field (11-30) and 14 percent from three-point range (2-14).

But the Spiders opened up an eight-point cushion with a 7-0 run in the opening minutes of the second half and extended their lead to double digits at 45-35 with 13:45 remaining on a three-pointer from Jason Roche, one of three he'd hit after halftime.

Richmond's lead grew as big as 16 when a pair of free throws from Tyler Burton put UR ahead 53-37 with 11:30 to play. The Panthers never got within single digits down the stretch as Richmond won its fourth straight game vs Northern Iowa.

Roche finished with 14 points, shooting 4-6 from three-point range. Burton added 11 along with a team-high nine rebounds.

The Spiders will head south to take on the College of Charleston on Monday at 7 PM. The game can be seen only on FloHoops and heard on ESPN Richmond.